MORE PRAISE FOR W. E. B. GRIFFIN’S ALL-TIME CLASSIC SERIES,
BROTHERHOOD OF WAR
A sweeping military epic of the United States Army that
became a New York Times bestselling phenomenon.
“A MAJOR WORK…MAGNIFICENT…POWERFUL…If books about warriors and the women who love them were given medals for authenticity, insight and honesty, Brotherhood of War would be covered with them.”
—William Bradford Huie, author of
The Klansman and The Execution of Private Slovik
“Brotherhood of War gets into the hearts and minds of those who by choice or circumstances are called upon to fight our nation’s wars.”
—William R. Corson, Lt. Col. (Ret.) U.S.M.C.,
author of The Betrayal and The Armies of Ignorance
“Captures the rhythms of army life and speech, its rewards and deprivations…A WELL-WRITTEN, ABSORBING ACCOUNT.”
—Publishers Weekly
“REFLECTS THE FLAVOR OF WHAT IT’S LIKE TO BE A PROFESSIONAL SOLDIER.”
—Frederick Downs, author of The Killing Zone
“LARGE, EXCITING, FAST-MOVING.”
—Shirley Ann Grau, author of The Keepers of the House
“A MASTER STORYTELLER who makes sure each book stands on its own.”
—Newport News Press
“GRIFFIN HAS BEEN CALLED THE LOUIS L’AMOUR OF MILITARY FICTION, AND WITH GOOD REASON.”
—Chattanooga News-Free Press
TITLES BY W. E. B. GRIFFIN
HONOR BOUND
HONOR BOUND
BLOOD AND HONOR
SECRET HONOR
BROTHERHOOD
OF WAR
BOOK I: THE LIEUTENANTS
BOOK II: THE CAPTAINS
BOOK III: THE MAJORS
BOOK IV: THE COLONELS
BOOK V: THE BERETS
BOOK VI: THE GENERALS
BOOK VII: THE NEW BREED
BOOK VIII: THE AVIATORS
BOOK IX: SPECIAL OPS
THE CORPS
BOOK I: SEMPER FI
BOOK II: CALL TO ARMS
BOOK III: COUNTERATTACK
BOOK IV: BATTLEGROUND
BOOK V: LINE OF FIRE
BOOK VI: CLOSE COMBAT
BOOK VII: BEHIND THE LINES
BOOK VIII: IN DANGER’S PATH
BOOK IX: UNDER FIRE
BOOK X: RETREAT, HELL!
BADGE OF HONOR
BOOK I: MEN IN BLUE
BOOK II: SPECIAL OPERATIONS
BOOK III: THE VICTIM
BOOK IV: THE WITNESS
BOOK V: THE ASSASSIN
BOOK VI: THE MURDERERS
BOOK VII: THE INVESTIGATORS
BOOK VIII: FINAL JUSTICE
MEN AT WAR
BOOK I: THE LAST HEROES
BOOK II: THE SECRET WARRIORS
BOOK III: THE SOLDIER SPIES
BOOK IV: THE FIGHTING AGENTS
BOOK V: THE SABOTEURS
BOOK VI: THE DOUBLE AGENTS
PRESIDENTIAL AGENT
BOOK I: BY ORDER OF THE PRESIDENT
BOOK II: THE HOSTAGE
BOOK III: THE HUNTERS
The Majors
BROTHERHOOD OF WAR BOOK III
BY W. E. B. GRIFFIN
THE BERKLEY PUBLISHING GROUP
Published by the Penguin Group
Penguin Group (USA) Inc.
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Penguin Books Ltd., Registered Offices: 80 Strand, London WC2R 0RL, England
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, events, or locales is entirely coincidental. The publisher does not have any control over and does not assume any responsibility for author or third-party websites or their content.
THE MAJORS
A Jove Book / published by arrangement with the author
Copyright © 1983 by W. E. B. Griffin.
All rights reserved.
No part of this book may be reproduced, scanned, or distributed in any printed or electronic form without permission. Please do not participate in or encourage piracy of copyrighted materials in violation of the author’s rights. Purchase only authorized editions.
For information, address: The Berkley Publishing Group,
a division of Penguin Group (USA) Inc.,
375 Hudson Street, New York, New York 10014.
ISBN:978-1-4406-3760-5
JOVE®
Jove Books are published by The Berkley Publishing Group,
a division of Penguin Group (USA) Inc.,
375 Hudson Street, New York, New York 10014.
JOVE is a registered trademark of Penguin Group (USA) Inc.
The “J” design is a trademark belonging to Penguin Group (USA) Inc.
For Uncle Charley and The Bull
RIP October 1979
And for Donn.
Who would have ever believed four stars?
Contents
Chapter I
Chapter II
Chapter III
Chapter IV
Chapter V
Chapter VI
Chapter VII
Chapter VIII
Chapter IX
Chapter X
Chapter XI
Chapter XII
Chapter XIII
Chapter XIV
Chapter XV
Chapter XVI
Chapter XVII
Chapter XVIII
I
(One)
Washington, D.C.
10 March 1954
The black, four-door Buick Roadmaster carried Virginia license plates. Attached to the plates was a strip of metal on which was stamped ALEXANDRIA 1954, as proof the owner had paid his 1954 Alexandria city automobile tax. The car showed none of the other decalomania, however, that many of the cars in the Washington, D.C., area showed, thus identifying them as military personnel attached to the Military District of Washington, or as employees of the federal government authorized to park in Section B, Parking Lot III, of the Department of Labor, or so on.
There was nothing about the car, in other words, that made it appear to be anything but the car of someone who lived in Alexandria, Virginia. But when it turned off Pennsylvania Avenue, the normally closed gates of 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue were open, and the two guards on duty touched their caps in salute and waved it through without stopping it either to examine the driver’s identification or to telephone to see if he was expected, though it was late at night.
The driver proceeded to the entrance nearest the Executive Office Building, the ornate old Army-Navy-State Department Building. Two marines, in dress blues, came out to the car before it had stopped.
“I’ll park it for you, sir,” one of them said to the driver.
> “If you’ll come with me, sir,” the other one said.
The man who emerged from the car was a small, prematurely bald, rather skinny man wearing a baggy suit, white shirt, nondescript necktie, and black shoes. He was the antithesis of memorable.
When the marine headed away from the elevator that went to the Command Operations Room, the small man asked him where they were going.
“To the quarters, sir.”
The small man did not reply.
When he got off the elevator which opened on the wide entrance corridor of the living quarters, the Secret Service agent on duty nodded to him.
“You’re to go right in,” he said.
“Thank you,” the small man said politely, as he passed through the double door the agent held open for him.
There were two men in the room. One of them, a brigadier general whose tunic was adorned with the heavy golden cord, the fourragère, identifying the military aide-de-camp to the President of the United States, was bending over the back of a fragile, gilt chair. In the chair sat a balding, bespectacled man wearing a tattered sweater. On the sweater was sewn a large “A.”
“That was quick,” the President of the United States said.
“There’s not much traffic this time of night, sir.”
“We’re drinking,” the President said, indicating a silver tray on which whiskey bottles sat. “Will you have something? Or coffee?”
“Coffee, please, sir, black,” the small man said.
The military aide walked out of the room.
“I spoke with John an hour or so ago,” the President said. “He sends his regards.”
“Thank you, sir.”
“I only recently learned that you were classmates and friends,” the President said.
“Acquaintances, sir,” the small man said. “And he is ’44. I would have been ’46.”
The President nodded, and then smiled. “He leads me to believe it can get a little chilly in Korea.”
“The troops call it ‘Frozen Chosen,’ sir,” the small man said.
A black man, a U.S. Navy chief steward, wearing a starched white jacket, came into the room with a silver pot of coffee and two cups and saucers. He left, closing the door behind him. The aide did not return.
The President poured coffee into one of the two white china cups, and then said, “I think I’ll have a little of that myself,” and poured the second cup full. “Reinforced, of course,” he said, splashing bourbon into the cup. He held the bottle over the second cup and looked at the small man.
“Please,” the small man said.
“Help yourself, Major,” the President said, and went to a table and opened a folder. He took from it a stapled document, the cover sheet of which was stamped, top and bottom, with TOP SECRET in inch-high red letters. Red stripes ran diagonally across the cover sheet.
He waited until the small man had seated himself, rather awkwardly, on a low, red leather couch and then he handed it to him. The small man put his cup and saucer down, held the cover sheet out of the way, and carefully read what the President had given him.
COPY 1 of 3
DUPLICATION
FORBIDDEN
TOP SECRET
(QUINCY)
THE JOINT CHIEFS OF STAFF
THE PENTAGON
WASHINGTON 25, D.C.
8 March 1954
EYES ONLY
VIA FIELD-GRADE OFFICER COURIER
By direction of the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, the President concurring, you are authorized and directed to appoint Lieutenant General E. Z. Black, USA, as your representative to meet with the Commander in Chief, French forces in French Indo-China at Hanoi, as soon as possible. The purpose of the meeting is to determine if augmentation of French forces by American forces no longer required for operations in Korea would permit the French, in the immediate future, to sustain their operations at Dien Bien Phu, and ultimately to suppress Viet Minh/Communist insurgent forces currently threatening French control of Indo-China.
It is emphasized that General Black’s mission is solely to evaluate the present military situation. He is NOT authorized to commit U.S. forces, of any type, for any purpose.
For planning purposes only, it is contemplated that the following U.S. forces might be made available for service in French Indo-China, should United States intervention be determined to be feasible and desirable:
Elements, Eighth U.S. Army, as follows:
1st U.S. Cavalry Division (Dismounted)
40th U.S. Infantry Division
187th Infantry Regimental Combat Team (Airborne)
8058th Mobile Army Surgical Hospital
555th Artillery Group
Command and Support units to be determined
Elements, 20th U.S. Air Force, as follows:
433rd Air Transport Group
2055th Air Control Squadron
2057th Meteorological Squadron
271st Fighter Wing
107th Fighter Bomber Squadron
707th Bomber Squadron (Augmented)
Command and Support units to be determined
Elements, Pacific Fleet, as follows:
Four attack transports
Fleet oiler
Task force, elements to be determined, but including:
Aircraft carrier with three fighter squadrons and
one fighter-bomber squadron aboard
Escort vessels
Ships of the line to be determined
Inasmuch as it is anticipated that should American augmentation of French forces occur, General Black would be placed in command, you are authorized and directed to designate such general or flag officers as General Black may desire, representing the forces named above, to accompany him to Hanoi, or such other place as he may deem necessary.
In view of the politically sensitive nature of General Black’s mission, it is directed that his party travel in civilian clothing by chartered civilian aircraft. This letter constitutes authority for the expenditure of whatever discretionary funds are necessary. Waiver of normal passport and visa requirements has been received from the French Colonial Administration.
General Black will make a daily report, to be encrypted in French Indo-China, and transmitted via officer courier to Tokyo for radio teletype transmittal to the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. 20th Air Force has been directed to make courier aircraft available.
On completion of his discussions with the French authorities, General Black will prepare a report, to be encrypted in French Indo-China, and transmitted in like manner. NO, repeat NO, copies of this report are to be retained in the Far East, and all notes and other material used in its preparation are to be destroyed.
General Black may select whatever staff he desires to accompany him.
FOR THE CHAIRMAN, THE JOINT CHIEFS:
Edmund C. Williams
Major General, USMC
Secretary of The Joint Chiefs of Staff
“Yes, sir?” the small man asked, when he had finished reading.
“You read that pretty carefully,” the President said.
“Yes, sir.”
“I was led to believe you wrote it.”
“I drafted it, sir, for the Joint Chiefs. They might have changed it.”
“Did they?”
“Not significantly, sir.”
“How’s your health, Felter?” the President asked.
“Fine, sir.”
“I mean, really. Not officially. Are you fully recovered?”
“Yes, sir.”
“I understand the only way you can get into Dien Bien Phu is by parachute. You feel up to that?”
“Yes, sir,”
“I want you to go to Indo-China with General Black,” the President said, “and then detach yourself, quietly, from the official party, go to Dien Bien Phu, see what shape they’re in, positions, supplies, morale, the whole business, and then come back here and tell me what you find.”
“Yes, sir.”
; “I want you to take someone with you, sort of a backup. A soldier, preferably. Do you know someone like that?”
Major Felter thought a moment.
“Yes, sir, I know just the man. He’s at Fort Knox.”
“Tell me about him.”
“Major, Armor,” Felter said. “He had five combat jumps in World War II as a pathfinder. And was given the Medal. He wasn’t wounded in World War II.”
“MacMillan?” the President asked. “He was with you when you had your misfortune in Korea, wasn’t he?”
“Yes, sir.”
The military aide to the President of the United States returned to the room. Major Felter realized that there must be a hidden button somewhere that the President had pressed to summon him.
“Major Felter’s volunteered to go, Charley,” the President said. “Get the show on the road.”
“Yes, Mr. President.”
The President sat down at a table and took a sheet of notepaper and quickly scrawled something on it.
“This may come in handy, Major,” he said, handing it to him. Major Felter read it.
“Yes, sir, I’m sure it will.”
“Every soldier’s ultimate ambition, Felter,” the President chuckled. “Commander in Chief.” He put out his hand. “Go with God, Major,” he said.
(Two)
Hq XIX U.S. Corps (Group)
Kwandae-Ri, North Korea
12 March 1954
The air force C-47 gooney bird which touched down daily at the XIX Corps (Group) airstrip had six passenger seats. They were up front in the cabin just behind the bulkhead separating the cabin from the cockpit. The rest of the cabin was given to cargo transportation, and sometimes the sick, on litters. Not the wounded; they passed their way through a Mobile Army Surgical Hospital (MASH) on their way to more complete medical facilities via a separate aerial evacuation system.
The gooney bird carried mail bags, and priority air freight, and milk. Fresh milk, from a herd of dairy cattle in Japan whose output had been contracted for by the U.S. Army Veterinary Corps, and was dispensed by the U.S. Army Quartermaster Corps at the direction of the U.S. Army Medical Corps to pregnant dependent women, dependent children under the age of five, and those soldiers whose gastrointestinal difficulties indicated a daily ingestion of fresh milk.
The Majors Page 1