“Das ist alles?” Cronley interrupted.
“Wie, bitte?”
“The Storch was the only aircraft you flew in the Luftwaffe?” Cronley continued in German.
Schröder’s surprise at Cronley’s fluent German showed on his face.
Good, Cronley thought. What I want to do is get you off-balance.
“No, sir. I was primarily a fighter pilot. I flew mostly the Messerschmitt BF-109, but also the Focke-Wulf Fw-190.”
“Does the name Major Hans-Peter Freiherr von Wachtstein ring a bell with you, Schröder?”
Schröder’s face showed he recognized the name, but was afraid of the ramifications of any answer he might give.
“The Focke-Wulf Fw-190 pilot who received the Knight’s Cross of the Iron Cross from the hands of Der Führer himself?” Cronley pursued.
Schröder, now visibly off-balance, exhaled audibly and told the truth.
“Sir, I had the honor of serving in Baron von Wachtstein’s squadron in the defense of Berlin.”
Well, that should be recommendation enough, but as soon as I get back to Kloster Grünau, I’ll get on the radio and ask ole Hansel about him.
“Schröder, I may have use for you and your men,” Cronley said. “But before I can offer you the job, you’ll have to be vetted by another officer. What I propose to do now, with Colonel Wilson’s permission, is take you to see him.”
“Kurt,” Wilson said, “I’ve explained our pay arrangements. Cronley is willing to do the same.”
“Yes, sir. May I ask where we’ll be going?”
“No,” Cronley said simply.
“We’ll be going in the Storch?”
“Yes.”
“Excuse me, but how can I fly you anywhere if I don’t know where we’re going?”
“I will be flying the Storch,” Cronley said. “Why don’t you top off the tanks while I have a final word with Colonel Wilson?”
“Yes, sir.”
“And while you’re at it, put two or three jerry
cans of avgas in the backseat.”
“Yes, sir.”
—
“Jim, who was that Luftwaffe hero you brought up?” Wilson said when they were alone. “Or is that classified?”
“Yes, sir, probably. I met him in Argentina. Good guy. He’s now flying South American Airways Constellations between here and Germany. I’m going to check out Schröder with him and an officer back at Kloster Grünau.”
“And the name of this other officer? Or is that classified, too?”
“That’s probably classified, too, sir. Will you settle for ‘a former senior officer of Abwehr Ost’?”
“That’s likely Oberst Ludwig Mannberg. Or maybe General Gehlen himself.”