Fighter Squadron Page #6

out of you yet.

Come on around here, men.

This is something we've waited

a long time to hear.

You noticed those new German

squadron markings today.

Our target and

withdrawal escorts

ran into the rest of them,

plus the old ones.

202 over target,

244 on withdrawal.

We lost 59 bombers.

Intelligence reports new

German fighter concentrations

at Flagerstadt and Grisha

airfields outside Berlin.

Tomorrow morning, we're

going in at 30,000 feet

an hour ahead of those bombers

and giving the fields

a good going-over.

The 18,000-foot rule is off.

Now we can go down and see

whether they're

blondes or brunettes!

Let's give it to him!

Oh, General Gilbert

Oh, General Gilbert

We're leaving you high

and dry to hit the deck

Attention!

General Gilbert's in the pan.

Such disrespect!

Honeymoon too tough?

He saw his mother-in-law.

Where did you go?

Niagara Falls.

You take your wife?

Stu! Did you see my old man?

You owe him 80 bucks.

What brings you back?

That training school.

That's not hard to take.

The honeymoon is over.

I never put through

those transfer papers.

I got back just in time.

Got room for me in that

rat race tomorrow?

We'll need every old

hand we've got.

How about a drink?

Let's drink to tomorrow!

Ah, the boots.

Things look normal.

Sack it up. We're

cutting grass tomorrow.

Good night, fellows.

Good night.

Thanks for saving it

until we got up here.

You married, Stu?

Yeah.

Aren't you going to

congratulate me?

Yes, I do. You both

deserve happiness.

We have it.

But you signed up

for another tour.

Yeah. She... she understood.

I couldn't stay out.

Tomorrow, I need

your written request

for transfer to another group.

You wouldn't make

me go through that.

You left me no choice.

I could have lied to you.

You're not the type.

I left my wife, my marriage,

a chance for a home.

Came back.

Isn't that proof

of my loyalty?

There are over 100 loyal

men in this group.

But I told you...

If Brick was still in command,

would you have

done this to him?

O.K., Ed.

I'll have it on your

desk in the morning.

Thanks.

What about tomorrow's mission?

Will you give me that break?

I can't do it.

I've flown your wing

a lot of years.

Been waiting a long time

for this order

to hit the deck.

It isn't much to ask.

All right, Stu.

Let's take this out

on the Germans.

I got some shoe-shining to do.

[Speaking German]

All right, Stu. You wanted it.

I'm right behind you.

Time for the jackpot.

Good luck.

[Shouting in German]

Berlin! Berlin! Flagerstadt!

Grisha!

There they are,

like sitting ducks.

[Man shouting in German]

Stu! That flak tower...

Let's get it.

Wow!

Pardon me, boys. Here comes

the Chattanooga Choo-Choo.

I've been working

on the railroad

[Speaking German]

Bandits!

[Speaking German]

[Speaking German]

Stu! Bail out, Stu!

Canopy's jammed.

Get your back on it.

No dice, Ed.

You and Brick were right.

I thought about Ann.

Sorry to keep you waiting.

I had expected to find

you in your office.

But then, there were several

things I had expected of you.

What was that, sir?

I had expected that you knew

enough of army procedure.

Everything presented

to the higher echelon

must go through channels.

I'm well aware of

that, general.

You didn't seem to be

when you went to

General McCready

about dropping belly tanks.

There was no time, sir.

I'll remind you that I am

your immediate superior

in this fighter wing.

In the future, everything

you say to headquarters

will be sent through me.

Do I make myself clear?

Yes, sir.

You've been very successful

in furthering your own ideas.

First, the dropping

of the belly tanks,

and now, low-level missions.

That order came

from staff, sir.

Yesterday, following

out your tactics,

you became the

top-ranking ace.

22 victories.

Very commendable.

But it also caused the

death of Captain Hamilton.

Now perhaps you can understand

why I've always opposed

low-level missions.

The loss ratio is always

four times higher.

"Stay with the bombers."

"Keep the belly tanks."

Stupid slogans made up

while you were

flying your desks.

You ought to be up there,

have someone banging

at your tail.

How would your rules hold?

You'd leave the bombers

and drop the tanks.

Maybe you'd get some sense

through your paperwork heads.

We're up to here with

channels and red tape!

Get out of here!

Are you aware of

what you're saying?

Get out.

You're a case of combat

fatigue, Hardin.

What about those stripes?

You'll get them.

You promised them

for my birthday.

That's when you'll get them.

But my birthday was last week.

Why didn't you tell me?

Why didn't you write it down?

Sir, I know when it is.

Keep me posted

on the next one.

Go clean up the bar.

I've got to see

General McCready.

You look worried, sir.

There's trouble.

General Gilbert?

I really did it this time.

Wish me luck, Dolan.

Sergeant! Your picture

is in the magazine.

Everyone is talking about it.

I got scrapbooks loaded

with these things.

I'll take this one, though.

Where is Sweeney?

He's in intelligence

interviewing women.

That's my racket.

I'll give him a hand.

I'm sorry about

Hamilton's death.

I'll miss him, too,

almost as much as you.

I know, sir.

I can't lose any more of you.

Big things are coming up.

I need old hands here

at headquarters,

the old gang from

the Eagle squadron.

Brick's reporting tomorrow.

I want you to

come up with him.

Did General Gilbert

put me on report?

Combat fatigue?

No. He told me about

it, said he was sorry.

He said he'd been wrong.

But you believe it.

No. I've begun to think

that my tactics are wrong.

I've always hated pulling

men out of the sky

and putting them behind desks.

But it's what I

should have done.

Hamilton's death

proved that to me.

When can you report?

I'd like to finish this tour.

How many more missions?

You let Hamilton

go just one more.

I'd have asked for

the same thing.

I am now.

I've watched those

bomber concentrations

over Normandy the

last few weeks.

I've flown a long time

waiting for D-Day.

I want to do some

paying off for Stu.

I could order you to

report to headquarters.

I suppose you'd obey orders.

Yes, sir,

but these oak leaves

are temporary.

I request to be reduced

to my permanent

rank of captain

so I could keep on flying.

All right, Ed.

Go on back to your group.

Thank you, sir.

But when your tour is

over, you report here!

Yes, sir.

What's going on out there?

Quiet! Quiet, please!

What in blazes is

going on here?

Look at this picture.

That is Sergeant Kinsey.

Quiet, please!

So you are Sergeant

Kinsey, eh?

Ladies, I promise this

man will be punished.

What about my daughter's cat?

I didn't take Sybil's cat.

What?

I didn't take Sybil's cat.

Over. Roger.

Roger? He was at

our house, too.

Quiet, please, ladies.

Kinsey, consider

yourself under arrest.

Take this character

out of here.

It was the best

cat we ever had.

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