In Harm's Way Page #5

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in the foreseeable future, right?

Right.

Do you think we'd better let it go at that?

- Hello?

- Commander Powell.

Just a moment.

For you.

- Commander Powell speaking.

- Egan?

- Can you bunk out tonight?

- I can manage.

Thanks, Egan.

Maggie?

Yes, Rock.

Permission to board, sir?

- State your business.

- Cdr. Eddington. Toulebonne Base.

- I'd like to see Nurse Lt. Maggie Haynes.

- Permission granted.

Ahoy, there! Is this the admiral's harem?

Lieutenant Maggie Haynes!

- I'm here.

- Compliments of Capt. Rockwell Torrey.

Paul Eddington. I'll call you Maggie

because that's what the Rock said.

"Make sure Maggie's welcome

when she gets to Toulebonne," so...

Welcome, Maggie Haynes.

It's beautiful.

There's a bottle of cognac

under the bananas.

I know how dry

these naval transports can get.

Will you excuse me?

Soyez la bienvenue.

This is Annalee Dorne.

- Hi.

- Hi.

- You've been here a long time.

- Since January.

Getting this old French base

ready to service our ships.

You have a barracks for 50 nurses?

We've been on this tub three weeks.

- Didn't you get the word?

- No.

This convoy sails again tonight,

300 miles to an island named Gavabutu.

- That's where they'll need nurses.

- An offensive?

I guess so.

- Are you also going to Gavabutu?

- No!

The Navy can't do without me here,

the island might sink!

You don't like what you're doing?

It's like working in a filling station,

watching the cars go by.

Goodbye, Maggie Haynes.

When you write to the Rock,

tell him I was sober.

He won't believe it, but tell him anyway.

Bye, Commander.

Control...? Station 26.

I have him.

PBY approaching from south-west.

- Roger 26. Patrol plane off course.

- Hi.

- Spotter 26.

- 26.

Formation north-east of your station.

Should be F4Fs.

Check, Control.

Three F4Fs proceeding north-east...

- ... to south-west.

- Roger, 26.

- You read those planes pretty quickly.

- At first I couldn't tell them apart.

How are you?

There's no way to make this easy,

Mrs McConnel.

I came to tell you

that your husband is missing in action.

You won't get the official telegram

for a day or two.

I read it in a report this morning and...

Ask Control to relieve you.

I'll take you home.

I'm all right.

Where did it happen?

His destroyer was working alone

in the Gavabutu area.

Reported two aerial torpedo hits,

then communications were cut off.

An aerial search the following day

failed to produce anything.

- No survivors at all?

- None reported.

Station 26.

- Are you there, 26?

- 26.

We have a bogey on the screen

to the south. Can you see it?

AT-6, about 9,000 feet.

- Are you there, 26?

- AT-6, Control.

Those damn training planes

wander around like bats.

OK, 26. Over and out.

Thanks.

Captain, was Mac wasted?

Wasted? What do you mean?

I want to read you

part of a letter from Mac.

"We are getting hell from Jap planes

that are based right on Gavabutu.

"I don't know much

about amphibious operations,

"but if Admiral Broderick knows anything,

I'll eat my hat.

"This has been a mess

since it began... "

I'm surprised that Mac

would put that in a letter.

He wouldn't have,

unless he were discouraged and angry.

Beverly, don't show that letter to anyone.

I don't intend to... Is it true?

If it is, if things are that bad,

I'm sure there'll be some changes.

Aren't they that bad, Captain?

Yes, I believe they are.

Station 26.

- 26, Control.

- Check plane to north-east.

Check, Control.

Small training plane

moving north-east to south-west...

- Message from CinCPac.

- What is it?

You're requested to appear

at 10 Makalapa for dinner.

Early, sir. 1800.

- You'll just have time to change.

- OK, Simpson.

Take me home.

Gentlemen, we'll get to

the business of the evening.

I could have saved time and liquor

by doing this in my office,

but it needs a little ceremony.

Powell, you got that dispatch?

From Chief of Naval Personnel

to Capt. Rockwell Torrey.

You are advised that the President

has approved your advancement

to temporary grade of Rear Admiral,

lower half, date 1 August 1942.

In regards to promotion,

physical examination...

...acceptance of appointment,

and so forth.

This came about, Admiral Torrey,

because that civilian next to you

wormed his way into my staff

and had the audacity to suggest

the Navy was wrong in judging you.

Well, we all know

the Navy's never wrong, but...

...in this case,

it was a little weak on being right.

- So, congratulations, Admiral Torrey.

- Thank you, sir.

- Powell, you can do the honours.

- Thank you, sir.

Gentlemen, to Admiral Rockwell Torrey.

- May success follow your flag.

- Hear, hear!

I do thank you and I'm grateful.

With your permission, sir.

To our country, our Navy,

and all the best things they stand for.

Hear, hear!

Admiral Torrey,

when the congratulations peter out,

please join Cdr. Powell

and me in my study.

- Gentlemen, I'll see y'all later.

- Goodnight.

Congratulations, Rock...

We gave him the molasses,

now let's feed him the sulphur.

Admiral...

...know what that is?

Yes, from the shape of those islands.

This is Gavabutu, Levu-Vana,

Toko-Rota and Pala Passage.

It's Skyhook.

Powell says you guessed

the strategy months ago.

- A wild guess, sir.

- Wild, but accurate.

- What's your opinion of it?

- In theory, good.

In fact?

Delay has cost you the surprise element.

How far has Broderick

advanced on Gavabutu?

He's bottled up behind these mountains.

Hasn't advanced an inch in four weeks.

He'd better take that whole island

or you can forget Skyhook.

He's got to attack Levu-Vana

before the Japs are ready.

You just named your own poison.

You're going to mop up Gavabutu

and mount the invasion of Levu-Vana.

How about Admiral Broderick, sir?

Some smart man once said

that on the most exalted throne

we are seated on nothing

but our own arse.

With Broderick, I'm on mine.

I can't fire him,

scramble his whole command overnight.

He's bad for our allies,

a comfort to the enemy.

All I can do is put you

in tactical command of the operation.

Abe Lincoln was once in the same spot

with George B McClellan.

McClellan was a great organiser

but he couldn't decide when to fight.

Indecision is a virus

that can run through an army

and destroy its will to win,

or even to survive.

Lincoln called in a Yankee named Grant

who didn't care about organisation

but wasn't afflicted with the virus.

He pointed his battalions

in the right direction and shoved off.

Torrey, you're going to be my Grant.

How you deal with Broderick

is your business. Just get the job done.

How far can I go with Admiral Broderick?

You can't kill him.

- May I name my own chief of staff?

- Who?

- Eddington, my old exec.

- I'll attend to it.

Take Powell with you, he's familiar

with Broderick and I want rid of him.

- Reserve officers give me hay fever.

- Thank you.

Torrey, these were my stars

before I picked up this heavy hardware.

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