Away All Boats Page #2

for dinner.

Ha ha ha!

Clean it up, Chief,

and nail down the new gear.

I won't tell you how.

You know more

about this than I do.

CAPTAIN:
Do you hear there?

This is the captain.

Before the Belinda was cast off

this morning,

it was reported that the ship

was in all respects...

ready for sea.

If there now remains

any doubt whatsoever...

that this report was

overoptimistic,

I'll be pleased to remain

on this course.

Teaching them the hard way.

That's a very dirty trick to do

to anybody. Mmm!

Mr. O'Bannion, alter your course

Aye, aye, sir.

Is sick bay in good health,

or is major surgery indicated?

Oh, some bottles got smashed.

- Smells pretty strong.

- I told Doc he should smell...

the rest of the ship.

Not so antiseptic.

I'll bet if you could

count them,

from that rolling.

It's better to have them

get it over with now...

than later on, when we might

need all hands in an emergency.

I have a hunch our captain

knows his business.

Which no one can say

for our executive officer.

Get this wardroom

cleaned up right away.

- This is most unappetizing.

- Aye, aye, sir.

Ah! Coffee.

Never-ending supply

of hot coffee.

Great inducement

for any man to enlist.

The weather was quite rough

for a while.

- It was?

- Very. It even woke me up.

- You were asleep?

- Yes.

After all, there was

nothing to do.

Night orders are assigned, sir.

Very well.

For some time,

I'll permit only you,

Mr. Randall, Mr. O'Bannion, and

Mr. Fraser to stand top watches.

You're the only officers

whose sea experience...

- qualifies you for such duty.

- Yes, sir.

I'm aware of the sacrifice

you made...

in rank and salary

when you entered the navy,

but I'd suggest you

try to forget that you were...

captain and master of a ship

in the merchant marine.

Adjust to the fact

that I'm captain of the Belinda.

I'll be in my sea cabin.

Porthole will be open.

You can talk to me anytime.

I'll be awake.

Target plane

approaching.

This run is for port-side guns

only.

Repeat-port-side guns only.

This is a five-eight!

Get onto the target! Get on!

Now hear this.

This is the captain speaking.

You are to get

down on your knees...

and give thanks

that that was only...

a 30-foot piece of canvas

instead of an enemy bomber.

I've seen 10-year-old kids

shoot better with slingshots.

CAPTAIN:
Well, at least

they look like sailors.

Belinda is

the smartest-looking ship...

to enter and leave Pearl

in many a month.

A smart-looking ship's a credit

to itself and the navy.

War is no excuse for

aping the appearance...

of a river coal barge.

Gangway's clear.

Handlers are ready to cast off.

Very good. What is that?

MacDougall,

bring that man up here.

Aye, aye, sir.

Stand by, all lines.

- Sailor?

- Yes, sir?

The captain wants you

on the bridge.

Say, that's right nice of him.

I never been up there before.

Follow me.

Back 1/3!

Back 1/3, sir.

Ease your rudder to standard.

Ease your rudder

to standard.

Hey, fellas! Look at me up here

in officers' country!

Oh, hi.

- Mr. MacDougall, take the con.

- Aye, aye, sir.

What is your name

and your division?

I'm Gilbert Hubert

from Tennessee.

Um, Tennessee, yes. But

what division on the Belinda?

What are your duties?

Oh, uh, first division.

I'm the garbage grinder.

That's one

of the importantest places...

on the whole ship, you know?

I grind up the garbage

and mix it with water.

It runs into the ocean

and mixes with it...

so no Jap submarine finds us,

like they can if them mess cooks

dump it overboard. You see?

I see.

But you-you should

keep cleaner.

Oh, I keep that place

clean, Captain.

Want to come to the garbage

grinding room and see?

I dare you to find

a speck of dirt.

The only trouble

is the chicken guts.

- Chicken guts?

- Yeah. They jam up them gears.

Them and them mess cooks

leaving forks in the garbage.

- Why, just this morning-

- Commander Quigley.

- Sir?

- See that this man gets...

- cleaned up and into uniform.

- Yes, sir.

Nice place you got up here.

Visit me anytime you feel

like it. I'll show you around.

Oh. Well, I'll see you.

Chicken guts.

Port boats will proceed aft

and circle counterclockwise.

The starboard boats will circle

clockwise, like so.

This pattern is to avoid boats

colliding head-on.

They'll just

glance off one another.

If all our coxswains

can remember left from right.

Take the hand you want them

to remember and dip it in paint.

Let's get on with it.

Then the boats will be called

alongside by number.

Right! Right! Right!

Right rudder, you idiot!

They look like lady drivers

on dollar day. Ha ha!

- Take it easy!

- Move on!

Hey!

It took some doing,

but we got our boats away.

Yes. You got them away in

exactly one hour and 43 minutes.

What are you waiting around for,

MacDougall? A "well done"?

They're all here, sir.

Rehearsals from now on

will be with troops.

Please do not drown them.

They are needed for

future commitments to battle.

Second division,

stand by to receive boats...

along starboard side.

Boat 19 to White Three.

Boat 11 to Red One.

All boats away

in 35 minutes, Captain.

That's the best time yet.

It's not good enough.

OK. Roger and out.

- Another boat broach to, sir.

- What?

Oh, when are those coxswains

ever going to learn?

Hey!

Hold it! These boats

are made of plywood.

You'll smash them

into kindling!

They're no good on a beach.

Get this bulldozer out of here!

I don't take orders from you!

I take my orders

from Sergeant Kelly!

- What's going on here?

- This idiot's wrecking my boats!

You don't need to force

marine cooperation on the navy!

- Sergeant Kelly says-

- This is the navy beachmaster...

you're arguing with!

He's in charge of everything

up to the high-water mark!

Now, get your bulldozer

out of here!

And as for you, O'Bannion,

either keep your shirt on...

so my men will know

you're an officer...

or tattoo your rank

on your chest!

Command boat!

- What's the matter?

- Lost our rudder!

Back her down.

O'BANNION:
Mr. MacDougall!

Get on the beach, sailor!

Corpsman! Get a corpsman!

Get Doc Bell!

Hello, Captain.

MacDougall.

I'm delighted you've chosen

to remain here...

rather than let our doctor

ship you to some shore hospital.

- I'll be fine here, sir.

- I'm sure.

I wish I could be sure

of other matters.

You've been a skipper.

You understand.

I'm without any help

on the bridge.

Quigley is-well,

he's exec in name only.

With few exceptions,

we're officered by men...

who spent three weeks

fitting their uniforms...

and one hour reading the manual.

Suppose something happens to me,

as it has you.

What happens to the Belinda?

They'll learn, sir.

Of course,

but the enemy won't wait.

MacDougall, I'm glad

you had this accident.

Now I can use you to the benefit

of the ship.

I don't understand, sir.

What's your opinion

of Steve Sherwood?

Do you consider him capable?

I couldn't get along

without him.

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