The headline is from one of the Pacific War biographies I read decades ago. It was, I think, Nimitz or Burke but it could have been Spruance, who was telling the 'youngster' that when the war in the Pacific ended they were just so tired. They could not fight off the depredations of the 22 year old US Army Air Force generals determined to set up the largest paramilitary force in the world. I'm pretty sure it was in Burke's biography but he was talking about his boss.
Fighting such a war, with 12,000,000 men under arms, and more than a thousand ships, took it out of a man. Many of the Admirals, that survived, put down their phones and went home and died within a few days. It's not like that anymore. Our generals and admirals just hang around forever and ever and write their memoirs.
Of them all, I really enjoyed Jackie Fisher's most of all. It's hard to believe it was published a full 100 years ago. He was such a thoroughly modern fellow.... That was one of the little dragons that got away when I finally left San Diego. Memories.
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