NAVY MEN PRESIDENTS: Book 2 - Eternal Flame Trilogy - Mastema

By Ed Delker

NAVY MEN PRESIDENTS, NOVELS BY ED DELKER, Eternal Flame Trilogy. Red Teagan, the Ninety year-old former Secretary of the Navy during the Kennedy Administration, sends a letter to the Chief of Naval Operations stating a Navy Man was responsible for President Kennedy’s death! Two Navy Intelligence officers are dispatched to Red Teagan’s home and learn Secretary Teagan was Jack Kennedy’s closest and truest best friend no one ever heard about. Red takes the Navy officers on an enthralling twenty-two year journey from when he first met the future president till the fateful day a rouge operation, Eternal Flame, claims President Kennedy’s life. The trilogy is a buddy story between true best friends filled with mystery, action, adventure, love, and plenty of humor. WWII provides many men and women opportunities and destinies never thought possible. Tremendous social changes for both men and women from 1942 to 1964 provide the backdrop for these strong male and female characters. After reading the trilogy, one test reader said they constantly dreamt about what the characters will do next. A fourth installment of the Navy Men Presidents, REDEMPTION, covering the Johnson presidency is in the works. With six Navy Men Presidents in the last half of the Twentieth Century, there are many more buddy stories to tell. BOOK 1- Eternal Flame Trilogy, Love*Laughter*Courage. Red Teagan starts his cautionary tale describing himself and Jack Kennedy as typical young men of their generation seeking love, surviving on laughter and finding courage to cope with the horrors of war. A chance meeting on a remote South Pacific island during WWII by Red and Jack with three other junior Navy officers, Johnson, Nixon and Ford opens all of their eyes to great possibilities, a future that would not be possible if not for the war. A native mystic decrees Kennedy, Johnson, Nixon and Ford are men destined to become President but their collective destiny flows through Jack’s destiny. The native mystic anoints Red as Jack’s Spirit Keeper responsible for protecting Jack and keeping him true to his destiny as the first Navy Man president. BOOK 2 - Eternal Flame Trilogy, Mastema. The future Navy Men Presidents return home and resume their peacetime lives and careers. Red works behind the scene on Jack's campaign for Congress. Nixon, Johnson and Ford also rapidly advance their political careers. However, evil followed Red and Jack home from the war in the Pacific and threatens Jack's life. Red and other veterans from the war battle a serial killer called Mastema. When Mastema plays psychological games with the Navy Men, the battle becomes personal spawning a manhunt by law enforcement and intelligence services across the globe. BOOK 3 - Eternal Flame Trilogy, Operation Eternal Flame Destiny Achieved. Red helps preserve Jack's presidency by effectively working in the background. He is viewed as a Kennedy wartime crony by the establishment and not taken seriously. Regardless, Jack appoints Red Undersecretary of the Navy. When the CIA identifies a rogue operation within the U.S. Government with the mission to assassinate Jack, Red once again marshals the Navy Men and wartime comrades. Forces within the Government undercut Red's efforts and Red enlists the help of his two young aides and "off the books assets" to head off the former Marine sniper, Lee Harvey Oswald. The remaining Navy Men Presidents rally to preserve Jack's legacy.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Outskirts Press
• Release date: May 9, 2019
• ISBN: 9781977213662

Ed Delker

Ed Delker writes historical fiction using a photographer's eye to determine character nuance not always possible through just written history. Ed Delker's latest work, Navy Men Presidents - Eternal Flame Trilogy was spawned by a WWII photograph of President Kennedy standing with his Navy buddy. Ed Delker is an avid student of WWII and mid-twentieth century history. He enjoys incorporating his hobbies, horses, dogs, and photography into his storylines. Ed Delker is also the author of Trains In St. Louis, A Guide to Watching Trains in St. Louis.

Book preview

Prologue

Late Fall 1945 on Cape Cod Jack returns to his refuge, sailing. Just before first light, Jack Kennedy relieves the helmsman of the family sailing yacht. It is more than a tradition with Jack to steer the yacht as the sun rises. He finds it to be a deeply spiritual experience. He always thanks God for the day ahead and the company of true friends who survived the war like he did.

Shortly after sunrise, the wife of Jack’s best friend, Red, emerges from the galley with a cup of fresh coffee. As usual, Jack calls Janine Sullivan-Teagan by his nickname for her, Dr. Bride, the alpenglow of the rising sun celebrates your beauty. What brings you to my sanctuary? Janine replies, The sea really is your sanctuary. Jack contently looks around surveying the horizon and says, Yes, it is. Janine hands Jack his cup of coffee and he takes a sip. Usually, it is Janine that senses turmoil in Jack. This morning the roles are reversed and Jack asks, Something troubling you about Red? Your brother? His wife? Janine says, Yes on all counts! It was really creepy. Last night all three of them had a nightmares about Pinipel Island at the same time!

Jack becomes intently serious and says, Red told me that when he led the attack on the Pinipel POW camp and rescued your brother, he felt the presence of evil, pure evil. Janine replies, My sister-in-law, Cheryl, was part of the team that recovered the POWs’ remains and she said the same thing when we were roommates in Japan after V-J day. Oh! That headhunter friend of yours was there too. He told Cheryl he felt the presence of evil too. Jack asks, What does your brother, Jason, say about it? The usually unflappable Janine looks pale and hesitantly says, He doesn’t remember much but he said the Japanese guards called his interrogator She Devil. Jack, do you think the Devil was actually on Pinipel and followed them back to the States?

Chapter 1

On a January morning in 1946, a very distinguished Melanesian gentleman leaves his tidy London home and walks toward his office at 220 Baker Street. He wears the finest clothes from Savile Row clothiers. Nothing is out of place. He looks around and sees vacant lots where homes and businesses were destroyed by the German bombing. The ruble is gone and the rebuilding of London is well underway. The sight of tradesmen building new homes and offices gives him joy. As the Melanesian gentlemen gets near his office, his feet hurt from walking on the bricks of London streets. He wishes he could instead walk barefoot on the jungle paths around his home in the South Pacific. Normally, he views his wealth as a burden but today he is thankful he can afford shoes handcrafted from supple calf leather.

Finally, he reaches the offices of Sayers Trading Company Limited. The Melanesian gentleman, Gabriel Sayers, slows his pace and notes two large black limousines parked in front of 220 Baker Street. Two men stand by the limousines. They look more like soldiers than chauffeurs. Their suits are a little too tight for their muscular builds and shoulder holsters leave lines in their suit coats. Gabriel approaches the two men and says, Before you leave, my secretary will give you my tailor’s card. From a block away I could tell you both carry revolvers. My tailor can outfit you in very nice conservative suits with room for your sidearm. Might I also suggest a Walther PPK and a Gaylord should holster instead of those bulky revolvers? One of the chauffeurs politely smiles and says, Thank you Mr. Sayers. I suspect your tailor might be too expensive for a public servant like myself. Gabriel reaches in his suit coat inside pocket and pulls out a small leather covered note pad and pencil. He writes a short note to his tailor and hands it to the chauffeur and says, My tailor will provide you gentleman a public servant discount. The chauffeur graciously says, Thank you Mr. Sayers but I am afraid my boss will object to any favoritism. Gabriel smiles and says, I’ll impress on him that members of British Military Intelligence Department Six are intelligence operatives and can’t walk around looking like American gangsters. The chauffeurs are shocked and just stare at Gabriel as he walks into Sayers Trading Company Limited.

Gabriel walks down a hallway to a suite of offices with his secretary’s desk facing the hallway. Two men similar to the chauffeurs stand by his secretary’s desk talking to her and sipping coffee. Gabriel makes eye contact with his secretary who nods toward Gabriel’s office where two other men wait for him. Gabriel hands his overcoat and hat to his secretary and walks into his office and says to the older of the two men in his early forties, General Stuart Menzies, I presume or should I just call you C as you are called by your subordinates in the spy business? The older man smiles and says, ’Stuart’ will suffice. Mr. Sayers, Let me be very direct. You are an enigma to us at MI-6. By all accounts you were an orphan from the Solomon Islands adopted by a missionary. Records show you inherited a relatively small amount of money from your adopted father that you have parlayed into a worldwide enterprise in a little over fifteen years."

Gabriel interrupts Stuart and says, And, MI-6 wishes to know why my companies in Asia are doing business with salvage and trading companies that are probably fronts for the American intelligence services? Stuart is surprised by Gabriel’s directness and accurate anticipation of MI-6’s concern. He raises an eyebrow and nods his head in agreement. Gabriel continues, My home is located in what you call the British West Solomon Islands and I love it dearly. The war with Japan disrupted the fragile economy in the South Pacific and left vast economic and political voids. Gabriel points to the surroundings of his office and says, This company will re-establish economic stability in the South Pacific leading to political stability and peace for my home.

Stuart, the Chief of MI-6, has a distrusting look on his face and says, You hold a diplomatic passport issued before the war. The Foreign Office doesn’t know why you received diplomat status and no one will dare revoke it. How is that? Gabriel smiles and says, Prior to the war, one of the lesser known branches of the Royal family spent a year at my Father’s mission hospital. They guided me during my early business ventures that brought vitality to my island. With my success came danger. Certain factions within the British Empire were threatened. The Royals petitioned the King to grant me diplomat status for the British Solomon Islands Protectorate. Stuart realizes Gabriel Sayers with a diplomatic passport can easily operate between countries and the United Kingdom. Stuart appears satisfied with Gabriel’s preliminary answers. He glances at the other MI-6 man who makes a note to verify the truthfulness of Gabriel’s statements.

Stuart then moves on to his next topic and asks, There is a headhunter in the Solomon Islands that worked extensively with the US military. He seems to have disappeared. The locals call him a spirit, mystic or a ghost. This mysterious fellow is supposedly revered all over the islands. US Marines and sailors called him Wa-Tu. What can you tell me about him? Is he a threat to the stability of the Solomon Islands? Gabriel’s eyes get a wild look in them and he leans forward making eye contact with the Chief of MI-6. Then his smile gets bigger and bigger until Gabriel says in his native accent, I Wa-Tu! and lets out a deep laugh that unnerves both men from MI-6. He reverts to his Gabriel Sayers persona and asks, Didn’t your predecessor, Admiral Sinclair, leave you his file on Wa-Tu?

The other MI-6 man, Stuart’s deputy, who has been quiet up this point asks, Does the Secretary of the American Navy, James Forrestall, know your identity? Gabriel says, Most certainly he knows. At the request of Congressman Lyndon Johnson, Forrestall arranged for my children and orphans from my village on Vella LaVella to be flown to Dallas, Texas, in 1943. Later when Admiral Alan Kirk, uncovered the Japanese bounty on my head, Secretary Forrestall persuaded the First Lady, Eleanor Roosevelt, to arrange for a visa to relocate me to Dallas to be with my children. The Chief of MI-6 asks, You mentioned Alan Kirk. Do you mean the Naval attaché to Ambassador Joseph Kennedy in London before the war? Do you know Ambassador Kennedy? Gabriel responds, I know Jack Kennedy but not his father, the Ambassador, and, yes, Alan Kirk was Ambassador Kennedy’s Naval attaché.

Stuart’s deputy states, This Jack Kennedy appears to be a typical yacht club playboy with no substantial accomplishments other than he got his torpedo boat sunk. Yet, he traveled through Germany with Secretary Forrestall and Admiral Kirk. He even appeared at the Potsdam Conference with a woman combat photographer and spent time alone with President Truman and Prime Minister Churchill. Gabriel chooses his words carefully and says, Jack Kennedy fancies himself as a historian and deferred political ambition to his older brother, Joseph, who unfortunately was killed in 1944. Now Ambassador Kennedy will push Jack to become the first Catholic President. After the deaths of Secretary Forrestall’s aide, Chuck Slander and his close friend, President Roosevelt, Secretary Forrestall was emotionally spent. Alan Kirk thought if Secretary Forrestall took on an understudy, it would invigorate him. Secretary Forrestall chose Jack to be his protégé based on Admiral Kirk’s recommendation.

Stuart’s deputy nods his head and then says with urgency, This woman photographer, Toni Frechette, causes me great concern. For the last ten years she appeared at every major conflict in the world and she even took photographs for Stalin! Gabriel replies in a slightly condescending tone, Toni Frechette sees into men’s souls with her camera. World leaders hire Toni to take candid photographs of them to show the world who they are. Just ask Mr. Churchill. The Deputy bluntly says, I think she’s a spy. I just don’t know who she works for! Gabriel smiles again and says, As I said before, just ask Mr. Churchill. You might also query Eleanor Roosevelt while you are at it?

Gabriel’s secretary, Miss Exchequer, enters his office with a tray of tea and coffee. She pours and serves the gentlemen. Nothing escapes the Chief of MI-6. He admires how skillfully the secretary entered Gabriel’s office just as the discussion became testy. He makes a mental note that she might be someone to hire away from Mr. Sayers’ company. The deputy reads his boss’s analytical gaze and writes ‘Exchequer background?’ on his notepad. Stuart subtly nods his head.

Stuart collects himself and takes a new tact. He says, Mr. Sayers, the real reason we are here today is that we can’t help notice that a number of obscure actors have recently emerged and landed on the world stage. It is as if there is an invisible hand guiding this Jack Kennedy to the forefront. I worry the guiding hand is Stalin’s or some other sinister force. Gabriel responds and speaks about Wa-Tu in the third person, Wa-Tu has a gift to see God’s path or what you might call destiny. He believes young Jack Kennedy’s path will lead him to the Presidency of the United States. If Jack doesn’t stray from his path, other young Navy Men’s paths lead to the White House too. The MI-6 men react as if Gabriel is toying with them. But, they instinctively know Gabriel Sayers has more to tell them. Stuart asks, Who are these other Navy Men of destiny? Gabriel has a sly smile and says, Lyndon Johnson, Dick Nixon and Jerry Ford. Stuart’s deputy is skeptical and says, You’re referring to Congressman Lyndon Johnson from Texas? He is nothing more than a pompous ass! Even his closest friends from Texas call him a dandy!

Gabriel sits back in his chair and looks up at the ceiling as his eyes start to water. He regroups his emotions and then starts speaking without looking at the MI-6 men, Lyndon’s plane crashed near my village. He befriended my wife who was also from Texas and the village school teacher. Gabriel sighs and then says, The Japanese attacked my village and murdered my wife. Lyndon fought bravely and saved my children and the orphans. Gabriel reflects for several moments and then laughs and says, And, yes, he is a dandy. My in-laws in Texas do not hesitate to tell me that when I mention Lyndon’s name.

Stuart scans Gabriel’s office and sees a wedding photo of Gabriel and his wife, Rachael. He also sees a picture of the same woman wearing cowboy boots standing next to a headhunter and realizes Gabriel and Wa-Tu are in fact the same person. Stuart, the Chief of MI-6, starts to take Gabriel’s story of Navy Men more serious. Stuart asks, How did an obscure Congressman persuade Forrestall to evacuate the children to Texas? Gabriel explains, President Roosevelt tasked Lyndon to chronicle the true status of the war in the South Pacific and recount it directly to him. Administratively, Roosevelt attached Johnson to Forrestall’s staff. Forrestall had come to respect Lyndon and believed Wa-Tu would help the Americans win over the local population. Forrestall also thought it was the humanitarian thing to do.

The MI-6 deputy asks, Is Dick Nixon the Richard Milhous Nixon who setup several trading companies in Asia? MI-6 suspects they are fronts for the American intelligence services? Gabriel answers, Yes, they are the same person. He is very motivated by money and extremely bright. He recognized that brokering scrap and salvage after the war would create financial opportunities and he setup the trading companies. I doubt Dick still owns those companies. People in the intelligence services have ways of persuading owners to sell their businesses. Stuart shifts his weight in his chair as if Gabriel’s comments are directed toward him. Gabriel toys with Stuart, My apologies if my statement made you uncomfortable. Stuart’s deputy adds, Our sources say this Nixon fellow is called Tricky Dick and is a rather heartless bugger. Gabriel says, As a general rule, that is true in a business setting. In the Green Islands, Dick showed great empathy for the indigenous population and relocated them away from harm. They call him, Quaker Nixon, Man of Peace. Stuart states, Nixon is a Quaker? How is a member of a pacifist religion a Naval officer? Gabriel replies, Secretary of the Navy Forrestall views Dick as a heartless bastard and that characteristic is indispensable for someone apportioning scarce supplies in a war zone. Of course, Forrestall also recognized Dick’s insatiable appetite to advance his personal wealth."

Stuart deliberates for several moments and then says to his deputy, This Forrestall fellow anticipated Tricky Dick setting up his own trading companies after the war. Then the American intelligence services step in through the rear door! Quite a clever person is Secretary Forrestall! Remind me never to play poker with the man. The two MI-6 men look up and realize Gabriel is no longer in his office. Stuart looks around the office and says, How did he leave without us seeing him?

A distinctly female Texan voice comes from the outer office, Did my Daddy go Wa-Tu on you gentlemen? Standing in the office door is tall and lean teenage girl with deep reddish brown hair, light brown skin and green eyes. The MI-6 men stand up with puzzled looks on their faces. The girl enters the office and extends her hand and says, I’m Catherine Sayers, Mr. Sayers’ daughter. The men introduce themselves and Catherine continues, If Daddy likes someone, he just can’t resist doing his creepy spirit thing where he disappears and reappears right in front of them.

As if Catherine’s words are a queue, Gabriel’s voice comes from his chair behind his desk, What does my first born Texas Belle require of me or more appropriately my wallet? Catherine excitedly says, Daddy, I found this absolutely fabulous emerald green dress for the Spring dance and I also found an antique vase that Grandma will just love! As all fathers do when they can’t say no to their daughters, he surrenders and shakes his head, yes, and then says, Have Miss Exchequer arrange for shipping the dress and vase to the Dallas office so you don’t have to take them on the airliner. Catherine cheerfully smiles at her father and says, Miss Exchequer already shipped them. Love ya, Daddy! The two MI-6 men give each other a knowing look of fathers who also have teenage daughters. When they look back toward Gabriel, Catherine has vanished. Stuart says, My daughter can do that disappearing thing too, especially after she’s spent a prodigious sum of my money.

Stuart refocuses on the topic of the Navy Men and says, You mentioned Jerry Ford. MI-6 can’t find anyone by that name other than an American sportsman. Other than his athletic prowess, he is a rather unremarkable barrister. Gabriel smiles and says, Yes, that sums up the Jerry Ford I know. He describes himself as an exceptional team player. Someday his ability to bring people together for a common goal will help heal a torn America. The MI-6 deputy states, Ford sounds like a terrible bore. Gabriel says, Unless you are a fan of American football, Jerry is quite boring. But, he earned All-American honors for his university team winning the National Championship. He is worshiped in the state of Michigan.

The MI-6 deputy adds, There are several other names we see popping up around your four Navy Men of destiny, A Navy Doctor, Captain George Burkley, Navy Lieutenants Paul Red Teagan and James Reedy, Marine Colonels Dean Bingham and Sid McMarth and a Marine Captain Landrigan. What can you tell us about these men? Gabriel sits back and ponders on what to tell the men from MI-6 and then says, George Burkley is responsible for Jack Kennedy passing his induction physical for the Navy after Jack failed a similar physical with the Army. He is politically connected with top people in the Democratic Party. He is also from the same area as the Kennedy boy. Unofficially, he was Secretary of the Navy Forrestall’s eyes and ears in the South Pacific. He is believed to be a protégé of Captain Cecil Coggins who also is a Navy doctor but assigned to the Office of Naval Intelligence. Captain Coggins was responsible for breaking up a Japanese spy ring in 1935. Stuart says, Interesting! The US Navy uses the deductive reasoning of physicians in their intelligence services. It’s rather like Sir Arthur Conan Doyle basing Sherlock Holmes on his medical school professor. The MI-6 deputy makes a note about the use of doctors.

Stuart asks, This Paul or Red Teagan’s name pops up frequently with all of your Navy Men of destiny. He also has participated in at least two covert operations we know about. What can you tell us about him? Gabriel says, Red is my friend and is Jack Kennedy’s best friend. Red is fiercely loyal to Jack and often guides Jack down the right path. Stuart adds, And, Jim Reedy? Gabriel says, A friend of both Jack and Red. He served with Red in the same PT boat squadron.

The MI-6 deputy moves on to the Marines and asks, Any significance in the three Marine officers? Gabriel says, They are all warriors. Wa-Tu fought along side of these men. Dean Bingham avenged the death of my wife by decapitating the Japanese officer who killed her and killed several of his men. Dean also saved Jack’s life more than once. Sid McMarth is Dean’s close friend and a true leader of warriors. Charlie Landrigan is the bravest fighter pilot. Unfortunately, he kept crashing his Corsair and spending time in Vella LaVella field hospital with Jack and Red while convalescing from wounds.

Stuart, Chief of MI-6, becomes very serious and says, Mr. Sayers, MI-6 would like your assistance in collecting intelligence about Asia. We fear Communism will rapidly take over countries with voids in leadership and economic capabilities you noted earlier. MI-6 needs your companies to provide our agents cover stories as your employees. To the surprise of the MI-6 men, Gabriel stands up and says, Come with me. The men walk down a long hallway and down a flight of stairs. Gabriel unlocks a heavy metal door. They enter a room where three Americans are sitting behind desks with telephones and Teletype machines.

A short man with a round face and round glasses speaks in a snobbish monotone to a tall thin man that looks like a college professor, Richard, it seems you were right. We did get a visit from General Stuart Menzies of MI-6 in person. Richard grins and says, Pay up, Harold. Harold reaches into his pocket and pulls out a money clip and peals off five twenty-dollar bills with a pained expression on his face. Richard looks at the Chief of MI-6 and says, How’s it going ‘C’? With the OSS officially shut down, Mr. Sayers was nice enough to offer us jobs as commodity brokers. Stuart is not amused and says, Piss off Richard. You are members of the yet to be approved Central Intelligence Agency. The three Americans break up laughing. The third American, a tall broad shouldered athletic man with a narrow waist and a cool confidence, introduces himself to Stuart, I am pleased to finally make your acquaintance, General Menzies. I am Francis Boar. Stuart looks pleasantly surprised and says, Mr. Boar, the pleasure is mine. Your exploits in Nazi occupied France are legendary! Gabriel Sayers interrupts and says, Since everyone has been properly introduced, I’ll leave it to you gentlemen to work out a satisfactory sharing arrangement. My children have dual citizenship with the United Kingdom and the United States, I feel obliged to cooperate with both countries. As Gabriel leaves the room, he says to the MI-6 deputy, If you have more concerns about Toni Freschette’s allegiances, take them up with Mr. Boar. Toni is his wife.

An hour passes and the Chief of MI-6 and his deputy come up the stairs and walk down the hallway toward Miss Exchequer’s desk. She retrieves their hats and coats. The deputy leaves to check on their car. Miss Exchequer hands two business cards to Stuart. He looks at the two cards and is somewhat confused. Miss Exchequer explains, One of Mr. Sayers conditions of your agreement is that your men stop dressing like American gangsters and switch to a less obvious firearm. Oh! He said not to worry about the cost. Stuart replies, Tell Mr. Sayers’s that is quite gracious of him and, yes, my men will immediately upgrade their attire. Miss Exchequer softens her voice and moves a little closer to Stuart and says, Stuart, Mr. Sayers’s tailor has a suit pattern, zero-zero, that will look delicious on you. Stuart blushes and says, Pardon me. I’ve been a widower for a year and I am still not accustomed to flirtatious women. Stuart looks slyly at Miss Exchequer and whispers in her ear, You knew I was still rebounding from my wife’s death. Miss Exchequer responds in a whisper, Of course I did. But, that didn’t stop me from admiring your perfect arse. Stuart feels his loins stir for the first time in a year and replies, My car will fetch you tomorrow night at seven for dinner.

When the two MI-6 men reach their limousine, the deputy asks the Chief of MI-6, Sir, do you give any credence to Mr. Sayers’ prophesy four junior Navy officers are destined to be President of the United states? I mean, could you ever conceive a yacht club playboy, a Texas dandy, a Quaker heartless bugger or a star American football player becoming leader of one of the world’s most powerful countries? The Chief of MI-6 deliberates for almost a minute and finally says, A rational man would say, no, but this Wa-Tu or Gabriel Sayers has an aura about him. Then I ask myself, why not? I mean, have you looked at the credentials of most of the Royals in-line to the Throne? The deputy laughs and says, You have a valid point, Sir. I sometimes think you are the King’s keeper. Without you guiding him, we would probably be speaking German.

The Chief of MI-6 says, Another thing, I need you to rush the background information on Miss Exchequer and get her address for my car to pick her up tomorrow night. The deputy says, It’s bloody hell time you got back in the saddle, Sir!

Chapter 2

November 2008, Ninety year-old Red Teagan, the former Undersecretary of the Navy during the Kennedy Administration stares out at Arlington National Cemetery through his floor to ceiling study window. Red prepares for what will be a very difficult day when he tells the truth about Operation Eternal Flame that cumulated with the assassination of his best friend Jack Kennedy. He prays his mind and body don’t fail him today. Red knows he must tell the whole story unlike the previous six times he summoned Commander Colleen O’Brien to hear the truth, a truth that should be untold. But, for history’s sake a truth that must be preserved for future generations. It is what Jack, a passionate historian, would want. No, Jack would demand it.

Navy Commander Colleen O’Brien and Lieutenant Mark Brown stand in the study doorway. Colleen O’Brien looks warmly on Red as he is obviously reminiscing about his colleagues who are entombed at Arlington National Cemetery. First among them is his best friend, Jack Kennedy. Red breaks his stare and looks at Colleen O’Brien and says, You’re back? I thought for sure I had bored you to death with my tale about a bunch of Navy Men during World War II. Mark Brown replies, Those Navy Men were the most powerful men in the world for sixteen years. Mr. Teagan, you rock! I can’t get enough of the Navy Men story! Colleen O’Brien smiles and says, Red, my young colleague has elevated you to rock star status and he’s your first groupie! Should we continue? Red laughs at the prospect of him being a rock star.

Soon, Red’s mood turns serious and he says; Now you know what molded the Navy Men. After Jack surprised us with his plan to run for Congress in 1946, I thought his political career would end before it got started. A day doesn’t pass that I don’t wish he lost the 1946 election. Operation Eternal Flame would never have happened. Colleen O’Brien interjects, Red, if President Kennedy’s political career ended in 1946, my parents wouldn’t have met you and might not have married! Red chuckles and says, Actually, I knew your mother since she was a little girl but I lost contact with her when she started college. Red points to a photo on the top shelf at the far end of the bookshelf. Colleen recognizes the photo of her mother posing with her horse and says, That’s Stone Killer and Mom’s holding a Grand Champion ribbon! Red adds, And, if I hadn’t rescued your grandfather, Charlie Landrigan, three times after the Japs shot his plane out from under him, your mother’s life would have been different too!

Mark Brown says, I’m not following you guys? Red laughs and says, The Corsair fighter pilot we talked about earlier is Captain Charlie Landrigan and Deidre Landrigan-O’Brien’s father. Mark Brown looks surprised and says to Colleen O’Brien, So, your dad is Admiral Ted O’Brien, Chief of Naval Operations from the 1980’s AND your mom was a big time politician at the same time? Colleen says, Yes. And, all because Red impulsively made a junior Navy officer, my father, his aide when he was appointed Undersecretary of the Navy by President Kennedy."

Red uses his cane to move to his high back chair flanked by two side chairs from President Kennedy’s private study at the White House. Red teases Mark Brown and says, Lieutenant, President Kennedy’s favorite chair awaits you. If the tingling sensation you get around historic artifacts gets too much for you, we’ll get you another chair. Mark Brown starts to sit in Jack’s chair as if he is getting into a hot bath letting himself down slowly as to not be scalded by hot water. Red and Colleen OBrien start laughing and Mark Brown looks incredulously at them and says, What?"

Red takes a deep breath and lets it out slowly and says, The Post War years started ordinary enough. Jack and I were young men trying to make up for time lost fighting the war. We both focused on our careers and family. Red chuckles and says, I guess they were ordinary, if you consider being married to doctor in the middle of her residency ordinary? Plus, your best friend two thousand miles away expected you to drop everything and campaign for him? It seemed like the world was rapidly spinning and slinging the Vella LaVella Navy Men far away from each other. That was an illusion. It was more like we were comets circling the sun in exaggerated elliptical orbits first taking us into deep space only to reverse direction and race on a collision course near the sun.

Chapter 3

It is 1947 and a New York Central passenger train slowly pulls into the Grand Rapids, Michigan, train station. Gone are the loud and smoky steam locomotives. They have been replaced by a black modern streamline ALCO diesel-electric locomotive. The cab and windshield look like the cockpit of an airliner. The front of the locomotive is rounded and has white and gray stripes that sweep back along the sides of the locomotive in a lightning bolt zigzag pattern.

As the passengers step down from the passenger cars with matching lightning bolt paint scheme, a tall muscular Navy lieutenant commander with blond hair carries a large duffle bag on his shoulder. He exits the passenger platform and walks through the station lobby. Passengers start to stare and point at the Navy man with the duffle bag. A ten year-old boy breaks away from his family and walks in front of the Navy man and says, Mr. Ford, will you sign my football? Jerry Ford sets down his duffle bag and retrieves an ink pen from his jacket pocket and signs the football, M GO BLUE, the University of Michigan rally cry, followed by his signature. When Jerry looks up, a line of fans has already formed with items for him to autograph. The crowd obstructs the flow of passengers entering and exiting the station. Jerry motions for a doorman to come over and says with a grin, It looks like I’m going to be signing autographs for while. Can you setup a table and chair somewhere? The doorman says, That’s pretty nice of you to sign autographs for people. The station manager arrives and tells the doorman to setup a table and stanchions in front of the diner and to make sure Jerry gets lunch. A newspaper photographer magically appears and takes pictures of the mob scene.

After two hours of signing autographs in front of the railroad station diner, Jerry looks around and no one is in line. He takes the last couple of bites from his free lunch and starts to leave when a reporter walks up and says, Mr. Ford, may I ask you a few questions? Jerry looks up and the reporter can see he is exhausted. The reporter then says, I just want to say it was magnanimous of you to sign that boy’s football and then stick around till everyone else had a chance to get your autograph. Jerry thinks for a minute and says, I haven’t been home for four years. Why don’t you walk with me and tell me what has changed? The reporter says, I would be glad to. By the way, I’m Melvin Hogue. The two men shake hands and start on a walk through Grand Rapids. The two men talk and walk for two hours. They cover everything from national politics, the war, economics, law and the post war future for Grand Rapids and the state of Michigan.

Jerry stops in front of a row of four townhouses that have been converted into law offices. He surveys the list of law partners stenciled on the front window and sees a familiar name, Philip Boxner, his law partner from before the war. Jerry turns to the reporter, Melvin Hogue, and says, I need to go in here and say hello to an old friend. Melvin replies, Jerry, this has been an enlightening chat. I can’t thank you enough for giving me two hours of your time. Stop by the newspaper anytime you’re in the area. Jerry shakes Melvin’s hand and says, I should be thanking you. I would never have realized how much has changed in four short years! See you around.

Jerry opens the law office door and steps inside. A petite receptionist classily dressed and wearing a tasteful amount of makeup greets him. The receptionist’s pleasant voice, bright blue eyes and broad warm smile make Jerry melt. He is surprised when she asks, Jerry, Philip is in a meeting. Can you wait for about twenty minutes? He’s been looking forward to the day you show up. Jerry says, Really? The receptionist explains, Oh yes. Philip really worried about you when you were in the Pacific. We followed the news accounts of your ship, the Monterey. All of us in the office couldn’t believe you were in eleven battles and that awful typhoon that nearly sunk your ship.

Several voices come from top of a stairway leading to an upstairs conference room. Jerry recognizes his former law partner’s voice coming from the second floor. Several people come down the stair and exit the offices. A small thin man no taller than five foot and five inches tall slides down the stairs on his butt. He is wearing gray suit pants with red suspenders and a starched white shirt topped off with a dark blue bow tie. The man says to Jerry, You big lunk, just don’t stand there, help me into a chair. Jerry responds, I am glad to see you too, Philip. How are your legs? Philip matter-of-factly replies, Somewhat better. I think they are the strongest since the Polio first struck me. Jerry smoothly lifts Philip up and gently sets him in a chair in the reception area. Jerry grins and says, I see you are still too impatient to use your braces and cane to go up and down steps. You must spend a fortune getting you suit pants cleaned. The receptionist says, You’re dead on target. You wouldn’t believe what we pay. An on top of that, anytime Philip buys a suit. We have to buy at least two extra pairs of pants!

Jerry is puzzled and turns and looks at the beautiful receptionist and says, We? Philip is embarrassed and says, Lillie and I got married about a year and half ago. She’s filling in for our regular receptionist who is out on medical leave. Lillie offers to shake Jerry’s hand and smiles. Her delicate hand is completely swallowed by Jerry’s massive hand. He carefully shakes her elf like hand and says, So, how did you two meet? Lillie doesn’t give her husband a chance to reply and says, Philip was a guest lecturer on Constitutional Law at the University of Michigan Law School. After his lecture, I had some concerns about his interpretation of executive privilege. Philip wryly says, After I bought Lillie dinner, I fell under her spell and she convinced me she was right and I was wrong. Jerry thinks for a minute and jokingly says, That sounds like the perfect first date for two lawyers. Lillie looks lovingly at her husband and then says to Jerry, Philip really didn’t have his mind on Constitutional Law. He was too preoccupied trying to figure out a way to get me in bed. Jerry stutters and then says, Boy, I sure am hungry. How about I buy you lovebirds dinner? Philip replies, That sounds great! Jerry, will you help me with my braces? They are in the coat closet at the end of the hallway. Jerry glances over his shoulder as he walks down the hallway. Lillie has walked around the reception desk and gives Philip a tender kiss while he sits in the chair. Jerry smiles. His old friend has found someone that obviously loves him and looks past his physical handicap. Jerry returns with Philip’s leg braces and easily fits the braces to his friend’s legs exactly the same way he did before he left for the Navy. Jerry suddenly feels that he is finally home.

That night at dinner, Philip and Lillie talk about the challenges of working in a law firm with twenty-five attorneys and an equal number of support staff. Jerry senses the conversation is leading up to something. He suspects his long-time friend is going to tell him he might not fit in a larger firm. Philip seems to be winding the conversation to some sort of climax and says, Jerry, we have some of the brightest legal minds in our firm but they couldn’t sell legal services to save their life. My partners and I want to bring you on board for two reasons. First, you’re a very good lawyer from Yale and Second, you are very good with people of all walks of life. We want you to be our firm’s face to the people of Grand Rapids and the State of Michigan. Jerry leans back in his chair and has that look people mistake for him being lost when he really is analyzing a situation. Lillie realizes Jerry isn’t entirely comfortable with Philip’s proposition and breaks the silence, Jerry, Congressman Jonkman is a devote isolationist. Anyone who has lived what you have in the last four years knows we can’t ignore the rest of the world. This position with our firm will get you deeply involved in Republican politics and allow you to show the people of Grand Rapids there is more to Jerry Ford than just being a football hero. I think you could run against and beat Congressman Jonkman in the forty-eight election.

Jerry smiles and says, Philip, you married well. I’ll accept your position on one condition. Philip says, What’s that? Jerry smiles and says, Lillie is my campaign manager. Philip says, Boy, I didn’t see that one coming. The threesome breakout laughing and Jerry asks the waiter for a bottle of champagne and three glasses. Lillie raises her hand and says, Make that only two glasses. Philip cocks his head and says to Lillie, Why only two glasses? You love champagne? Lillie looks Philip directly in the eye and softly says, I’m pregnant. Philip is dazed and again says, Boy, I didn’t see that one coming.

Two days later Melvin Hogue’s byline appears in the local newspaper, Local Football Hero Becomes Man of the World. The article describes Jerry Ford’s path from being the star athlete at a Grand Rapids high school to becoming a two-time All-American at the University of Michigan, graduating with an economics degree, determined to get accepted to and graduate from Yale Law School, serving his country in the Pacific and returning home with a different view of the world. The reporter then illustrates the isolationist views of the current Congressman and concludes that Grand Rapids needs a Congressman for modern times. The reporter then asks the reader, Could Jerry Ford be our Congressman for the future?

Lillie knocks on Jerry’s office door and says, I called Melvin Hogue at the newspaper about him interviewing you as a returning war hero. He laughed and said I should read the morning paper. I opened my paper and there is a picture of you autographing a football for a boy at the train station. Then I looked at Melvin’s byline and he has an article on you as a possible replacement for Congressman Jonkman. Jerry just shrugs his shoulders and says, The boy just ran up to me with a football to sign when I got off the train from Chicago. Melvin happened to be there and he took me on a tour of Grand Rapids to show me all the change since I left for the Navy. Lillie thinks for a moment and then says, That boy did more for your future than any publicist could. You need to work on getting the boy and his dad tickets to the next Michigan, Ohio State football game.

Chapter 4

A San Francisco family of six, races to their son’s basketball game in their 1940 Pontiac Torpedo 8 four-door sedan. The ten year-old boy is throwing a tantrum that the coach will bench him if he is late. The father