TheCodeBreakers
generals in the Philippines, Hawaii, the Caribbean, and West Coast, after
vetoing a suggestion that it be typed first. As Bratton was leaving, Gerow
called out that if there was any question as to priority, to send it to the
Philippines first. Bratton, greatly agitated, gave the message to Colonel
Edward French in the message center and asked how long it would take
to get it out. French told him that it would be encoded in three minutes,
on the air in eight, and in the hands of the addressees in twenty. Bratton
returned and reported to Marshall, who did not understand the
explanation and sent him back for a clarification. He still was not sure
and sent Bratton back a third time, after which he was finally satisfied
with the answer.
Meanwhile, French had had the message typed anyway and then
ordered it encoded on a machine that was operated from a typewriter
keyboard. During the few minutes that this took, he checked his
annaabi.ee 
