Armageddon_ A Novel of Berlin - Leon Uris [58]
Chapter Twenty-six
TO: COMMANDING OFFICER, G-5, FRANKFURT
FROM: MILITARY COMMANDER, PILOT TEAM G-5. ROMBADEN/ROMSTEIN
SUBJECT: Hollingshead, Cornelia. Correspondent accredited to Whittsett Press/Global Alliance News Syndicate.
The presence of the above named journalist is, in my opinion, detrimental to the best interests of the function of military government in this district.
I have, therefore, in accordance with my authority, suspended press credentials and ordered same from my district.
Sean O’Sullivan, Major
Commander, Pilot Team G-5
Andrew Jackson Hansen damned near had apoplexy when he read the terse report. One did not give the shaft to Corney without dire consequences.
Headquarters in Frankfurt stood by for the cyclone to blow in from Rombaden. To their chagrin, Corney came in meekly and filed a story that “her” war was over in Europe and she was off to the Pacific and battlefields yet unconquered.
Although there was a simultaneous sigh of relief, no one felt that even the Marines deserved Corney.
A few days later, when Nelson Goodfellow Bradbury arrived, Hansen sniffed a rat and tried to pump him.
“General,” Big Nellie purred, “one of these days ask General Borof Roth why he couldn’t attend the liberation ceremonies in Paris.”
And that’s about all he would say.
Hansen watched the reports flow in from Rombaden with obvious pride. O’Sullivan’s performance vindicated his judgment. Rombaden was weeks, even months ahead of most cities.
May 1. Enough rubble has been cleared so we have one-way traffic, at least, on all major thoroughfares.
May 2. 60% of all known former Nazis have been purged from civic positions and are on rubble-cleaning details.
May 3. We have restored enough power for Allied use, hospitals, and certain emergencies.
May 4. Captain Greenberg has located a generator in Munich similar to the main generator for the sewage-processing plant. He horse-traded for enough parts to improvise the rebuilding of the Rombaden generator.
May 5. All liberated Poles, Jews, and other displaced persons in the area are registered, housed, and those capable have been assigned to useful employment.
May 5. The eastern bridge over the Landau has been restored to operation.
May 6. The water-distillation plant is 20% in operation. We are therefore able to raise the water ration to six buckets per day per family.
May 7. Barge works partly reopened.
May 8. Three small factories partly reopened. All factories will use rubble as their basic raw material.
a. Hümpelmeyer Plant formerly making steel helmets now converted to pots, pans, kitchen utensils, etc.
b. Struger Factory formerly making hand grenades now returned to traditional toy and puppet making.
c. Landau Works, formerly making stock handles for rifles now returned to furniture refinishing.
May 11. Leather factory reopened.
May 13. We now have seven full labor battalions on rubble clearance, demolition, and public works. Two battalions consist of ex-Nazis, two of prisoners of war; the rest, civilians.
May 14. We are happy to report that the entire population has received multiple shots for typhus and typhoid and has been vaccinated. We have completed 70% of the delousing procedures as an antityphus precaution.
May 18. Telephone and telegraph service for Allied use has been restored.
May 25. Three banks in full operation.
May 27. A makeshift public transportation system has begun using horse-drawn vehicles and carts pulled by bicycles.
June 1. The sewage plant is now in partial operation.
And so it went. Rombaden/Romstein became a pilot light. From all over the American and British sectors the urgent call was sent to Frankfurt, “What does Rombaden say about this?”
“What do the Rombaden people do in case of ...?”
“How are they handling this problem in Rombaden ...?”
“Clear it with Rombaden.”
That was the new password ... clear it with Rombaden, as men struggled to find the wisdom of Solomon and the strength of Atlas in this obliterated land. Germany’s cities were as bleak as the face of