Snippet time - Karl goes looking for help

 March 20, 1942 - Galveston Naval Base, Galveston, Galveston County, Republic of Texas

The day of departure had finally come. A month ago, Karl had hoisted his flag aboard TNS San Jacinto and set about arranging the final details of his fleet’s structure and mission. Now he looked out from San Jacinto’s flag bridge into the pre-dawn gloom as the leading destroyer division filed out of the harbor entrance.

Standing nearby was his new Chief of Staff, Rear Admiral James Richardson, USN. Richardson, like Karl’s friend Chester Nimitz, had been a Texas Navy cadet attending the U.S. Naval Academy in the early 1900’s when the Social Progress Party gained a majority in the Texas Congress and cancelled the exchange program. Like Nimitz, he had requested and received a transfer to the U.S. Navy, earning his commission upon graduating and eventually becoming a naturalized U.S. citizen.

Knowing that he was likely going to be working closely with the Americans throughout the course of the war, Karl had asked Nimitz to recommend someone to serve as a liaison officer. Nimitz unhesitatingly recommended Richardson. “The man got canned over the fleet’s deployment to Pearl Harbor, Karl. He told the President and Admiral Stark it wasn’t safe to base the fleet at Pearl, and I understand the argument got more than a little heated. Then not even a year later, exactly what he predicted happened.”

Karl liked what he saw when they met at the von Stahlberg ranch. Richardson had impressed him with his knowledge of Japanese military culture and doctrine. He had identified the swords displayed behind Karl’s desk as genuine antiques, something that had surprised Karl.

********************

“You do realize those swords are antiques, don’t you, sir? From the look of them, they pre-date the Meiji Restoration by at least two hundred years.”

“No, I didn’t know that. Captain Takeda sent them to me in reciprocation for the silver-plated spurs I had made and sent to him as a thank you gift for his help off France in ‘37. Same with the bullwhip, that came from Captain Godoy of the Argentinian battleship Moreno. There’s a note that came with the swords, but I never got around to having it translated.” Karl handed the note to Richardson, who looked it over, translating in his head.

“That’s exactly what this says. ‘These swords came into my possession when I was asked to close the estate of a distant relative who had died without heirs. As there was no-one in my own family who needed them, I was given leave to dispose of them as I saw fit. I was pleased to find a home for them with a brave and skilled warrior.’ It’s signed, ‘Takeda Moriji, Captain, His Imperial Japanese Majesty’s Ship Ashigara.’ The rest of this,” he waved the pages, “are instructions on how to care for the swords. If you’d like, I’d be happy to translate that for you as well.”

“Thank you, Admiral, I’d appreciate that. So, tell me what happened when you were relieved as Commander in Chief U.S. Fleet. Just in general terms, I wouldn’t expect you to reveal anything said in confidence.”

“Ah, Pearl Harbor, sir. The President, CNO, and Secretary of the Navy had all agreed that the Pacific Fleet should be moved to Hawaii so it was closer to the Philippines. After inspecting the available facilities there, I recommended against this as the defenses were nowhere near adequate.”

“That’s all, Admiral? That in itself doesn’t seem to be a good reason for firing you.”

Richardson hung his head. “Well, being perfectly honest, sir, I let myself get carried away arguing against the idea. While I still think I was correct in my reasoning, I was wrong in how I presented my arguments. I said things I really shouldn’t have, and I torpedoed my career in the process.”

Karl nodded his head, holding his best poker face. What Richardson had said agreed with what Nimitz had told him. “I see. While I can understand vigorously debating an idea, once the civilian authorities have made the decision, it’s time for men like us to say ‘Aye aye, sir’ and carry out our orders.”

“Yes, sir. I understand that now. Unfortunately, it’s not likely I’ll ever be trusted with any serious duty again.”

“Well, as it turns out, you were right about what would happen in Hawaii. But you’re wrong about never being trusted again.” Karl’s poker face turned into a grin. “I’d like for you to be my new Chief of Staff. For some reason, every time I get a Chief of Staff broken in, or they get me broken in, however it works, they keep getting promoted. My last one, Jonathan Black Horse, is now a Commodore commanding one of my cruiser divisions. I seem to lose Sailing Masters and Flag Captains the same way. Strange.”

Richardson returned the grin, surprised at Karl’s offer. He had only expected to be a liaison officer. “Thank you, sir. And please, call me Jim.”

“Welcome aboard, Jim. I’ll warn you though, while I expect you to give your honest opinions, I also expect you to avoid letting your mouth run away on you.”

“Aye aye, sir.” 

Copyright 2024 D.A. Brock

State of the author and a small retcon

 Hi everybody,

I’m doing a LOT better health-wise, but my day job is still being somewhat chaotic. I’m getting back to work on Book 4, I hope to have more snippets soon. At this point it’s looking like the end of the year for release, assuming nothing else unpleasant crops up.

I went to P-Con 2024 in Fort Worth last week. Had a lot of fun, met some very cool people, including someone who may be able to help with some long term plans I’ve had for this series. Not gonna say anything more than that for now.

Finally, the retcon. I made a small boo-boo in ‘Texas in the Med’, saying that the PB-4 bomber would have eight 2,000 hp engines. I had intended to change that to 4, since 16,000 hp is a bit much for a plane from that time period, even for one the size of a B-29 or B-32. Unfortunately, that edit missed making it into the published version. I have uploaded a corrected version of the manuscript, which should be available for download from Amazon in 24 - 72 hours.

Thank you all for your continued patience and for the enthusiasm you have shown for my writing.

D.A. Brock

#1 New Release!!

My new mini-anthology, ‘Tales of the Texas Navy: Volume 1’ has hit #1 in new releases for 90 Minute Science Fiction / Fantasy Short Reads!

D.A. Brock

New Texas Navy mini-anthology!!

 Hi y’all, sorry about the silence on the blog.

Unfortunately, I have been sick for the past month, enough so that it has been interfering with my day job and writing both.

In better news though, I have a new release out now!

Tales of the Texas Navy: Volume 1

This is the two short stories that I wrote for other publishers, now available in one mini-anthology. I hope you will like them.

D.A. Brock

Let’s get ready to snippetttttt!

 Here’s another snippet from Book 4…

January 30, 1942 - Office of the Director of Naval Operations, Pelican Island, Galveston County, Republic of Texas

“Admiral von Stahlberg, Admiral Tucek will see you now.”

“Thank you Louise” Karl said as he stood and walked into the DNO’s office. He briefly came to attention, then relaxed when Tucek waved him to a chair.

“Welcome back, Karl. How’s the family?”

Karl grinned. “Both of the babies are starting to walk, and it’s driving Vi nuts trying to keep up with them.”

“I thought y’all had hired an assistant to help her with the kids. I mean, what with her own problems and all.”

“We did, but she still wants to do as much as possible. Said she’d spent far too much time growing up around other children who were raised by nannies and governesses, and never even saw their parents. She’s determined that our children won’t be like that. Sometimes I think she tries too hard, though.”

“I can see that would be hard on her. Speaking of problem children, what do you think about the two designs that the Bureau of Aeronautics is working on for the next generation fighter plane?”

“From what I’ve seen so far, they both look like good choices. Like the Trident, both are designed around the new 12 cylinder, 3,000 cubic inch version of the Dallas Diesel Corporation’s axial opposed-piston diesel engine. I understand that the current version of that is good for upwards of thirty-six hundred horsepower even before adding a turbosupercharger or nitrous oxide injection. So both new fighters should be real screamers.

The Cyclone, from Gonzales Aircraft, is the more conventional of the two. Basically, they have redesigned the Hurricane, much like Hawker Aircraft in England has with their Typhoon, building a bigger, stronger airframe that can take a much bigger engine. Unlike Hawker, GAC is borrowing a trick from the Yankee’s Bell P-39 and putting the engine in the middle of the fuselage, behind the cockpit with a driveshaft running to the propellers in the nose.”

“Propellers, plural?”

“Yes, sir. Just like on the PB-4 Thunderbirds and everything else using the new engines, they use paired contra-rotating props, both to eliminate torque effects and to make it easier to turn all that power into usable thrust.”

“Why did they put the engine in the middle? Isn’t that kind of a strange way to do it?”

“Not really, sir. Swapping the positions of the engine and the cockpit gives the pilot much better visibility, both for takeoff and landing as well as in combat. And as I said, the Yankees already have a fighter in production with that feature. Only they did it to allow mounting a large cannon to fire through the propeller hub. The Cyclone will still have its guns in the wings.”

“I see. What about the other plane, the ’Dart’ I think it’s called?”

“Yes, sir the Dart. It was designed by Central Texas Aerodynamics, but I imagine they’ll need to subcontract large scale production to another company since they’re up to their eyeballs in building PB-4s and Conestoga transport planes. The Dart comes by its name honestly, since that’s pretty much what it looks like. Like everything CTA does, it’s a canard design, with the horizontal stabilizer in the front instead of at the back.”

“I suppose I’m going to regret asking this, but why?”

Karl grinned. He knew Admiral Tucek was no dummy, but his expertise lay in ship design, not planes. “Well, sir, I could go into a long technical explanation about aerodynamic balance, center of gravity and a lot of other things, but bottom line is it will allow for a much more compact design which will be very handy for carrier operations. But that’s not really the radical part. The main wing is. They’re using what they call a ‘clipped delta’ wing. It looks like a triangle that has had two of the corners clipped off.

Like the Cyclone, the engine is in the middle, but the props are in the back, pushing the plane instead of pulling it. The whole effect is that it really does look like a dart, or an arrowhead if you prefer.”

“So which of the two is better? Which one should we buy?”

“There’s advantages to both, sir. The Cyclone, being the more conventional design, will be faster to get into production and likely somewhat less expensive to buy, but the Dart is looking like it will be substantially faster, as well as having more potential for future growth and improvements. Both will be carrying the same armament, so that’s a wash. If it were up to me, I’d choose the Dart. However, and I know this isn’t what either you or the Secretary of War want to hear, but until a clear winner emerges, I think we need to consider buying both of them.”

“What if they don’t work out. Will we be stuck with the older planes for the entire war?”

“It’s not that bad, sir, with the engine upgrades we’re doing, the Hurricane, Hailstorm, and Harpoon will be good for another year or two at least. Worst case, sir, we end up getting fighters from the Yankees. That new plane from Vought, the Corsair, looks like a good choice. I understand the prototype topped out over 400 miles an hour in level flight some time back. For the land-based squadrons, that plane that North American is building for the Brits, the Mustang, could also be a good choice.

Now that I think of it, we might be better off equipping all of our land-based air groups with Yankee aircraft, just to ease the production and logistic issues. It’ll be a lot easier for us to just equip our carrier squadrons and let the Yankees provide the land-based stuff.

Tucek rolled his eyes. “Thanks, Karl. Leave me with the tough decisions and facing the politicians.”

“Well, sir, isn’t that why you have that extra star and the fancy office?” They both grinned, since Tucek’s office was still in an out-of-the-way corner of the Archive building. Unlike the Yankees with their new ‘Pentagon’ project, the Congress wasn’t about to spend good money on new offices for the Navy anytime soon. 

“I’m glad you brought up stars. I wasn’t sure how to tell you this earlier. When the Congress passed the war budget for this year, they included a proviso authorizing the wartime-only promotion of senior field commanders to the brevet rank of General or Admiral.

That means that effective February 1st, you and Bill Stormcloud are full four-stars. Since the two of you are going to be working with the highest ranking officers from other nations, especially Britain and America, you’ll need the higher rank in order to stand with them as equals.

By the same token, I’m moving up to brevet Fleet Admiral and Isaac Hearns and Bob Merwin will be Brevet Field Marshals.”

Karl boggled at the idea.

Copyright 2024 D.A. Brock

More snippet goodness…

 January 1, 1942 - The White House, Washington, D.C. U.S.A.

President Velasquez sat at a table with President Roosevelt, Prime Minister Churchill, Chinese Foreign Minister T.V. Soong, Free French leader Charles de Gaulle, and the Soviet Ambassador, Mr. Litvinoff. Spread before them was a document on pale blue paper, freshly printed with the text of the agreement and lots of blank space for signatures. Behind them were the representatives of several other nations, gathered for this occasion.

Roosevelt spoke. “Ladies and gentlemen, with this instrument we are creating a new alliance, the United Nations, to face and defeat the Hitlerite nations who have so threatened the peace and stability of the world. I am pleased that so many of the nations you represent have chosen to join us in this cause.”

He dated the page, then signed it on behalf of the United States. As the only other head of state present, President Velasquez was next. He signed.

For the Republic of Texas

Samuel Houston Velasquez

After him came Prime Minister Churchill, then the representatives of the Soviet Union, France, and China. Next were the representatives of the Commonwealth nations, India, and the governments-in-exile of the nations occupied by the Axis powers. Finally the remaining representatives. In all, 27 nations pledged themselves to the defeat of the Axis, agreeing not to seek any separate peace with any of the enemy powers.

When everyone had resumed their places and the official photographs had been taken, one of the reporters called out “Can we get a picture of General de Gaulle and President Velasquez shaking hands?”

The two men looked at each other. De Gaulle gave a Gallic shrug and stood, walking around to the front of the table. Velasquez met him there. He held out his hand. De Gaulle took it. They turned to face the cameras, which were all flashing as quickly as their operators could wind them and replace the flash bulbs.

Later, the two Presidents, the Prime Minister, and General de Gaulle retired to the Oval Office.

“General, I’m pleased to have you here with us today.”

“Thank you, Monsieur President. This is indeed a momentous day. But I must ask whose idea it was to suggest that President Velasquez and I shake hands?”

Roosevelt and Churchill looked at each other, then at the French and Texan leaders. “It wasn’t either of us, but I’m glad it happened. That photograph will be in Berlin, Rome, and Tokyo within a week, a symbol of the strength of this alliance.”

“Indeed, the relationship has improved greatly from where things were a year ago.”

“Yes, it has, General. And speaking of relationships, Mister President, I understand that you have decided to keep the new Combined Chiefs of Staff an Anglo-American only affair. That seems somewhat unusual, given the level of support that my nation is providing to the alliance.”

“I must agree with Monsieur Velasquez. We deserve a seat on that council.”

“Under other circumstances” said Churchill, “I would also agree. The problem, however, is that were we to expand the Combined Chiefs beyond America and Britain, then the Soviets would certainly demand a seat. I hope you gentlemen would agree that giving Stalin any measure of control over the use of the armed forces of the western allies is most undesirable.”

Velasquez and de Gaulle looked at each other and nodded. “That I understand, Winston. Just last week the Soviet Ambassador made a request that we turn the Albuquerque class light cruisers that we were building for Latvia, Lithuania, and Estonia over to the Soviet Navy. I declined the request, of course, citing the fact that those nations had defaulted on the payments for the ships, thus they lost any claim to them. I also reminded him that we are using those vessels now in the Mediterranean. I didn’t mention that Texas does not consider the Soviet Union to be the legitimate successor to the democratically elected governments of those nations.”

“I, too, understand the situation, As with many recent decisions, I don’t like it, but I, and France, can live with it.”

“I’m very glad that you gentlemen understand. We have absolutely no intention of cutting your nations out of the decision making process. In fact, your input would be most welcome at any meeting of the Combined Chiefs. As would those of any of the other associated powers. In fact, we would like France and Texas to head a council of military representatives from all of the other powers, just to make sure that their voices are heard.”

“Monsieur President, that is a most excellent idea. I accept on behalf of France.”

“Count me in, gentlemen.” Velasquez looked at de Gaulle and smiled. “Don’t worry, General, I won’t be sending Admiral von Stahlberg to the meetings. He’s much more useful on a flag bridge.”

De Gaulle tried to hide a sigh of relief. It didn’t work.

Copyright 2024 D.A. Brock

New snippet from ‘The Lone Star, the Red Banner, and the Rising Sun’

 Thanks for your patience, y’all.

This snippet takes place at the ARCADIA Conference in December 1941.

(Previous text snipped)

“Excellent. That’s one problem solved already. On the subject of the Sicily operation, Would the U.S. Navy be able to provide support for that? Unfortunately, both we and the Royal Navy had ships badly damaged by the recent Italian frogman attack on Alexandria.” Admiral Tucek looked at the American Chief of Naval Operations, Adm. Harold Stark, as he spoke.

“I don’t see why we can’t. How bad was the damage?”

Admiral Pound answered first. “The bastards had quite the stroke of luck that night. They managed to plant mines beneath HMS Valiant and TNS Albuquerque, as well as a tanker, the Sagona. Valiant suffered serious damage below the waterline, with flooding in several compartments including one of the shell rooms and magazines for ‘A’ turret. She will be moved to a drydock for temporary repairs within the next few days. The tanker was fueling the destroyer Jervis at the time, so the Italians got two for one there.”

“Yeah, and Albuquerque is down for the count. That mine broke her back, and she’s only floating on her outboard hulls. We think they were actually going for Queen Elizabeth, but got confused because the two ships were moored next to each other so Admiral Buchanan could consult with Admiral Cunningham. Don't get me wrong, Sir Dudley, if it comes down to a choice between losing a light cruiser and losing a battleship the cruiser loses every time. But it still puts a cramp in our operations. Makes me wonder if the Japs and Italians actually coordinated their actions beforehand.”

“Indeed, Admiral von Stahlberg. Whether through luck or enemy planning, all this has put us on the back foot. This needs to change. Admiral Tucek, When will your carriers and heavy cruisers be available?”

“Well, we’ve expedited the overhauls on Galveston and Laredo as much as we can, it’s looking like they will be ready for trials in March of ‘42.  Brownsville should be ready by April, and El Paso by May. On the upside, San Jacinto and Tampico will be starting trials for both the ships and their new air groups in mid January. 

We also have a fair bit of new construction in the pipeline. The first batch of our new William B. Travis class carriers will be commissioning in February, with the Dallas class armored cruisers coming in March as well. That’s three of each, and we have four more of each that were launched last week. Those should be ready to go by Spring of 1943. And, of course, we’re building smaller combatants as quickly as we can.”

“I see why you need some of our ships to cover the gap. We should be able to send New York and her sister, Minnesota, over to the Mediterranean within the next month, along with an appropriate escort and possibly the carrier Ranger, assuming the situation in the Pacific doesn’t go further south. We should also be able to send Washington and Wasp, with escorts, to Britain by April to reinforce the fleet there.”

Admiral Pound’s sigh of relief was almost audible. “Thank you, Admiral Stark. That will be most incredibly useful.”

Copyright 2024 D.A. Brock