In Harm's Way Page #9

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Sir, how shall I log this flight?

Joyride for the Chief of Staff.

The ejector mechanism is jammed.

- Attention on deck.

- Carry on.

- Morning, sir.

- Morning.

- This is our skipper, Lt. Mason.

- How do you do?

- Mind if I borrow my son a moment?

- Of course not, sir.

I want you to get a hold of yourself.

- That young nurse, Ensign Dorne...

- Yes?

She's dead.

Overdose of sleeping pills.

But why? Why?

Whatever the reason,

she was thinking of you.

She left this ring for you.

I'm very sorry about that girl, Jere.

Thank you for coming all the way here.

It's the least I can do for...

one of my officers.

You know, this may not

be the right time, but...

...somehow, it seems that between...

There ought to be some...

I know what you mean, sir.

I wouldn't know how to say it myself,

but I know what you mean.

- Goodbye, Jere.

- Goodbye.

The isallobaric gradient

is changing rapidly.

The pressure is described

by this isobaric curve,

which is forcing this low trough

off to the east.

For the benefit of an ignorant planter,

what does that mean?

Our crummy weather's blowing out.

We're due for five days of sunshine.

Good-oh!

- Where's Eddington?

- He hasn't come in yet.

- Find him.

- Something wrong?

- Just find him.

- Right away.

- Hello, Mac. When did you get in?

- About an hour ago.

- Welcome.

- Glad to see you.

Thank you. Where are we?

Rover, this is John Paul.

Do you read me? Come in, Rover.

Rover, this is John Paul.

Acknowledge, over.

You gave him a plane

without checking with Operations?

Sir, Capt. Eddington is Chief of Staff.

He is Operations.

- Are you in contact?

- Been trying to raise him for hours.

It's for you, Admiral.

Torrey speaking.

I'll be right over.

Mac.

Rover, this is John Paul.

Are you on this frequency?

Rover, this is John Paul. Come in.

OK, John Paul. This is Rover.

Do you read me? Over.

I'm answering you, John Paul.

Do you read me?

Rover, this is John Paul.

Keep sending, I'm trying to pick you up.

Acknowledge, over.

We've got him but he must be far away.

Transmission's weak.

Rover, this is John Paul.

How do you hear me?

- What's your last bearing?

- 3-3-0, sir.

Plot that, will you, Mac?

This is John Paul. We've lost you.

Keep sending, over.

John Paul, this is Rover.

Do you have me now?

Repeat. Do you have me now?

I can't keep him.

He's getting farther away.

He must be just south west

of Cape Titan.

Rover, change to secondary frequency

and I'll try to pick you up.

Rover to John Paul.

Have you got me now?

- Acknowledge.

- Roger, we're reading you, over.

I'm flying at 10,000 feet. Coming up

to Cape Titan from the south-west.

Do you read me?

Rover, this is John Paul.

We've got you, clear.

I can't see anything except a couple

of sampans and some gooney birds.

We'll be over Cape Titan

in 40 minutes and...

Hold it, John Paul, hold it!

I've got something down here.

I'm dropping down to take a closer look.

Stay with me.

John Paul, this is Rover.

It's a fleet, do you hear me?

Warships moving to the south,

away from Cape Titan.

I count 16, no, 17 ships,

do you hear me?

I repeat, 17 ships.

Confirm, over.

This is John Paul.

Roger, 17 ships. Over.

I seem to have some company.

Zeros from Titan, I guess.

I'm going down to take a closer look

at these ships. Stay with me.

Looks like a screen of 12 destroyers.

Repeat, 12 destroyers.

Four cruisers...

Can't tell if they're light or heavy.

The Zeros want to play now.

Here.

Hello, Rover, this is John Paul.

Get back into those clouds

and stay there.

That PBJ is no match for Zeros.

Stay under cover.

Thanks, Rock. But we've got to

take a closer look at this big boy.

This is the biggest boy I've ever seen.

It looks like a floating island.

It's four city blocks long and it's got...

12 big guns.

They look like 18-inchers.

What was that oversized tub

the Japs built a while ago?

The Yamato?

- This could be it!

- The Yamato, 80,000 tonnes.

- Do you hear me? Over.

- We read you, Rover.

If this baby comes your way, look out!

Excuse me, John Paul,

I'm gonna be a trifle busy.

Rover!

Come in, Rover.

Paul!

The Yamato, four cruisers

and 12 tin-cans.

- A lot of firepower.

- We can't be sure it's aimed at us.

They could be escorting the Yamato

to another base, Truk or Pelaki-Shima.

They could be, but they're not.

That task force is aimed for Levu-Vana.

That's right, Egan.

It ties up with their maximum effort

to defend that island.

Finish the airfield, put bombers on it

and they'll control the whole area.

Gavabutu will become untenable,

eventually we'll have to

move out of Toulebonne.

Skyhook in reverse.

That task force is headed this way.

Mac, Gottlieb gave us

five days of good weather?

Yes, sir.

What do you estimate the steaming time

from Titan to Levu-Vana?

They can't go very fast.

They have to go through the straits.

Better part of four days.

With a little push, we can launch

our amphib assault in 48 hours.

If we're covering the landing,

who takes care of the Jap fleet?

Our ships'll have to do double duty.

Establish the beachhead, then

put back to sea and meet the new threat.

- You think we have a chance to stop it?

- We can try.

Tuthill, you're Chief of Staff.

Sir, how shall I list

Captain Eddington's flight?

- I have to account for the plane.

- An authorised mission.

Will you make a recommendation

for Capt. Eddington?

What he did deserves a medal of honour.

Maybe, but Paul wasn't hunting medals.

No, no recommendation.

- Anything new on the Jap fleet?

- Nothing, a blank.

- Maybe they're not headed this way.

- Let's keep Reconnaissance busy.

They're not going round the islands.

They're headed for Pala Passage.

- They'll run it at night.

- Is that possible with a fleet of that size?

The Japanese Navy has a bad habit

of doing the impossible.

- How wide is the narrowest part?

- 20 miles.

- 10 miles show a deep channel.

- I want those 10 miles mined.

Mines won't stop the Yamato.

She's armour-plated.

We might nail

some of the escort vessels.

And Tut, send the PT boats

with the mine-layer.

They're manoeuvrable in the shoals.

They can attack while the Japs

are tangled in the mines.

Rock...

In the morning...

What's it like...?

...a surface battle?

Like any other battle, I guess.

Maybe a little noisier.

I'm so scared my bones are clicking,

like dice on a Reno crap table.

I should be back in Hollywood,

sitting in front of a typewriter,

making all this up for a movie.

Not living it.

All battles are fought by scared men

who'd rather be someplace else.

Does that include admirals?

Yes.

Admiral, another 30 minutes

and they tangle with the minefield.

Jere.

Loosen up!

Skipper, if I let you down,

will you please shoot me?

Sure!

Doin' real good out there

on the minefield.

Here we go!

Skipper!

Take over the helm! Go on!

Stand by to torpedo!

Roll one!

Roll two!

We got 'em! We got 'em again!

Plot... Roger, give it to me.

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