Call to Arms

ROUTINE

HEADQUARTERS USMC WASH DC 1545 21 APR 1942

THERE EXISTS THROUGHOUT THE MARINE CORPS A CRITICAL SHORTAGE OF OFFICER PERSONNEL FLUENT IN FOREIGN LANGUAGES. RECORDS INDICATE THAT 2ND LT KENNETH R MCCOY PRESENTLY ASSIGNED COMPANY B 2ND RAIDER BN IS FLUENT IN CHINESE JAPANESE AND OTHER FOREIGN LANGUAGES. UNLESS HIS PRESENT DUTIES ARE CRITICAL TO THE 2ND RAIDER BATTALION IT IS INTENDED TO REASSIGN HIM TO DUTIES COMMENSURATE WITH HIS LANGUAGE SKILLS.

YOU WILL REPLY BY THE MOST EXPEDITIOUS MEANS WHETHER OR NOT SUBJECT OFFICER IS CRITICAL TO THE MISSION OF YOUR COMMAND. BY DIRECTION

STANLEY E WATT COLONEL USMC OFFICE OF THE ASSISTANT CHIEF OF STAFF FOR PERSONNEL

"You don't seem especially surprised, McCoy," Colonel Carlson said in Cantonese.

"No, sir," McCoy answered, in the same language. "Major Banning told me there was a shortage of people who could speak Chinese and Japanese."

Carlson smiled, and nodded at Roosevelt. "The Big Nose doesn't know what we're talking about, does he?"

Chinese often referred to Caucasians as "Big Noses."

"No, sir," McCoy said, now in English.

"Then in English," Carlson said.

"Thank you, gentlemen," Captain Roosevelt said.

"Well, McCoy, are you critical to the Raiders?" Carlson asked.

"I don't know, sir," McCoy said.

"Well, let me put it this way, then, Lieutenant," Carlson said. "In your opinion, can you make a greater contribution to the Corps doing what you're doing with the Raiders, or doing whatever Major Banning has in mind for you to do? And I don't think there is any more question in your mind than there is in mine that Ed Banning is behind that TWX."

"Straight answer, sir?"

"I certainly hope so," Carlson said.

"I think I can do more here, sir," McCoy said.

"Huh," Carlson snorted. "Go buy yourself a bigger hat, Lieutenant McCoy. I am about to designate you as Critical to the Second Raiders."

"Thank you, sir."

"Not even the Big Nose is critical," Carlson said, in Cantonese, and smiled benignly at Captain Roosevelt, who smiled back. "Only you and me, McCoy."

McCoy grinned back.

Still in Cantonese, Carlson went on: "I don't think you need to know the name of the island, yet, McCoy, so I won't give it to you. But for our first mission, we are going to conduct a raid on a certain island. That's subject to change, of course, but I have a hunch it won't. The reason I'm telling you this much is that it is currently projected that we will be transported in submarines, rather than the converted destroyers. That will limit the force to no more than two hundred people. I want you-alone, don't confer with anyone else-to start thinking how we'll have to structure that force, and equip it."

"Aye, aye, sir," McCoy said, in English. "Does that mean I will go with the assault force, sir?"

"Uh- huh," Carlson said. "I thought you'd want to go."

"Oh, yes, sir," McCoy said.

And then he thought, Oh, shit! What the hell have I done?