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e… which involved getting up an hour before dawn to warm those cantankerous engines and stand by ready to fly at the first hint of real or simulated danger。
David hated this…he would not willingly attend Judgment Day if it was held；before noon。
There was another drawback： landing on these floating aerodromes。 On land； David could land on a dime and give back change。 But that depended on his own skill； highly developed because his own skin was at stake。 But landing on a carrier depended on another pilot's skill…and David held a dark opinion of entrusting his skin to the skill； good intentions； and alertness of someone else。
Ira； this is so unlike anything you are likely to have seen in your life that I am at loss。 Consider your skyport here at New
Rome： In landing； a ship is controlled from the ground… right？ So it was with aeroplanes landing on carriers…but the analogy breaks down because a landing on a carrier in those days used no instruments。 None。 I'm not fooling。
It was done by eye alone； just as a boy in a game of catch snatches a ball out of the air…but David was the ball； and the
skill used ta catch him was not his own but that of a pilot standing on the carrier。 David had to suppress his own skill； his own opinions； and place utter faith in the pilot on the carrier…anything less brought disaster。
David had always followed his own opinion…against the whole world if necessary。 To place that much…faith in another man ran counter to his deepest emotions。 A carrier landing was like baring his belly to a surgeon and saying； 〃Go ahead and cut〃…when he was not sure that surgeon was petent to slice ham。 Carrier landing came closer to causing David to give up p3y…and…a…half and easy hours than any other aspect of flying； so torn was he by the necessity of accepting another pilot's decision…and one not even sharing his danger； at that！
It took all his willpower to do it the first time； and it never became easy。 But he learned one lesson that he never expected to learn…that is； that 。 there were circumstances in which another man's opinion was not only better than his own； but inparably better。
You see…no； perhaps you don't； I have not explained the circumstances。 An aeroplane landed on a carrier in a controHed crash； through a hook in its tail catching a wire rope stretched across the top deck。 But if the flier 'follows his own judgment based on experience in landing on a flying field； he is certain to crash into the stern of the ship…or； if he knows this and tries to allow for it； he will fly too high and miss the rope。 Instead of a big flat field and plenty of room for minor mistakes； he has only a tiny 〃w鉵dow〃 which he must hit precisely； neither right nor left； nor up nor down； nor too fast nor too slow。 l~ut he can't see what he is doing well enough to judge these variables correctly。
（Later on； the process was made semiautomatic； then automatic； but when it was finally perfected； carriers for aeroplanes were obsolete…a capsule description of most human 〃progress〃： By the time you learn how； it's too late。
（But it often turns out that what you have learned applies to some new problem。 Or we would still be swinging from trees。）
So the flier in the aeroplane must trust a pilot on deck who can see what is going on。 He was called 〃the landing signal officer〃 and used wigwag flags to signal orders to the aeroplane's pilot。
The first time David tried this unlikely stunt he chased around the sky three times for fresh approaches before he controlled his panic； quit trying to override the judgment of the LSO； and was allowed to land。
Only then did he discover how scared be was…his bladde cut loose。
That evening he was awarded a fancy certificate： the Roya Order of the Wet Diaper…signed by the ISO。 endorsed by hi squadron mander； ates。 It wa a low point in his life； worse than any his plebe year； and i was little consolation that the order was awarded so frequentl~ that certificates were kept ready and waiting for each nev group of still…damp ifiers。
From then on he was letter…perfect in following orders 01 landing signal officers； obeying like a robot； emotions and judg meat suppressed by a sort of autohypnosis。 When it came tim to qualify in night landings…much worse on the nerves a the pilot in the air couldn't see anything but lighted wands th LSO waves instead of flags…David landed perfectly on hi first approach。
David kept his mouth shut about his determination not t seek glory as a fighter pilot until he pleted all requirement~ to make permanent his flying status。 Then he put in a requesi for advanced training…in multiple…engine aircraft。 This ww embarrassing； as his instructor who thought so well of his po tential ander and it was necessar~ to submit this request through ；him。 Once the letter startec through the mill； he was called to his boss's stateroom。
〃Dave； what is this？〃
〃Just what it says； sir。 I want to learn to fly the big ones。'
〃Are… you out of your head？ You're a fighter pilot。 Threc months of this scouting squadron…one…quarter； so I can givc you a good Fitness Report…and you do indeed leave for ad vanced training。 As a fighter。〃
David didn't answer。 …
His squadron mander persisted。 〃Dave； are you frettinl over that silly 'Diaper Diploma'？ Half the pilots in the fleel have won it。 Hell； man； I've got one myself。 It didn't hurt yot with your shipmates； it just made you look human when yo~ were beginning to suffer from too tight a halo。〃
David still did not ment。
〃Damn it； don't just stand there！ Take this letter and teal it up。 Then submit one for fighter training。 I'll let you go now； instead of waiting three months。〃
Dave stood mute。 His boss looked at him and jurned red。 then said softly； 〃Maybe I was wrong。 Maybe you don'~ have what it takes to be a fighter…Mister Lamb。 That's all。 Dismissed。〃
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