B004V9FYIY EBOK Read online

  “Good evening, Captain. I’m Brian Davis, your XO.” CO and XO greeted each other for the first time and the XO continued down the line introducing the senior officers. The sideboys were dismissed and the XO got down to business. “Captain, I know you have been left a little in the dark about this, but we were asked to have a small dinner in the wardroom this evening to welcome you and to invite the Mayor of San Pedro and some of the other people who made this happen. If you’re ready, we can join them,” he said.

  The Captain nodded and followed the XO through a door on the starboard side, down a corridor leading past officer staterooms and the XO’s cabin. They came to a door blocking further passage. You could hear the noise of many voices in the next compartment. The XO opened the door and stepped through, calling out, “Attention on deck!”

  There was a shuffling of chairs as the people in the wardroom came to their feet and became silent. Captain Roger Hammond stepped into the room and was ushered to a place at the center of the head table. The room was arrayed with two long tables and one shorter one crossing the top of the others. The room was full. Nearly 80 people were there waiting for him. As he came to his seat he was introduced to Patricia Crowell, Mayor of San Pedro and Jack Latham, the local shipyard executive. Once the introductions were done, the Captain turned to the others.

  “Ladies and gentlemen, thank you for this welcome. I guess it is apparent to everyone that our President likes surprises.” Everyone let out a little chuckle. They all had been aware that some special arrangements had been made for the Captain’s arrival. “And this surprise is most definitely a pleasant one. So let’s take care of the business at hand first. XO please have it noted in the ship’s log that as of 2033 hours on this date, as per my orders, I am assuming command of this vessel,” he said smiling. “Please take your seats.”

  Officers and guests applauded as they sat back down and some small talk began around the tables. The XO rose to place a call to the quarterdeck to provide the information and carry out one last part of his own instructions. After hanging up, he waited for a moment and the instrument rang again. He picked up the receiver, listened and said, “Yes, sir.” Then he turned to the Captain. “It’s for you,” he said holding out the receiver.

  Captain Hammond excused himself a moment and went to the telephone. He placed the receiver to his ear and said, “Captain Hammond.”

  “Did you like my surprise?” the President asked.

  Hammond broke into a broad grin. “Mister President, you will have my vote and the vote of every family member for the next six generations,” he said. He could hear the President laughing on the other end.

  “You more than deserve it, Roger. You personally helped get this country back on its feet. You helped me get a grip on things, and you didn’t fold on me when the crunches hit. I am personally grateful. Sorry I wasn’t here to see you off this morning.”

  “That’s OK, sir. You are a busy man; besides, this more than makes up for that.”

  “I guess, but I need to make up a little more. Your XO has arranged for me to say a little something to the crew, can you give him the high sign or something so we can do this?”

  Hammond looked over at the XO. “He’s ready.”

  Davis picked up another telephone and gave an order. A Bos’n’s call was heard on the 1MC, the ship’s general announcing system, and the President’s voice could be heard through both the phone and the announcing system.

  “Officers and men of the Iowa, this is your President speaking. I am truly sorry that I cannot be with you tonight. Your new commanding officer, Captain Hammond, is a fine officer and in this case, a good friend. But I was not the one that selected him for this job, so you are not getting some kind of a political appointment. The CNO came to me with his name about a month ago. Quite frankly we could think of no one else so qualified for the job.”

  “Ladies and gentlemen, our nation is at war with an enemy that is cold and ruthless in its methods. They mean to deprive us of our liberties and subjugate us to their will. This cannot happen. Your ship will help lead the way. As I mentioned in a speech there recently, everyone here has been astonished at the patriotism and drive the people of San Pedro have displayed to bring their ship online. On behalf of a grateful nation, I accept this gift. Although I would normally be there to do this personally, with the urgent situation at hand, I cannot do so. Instead I will simply ask the Captain and each of you to witness this.”

  “Captain Hammond, as President of the United States, I hereby place the battleship Iowa in commission. God bless and God speed.”

  A cheer rang up from throughout the giant ship as 1,500 voices rose as one to welcome the old ship back into the Navy she had served so well over the decades. The President could hear the shouts and cheers as the celebration began. “Captain, she’s all yours. Give me a call when you can,” he said.

  “Thank you, Mister President. Thank you for everything,” he said. The line went dead.

  Hammond rejoined the others and the meal was served. He actually enjoyed the camaraderie being displayed. It was something he had not experienced in many of the other ships he had been on. During the meal he spent much of his time talking to Mayor Crowell. She was middle aged and a widow. Her late husband had been killed in an industrial accident five years before. Mayor Crowell had devoted herself to politics and her community. Hammond liked her sense of humor and could tell she had a keen intellect. At least she didn’t just sit there and wait to be pampered.

  Latham was another likable guy. Much like Hammond, he was all about ships and the people who work on them. The Iowa had been his brainchild and his pet project. He was the kind of a guy you met to have a beer with; friendly, honest, and someone you could count on. Hammond could see how they had worked together to bring a ship like this back.

  As the dessert was being brought out, Hammond rapped lightly against his glass to get some attention. He stood up before his officers.

  “Ladies and gentlemen, this has been a rather momentous evening,” he said with a grin. “I understand we are getting underway tomorrow to complete our systems and onload ammunition. I can tell you that this will be a hurried evolution. They need us out there. Right now the North Koreans have taken over half of South Korean soil and we are in danger of losing the peninsula. Although I had been left in the dark about this ship specifically, I do know we will be a part of a major surprise to our enemies. This ship is going to war, and we are taking the war to our enemies. We will continue the XO’s training efforts and I will add a few of my own. Within the next thirty days we will be going in harm’s way, and if it is left to me, this ship will lead the way.” There were some shouts and some applause. He continued, “Listening to the Bos’n all the way here, I get the feeling this is just about the best crew in existence.” There was laughter this time and he saw Patnaude sit back grinning. “Well, we’ll see. What I do know is I work hard and when the job’s done I play. We may even have some lighter times along the way. But the main thing is that we all do our jobs to the best of our abilities. If there is a problem, let’s talk about it and fix it. If there is a rough spot, polish it down. If someone can’t cut it, let’s get someone who can. We don’t have time to waste on slackness. We have a job to do.”

  “Gentlemen, USS Iowa is going to war. So while we have the chance, I propose one toast,” he said picking up his tea glass. “To USS Iowa, fear God and Dreadnought.”

  After the dinner Hammond was shown to his cabin and the XO bid the captain good night. Hammond looked around the cabin. It was more like a suite. A long dining table was fixed to one side and a sitting area was on the other. A desk sat in one corner. The bulkheads were covered in some sort of wood grained plastic making the room much warmer than the usual steel and paint. He turned the corner by the desk and entered a small bedroom. To his surprise, his belongings had been put away. Even his toothbrush had been placed in a receptacle in his bathroom. As he walked into the bathroom, or head as the Navy called it, he tur
ned to see the tub. No other ship had a tub like it. It had been installed for President Franklin Delano Roosevelt in 1943, when he took this very ship to Casablanca for a conference. Hammond even turned the faucet to see the water run.

  Returning to his bedroom he quickly disrobed and crawled into bed. With a 5:30 wake up call, he would need his sleep. As he lay on the bed he thought about the history wrapped in the one ship he now commanded. It had been serving the last time the North Koreans had become aggressive. It was interesting that each time the nation had run into problems, these ships had been there. Now she was back again. Strange, but it was almost like he could feel something in the ship; something that made him feel welcome. It really was almost like the ship was alive. Hammond decided to wrap himself in that feeling and quickly fell asleep.

  Norfolk, Virginia

  Under the cover of darkness the ships steamed south. The canal would be cleared for their passage in two nights. They would transit under the cover of darkness and time it so that no one would see them go in or out. By the time morning came, the ships would be well out to sea. As they transited, more ships joined them. They had started in Boston, picked up four in New York, two in Philadelphia, more were joining off Norfolk. A few more would join up off Mayport and the tip of Florida. In all, the group would be comprised of forty-seven ships.

  Tim Reardon watched with a bit of sadness as the last ship departed the pier and moved toward open sea. He was still busy as hell with additional ships, but these had been the heart of the effort. As his men and women had taken to the task, they added additional hours of their own just to see that the job had been done right.

  Rust had been the biggest enemy. They found it in nearly every nook and cranny. It had been no one’s fault. Over the years, the paint covered bad spots and had been recovered many times. When they broke through it was like decay in a tooth – it had to be ground out and repaired. In some cases, they had to shore up the area with more steel. But now the old ships were as good as new. He was still a little upset that they had not been able to fully air condition the North Carolina, but the crew quickly got used to the heat. More fans were installed and the berthing areas were pleasant if not totally cool. Air conditioning had been provided in some spaces including the galley and mess decks, wardroom, and electronic spaces. It might not cover the whole ship, but at least they had something.

  He watched the silhouette of the ship as she cruised through the channel towards the open sea. Not a sound was heard as she moved and no lights were visible. Reardon’s people had taken the time that day to break a second bottle of champagne on her bow. It had last seen service in World War II. They figured she needed a little refreshment.

  What made Reardon happy was the captain. Captain Christopher Hustvedt came aboard with a determined approach that had people jumping. Yet on a personal side, he was a thoughtful, friendly person who understood problems and took the steps to fix them without casting blame. He took the time to explain why a job was important and needed to be done. As a result, people did things just because he asked. On the few occasions did he give an order, he expected 100 percent in everything – even in his own job. Mostly he managed like a good CEO and delegated responsibilities to people who could get the job done. His effect was like magic. People started going out of their way to make sure things were perfect.

  But that was not all. Hustvedt’s distant relative had been the first commanding officer of this very ship. Upon his arrival it became a “family thing” to the crew and the shipyard. Every day, he went compartment by compartment talking to the men and giving an encouraging word. There had been a Captain’s Mast only three times. One time, a young sailor just in the service had mouthed off to a superior. In another, the sailor had gone AWOL on a drunken rampage. In those cases, the punishment was swift and severe. The third had been an honest error. The young man misunderstood his duties and damaged equipment. In that case, the Captain stressed to the sailor the importance of making sure he understood the orders given him and told to return to his duties. Then he talked to the officer and Chief Petty Officer who had given the order; not blaming them, but stressing the importance of making sure people were properly trained for a specific duty. It ended up setting the standard for the entire crew.

  Captain Hustvedt also made sure to befriend Reardon and his staff. They learned to count on him and he knew he could call on them if there was a problem. It was a magnificent working relationship. The result was steaming out of Hampton Roads. Reardon smiled at himself. Whenever Hustvedt left the service, he would have a job at Newport News.

  Reardon watched until the ship was no longer visible, then turned and caught the bus back to his home. He had determined he would not drive again until this was all over. Besides, the bus gave him the chance to relax after a hard day. As it rolled along the darkened streets he thought about the men on the ship, and how fortunate they really were.

  Pyongyang, North Korea

  “Your efforts have not been consistent with our approved plan, Comrade Minister,” the Chairman said sternly. “According to your plan we should have been on the outskirts of Pusan by now. As it is, we are seventy miles away. What excuse do you have, Comrade?” Chairman Kim was obviously angry.

  Lu Chen was sweating. Yes, it had been his plan. Yes, they had seemingly accounted for every detail. But they were failing to move as rapidly as they could and the casualty rate was astronomical. He cleared his throat. “Much of the delay has been the determination of the people we fight, Comrade Chairman. Their determination has been almost heroic; however, I believe they fight because they wish to delay the inevitable as long as possible. They are counting on the United States and other nations to come to their rescue. However, I point out that, except for some limited re-supply, there has been no shifting of forces within the United States to counter our actions. They, Japan, and neighboring states are still caught by our offensive preemptory strike. According to our intelligence, no ships are gathering, no planes are being deployed, and no troops are being sent. In short, Comrade Chairman, they are waiting for something that can never come.”

  Chairman Kim listened to his Defense Minister. He considered the Americans and their allies politically weak. The intelligence services reported nothing from any nation surrounding them. He also remembered an old Soviet missive that a determined defense was a difficult thing to confront. After all, the Soviets had used the scorched earth policy against the Germans in the Great Patriotic War to amazing effect. They too had been waiting for help from the other allied nations. It had worked well for them, but delays were costly to the Party. Action must be taken now to assure the People’s victory. “What steps are being taken, Comrade? We must achieve a victory soon before the imperialists can mount any type of offensive.”

  The Chairman’s wrath had been calmed a bit. Lu Chen picked up on this and continued. “Comrade Chairman, we cannot say that there have been some errors. I have charged two of our senior officers with cowardice in the face of the enemy. One we suspect of using Army resources to build himself a new home. These men have been punished extremely and their families removed from their government quarters and jailed,” he said. Both men knew what the extreme punishment would be; usually ending with a small hole in the back of the head. Their families would be placed in work camps.

  Lu Chen knew the Chairman thought highly of catching people who failed and using them as an object lesson. He was rewarded by a smile. Lu continued. “After reorganizing our supply system, our trucks are now able to adequately supply our advancing army. Each day we gain more ground. At this rate, we should completely dominate the peninsula within six weeks. Even Seoul will fall by that time. My military advisors assure me of this,” he said.

  It was the same old thing, Kim thought. Always optimistic. But the Army had been successful in their march through South Korea. There was not one defeat as yet. They had merely been slowed down. But he must make sure they knew he was in charge. “Comrade Minister,” he said. “The Party demands
success according to schedule. We obviously understand some delays, but they are getting too frequent and too costly. You are to make the outskirts of Pusan in no less than five weeks. If not, the Party must look to other leadership,” he said as he turned and stormed off.

  Lu Chen watched him leave with some trepidation. Kim was all powerful in his country, but his family had a reputation of being ruthless and demanding. Many a man lost his head, literally, when they were displeased. He knew this was his last chance. He gathered the papers and left the room, summoning his military advisors to accompany him.

  They arrived in his personal offices the next floor down in the building. No one spoke until he did and that was when the door was closed. “I want this campaign concluded as soon as possible. How can we do it?”

  The senior general stepped forward. “The fighting has drained our ranks comrade. We still have the largest force in the area, but the kind of lightning action the Chairman desires would require doubling our attacking force. To do that, we will have to draw down our forces here in the North and around Seoul. Since there is no way the Americans can adequately resupply Seoul, that could be accomplished easily. It is much easier to hold ground than to take it,” he said, forgetting the Americans had been very effective at holding ground up to now with a much smaller force.

  “That means drawing down our reserves,” another officer said.

  “True, but there is no offensive inside North Korea. Our provincial police will have to keep order.”