The White Ghost

by James R Benn

  I looked away, not trusting my emotions. I stood at the rail, feet braced against the heavy roll of the PT crashing through the waves. The rifle hanging from my shoulder grew heavy as the strap dug into my flesh. I took it off, holding it with both hands, feeling the weight of the thing, its heft and perfect balance, the beauty and solidity of this lethal tool, wood and steel smelling of oil and gunpowder. I swung my arms, threw it overboard, and watched it disappear into the seething and sullen sea.

  Author’s Note

  The history of the Australian Coastwatchers operation is truly fascinating, full of colorful characters, amazing courage, lonely death, and final triumph. In all my research, I came across no such villain as the Coastwatcher character in this book. He sprang purely from my imagination, a creation at odds with those who served in those hidden outposts.

  Writing about a hero from my youth—I was thirteen when President John F. Kennedy was assassinated—was quite a challenge after researching his early life and upbringing within the close-knit Kennedy clan. While young Jack was often charming and generous with his friends, he did have a darker, self-centered side. The story behind his and Billy’s estrangement—the incident with the car, as described in Chapter 23—actually happened, but to Lem Billings, a close friend of Jack’s. That he found it convenient, or necessary, to lay the blame for his accident and subsequent actions on someone else demonstrates a sense of entitlement and selfishness I found disturbing and disappointing.

  Jack Kennedy was recovering in the navy hospital on Tulagi in August of 1943 after the sinking of PT-109. At the same time, Richard Nixon was working as an Air Transport officer across Ironbottom Sound at Henderson Field on Guadlcancal. If I had any basis to think that their paths would have crossed, I would have taken literary advantage of that opportunity. But I did not. Future presidents Gerald Ford and George H. W. Bush also served in the South Pacific, well after events in this novel.

  As mentioned in the narrative, Jack Kennedy should never have been in the navy. If he had undergone a routine medical examination, he would not have been accepted, much less instantly commissioned as an officer. His special treatment was due not only to his father’s political connections, but also to his own competitive nature. His older brother Joe Junior was a bomber pilot, and even though it was Joe who was being groomed for future political office, Jack had no desire to sit out the war without a combat record. By all reports, Joe was not pleased by Jack’s status as a hero in 1943, and felt himself eclipsed by his younger, sickly brother.

  Some of the historical events in this book have been altered slightly to fit the requirements of the narrative. Kennedy did take command of PT-59, the first converted PT gunboat, but it was in October 1943, not August. On November 2, he did participate in the rescue of marines from the 2nd Parachute Battalion, who had been trapped on the island of Choiseul after a lengthy raid, which I also moved to August for purposes of the plot. The capture and torture of Corporal Gallaher and Lieutenant Johnston did happen during that raid in circumstances very close to those described in this book. The story of the two marine scouts and the diary of the Japanese medical orderly also is true. That incident occurred during the earlier Guadalcanal campaign.

  Jacob Vouza was a real-life character, a retired sergeant major in the Solomon Islands Protectorate Armed Constabulary at the time of the Japanese invasion of Guadalcanal. He was captured and tortured and then escaped as described in these pages, in time to warn the marines of a major Japanese attack. The Battle of the Tenaru River was a major victory for the marines, and might have turned out quite differently but for the courage of Jacob Vouza. He was awarded the Silver Star for bravery and was made an honorary sergeant major of the Marine Corps. He also received significant honors from the British government.

  Over the years, many readers have asked about the possibility of Billy being sent to the Pacific for one of his investigations. I hope fans do not mind this step backward in time for Billy and his good friend Kaz. When I saw the gap in his timeline between the second and third books, I thought it would be interesting to pair him up with Jack Kennedy, who was ultimately sent back to the States in January 1944, suffering from a variety of medical conditions, including his back injury. By the end of that year, he was medically discharged from the service.

  Two characters in this book were named as part of a fundraiser for the Waterford Country School in Connecticut, a facility designed to meet the special needs of children and families at risk.

  Gunner’s Mate “Chappy” Ellis was named for Chapman Manufacturing, which manufactures American-made precision hand tools in Durham, Connecticut. Chappy used Chapman tools, as many members of the US military still do today. Chapman Manufacturing is a keen supporter of the Waterford Country School.

  The character of Deanna Pendleton was so named as the result of an auction held at the Waterford Country School fundraiser. Her father won the bid for a character naming and passed the privilege on to his daughter. This character also has a basis in reality. Merle Farland, a New Zealander, was a Methodist nurse on Vella Lavella. She was evacuated to Guadalcanal in December 1942, where a rumor spread that she was Amelia Earhart. Farland had shown courage in staying behind on Vella Lavella after the initial Japanese invasion, working with Coastwatchers and providing medical assistance to downed American aircrew, at great personal risk, until her evacuation was deemed necessary. Merle Farland continued to serve as a nurse and survived the war.

  I am indebted to Ted Cummings, of Manchester, Connecticut, for the time he graciously spent describing his experiences as a Browning Automatic Rifle (BAR) man with the 1st Marine Division on Tulagi and Guadalcanal. The story of the piano on Tulagi came from Ted, who witnessed a marine playing “I’ll String Along With You” as they marched into battle. The details Ted shared about the terrible conditions on those islands helped to inform the narrative and provide a more accurate picture of what our soldiers, sailors, airmen, and marines endured in the Solomon Islands Campaign.

  Acknowledgments

  I owe a great debt to my wife, Deborah Mandel, for her constancy in all things. Her support, understanding, companionship, studied reading, and first draft editing all go a long way in making these novels what they are.

  Early reader Michael Gordon, family member, memoirist, and writer, continues to provide lucid and vital comments to my first drafts, improving each story in important ways.

  Soho Press, a fine independent publisher under the inspired leadership of Bronwen Hruska, is due a debt of thanks from me and many, many readers for giving Billy Boyle such a supportive and friendly home. Mark Doten (a superb author himself) is my third editor since this series began over ten years ago, and he is continuing in the great tradition of Laura Hruska and Juliet Grames. His red pencil is gentle, thoughtful, and unerring.

  And to Dan Cosgrove, illustrator; thanks for the terrific covers. Your artistry has helped shape the brand for the Billy Boyle novels.