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The first aircraft to arrive on the scene was not a screained reconnaissance plane that had been diverted from weather patrol The pilot, a boyish-faced man in his middle twenties, tapped his co-pilot on the arm and pointed down to his left

"A towboat pushing one barge She must be what all the fuss is about"

"What do we do now?" asked the co-pilot, a narroed slightly older man with bushy red hair

"Notify base with the cheery news Unless, of course, you want to keep it a secret"

Less than a ruff voice came over the radio "Who is the aircraft commander?"

"I am"

"I am, who?"

"You go first"

"This is General Clayton Metcalf of the Joint Chiefs"

The pilot smiled and made a circular er "Are you crazy or is this a gag?"

"My sanity is not an issue here, and no, this is not a gag Your name and rank, please"

"You won't believe it?"

"I'll be the judge"

"Lieutenant Ulysses S Grant"

"Why should I doubt you?" Metcalf laughed "There was a great third baseman by that name"