Battle Cry Page #6

loved the kids in green...

... and to us, well, it was almost like home.

He's full of whiskey and donuts.

You gotta stop acting like this,

you'll get shipped out.

Marion snapped out of it.

You smell up the network every time

you're on radio. Wise up to yourself!

Go on. You guys slobber over me

like I'm a 10-year-old. Leave me alone.

Sober him up on that stuff

before the MPs get to him.

- What would you like, please?

- A cup of joe...

...and one of them crumpet things.

My name's Andy Hookens.

I didn't catch yours.

I didn't throw it.

Nice country you got here.

I'm from Washington state.

Not to be confused with the capitol.

I know.

Lots of trees in Washington.

I'm the boy who chopped most of them down.

A modest Yank. Well, well.

Excuse me.

Don't flit off again, honey.

I'd like some more coffee.

- Are you persistent too?

- I never let go.

- You're fighting a losing battle, you know.

- The story of my life.

- You can't score with that one, buddy.

- Just move over and give me some room.

- That's Pat Rogers. Mrs. Pat Rogers.

- You shouldn't let that scare you, junior.

Are you still here?

You know, you're hurting my morale.

I've met nothing but nice people here.

Aren't you gonna be nice to me too?

- You're fresh.

- And lonesome too.

I was just thinking of a nice, quiet evening of...

...of movies and dancing.

Does that ring a bell?

But there are lots of girls

about the canteen dying to know...

...what you could do with a tree.

- Would you like me to introduce you to one?

- No, I've met one.

Hey, Andy. We're shoving off.

Come on.

- You better go. You'll miss your train.

- You seem to know the schedule.

Well, nice try, Andy.

No harm done, huh?

No harm done.

Nice knowing you, Pat.

Coffee's cheaper than beer.

I'll make another try next liberty.

It won't do you any good.

Let's go. Come on.

You guys get him back to camp.

- What are you gonna do?

- I'll tell you about it later.

- Hey, slow down.

- Softy!

Andy, I had a wonderful time.

I haven't been to the cinema in weeks.

We'll do it again soon.

- Mind if I come up for a cup of coffee?

- It's awfully late.

Andy! Please don't ruin it.

- Come on, cut the act.

- I beg your pardon?

We've been sparring around long enough.

- I think you'd better go.

- Really?

What do you take me for?

- You're no different than any other woman.

- Please go.

You're putting on a good show, Pat.

What have you been doing with the Marines in town?

Pining your heart out for your husband

while he's sweating it away in Africa?

I know you're married.

My husband was killed in El Alamein.

Topeka white.

Fox Company? Yes, sir.

- Who's Pat Rogers?

- What?

I read code, you know.

Danny, I want to ask you something.

You ever apologize to anyone?

What kind of a stupid question is that?

What I mean to say is...

...you do something you're real sorry for,

and go and say you're real sorry.

You know what I mean?

You ever apologize to a broad?

Sure, lots of times. Why?

Nothing. Nothing, I just wondered.

I'm just wondering.

- Good night.

- Good night.

- I'm warning you, keep away from me.

- I'd like to talk to you.

I don't want anything to do with you.

Leave me alone.

I came here to say something to you,

and I'd like to say it. I want you to listen.

Well, make it quick.

Pat, I never apologized to anyone

for anything as long as I've lived.

I've never said I'm sorry for anything.

But I'm saying I'm sorry to you.

I feel real bad.

And I couldn't rest easy.

I'm very, very sorry, Pat.

That's all I wanted to say.

Well, that was nice, Andy.

We all make mistakes, you know.

I don't expect you'd care to go out with me again.

I don't blame you.

I won't bother you anymore.

Andy...?

There's a good film at the Majestic.

Talk about your iron men.

These kids are tougher, they're a new metal.

We ought to call it Huxley's Harlots.

I think they'll be able to take care

of themselves now.

Excuse me, sir.

Request permission to dismiss the troops.

- What's your rush?

- Liberty train leaves in 30 minutes.

You gonna go with the kids

or stay in camp with us old men?

I think I'll go with the kids.

Maybe I can scare up an old woman.

All right, turn them loose.

Dismissed!

Marion, there's that book you lent me.

I couldn't go it.

Hamlet reminds me of

an uncle of mine in Dayton...

You know.

Is that a letter from home?

No, it's from Rae.

The girl on the ferryboat?

I didn't know you two were writing.

I haven't.

She has ever since we left the States.

Almost like I'm the guy that really counts.

She even left San Diego.

She's a secretary in a defense plant

up near San Francisco now.

Mac, you've kicked around a long time.

What would you do in my shoes?

I don't know, Marion. You're the only guy

that can answer that.

I've seen a lot of funny things happen on this lash-up.

I've seen girls like Rae...

And I know Marines that took a chance

on them and married them.

Most of the time it worked out okay.

They're a funny breed, kid.

If they find the right man...

...they can give him the love

and the understanding...

...that all of us want but few of us get.

But the guy has to be a big man.

He's gotta erase an awful lot

of ugly pictures from his mind.

Gomez, come here.

Where'd you get them ribbons?

- Army-Navy store.

- Take them off before you get locked up.

Strike me, look at the medals on the bloke.

He must have been everywhere, eh, Marine?

This boy's been around, buddy.

You see this one here?

Silver Star. Won it for gallantry on Guadalcanal.

I'll never forget that day as long as I live.

Me and my boys were on this patrol...

...over the Kokumbona River

near Tassafaronga Point.

And what happens?

I get lost from the rest of the men.

So I come to this clearing.

It's blazing hot...

...120 in the shade, sweat gushing off me...

...when all of a sudden, boom!

Everything hit the fan.

They must have thought I was a general.

Japs popped up from everywhere.

I peer over to my left, and what do I see?

- What was it?

- What was it?

A Jap machine gun looking right down my throat.

- Blimey! What do you do?

- So I look for a fast exit.

But in back of me, three Japs with rifles.

Gracious goodness!

Go on! Go on!

And to top it off,

a Jap sniper sat in a treetop.

- Makes me shudder to think of it.

- What happened?

So I say to myself, "Joe...

...a hundred broads from Chicago

to St. Louis will be grieving today."

There was nothing for me to do

but to lower my head and charge!

- Out with it! What happened?

- What happened? I got killed!

I've been had.

- Well, I'll see you, kid.

- Mac?

Thanks.

Dear Rae, it was good

to hear from you again...

On Thanksgiving, the whole outfit

got three-day passes...

... and we headed for Wellington.

All except Andy. He disappeared.

We found out later that Pat had invited

him to her father's farm outside Masterton.

Well, now, has my daughter shown you all of the farm?

Oh, yes, and I never knew

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