Flying Leathernecks Page #7

- Okay, Dan.

I'd like to see you get flight operations

started right away.

Maybe there's something to

this nonsense about esprit de corps.

- I don't speak French, colonel. So long.

- So long.

Scuttlebutt has it

they're forming a new squadron...

...with you as CO and me as exec.

Is that right?

That's what the man said.

Is it okay with you?

Well, I'm not too happy about it...

...but contrary to popular opinion in certain

quarters, I think I can handle the job.

You'll get a chance to prove it.

- Hi. How are you?

- Fine.

- Dan, how about having a drink with us?

- No, thanks, Cowboy.

- You know my wife, Virginia.

- Been a long time.

Hello, Dan. Meet Jack and Jill.

Hey, Jack looked like he'd

already tumbled down the hill.

Jack ran into a haymaker from Jill.

- You sure you won't have a drink?

- Joan's cooking dinner.

Oh, I'm looking forward

to seeing Joan. I'll be by.

- Good.

- Cowboy for you and the cowgirl for Griff.

Come on.

- See you, skipper.

- So long.

There's a strange man in the house.

Anybody wanna kiss him?

- What goes?

- I'm putting "lieutenant colonel"...

...on all your gear so you won't lose it

while you're traveling.

You know more

than you've been officially told.

Spies should concentrate on wives.

They always know

what's going on on any base.

Maybe I've been finding it hard to tell.

That you turned down Washington

to get a squadron?

That shouldn't be hard to tell me.

- Well, l...

- It's simple as this. They wanted the best...

...the best is Colonel Kirby. I understand.

No wonder those beautiful gals on those

lovely tropic isles couldn't tempt me.

I've seen pictures

of those isles and the gals.

Are you telling me you love me?

Right.

Why don't you just say it.

I love you.

I'm glad I didn't marry one

of those burst-into-tears dames.

What good are tears? Excuse me.

Hey, Mom, can I have 20 cents to buy a...?

Hey, why are you crying?

Take a walk, darling.

Hey, Dad, Mom's crying.

And when I asked her why,

she said, "Take a walk."

Well, then maybe

we'd better take a walk, kid.

Come on, colonel.

- Hello, major, glad to have you aboard.

- Happy to be aboard, sergeant.

Sorry, PFC.

- MPs?

- MPs.

- Hello, Griff.

- Hello, colonel.

- Dan.

- Could have expected to see you here.

They sent me along for the ride.

I got my orders the day after you left.

Well, this is what we asked for.

The 47th Marines have hit a stone wall...

...and haven't been able

to keep up with the advance.

Hill 708 here is a solid arsenal

of Jap artillery, mortars and machine guns.

- Our troops are on three sides.

- 300 meters, that's pretty close.

That's what you were trained for.

Just make your runs accurate

and stay on the target.

- We've got to flatten their position but fast.

- How fast?

Air control's waiting to brief you.

Let's go.

- Roger and out.

- Roger and out.

Roger and out.

- Roger and out.

- Roger and out.

Red Rock 1, Red Rock 1,

this is Ant Pace.

- Hello, Ant Pace. This is Red Rock 1.

- Jap emplacements...

...at target areas 3726, 3727,

3824, 3825.

Make continuous attacks

until all ordnance is expended.

Attack north to south. We'll mark target

with white phosphorous and red smoke.

- Are you in a position to observe? Over.

- Affirmative. Out.

Red Rock 1, commence attack

when in position. Out.

Any closer and those guys will be

using bayonets instead of propellers.

That's the way I feel,

so that's what I told him.

My mother says if I'm polite

to my commanding officer...

...l'll be sure to be advanced.

In the interest of being polite...

...l'll run down to the gunnery course

of this battlefront...

...and check my guns like the man said.

You know, everybody keeps giving advice

on how to get along. It's all so simple.

The general tells the colonel, the colonel

tells the major, the major tells me, I do it.

Every time I go out to do it, though,

I'm more scared than I was the time before.

It figures. With every mission you fly,

your chances get smaller and smaller.

Did you ever hear of Balt's law

of percentages?

I always flunked math.

This mathematician, Dr. Balt,

proved that the percentage possibility...

...of lightning striking twice

in the same place...

...is exactly the same

as it striking anywhere else.

Oh, maybe you're making

some sense, but not to me.

You're taking exactly the same chance

as a fellow flying his first mission...

...no matter how many

previous missions you've flown.

Did they check up real good

on this fellow Balt?

Oh, yes.

You wanna hear something funny?

Unfortunately... This is from my tailor.

Unfortunately, if he receives

any future orders for suits from me...

...he'll have to make them

without vests...

...because of the material shortage.

Government restrictions.

Boy, what a rough time

they must have stateside.

If you feel that jumpy,

why don't you go see doc?

There's nothing the matter with me, Griff.

I'm just scared.

So am I.

But I figure there's no sense

in yelling about it.

Somebody upstairs is rolling the dice.

A guy hasn't any control

over what number comes up.

- Well, it's almost 1400. I've got to go.

- Griff...

...there's one good thing.

If my dice stop on seven...

...you know, Virginia, the kids...

Shut up. It's the same way

about you in my book...

...if my dice stop

on a miss-out number.

See you later.

Direct all fighter aircraft

to discontinue mission...

...and proceed to repel

kamikaze attack on the fleet.

Divert all fighters from present missions...

...to repel kamikaze attack on the fleet.

Acknowledge.

Calling all Drake and Ruby aircraft.

This is Sourdough. This is urgent.

Proceed at once to point X-ray

to repel kamikaze attack on fleet.

This order supersedes

all previous orders.

Flight leaders acknowledge. Over.

Hello, Sourdough. This is Red Rock 1

with eight chicks orbiting at point Able.

Will proceed as directed. Out.

Sourdough, this is Red Rock 9

with eight chicks proceeding to X-ray. Out.

Sing on the air once more

and I'll eat you out.

All right, all right, all right.

Red Rock 9, this is 12.

Oil temperature in the red.

Can only turn up 1800 rpm.

Losing rpm's steadily. Over.

This is Red Rock 9.

Head back for the field. Out.

Red Rock 12, roger.

Red Rock 9, this is Red Rock 12.

I got a couple of Zeroes on my tail.

Position, 30 miles northwest

of point Zebra.

Give me some help. Over.

This is Red Rock 9.

Head for the deck.

Take evasive action.

I can't help.

Griff, let me take my section

after those Zeroes.

Get back in formation

and stay off the air. Out.

Red Rock 12, mayday! Mayday!

This is Cowboy bailing out over point Zebra.

Griff, let me go help him.

Shut up, Red 10.

Sourdough, this is Red Rock 9.

Angels, eight. Seven chicks. Out.

Bail out, skipper. Bail out.

Only eight of our ships were hit,

but we're all afloat.

Pancake all fliers.

Give the boys a "well done."

Pancake all fighters.

Well done. Well done.

My division went in on a destroyer.

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