Command Decision Read Online Free PDF

his own squadron as one homogeneous malevolence. Now he realized that Dennis was talking about his boss, presumably the one who might fire him. Evans kept his ears tuned.
    “They’re releasing all divisions to commanders’ discretion for tomorrow, sir. General Kane is reported so busy in that London conference that he will be unable to pass on the weather personally.”
    The Sergeant had a swift impression that Dennis and Haley might have smiled at each other if Dennis had not suddenly glanced over to where he was standing quietly at ease.
    “Any squawk from Washington yet?”
    “Not yet, sir.” This time they both smiled, as everyone did at mention of Washington, but the smiles were brief.
    “Send Captain Jenks in.”
    “Want me with you, sir?”
    “No. I’ll try him alone again.”
    Evans thought Haley looked relieved, though faintly disapproving. But all the witnesses in the army wouldn’t help that one. Evans scuttled toward the anteroom door, anxious to take delivery on his whiskey and eager to avoid Haley until the time when he could set out for the Magruders’. As he was going out he heard Dennis check Haley again at the door.
    “Has that cable come for Ted?”
    There was upwards of fifteen thousand men in the Division and every one of them felt a sense of personal concern over the kid Colonel Martin was sweating out. Prevailing opinion was that Mrs. Martin and the doctors were going to be seriously inconvenienced by the parachute; there were some, however, who said that they would never know what was happening until the new Martin phoned them that he had been forced down and was waiting in the nearest bar.
    “No, sir,” said Haley. “I’ve even checked with message center London. Mrs. Martin must be late.”
    “She’s ten years late,” said the General wearily.
    Haley and Evans both hesitated until it was plain that he had not been talking to them. After a second they went out.
    2
    Alone, Dennis removed the coffee cup from his desk and threw the cigar into the stove. Then he sat down with the Jenks file before him but he did not open it. The roots of this case went to something deeper than that file. He was going to have to dig it out of the boy himself, if there were time, if he could.
    Dennis had not wasted a second cursing the misfortune that had brought this up at the most critical juncture, so far, of the Fifth Division’s war. These things always happened in armies sooner or later. This one had happened to the Fifth Division this morning. Dennis intended, if it were militarily possible, to keep it in the Division and save the boy. From the visible evidence it did not look possible.
    Captain Jenks entered, marching correctly before a frightened guard. Dennis noted that the men in the guardhouse had been too literal about close arrest; they might have allowed Jenks to shave and change out of those flying coveralls. He returned the guard’s salute, instructed him to wait outside, and studied Jenks narrowly through the brief interval of the guard’s exit. The boy was scared but that young, rather strong face still had rigidity and restraint. No man flew nineteen missions without learning a lot about fear. This boy would still fight. Dennis took pains to make his voice as even as he could.
    “Jenks, have you thought this over?”
    “I thought it over this morning,” said Jenks.
    Dennis noticed the absence of any “sir.” This boy knew he was beyond the help of manners.
    “You’ve had more time.”
    “I don’t need more time.”
    There was always the chance that a few hours of solitude would produce a change. Dennis had already risked eleven hours for the chance. Jenks knew as well as he did that there were only thirteen hours left but he had not changed.
    “Damn it, boy, do you realize that this is serious?”
    “Yes, for both of us.”
    “What are you hinting at?”
    “I’m not getting killed to make you a record,” said Jenks. “I’ll tell the court, so, too, and the whole