November 1941

The General came down to my living quarters, right under his own. Characteristically he had his wife telephone me for the appointment and he came down in his bathrobe. The occasion was a dispatch from the War Department about Army reinforcements on the way .. . . after extolling the Big Show which he would, eventually, have he said: “Get yourself a real Fleet, Tommy, then you will belong.” I listened to such patronizing talk and under the circumstances it was not pleasant.”