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“Anytime, Jerry.”
“Did you see that control tower, or whatever it is?”
He pointed upward and to the rear of the hangar.
There was a control-tower-like four-story structure attached to the rear of Hangar Two. There was a second, free-standing six-story structure, painted in a yellow-and-black checkerboard pattern and bristling with antennae, across the field.
“Yes, I did.”
“It looks like they have two,” Mitchell said.
“Yeah. And you would like to use this one, right?”
“Yes, sir.”
“Bonehead, who would we have to see to use the building in the back of the hangar? We need it for our radios.”
“You’d have to ask the post engineer.”
“What about Colonel Fishburn? Could he give us permission to use it?”
“Of course, but you’re supposed to go through channels.”
“Mitch, the building is yours,” Cronley said to Sergeant Mitchell. Then he turned to Lieutenant Moriarty. “Take me to your leader, Bonehead.”
[THREE]
Office of the Regimental Commander
11th Constabulary Regiment
U.S. Air Force Base, Fritzlar, Hesse
American Zone of Occupation, Germany
1705 18 January 1946
“Sir, the officers Lieutenant Moriarty met at the airport are here,” the sergeant major said.
“Send them in, Sergeant Major,” a deep voice called.
The sergeant major gestured to Cronley and Dunwiddie to pass through the colonel’s portal. Cronley gestured to Lieutenant Moriarty to come along.
Cronley and Dunwiddie marched through the door, stopped, and came to attention six feet from the colonel’s desk. Moriarty stopped behind Dunwiddie.
Cronley raised his hand in salute.
“Sir, Captains Cronley, J. D., and Dunwiddie, C. L., at your orders.”
Colonel Richard L. Fishburn, Cavalry, a tall, lean, sharp-featured man, returned the salute crisply.
“You may stand at ease, gentlemen,” he said, then went on, “Very nice, but I don’t think that courteous ‘at your orders’ statement is accurate.” He paused, then went on again: “I saw you on the train when you made your manners to General White. Correct?”
“Yes, sir.”
“I have received my orders vis-à-vis your visit from General White,” Colonel Fishburn said. “Not directly. Via Lieutenant Colonel Wilson. Who, while not a cavalryman, is at least a West Pointer, and therefore most likely would not say he was speaking for the general, if that were not the case. Wouldn’t you agree?”
Dunwiddie and Cronley said, “Yes, sir,” in chorus.
