U-Boat Scourge

by J Eugene Porter

  Brand became even redder in the face, which was all too frequent when he was embarrassed. He looked at the floor, then at the doctor, and finally after composing himself, he looked at Nurse Warren responding, “Lieutenant, I also wish to apologize for my poor behavior. My dear mother would be ashamed of me for not properly introducing myself to such a lady as yourself. My name is James Edward Brand from Flagstaff, Arizona. And what part of the country can we credit for having given birth to a woman of your grace and beauty?”

  The doc and Flannigan both looked at Brand with shock. They didn’t expect him to be able to even talk to a woman, let alone a pretty nurse such as Lieutenant Warren.

  Before anyone else said anything, Warren spoke. “My, my, Mr. Brand, are all of the men in Arizona so gallant or are you the only one?”

  “Well, Lieutenant Warren, or may I call you by your Christian name? Most men from Flagstaff are a hard and crusty lot, spending hours in the saddle chasing cattle around the high mountains. I did have some of those experiences, but preferred spending my time gazing at the stars at the Lowell Observatory.”

  “Mr. Brand, you are an interesting person. I take it you are talking about the astronomical observatory that discovered Pluto? And by the way, my name is Barbara, and I’m from Ft. Worth, Texas.” Nurse Warren presented her hand to Brand so he could shake it like a good Westerner would, then looked again at this tall young man with a greater amount of interest. He was very young looking, but the navy would not make a man an officer until he was at least twenty or so. Barbara was twenty-one and had spent her three years in nursing school in Ft. Worth. As soon as she graduated, she joined the navy to get out of Texas. Nurse Warren had hoped to travel to some place like Hawaii or even further afield but within six months, Pearl Harbor occurred, and she seemed destined to be stuck in Washington for the duration.

  Barbara Ann Warren was a skilled operating room nurse with stamina greater than most men and a nearly perfect memory for each procedure and instruments required to operate successfully. Her early training had gone exceedingly fast because of her memory and command of anatomy and physiology, two prerequisites to becoming a top nurse. She had no fear of blood, pain, stress, or the huge egos of doctors. Her oldest brother was a Baylor University College of Medicine graduate and had told her she should become a doctor as well. But the deck was stacked, as they say in Texas, for any girl wanting to go to medical school so she went to nursing school with the hope that one day before she was thirty she could get into a good medical school on the east coast, which was more accepting of women.

  Brand looked intently at Barbara and held her hand a long time until she finally pulled it away, but she was now blushing as well. Brand decided to be even more open. “Perhaps one evening, we could meet, and I could show you some of the major star systems. And maybe if we have a clear night, I can point out Pluto to you. That is, of course, if you have some spare time and would want to spend it with a real Arizona cowboy. Perhaps the good doctor could help us, right Dr. Feldman?”

  Feldman smiled and quickly replied, “Sure, Brand, I’ll see what we can do as long as you stay in town long enough to allow some star gazing. Perhaps we can see if the Naval Observatory could oblige this meeting?”

  Brand was almost giddy with the possibility and said, “Wow, Doc, would you do that for us? Do we need permission from Admiral King or something like that?”

  At the mention of the admiral’s name, Flannigan grabbed Brand’s arm to admonish him without saying anything. The relationship with the top admiral in the navy was not to be discussed nor even intimated. Before Brand could say anything, Feldman came to his normal quick rescue.

  “I am sure that the good admiral has other things to do, but we could contact the president to arrange some time on the White House lawn.” Feldman gave out his biggest grin, and everyone, including Brand, laughed at the witty thought. Barbara noticed the arm movement by Flannigan but didn’t give the impression that she had. She had no idea what she had seen, but there seemed to be a lot more to the eye than this first impression. Who is this young ensign? she wondered.

  Feldman decided to move the little entourage away from the lovely Nurse Warren before any more damage was done. “Gentlemen, I’m sure Nurse Warren has other duties to perform and I promised to show you around our little medical facility. Thank you, Lieutenant, for bringing these people to my location. We will talk again later.” With that the good doctor began to move toward the next ward with the marines in tow.

  Brand looked once more at Nurse Warren saying, “I hope we meet again real soon and perhaps get a chance to look at those stars.” He turned and walked away leaving Barbara wondering more about the tall young ensign that everyone seemed to be protecting.

  Dr. Feldman took the group around the major wards and into some of the empty operating theaters to help them understand some of the newer techniques that could save their lives one day. At lunch time, the group went to the cafeteria and ordered a nice plate lunch, but Brand just wanted a ham and cheese sandwich and Coca-Cola. He munched on his food slowly while all the others engaged in lively banter about what they had seen at the massive hospital. Mostly they discussed the large number of nurses on staff and how they wanted to go on sick call as soon as possible. The gunny informed them they would have to be near death to be taken to this hospital and not to try anything so stupid. They all laughed at the serious comment made by Gunnery Sergeant Jones knowing it made him a bit mad, but he was in good spirits. Finally, around 1330 hours, Flannigan announced they had to get back to the house and prepare for the next day. Brand seemed relieved, but still wanted to see Barbara once more. This was not to be, but he told Dr. Feldman, “Let’s have a game of chess this evening. I have a few questions to ask you.”

  Brand caught up with the group and exited the cafeteria as Feldman watched them leave through the big double doors. Feldman had finished his coffee when two nurses walked up to him asking, “Dr. Feldman, do you mind if we sit and ask you a question?”

  Feldman stood replying, “Sure, love to have some company.” Feldman now faced the lovely Barbara Warren and her roommate and best friend, Wanda Jackson. Wanda was a lieutenant junior grade like Warren from Shreveport, Louisiana. At twenty-four she had a reputation as a southern lady with a temper and not too quick to become involved with anyone. The rumor was that Wanda had a beau who left her at the altar when she was only nineteen. Because of that she went to nursing school far off in St. Louis, escaping the hometown nastiness and gossip that followed these situations down south.

  Warren spoke first, “Dr. Feldman, how do you know Ensign Brand and Lieutenant Flannigan? And why do they have those other marines following them?”

  Feldman had been briefed by Commander Jameson on how to handle these type questions, so he was finally going to tell a story about the two, mingling truth with fiction to keep Brand’s secret.

  “Nurse Warren and Nurse Jackson, I didn’t think you were interested in these gentlemen.” Feldman looked for the response and saw both getting a bit red, confirming his diagnosis of lust.

  Jackson spoke first, “Doc, Barbara told me about these two and I spied them both when you were walking the halls with them. The marine seems to have something wrong with his arm, and he looks like he has some face lacerations as well.”

  Feldman then went for the truth as it pertained to Flannigan saying, “Wanda, you are very observant in noticing the lieutenant’s wounds. What I’m about to say is top secret, and you must not reveal this information to anyone. Is that understood?” Both nodded their heads. Feldman decided to make sure they understood. “I need to hear a yes sir, or no sir, to go any further, understood?”

  Both nurses said almost simultaneously, “Yes sir, Dr. Feldman.”

  “Good, now let me tell you a story about Lieutenant Flannigan. He was wounded in the Philippines at the Cavite Naval Base when it was bombed by the Japanese on December 10. He was attempting to evacuate wounded personnel from the base, going into a burning bu
ilding on more than four occasions to rescue scores of individuals from certain death. The buildings were not only under attack, but there were secondary explosions when ammunition stored in some of these buildings went off. His wounds were serious enough to have him shipped out of Manila to Java. He was not getting better, and the burns were such that he was evacuated to Australia, then to Hawaii, and finally to San Diego where I met him for the first time. He wants to go back to his men, but it is not to be. He works with Ensign Brand and some other people on special projects.”

  He looked at the faces of both nurses and saw a level of professional concern and interest, but also one of more worldly compassion on the part of Nurse Jackson.

  Barbara then opened up, “Sounds like a real marine hero. He’s not married, is he?”

  Feldman looked at Barbara and said, “No, I don’t think he has had time for marriage or even going on a date for some time.” Feldman turned to Wanda, “So, Nurse Jackson, that’s what you wanted to know, isn’t it? Is Flannigan available and a real hero?”

  Wanda nodded her head in agreement and turned a bit redder in the face. Nurse Warren then pushed in, “So what about Ensign Brand? I don’t think he has been out of the country because he doesn’t look the part. What does he do?”

  Feldman now looked hard at the nurses and saw the interest they had in two young men, so he decided to go with the cover story that he and Jameson had concocted. “Ensign Brand is a highly-educated scientist working on special projects for the navy and the army. Yes, Barbara, he is from Arizona, and when he spoke of star gazing, he is quite good at it for he worked with the team that discovered Pluto. He was very young then, and that is all I can discuss with you now.” He looked at both, especially Barbara who was letting this bit of information sink in a bit more. Feldman decided to expand further.

  “I live in the house that accommodates Ensign Brand and Lieutenant Flannigan along with other individuals. The marine guards are just that, guards. Flannigan oversees security for the location. That is all I can disclose to you concerning these gentlemen and their activities.”

  Barbara’s demeanor turned professional as she spoke, “Dr. Feldman, thank you for telling us about these two officers. Nurse Jackson and I will maintain the secrecy you asked for, and we look forward to meeting these gentlemen again, hopefully in a more casual setting.”

  Feldman almost chuckled but held his composure. “Nurse Jackson and Nurse Warren, thank you for your understanding. I will do my best to see that you have an opportunity soon to meet these fine young men in, as you said, a more casual setting.”

  Both nurses stood up and thanked the doctor. They didn’t say anything to each other as they walked away, but Feldman knew later in the evening when they were alone, there would be much discussion concerning the two officers. Feldman wondered how he could play cupid and not get into too much trouble. Perhaps a little female company would do Brand a world of good.

  25

  1 March 1942

  Office of Rear Admiral Willson

  Chief of Staff to Admiral King

  • Battle of Sunda Strait--Allied vessels heading for Sunda Strait are attacked by superior Japanese surface forces. Heavy cruiser USS Houston sunk, light cruiser HMAS Perth sunk.

  • American-British-Dutch-Australian Command dissolved.

  • German submarine U-656 sunk by land-based U.S. naval aircraft south of Newfoundland.

  Brand and Jameson stood at the desk of Admiral Willson as he went down a list of problems with their report on anti-submarine warfare. He had spent the previous day working with an edited copy given to him by King which included a fifteen-minute lecture on the impertinence of young men to doubt their seniors. King, furthermore, said to Willson he knew more about anti-submarine warfare on one hair than these two upstarts, especially the boy wonder professor. After he had settled down, King did make some rather profound statements about the foresight in the report. Even though he hated to admit it, he appreciated the élan of the two officers in challenging current naval strategy. He dismissed the conversation with a thrust of papers into the hands of his trusted chief of staff with the admonition to have more validation on certain points of the ideas outlined in the paper.

  Willson had been haranguing both officers about the years of naval history, planning, philosophy and just plain “the navy way,” for a good ten minutes before he looked at them. Willson said, “Do you both think Admiral King and the rest of this staff has been sitting on its hands doing nothing about the Nazi subs off our coast? Do you both believe that we are fighting this war using the same tactics we used in the last one? Well, do you?”

  Commander Jameson as the senior officer knew it was his place to take whatever blame there was in the findings and suggestions of the report. He replied, “Sir, it was our best intention to provide the admiral with our analysis of what is occurring now, what we can do in the short term to curb our losses and go on the offensive. And lastly, it was our idea to make suggestions where people, ships, and new technologies could be brought to bear on the submarine problem, sir.”

  Willson looked at his papers and had a sudden urge to smile or laugh or both, but kept a straight face. “Admiral King is very angry at this report. Not for you doing it, nor from the recommendations. He is mad at himself and the entire organization in not bringing forward fresh ideas and suggestions on how to deal with this menace. He is not happy at all being second guessed by a reserve commander and especially a kid professor.” Willson stood and walked to the window looking out at the yard of Old Navy. “Jameson, you and Brand have done something no other man has done in my thirty-two years in the navy. You made Admiral King mad; not at you, which is very easily accomplished, but at himself. I have read over the report, and have all the admiral’s notes. He wants additional clarification on a few points, and he wants to personally commend you for not only the work you put into this but the way you presented the situation and your recommendations.”

  Jameson and Brand who were still at parade rest smiled at each other while the admiral gazed out the window. A few minutes earlier they both thought their next duty station would be counting pencils in the Canal Zone.

  Willson looked at them saying, “The way you broke up the report with a current situation analysis, including a synopsis of current attack strategies, escorting, aerial reconnaissance, and of course, convoys, was excellent but damning. The next section on immediate actions with estimates of possible results caused the admiral some heartburn, but he acknowledged the medicine was tolerable.” Admiral Willson looked down at the report after he noticed a slight grin appearing on the face of Ensign Brand, not wanting to encourage any humor. “The most interesting reaction I had, and I think the admiral had, was in future recommendations which included lessons for our own submarine force.”

  The admiral finally realized he had these two men standing in front of his desk like plebes reporting for demerit penalties at Annapolis. “Gentlemen, excuse my bad manners, please sit down at the conference table. We need to discuss each of these points so I can get back to the admiral.”

  Before sitting, Willson opened the door and told one of his aides to have coffee sent in along with some of those powder sugar doughnuts he knew young Brand liked so much. He also requested two of his senior aides, Captain Stone and Commander McFarland, come in to listen and take notes.

  Following introductions, Brand downed his second doughnut as Willson began his questions. “Brand, in your report you had several short-term fixes and then you listed additional medium to long-term suggestions. The admiral and I agree with most of the short-term ideas, such as the coastal convoy system, the single ship day port jumping, the repainting of aircraft to make them blend in with the sky and the various attack protocols, as you call them, for aerial surveillance and attack. These can be done with the least amount of cost in time or new equipment and will be implemented shortly. I may need you to work up additional training materials for the air arm, but that will not be too time-consum
ing.”

  “Yes sir, we can get that done quickly with the aid of some of your naval air personnel plus the army.” Brand added, “Sir, we may want to add some of the attack scenarios to escort vessels as well. The attack profile is similar, and as we get more escorts of any size involved, it will buy us time to drive the U-boats away and eventually destroy them.”

  Willson was about to say something else, but Brand jumped back in, to the displeasure of the admiral’s aides who never interrupted the boss. “One more thing on the attack profile, sir. Would it be possible for me to get a chance to meet and ask some questions of the U-boat crew we sank? I know they will only say things in conjunction with the Geneva Convention, but my line of questioning might give me additional insights on their strategies and defensive measures. My German is excellent, and perhaps my youth will confuse them.”

  Admiral Willson’s aides looked at each other and grinned, knowing this was not in the cards. But Admiral Willson had more confidence in the young professor than they did. “Commander McFarland, get on the horn and find out where those Germans are and make arrangements to get Brand to that location.” Willson looked at Brand and knew he could probably learn more in ten minutes with a prisoner than twenty professional interrogators. Willson then asked about the medium and long-term objectives Brand had outlined.

  “Sir, I know there are many developments currently in the works that would benefit the anti-submarine program. My report details some of those, such as airplane-based radar, new ship-based radar, and larger depth charges. Also, the aerial depth charges need to be better fused and more aerodynamic to allow for more accurate placement.”

  Ensign Brand continued his explanation, “One of the other promising things the Brits have worked on is the aerial rocket. My old colleagues at Cal Tech have some brilliant chemists and metallurgists who could create a fin stabilized, non-guided rocket capable of flying some twelve hundred yards with an impact speed of over a thousand miles per hour. These rockets could also be useful in ground support missions as well as attacking small to medium size ships. The key to the anti-submarine rocket is that it uses kinetic energy to do its job. There is no need for an explosive warhead.”