In Harm's Way Page #6

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I like to think they brought me luck.

Wear 'em on your collar.

If there's any luck in 'em,

you're gonna need it.

Thank you, sir.

Saree?

Saree?

Don't you know better

than to disturb a man at work?

I wouldn't interfere but you have

an order to get back to HQ.

- For what?

- Don't know, sir.

No, I go, baby...

Yes, I come back, baby.

Don't you worry about that.

I'm not going to take it,

not for one by God minute.

I've sweated marbles

over this ill-advised, premature operation.

I can't work miracles

with the material they've given me.

I'm gonna lay it on the line with CinCPac.

- Don't do anything hasty, Admiral.

- Hasty?

Torrey'll be on Gavabutu in three days.

Do you want me to be a doormat,

with "Welcome" written on my backside?

Well, of course, you know best, but...

...if Torrey flops, you can blame

CinCPac for putting him in there.

And if we get some action

out of the Gavabutu personnel

that they haven't produced for you,

you're still the area commander.

You'll get the credit.

Area commander or not, I won't know

what he's doing till he's done it.

I'll be sitting here on Toulebonne and

every journalist in the islands will know.

That's simple. You need sort of a...

a representative in Torrey's camp

who can keep you informed

about what's happening.

- Yes, that might help.

- Sir, Commander Eddington has arrived.

- You're Eddington?

- Yes, sir.

- In charge of piers and warehouses?

- That's right, sir.

I sent for you two hours ago.

What kept you?

I was recruiting native labour

for piers and warehouses, sir.

That doesn't mean you have to

look like a native, does it?

I didn't expect to be called

to see the admiral, sir.

Didn't you see the directive

that all personnel be clean-shaven?

I must have missed it, sir.

Did the admiral want to see me

about my beard?

Eddington, you're being transferred

to Gavabutu, with the rank of captain.

Are you sure you have

the right Eddington?

You're being assigned to Admiral

Rockwell Torrey as chief of staff.

That's all.

Admiral Torrey?

Yes, sir! Thank you, sir!

Well, if that's a sample

of Torrey's staff...!

You suggested I needed

a representative on Gavabutu.

OK, you're it.

You'll be my liaison officer, we'll call it.

I don't have any combat training,

I don't think...

Don't crawfish, it was your idea.

Some forward area duty

might be just the thing.

Think what a combat ribbon or

a Purple Heart would mean to you.

Worth half a million votes

when you run for office.

Let me be the first to welcome you

to this land of milk and honey.

- Colonel Gregory, Paramarines.

- Pleasure, sir.

Egan Powell, Intelligence.

My aide, Mr Armstrong.

Colonel, your men in shape

for a parachute drop?

Maybe a little rusty, sir,

but eager as hell.

Attention!

At ease.

Tuthill, sir, Operations.

- Jefferson, Logistics.

- Lantz, Communications.

Carry on, men.

- Gottlieb, sir, Weather.

- Mr Gottlieb.

I'm Clayton Canfil,

I run the coast-watching system.

- He owned a plantation before the war.

- You're an Australian?

- That I am, sir.

- Happy to have you with us.

- Well, Lieutenant, how are you?

- Very well, thank you, sir.

Commander Neal Owynn, sir.

- What is your function?

- Personal liaison for Admiral Broderick.

The admiral felt close rapport

should be kept with the forward areas.

He wants to give you all his support.

While on my staff, you'll communicate

with Toulebonne through me.

- I repeat, through me. Question?

- No, sir.

Egan, break out that chart

we've been working on.

There'll be a slight delay.

This way, please.

We'll call this Operation Apple Pie.

Not because it's going to be easy, but...

...because we're going to slice this island

into three big pieces.

Where in this area

could you parachute your raiders

without getting tangled up in jungle?

- Right here, this meadow's big enough.

- Good.

- A low-level jump could be done.

- You'll land, dig in and wait.

- The Japs'll swarm in.

- That's the idea.

They'll have to weaken

their defences to get at Gregory.

- Mr Canfil, you know these mountains?

- Yes, I do.

Could a battalion

cross those peaks at night?

If they didn't have to

lug cannons with them.

There's a narrow pass there

at about 6,000 feet.

- I'd have to lead them through.

- You got yourself a job.

Paul, we'll mount a landing force,

circle around and hit this beach.

At the same time, we'll send

a third group through the foothills.

Three slices, all converging

on Colonel Gregory's position.

When we make contact,

we'll drive full force for the Jap airstrip

and cut the supply line from Voyon Bay.

After that, we mop up Jap positions

and Gavabutu is secured.

- Mr Gottlieb? Weather.

- Shaky. The rains are about to start.

- When?

- A week, maybe.

Then Gregory'll jump on Sunday.

Calculate your timetable accordingly.

Aye, aye, sir.

All right, sir. I want all facts

and figures by 0700 tomorrow.

- Right, sir.

- Right.

One thing... Admiral Broderick

only allowed us 10 planes...

Just a minute.

Cdr. Owynn, Lt. Torrey... That's all.

OK, Greg.

I can only put 60% of my men in the

air unless we get five more transports.

Aren't there any more R4Ds

in Toulebonne?

- They're kept in reserve.

- For what?

It's how Admiral Broderick organised it.

- What if an R4D conks out?

- Toulebonne sends a spare till it's fixed.

- Five of them just conked out.

- Let's relay the news to Broderick.

- Mr Canfil, you've fallen in with thieves.

- I think so, too, I'm happy to say.

- Thanks for getting me out of purgatory.

- Forget it.

Now...

- Where's the hospital?

- I'll take you to her.

- Miss Dorne.

- Capt. Eddington!

- Where can we find Miss Haynes?

- She's in there.

- Thank you, Miss Dorne.

- Nurse!

Get out of my light.

Take him to Hut 3.

In the morning

I might've looked better.

You look fine, Maggie, just fine.

- How do admirals feel about nurses?

- The same way captains did.

- Will there be time for us, out here?

- We'll make time.

Canfil's battalion is starting down

the far side of the mountain.

Tell the amphibious group

they can start moving in for landing.

Colonel...

You got room in your plane for me?

Sure, sir, if you wanna take the risk.

- Sir.

- Commander.

- No Admiral Torrey?

- He's with the Paramarines.

That's very colourful. Gentlemen,

there's a story for your papers.

Let's go to HQ and see if our operation

is doing what we intended.

Stand up.

Hook up.

Check your equipment.

Stand in the door.

- Good luck, Colonel.

- Thank you, sir!

Let's go, men!

Contact our fighter protection.

I want two planes to cover us.

The rest can go home.

- May I ask what you're planning?

- Let's say a sightseeing trip.

You got a pencil?

Thank you.

Now, we have named

this operation Apple Pie.

It's intended to cut the island

into three slices,

across the mountains, from the

beachhead and through the foothills,

converging on a position

we have secured with our Paramarines.

Admiral, have these correspondents

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