The Last Heroes (Men at War 1)

‘‘I took the liberty of ordering for you,’’ Douglass said. ‘‘We’ve already eaten.’’

‘‘Fine,’’ Canidy said.

‘‘Can you eat and read?’’ Douglass said. ‘‘It would save time.’’

‘‘Yes, sir.’’

‘‘Give him Hansen’s report, Ellis,’’ Douglass ordered.

Hansen’s report came in a manila folder, stamped SECRET. Canidy opened it and found several sheets of paper.

SECRET INTERNAL MEMORANDUM

DATE: 16 DECEMBER 1941

FROM: P. D. HANSEN

TO: E. C. BAKER

SUBJ: FULMAR, ERIC

THE FOLLOWING ADDITIONAL INFORMATION HAS BEEN DEVELOPED CONCERNING SUBJECT FULMAR. (SOURCE INDICATED.)

(FROM POSTAL INSPECTION SERVICE):SUBJECT HAS BEEN IN REGULAR CORRESPONDENCE WITH REV. GEORGE CRATER CANIDY, D.D., HEADMASTER ST. PAUL’S SCHOOL, CEDAR RAPIDS, IOWA.

(FROM FBI):REV. CANIDY HIGHLY RESPECTED CLERGYMAN/ EDUCATOR (EPISCOPALIAN) WITH NO KNOWN AXIS SYMPATHIES.

FBI INTERVIEW WITH REV. CANIDY PRODUCED THE FOLLOWING:SUBJECT SPENT SIX (6) YEARS AS BOARDING STUDENT AT ST. PAUL’S SCHOOL, AND HIS CLOSE PERSONAL RELATIONSHIP WITH REV. CANIDY DATES FROM THAT PERIOD.

REV. CANIDY BELIEVES IT IMPOSSIBLE THAT SUBJECT COULD BE GERMAN SYMPATHIZER.

REV. CANIDY STATES THAT SUBJECT’S CLOSEST FRIEND WAS CANIDY’S SON, RICHARD CANIDY (SEE ONI INFORMATION FOLLOWING) WHO WAS AT ST. PAUL’S SCHOOL WITH SUBJECT AND LATER WITH SUBJECT AT ST. MARK’S SCHOOL, SOUTHBORO, MASS.

(FROM FBI):FBI INTERVIEW WITH VARIOUS FACULTY MEMBERS, ST. MARK’S SCHOOL, PRODUCED THE FOLLOWING:SUBJECT ATTENDED ST. MARK’S SCHOOL FOR TWO YEARS. SUBJECT WAS ORDINARY STUDENT, WITH NO OUTSTANDING ACADEMIC OR DISCIPLINARY PROBLEMS.

SUBJECT WAS WITHDRAWN FROM SCHOOL INTO CUSTODY OF STANLEY S. FINE (SEE FBI INFORMATION FOLLOWING). SUBJECT’S ACADEMIC RECORDS WERE SUBSEQUENTLY REQUESTED BY AND FURNISHED TO DIE SCHULE AM ROSENBERG, IN SWITZERLAND.

SUBJECT’S CLOSEST FRIENDS AT SCHOOL WERE RICHARD CANIDY AND JAMES M. C. WHITTAKER. (SEE WD G-2 INFORMATION FOLLOWING.)

SUBJECT’S MOTHER, MOTION-PICTURE ACTRESS MONICA CARLISLE (B. MARY ELIZABETH CHER-NICK) , REFUSED FBI INTERVIEW ON ADVICE OF COUNSEL.

FBI INTERVIEW WITH STANLEY S. FINE, VICE-PRESIDENT, LEGAL CONTINENTAL STUDIOS, PRODUCED THE FOLLOWING:FINE IS HIGHLY REGARDED ATTORNEY AND BUSINESS EXECUTIVE WITH KNOWN ANTI-GERMAN SYMPATHIES.

FINE STATED THAT FOR BUSINESS CONSIDERATIONS, CARLISLE/CHERNICK DID NOT WISH THE EXISTENCE OF A SON KNOWN PUBLICLY. FINE STATED HE HAD HANDLED BOARDING SCHOOL AND SUMMER CAMP AND OTHER ARRANGEMENTS DESIGNED TO KEEP SUBJECT OUT OF PUBLIC NOTICE UNTIL 1933, WHEN, OVER HIS OBJECTIONS, CARLISLE/CHERNICK AGREED TO HAVE SUBJECT EDUCATED AT HIS FATHER’S EXPENSE IN SWITZERLAND.

FINE STATED HE BELIEVES CARLISLE/CHER-NICK HAS HAD NO CONTACT WITH SUBJECT SUBSEQUENT TO APPROXIMATELY 1937. FINE MAINTAINED SOCIAL CONTACT WITH SUBJECT UNTIL 1940.

(FROM OFFICE OF NAVAL INTELLIGENCE): RICHARD CANIDY COMMISSIONED ENSIGN USNR ON GRADUATION (A.E.) FROM MASS. INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY 1938. DESIGNATED NAVAL AVIATOR, PENSACOLA, FLA., MAR. 1939. ASSIGNED NAS PENSACOLA PRIMARILY AS INSTRUCTOR PILOT. PROMOTED LIEUTENANT (JG) JUNE 1940. CANIDY HON. DISCH. (CONVENIENCE OF GOVT.) JUNE 1941 TO ACCEPT ONE-YEAR EMPLOYMENT CONTRACT WITH AMERICAN VOLUNTEER GROUP, CHINA. CANIDY BELIEVED TO BE IN KUNMING, CHINA.

(FROM G-2, WAR DEPARTMENT):JAMES M. C. WHITTAKER COMMISSIONED SECOND LIEUTENANT ARTILLERY ON GRADUATION (B.A.) FROM HARVARD COLLEGE 1938. TRANSFERRED ARMY AIR CORPS. DESIGNATED PILOT RANDOLPH FIELD, TEXAS, 1940. TRANSFERRED USAAC IN PHILIPPINE COMMONWEALTH. PRESENT WHEREABOUTS UNKNOWN. WHITTAKER’ S RECORDS INDICATE CONSIDERABLE POLITICAL INFLUENCE. KNOWN TO BE SOCIALLY ACQUAINTED WITH THE PRESIDENT.

(FROM TREASURY DEPARTMENT):SUBJECT CAME TO TREASURY DEPARTMENT ATTENTION FOLLOWING REPORT BY FIRST NATIONAL CITY BANK OF NEW YORK THAT SUBJECT TRANSFERRED TO SMALL, DORMANT ACCOUNT AMOUNT OF $21,545 FROM FIRST NATIONAL CITY BANK BRANCH IN BUENOS AIRES, ARGENTINA. SIX (6) SUBSEQUENT TRANSFERS FROM FNCB BUENOS AIRES, TOTALING $111,405, HAVE BEEN MADE, THE MOST RECENT NOVEMBER 12, 1941.

PRIOR TO DEC. 12, 1941, WHEN UNLICENSED FOREIGN TRANSFER OF U.S. DOLLAR FUNDS WAS PROSCRIBED BY PRESIDENTIAL ORDER, SUBJECT DREW NINE (9) TIMES UPON THESE FUNDS AT THE FNCB BRANCH IN CASABLANCA, MOROCCO, FOR A TOTAL OF $6,500.

IRS RECORDS SHOW SUBJECT HAS NEVER FILED PERSONAL INCOME TAX RETURNS.

IF SUBJECT CLAIMS GERMAN CITIZENSHIP, HIS FNCB ACCOUNT IS SUBJECT TO IMPOUNDMENT UNDER THE ENEMY ALIEN PROPERTY ACT, AS AMENDED. IF SUBJECT CLAIMS AMERICAN CITIZENSHIP, HE IS IN VIOLATION OF THE IRS CODE, AND THE FNCB ACCOUNT LIABLE TO SEIZURE FOR NONPAYMENT OF APPLICABLE TAXES, PLUS PENALTY.