Flying Leathernecks Page #5

like the man in my favorite story.

My kid sent me that for last Christmas.

It caught up with me at Midway.

I've been carrying it around

with me ever since.

- Kind of childish, I guess.

- I don't think it's childish.

- Do me a favor?

- What?

Play it again.

- Busted again.

- Too bad.

- Have a belt?

- No, thanks.

That's a prescription.

Major?

There's a headquarters messenger

to see you, sir.

- Send him in.

- Yes, sir.

If it's about missing tents, and this ain't

one of them, remember, you've seen me.

You've had them for years.

Hey, you. Come on in.

The general would like

to see you immediately, sir.

- Right away.

- Yes, sir.

I hope the major don't forget, because

as far as them tents are concerned...

I know.

You're pure as the driven snow.

Yes, sir.

- Good evening.

- Sit down, Kirby.

- All the comforts of home.

- Yeah.

Some sergeant scared that up for me.

- He wears an old campaign hat.

- The name couldn't have been Clancy?

Yeah. That's the name.

Two new squadrons

are coming in tomorrow...

...and 12 replacement aircraft

are being ferried in for you.

Thanks. I can sure use them.

Dan, like you, I've always claimed

that air ground support...

...can put the foot soldier on enemy

real estate faster than any other tactic.

And that's just how much faster

the war will be won.

We've gotta prove our point here.

You made a good start today.

Unless I absolutely need you...

...your squadron will be exempted

from flying interception missions.

Work with the infantry.

After we prove the tactic,

the information will go through channels.

We'll probably use it in the next war

or the one after that.

Major Kirby, are you criticizing the

standard procedure of the armed forces?

Not at all, sir.

Me too. Good night, Dan.

Good night, general.

- Why don't you hit the sack.

- Because I gotta write a letter.

You've been in this game long enough to

know that should be left to the chaplain.

Let the padre write them.

He was killed today.

On the ridge, with the infantry.

What drivel.

Suppose I told the truth.

What if I said:

"Your son is suffering from

jungle nausea and malaria...

...and ordered to fly by a man

who couldn't send him to sick bay"?

- Dan, I prescribed that drink for you.

- I don't want it.

Operation Cactus.

This ought to be called

Operation Shoestring.

Hi. I am loaded.

And don't you knock that sake.

It's got a very high octane rating.

Why don't you get some sleep,

my tough commandant.

You'll need oxygen for that hangover

in the morning.

- And we haven't any more oxygen.

- In that case, I will suffer.

Good night, tough guy.

He'll suffer?

The proverbial penny.

- I wasn't thinking about anything.

- That's a psychological impossibility.

The human mind is never at rest.

Even while sleeping, the mind works.

You want me to lie down on the couch

and tell you my dreams?

I can tell you sitting up.

I dream of scheduling a mission where all

the pilots and all the planes come out even.

Where there's blank number

of operational planes...

...and blank number

of available pilots.

Everything's even.

Good pilots, good planes...

...there's nothing to decide,

everybody flies.

And even Major Daniel Xavier Kirby

can't work up a lather.

I don't think Dan

started this war, Griff.

Even if he did,

I don't think he did it on purpose.

- I can't help feeling sorry for Castle.

- Don't you think Dan does?

Dan's a mighty man.

The classic commander.

"Come home with your shield

or on it."

I got work to do.

Oh, Dan.

I think there's a problem building up

for you. Griff's got the jumps.

I know. Well, he's the best man

in the squadron.

I don't know what the outer edge of his

endurance is, but I've got to use him.

I ought to be getting

80 bucks an hour for this.

For what?

Of course, I'd have to grow a little beard

and have an office in the swankiest area.

If you've got something to say,

now's the time.

Griff's identifying you as the villain.

It's your fault this air operation

hasn't enough men or equipment.

Knock it off, Dr. Freud.

After this is over, Griff and I will

go out and get tight and forget it.

I got a mission to fly.

Jigsaw 4, this is Jigsaw 1.

How badly are you hit?

I'm badly hit on the knee.

My engine is losing rpm's. Over.

This is Jigsaw 1.

Return to base immediately.

All Jigsaw planes, this is Jigsaw 1.

Simmons, join on Shorty.

All other planes, join on me. Out.

Grab the stuff. Go get the doc.

Hello, Charlie. How you making it?

Pretty rugged, major.

I don't feel like there's

anything missing.

I guess I'm still all doped up.

If that transport sneaks in tonight,

we're gonna get you started stateside.

That's fine.

- Say, major.

- Yes?

- Write a letter for me, will you?

- Well, sure.

- Your folks?

- Well, yes.

But send it to Mr. Peters.

He's an Indian agent.

Monument Valley Navajo reservation.

He'll read it to them.

See, they... They can't read.

What'll I write, Shorty?

Oh, you write it, major.

Just say what happened to me,

that I still have the other leg.

Say it your way.

Tell them that they might

just as well sell those colts...

...they were raising for me to break.

I don't guess I'll be busting

many broncs from here on in.

I guess the automobile is sure

to replace the horse, eh, major?

I wrote you up for a citation, kid,

not that it matters much.

I understand, major.

Just relax, and the doc will give you

something to help you go to sleep.

Good night, major.

Good night, Charlie.

Caught your slipstream.

I didn't think I could pull out.

I'm a bachelor, but going in this low

is strictly for the birds.

I swear one of those jokers

was throwing rocks at me.

Next time, I'm going in on my back.

Make sure I see the ground.

If we'd covered each other

yesterday like we did today...

...maybe Charlie wouldn't have

got knocked down.

- We could have used Charlie, couldn't we?

- Sure could, Cowboy.

You loused up the scheduling

of these two missions.

You've got the older guys flying

this tough ground strike...

...and replacements are flying cover

for a bomber mission.

That's a milk run. Let's switch it.

No. Send the replacements

on the milk run.

The older guys have had

some ground strike experience.

They've also had it tougher

than the law allows.

That they have. But I didn't make

the rules, I only live by them.

Maybe I did make one mistake.

You ought to go with the bomber group.

That'd give them a commander

who understands combat...

...give you a little command experience.

Pick out one of the replacements

to take your place on the ground strike.

Well, let's see.

I haven't got any training reports

on these guys yet.

I don't know which one of them's

had the most air-support training.

Let's leave it how it is.

I'll fly the ground strike with you.

Sure. You'll fly

the ground strike with us.

You beef at the decisions I make,

but you're too soft to make them yourself.

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