The Project Gutenberg EBook of Navy Day, by Harry Harrison

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Title: Navy Day

Author: Harry Harrison

Illustrator: Kelly Freas

Release Date: September 18, 2009 [EBook #30019]

Language: English

Character set encoding: ASCII

*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK NAVY DAY ***

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[Illustration]

_The Army had a new theme song: "Anything
you can do, we can do better!" And they meant
_anything_, including up-to-date hornpipes!_

NAVY DAY

By Harry Harrison

Illustrated by Kelly Freas

General Wingrove looked at the rows of faces without seeing them. His
vision went beyond the Congress of the United States, past the balmy
June day to another day that was coming. A day when the Army would have
its destined place of authority.

He drew a deep breath and delivered what was perhaps the shortest speech
ever heard in the hallowed halls of Congress:

"The General Staff of the U.S. Army requests Congress to abolish the
archaic branch of the armed forces known as the U.S. Navy."

The aging Senator from Georgia checked his hearing aid to see if it was
in operating order, while the press box emptied itself in one concerted
rush and a clatter of running feet that died off in the direction of the
telephone room. A buzz of excited comment ran through the giant chamber.
One by one the heads turned to face the Naval section where rows of blue
figures stirred and buzzed like smoked-out bees. The knot of men around
a paunchy figure heavy with gold braid broke up and Admiral Fitzjames
climbed slowly to his feet.

Lesser men have quailed before that piercing stare, but General Wingrove
was never the lesser man. The admiral tossed his head with disgust,
every line of his body denoting outraged dignity. He turned to his
audience, a small pulse beating in his forehead.

"I cannot comprehend the general's attitude, nor can I understand why he
has attacked the Navy in this unwarranted fashion. The Navy has existed
and will always exist as the first barrier of American defense. I ask
you, gentlem