Battle Cry Page #2

Yes, sir!

- There's that Indian love call again.

- It's the chow, sarge.

In all my 10 years in the Marine Corps,

this is the first time I've been stumped.

I still don't know who the bird is.

Well, I give up.

All right, take them off.

At ease.

I just came over to tell you skinheads...

...that they're sending

a bunch of you out...

...to radio school.

All right, one more thing.

You're gyrenes now.

And when you pass in review tomorrow...

...and do an eyes right...

...let me hear them eyeballs click.

Just call me Jim.

This was the day.

To a man, their hearts pound,

nearly bursting with pride.

They had paid in sweat, humiliation and

a few tears for the name they now carried.

They were Marines now, and they would be

till the day they died.

This is me, Mac, with the six chevrons.

I'm communicator for this outfit.

Major Wellman, the executive officer.

He gave up an ulcer job in civilian life

for another ulcer job in the Marine Corps.

Little Ziltch, a new kid, the commander's orderly.

And this is Major Sam Huxley, known

throughout the Corps as High Pockets.

He's now in command of the 2nd Battalion.

I've served with Huxley

off and on for years.

If there's one man who can build

a fighting battalion, you're looking at him.

- Mac.

- Yes, sir.

- Take charge. Get them squared away.

- Yes, sir.

Bob, get them bedded down.

Left face!

Arms, huh!

Forward, huh!

Rest easy. The smoking lamp's lit.

I called you men together because

I know we're all thinking the same thing.

These new boys we're getting...

...they may look like Marines

and talk like Marines...

...but we know the truth.

In other words, we've got problems.

We've also got a war on our hands.

Now, we all have buddies on wait

in the Philippines and Shanghai.

It's gonna be a long road back.

And we can't get back without them.

You know I'm going to train them...

...so that every private in this battalion

can take command if he has to.

The only way I can do that

is with your help.

Thank you. That will be all.

The man said he wanted communicators,

and I said he'd have them.

Every minute they weren't in the field,

I had them at the practice table.

Inside three weeks, they could read code

in their sleep. And probably did.

Come on, snap out of it.

What, you got the blues?

This place gives me the creeps on Sunday.

Forget about it, Danny.

Monkey with a broad, you wind up

on the short end of the stick.

- None of them are worth it.

- Save the advice, chaplain.

Thought I'd give the benefit of my experience.

I want to be there when you fall

for some nice girl.

A broad ain't been made yet

that'll make old Andy fall.

- Let's go ashore and get out of this hole.

- Good idea.

We're going on liberty.

How about coming along?

I gotta finish ironing these shirts.

Ski, they've got a town out here

full of beautiful tomatoes.

You ain't been on liberty since we've been in the Corps.

I got a chance to pick up extra bucks pressing.

I've gotta save my dough to get Susan out here.

If it's a dame you want out here,

I'll lend you the dough.

Thanks anyway, but I don't want no charity.

It's your life.

Eat your heart out, feather merchant,

eat your heart out.

I'll murder Mac and Huxley.

They got no respect for communicators.

That lousy Mac had me shoveling garbage again today.

Me! I'm writing my congressman.

Me and the Corps have split the blanket.

That's Navajo for finished, done.

That's right. Huxley's trying to kill us.

Ten straight 15-mile hikes.

You know what they call this outfit?

"Huxley's Harlots."

And if we ain't hiking, we're getting

dit-happy on that signal key.

Maybe I should learn Mac how to use smoke signals.

What's Crazy Horse beefing about?

He says he's a son of a Indian chief,

and he wants to go back to the reservation.

Tell that man there'll be

no swearing here on Sunday.

I wonder who's stuck

with guard duty tonight.

I think I see your name up there.

Put it back, Joseph.

I was just going to borrow it.

The last time you borrowed something,

I never saw it again.

Hey, you accusing me

of something dishonest?

Just put it back, please.

You think you're so smart

because you read all the time.

I ain't liked you since boot camp.

I've got a notion to loosen you

from a few teeth...

...Sister Mary.

Now, wait a minute.

I was only fooling with you.

What'd you go and do that for?

I saw what happened to one fellow

who tried to shake your hand.

That was a lucky punch.

You know that, huh?

You're the only guy alive

who can do that to old Spanish Joe...

...and live to tell about it.

What you reading?

Plato.

You mean they wrote a whole big book

about Mickey Mouse's dog?

You know something?

I like you, Mary.

You stick with me

and I'll get you over the rough spots.

What you think of old Spanish Joe now?

I think you're

the most obnoxious person I ever met.

What's that, obnoxious?

You stink.

That's because I was eating garlic.

Hey, kid, you got guts.

You and me's going to be buddy-buddy.

Thanks, Mac.

Don't do that with my hat!

What's the matter with you?

Miss, would you please pick it up for me?

All right. What'll you have?

Give me a cheeseburger

and a cup of coffee.

And how about a piece

of that apple pie too?

What's yours?

I think I'll have something different.

My name's Andy.

What time you getting off duty?

I have just two words for you.

Remind me to tell you what they are later.

Why not now?

Later's always better.

- What are you doing?

- Looking for Ski.

- He cracked up.

- What happened?

- He got a letter and tore the barracks apart.

- He went crazy and threw his bed at me.

He drew all the money he had stashed away,

over $400, and headed into San Diego.

Mac's looking for him.

He told us to wait here.

Something must've gone wrong

with his girl, Susan.

- We found him. Come on.

- Let's go.

Here's a couple of bucks.

I'll see you later.

Is he still in there?

Okay.

That's the kind of joint this is.

If he ain't in the bar, he's upstairs.

We don't want no trouble.

But, just in case, get your belts ready.

Let's go, sailors.

Can I help you fellows?

We're looking for a buddy of ours, a Marine PFC.

- He's a little loaded. You seen him?

- He ain't here.

He come in here 10 minutes ago,

and he ain't come out yet.

- Mind if we take a look?

- Wait!

I said he ain't here!

- I guess maybe we made a mistake.

- Yeah.

Thanks a lot.

Excuse me, please.

Thank you, thank you.

- Let's go, kid. Get up.

- Hold on.

- Come on, you gotta get out of here.

- Leave me alone!

- This is my life. I'll do what I want with it!

- Come on.

- She rolled him.

- Where's his dough?

Where's his dough?

I got it.

- She's gone.

- It's all right. It's all right.

Dear John letter. She's gonna

have a baby. She got married.

See what happens when you fall for one broad?

Let's get him out of here.

Come on, come on!

She's gone.

Sir.

We lost contact with Fox Company.

Soon as the boys finish chow,

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