Command Decision Page #11

- What's all that racket outside?

- Just some visitors from the 32nd, sir.

Well, call the guardhouse.

Excuse me, sir.

May I attend to this for you, sir?

Yes.

Hey, you out there.

Go back to your group and shut up!

Who's telling me to shut up?

I am.

Do you know who I am?

I don't wanna know who you are.

Well, I am

Captain George Washington Bellpepper Lee.

Well, I am

Technical Sergeant lmmanuel T. Evans.

Oh, a technical sergeant, huh?

Speaking for

Brigadier General Clifton I. Garnet.

Thank you, sir.

Thank you, sergeant.

- Ask Colonel Haley to step in.

- Yes, sir.

This is a very special night, sir.

They're veterans.

A little oxygen in the morning

will fix them right up.

You see, sir, they know they can fly

a milk run tomorrow sound asleep.

Does the division just assume that if I'm

left on my own I would order a milk run?

I'm not assuming, sir.

That's what I came in to ask.

Well, we'd better start

thinking about it, major.

Ask Major Lansing to bring me the folders

on the naval targets in France.

You asked for me, sir?

Yes, Earnie.

Does Kane usually wait this long

to give us the target?

That depends on what

the target will be, sir.

According to this directive

you showed me...

Yes, sir. If we've no word from

General Kane's headquarters by 1900...

...the choice of the target

will be up to you.

I see.

Tell me, Earnie...

Well, now that we're going to be so close,

couldn't you at least stand at ease?

Yes, sir.

Do you really think that the change

of command has helped morale?

All generals look alike to them, sir.

They feel a new general is always good

for a couple of soft missions.

All right, Haley. Thank you.

- I didn't order coffee.

- You will, sir.

- What else will I need, Evans?

- You'll need a new sergeant, sir.

What?

- You're going to work for General Dennis?

- No, sir. He wouldn't take me.

I've decided to go to Nevada

to teach gunnery.

You've decided?

- What do you think this Army is?

- I'd rather not answer that, sir.

But War Department circular 69587-3...

...says applications from graduate gunners

to teach aerial gunnery will be accepted.

Well, if the circular authorizes it...

- Evans.

- Yes, sir.

- You are a graduate gunner?

- Yes, sir, 28 missions.

Would it be too much to ask these boys

for a tough one tomorrow?

I don't know, sir.

You must know

from your own experience.

Never had this experience, sir.

Nobody in the Army ever

asked me anything. They just told me.

Captain Lee reports his presence, sir.

Who?

Captain George Washington

Bellpepper Lee, sir.

Lee, you're drunk.

Yes, sir.

I've come in to report myself

for that, sir...

...and to apologize for singing

under your window and then running away.

- Get out of here and go to bed.

- I'm sorry, sir.

This hasn't happened before

and it won't again.

Lee.

Did you go to Schweinhafen today?

Yes, sir.

I went to Schweinhafen today.

I went to Schweinhafen yesterday...

...and I went to Posenleben on Friday.

I've been to Hamburg...

...and Bremen and Kiel...

...Schweinfurt, Regensburg...

Excuse me, sir.

I only meant to say I've been to 24 of them

without taking a drink...

...and I'm ashamed of myself for singing

under your window on Easter Sunday.

You go to bed, Lee.

It's all right.

Even if it isn't Easter Sunday.

I beg your pardon, sir.

It's my Easter Sunday.

- Yours?

- Yes, sir.

Resurrection, sir.

Today was my 24th.

See, all I gotta do now

is knock off one more little milk run...

...and I can go home

and live the rest of my life.

Well, don't behave like this at home.

I wouldn't think of it, sir.

I'm getting married.

Well, congratulations.

Yes, sir.

We almost did before I came over...

...but, well, sir, I thought

she'd worry more that way.

I see.

Well, you get to bed. Best of luck.

Thank you, sir.

And a happy Easter to you, sir.

Here are the folders on those channel port

targets, general. Calais, Dunkirk, Brest.

- What are these?

- Pictures from the last group...

...over Schweinhafen, sir.

Look at those hits on the milling shop.

They did a wonderful job.

- Then it's complete?

- Schweinhafen is complete, sir.

I see.

Major, I'd like to ask you a question.

Yes, sir?

If you had to decide tomorrow's mission

for General Kane...

...would you attack Fendelhorst?

Fendelhorst, sir?

I'm thankful

I don't have to decide that.

But if you did?

Sir, I'm afraid my decision

would be influenced by a personal reason.

May I ask what it is?

General, I regret intruding this upon your

consideration, but since you ask me...

...I have a son training now

in a combat infantry division, assault.

When those jets have stopped

our bombardment...

...they'll make the deadliest strafing planes

ever used against ground troops.

I'm sorry, sir, but I couldn't help thinking

of my boy going up a beach against them.

Yes, but what if your boy were flying

a bomber tomorrow?

I hope I'd send him

to Fendelhorst, sir.

Message from General Kane, sir.

Good. Read it.

"General Kane compelled to attend...

...ambassador's dinner

for congressmen, London.

Pursuant to directive,

selection of tomorrow's target...

...will be responsibility

of senior commander.

General Kane desires express confidence

in General Garnet's discretion...

...based on weather.

Signed, Malloway for Kane."

I don't know about that. From the eccentric

way that cold mass has developed...

Never mind the genealogy, major.

The synoptic situation

will be highly unfavorable.

That will mean bad weather

for quite some time.

- And tomorrow?

- Well, tomorrow you're all right.

I understand that, major.

Oh, Casey. Sorry, I didn't see you.

Come in, old man.

That'll be all, gentlemen.

I'll let you know my decision.

- Goodbye, general.

- Goodbye.

See you at the plane, Casey.

- Bye again, sir. Good luck.

- Goodbye.

Goodbye, sir.

I hope I catch up with you again

one of these days.

I hope so, Lansing.

Sir, when you get your new assignment,

I'd sure like to...

I'll see what I can do, George.

Sit down, Casey.

They reported my plane's ready.

Boys are loading my stuff.

Oh, what's all the rush?

The orders said,

"with immediate effect," Cliff.

I'm taking Ted's

personal things to Helen.

- Good. You'll go see her right away?

- Of course.

You got any idea of what

they're going to do with you?

Oh, I guess I still rate

a training command.

I'd like to get one

out west somewhere...

...where I could have Kathy

and the kids with me.

Get a day off now and then,

take the boy fishing.

Funny.

I was the boy

that wanted to fight the Japs...

...get that B-29 command.

I'm envying you already.

You've got a good job right here.

- Good luck, Cliff.

- You can't run out on me like this.

What am I gonna do?

You're going to command, Clifton,

and you'll be paid the first of every month.

I...

I had a boy in

to see me tonight. A pilot.

Nice, attractive young kid

with a lot of guts.

They're all attractive kids

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