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In the 〃big ones；〃 the multiple…engine flying boats； David at last found his home。 They were too big to fly from a carrier at sea； instead duty with them counted as sea duty； although in fact David almost always slept at home…his own bed； his own wife…save for an occasional night as duty officer when he slept at the base； and still less frequent occasions when the big boats flew at night。 But they did not fly too often even in daylight and fine weather； they were expensive to fly； too expensive to risk； and the country was going through an economy wave。 They flew with full crews…four or five for two…engine boats； more for four…engine boats； and often with passengers to permit people to get flying time to qualify for that extra pay。 All of this suited Dave…no more nonsense of trying to navigate while doing sixteen other things； no more relying on the judgment of a landing signal officer； no more depending on just one neurotic engine； no more worries about running out of gas。 True； given a choice； he would always make every landing himself…but when he was ranked out of this by a senior pilot； he did not let his worry show and in time ceased to worry； as all big…boat pioth w？re careful and disposed to live a long time。
（Omitted）
…years David spent fortably while being promoted two ranks。
Then war broke out。 There were always wars that century
…but not always everywhere。 This one included practically every nation on Earth。 David took a dim view of war； in his opinion the purpose of a navy was to appear so fierce as to make it unnecessary to fight。 But he was not asked； and it was too late to worry； too late to resign； nor was there anywhere to run。 So he did not worry about what he could not help； which was good； as the war was long； bitter； and involved millions ol deaths。
〃Grandfather Lazarus； what did you do during this war？〃 Me？ I sold Liberty Bonds and made four…minute speeches and served both on a draft board and a rationing board and made other valuable contributions…until the President called me to Washington； and what I did then was hush…hush and you wouldn't believe it if I told you。 None of your lip； boy； I was telling you what David did。
0！' David was an authentic hero。 He was cited for gallantry and awarded a decoration； one that figures into the rest of his story。
Dave had resigned himself to…or looked forward to； as ma~
be…retiring at the rank of lieutenant mander； as there weren't many billets higher than that in the flying boats。 But the war jumped him to lieutenant mander in a matter of weeks； then to mander a year later； and finally to captain； four wide gold stripes； without facing a selection board； taking a promotion examination； or manding a vessel。 The war was using them up fast； and anyone not killed was promoted as long as he kept his nose clean。
Dave's nose was clean。 He spent part of the war patrolling his country's coasts for enemy underwater vessels…〃cornbat duty〃 by definition but hardly more dangerous than peacetline practice。 He also spent a tour turning clerks and salesmen into fliers。 He had one assignment into a zone where actual fighting was going on； and there he won his medal。 I don't know the details； but 〃heroism〃 often consists in keeping your head in an emergency and doing the best you can with what you have instead of panicking and being shot in the tail。 People who fight this way win more battles than do intentional heroes； a glory hound often throws away the lives of his mates as well as his own。
But to be officially a hero requires luck； too。 It is not enough to do your job under fire exceptionally well； it is necessary that someone…as senior as possible…see what you do and write it up。 Dave had that bit of luck and got his medal。
He finished the war in his nation's capital； in the Naval Bureau of Aeronautics； in charge of development of patrol planes。 Perhaps he did more good there than he did in bat； since he knew those multiple…engine craft as well as any man alive； and this job put him in position to cut out obsolete nonsense and push through some improvements。 As may be； he finished the war at a desk； shuffling papers and sleeping at home。
Then the war ended。
Dave looked around and sized up the prospects。 There were hundreds of Navy captains who； like himself； had been lieutenants only three years earlier。 Since the peace was 〃forever；〃 as politicians always insist； few would ever be promoted。 Dave could see that he would not be promoted； he had neither the seniority； the traditionally approved pattern of service； nor the right connections； political and social。
What he did have was almost twenty years' service； the minimum on which to retire at half pay。 Or he could hang on until he was forced to retire through failure to be selected for admiral。
There was no need to decide at once； twenty…year retirement was a year or two off。
But he did retire almost at once…for medical reasons。 The diagnosis was 〃psychosis situational；〃 meaning that he went crazy on the job。
Ira； I don't know how to evaluate this。 Dave impressed me as one of the few pletely sane men I ever knew。 But I wasn't there when he retired； and 〃psychosis situational〃 was the second monest cause for medical retirement of n？…va！ officers in thoSe days but…how could they tell？ Being crazy was no handicap to a naval officer； any more than it was to an author； a schoolteacher； a preacher； or several other esteemed occupations。 As long as Dave showed up on time and signed paper work some clerk prepared and never talked back to his seniors； it would never show。 I recall one naval officer who had an amazing collection of ladies' garters； he used to lock himself into his stateroom and examine them…and another one who did exactly the same with a collection of paper stickers used for postage。 Which one was crazy？ Or both？ Or neither？
Another aspect of Dave's retirement requires knowledge of the laws of the time。 Retiring on twenty years' service paid half pay…subject to ine tax which was heavy。 Retiring for medical disability paid three…quarters pay and was not subject to ine tax。
I don't know； I just don't know。 But the whole matter fits Dave's talent for maximum results with minimum effort。 Let's stipulate that he was crazy…but was he crazy like a fox？
There were other features of his retirement。 He judged correctly that he had no chance of being selected for admiral…but that citation for gallantry carried with it an honorary promotion on retirement…so Dave wound up the first man in his class to bee admiral； without ever manding a ship much less a fleet…one of the youngest admirals in history； by his true age。 I conjecture that this amused the farm boy who hated to plow behind a mule。
For at heart he was still a farm boy。 There was another law for the benefit of veterans of that war； one intended to pensate lads who had had their educations interrupted by having to leave home to fight： subsidized education； one month for every month of wartime service。
This was intended for young con