None But the Brave

Our island is a little chunk

of coral in the Solomon Archipelago.

It is nameless, and the great war

beyond its horizons ignores us,

for we are the expendables

of an amphibious landing,

left to guard a forgotten outpost

of the Imperial Japanese Army.

Months ago our communicational

equipment was destroyed by storm.

We have no contact with our base.

I, Lieutenant Kuroki, who is really two

men, two enemies at war with each other.

The soldier with the blood

of ancient warriors in his veins

and the man of peace who admires

men's works and not their destruction.

As the commander

of this platoon of castaways,

I have ordered the construction of a boat,

hoping to restore our supply line

from Bougainville.

Thrust!

Thrust!

Say, you son-of-a-gun, what are you doing?

Say, you son-of-a-gun, what are you doing?

Stand still!

You think you can stab Yankees like that?

Today I will chew you out until you fall!

Yes, Sergeant. Thank you very much.

Sergeant Tamura!

I have told you these

rough methods are not permitted here.

But, sir, these lazy scum

can't fight a war like this.

We are on the foremost war front.

You are right, but we have

no enemy on this island.

What we need here

is not to know how to fight,

but how to stand the long war.

But, sir, we have forgotten that we are

the Imperial Army soldiers.

Soldiers?

Tamura, and just what are the soldiers?

The countless varieties of ordinary men

blown together by the big wind called war.

Do you call him a soldier?

Tokumaru was a Buddhist priest.

I still am, sir.

The people say once you become a priest

for three days you can never stop it.

Is military service hard for you?

No, it isn't, sir, if it is for our country.

All right, keep it up.

Yes, sir.

You cannot be like this next time.

Next time I'll chew your tails off

until you fall. Dismissed!

Detach bayonets.

Attention!

At ease.

- Ando.

- Sir.

You are making good progress.

If only we have this boat we can contact

our main force and bring us supplies.

I'm really glad

that I can make use of my carpentry work.

To be useful is a most important thing.

I am fortunate to have a carpenter who can

do such fine work with makeshift tools.

Thank you very much, sir.

- Say, Tamura!

- Yes, sir!

Sergeant, I notice two men here

who are assigned to other duties.

Hirano and Okuda.

Yes, sir, but I thought the boat

construction needs are urgent.

You thought!

Hirano is busy with potato fields and

Okuda catches fish for us.

Take them off the boat detail.

Yes, sir. As you wish, sir.

And one more thing.

Don't overwork the men in this midday

heat. Dismiss them until morning.

Attention! Detail dismissed for the day!

Say, we all have worked hard today.

We can launch the boat tomorrow.

Shall we celebrate now,

though we don't have any sake?

Corporal, I understand

you are from Yamagata.

Yes, Yamagata is noted for rice and

the Hanagasa 'flower hat' dance song.

Shall we start Bon dance?

Try and stop me.

Commander, you are a puzzle to me,

if I may say so.

On one hand you talk about

the urgency of boat building

while on the other hand

you act as though time is nothing.

That's true.

This place is as timeless as the moon.

Do you remember what day it is today?

No, sir, I have forgotten.

I only know I am being abandoned

by the main force.

I had volunteered for combat duty.

So did I.

I am prepared to risk my life

for the country, sir.

Commander,

what's happening out there, sir?

Sometimes I wonder if the war front isn't

moving to distant places northward.

What will become of Japan, sir?

Aircraft! North, northeast,

direction of Bougainville.

Enemy aircraft approaching! Due south!

There!

Now one of our Zeros.

Mayday! Mayday! This is Work

Horse 2-9-8, Work Horse 2-9-8.

Over. Over. Calling Octopus.

- Work Horse 2-9-8.

- Everybody outta this firetrap!

We are down

over enemy territory.

Kick that door out. Spread!

Our escort is down

and we are holding for a fix. Over.

All right, let's spread!

Mayday! Mayday! Come in, please. Over.

Good boy. You'll get cited

for sticking to your station.

Now, keep sending a fix on the position.

I also want you to send this message.

"Marine replacements with medical

and emergency supplies headed for Peleliu

"grounded by enemy attack. "

Captain, sir, this radio is shot to hell.

But I'll fix this thing, sir,

you can bet on that.

Let's go! Come on! Move it! Move it!

- You all right, Francis?

- Yeah, I'm fine.

Except a bad case of the breaks.

Look at this.

Did you hear me order you off the bus?

Yeah, I heard you. You need me up there?

All we need up there is a chaplain.

Oh, I'm sorry.

Hey, you! You call yourself a corpsman?

I got injured men out there.

Injured? They're breathing, ain't they?

Now look, you get some

of your malingering greenhorns

and get my gear out of there.

I was just about to give that order,

but I don't take it from you.

You do when you need a medic, sonny.

Slip you a little advice, Lieutenant.

Never pull rank on a Navy Chief.

I go by the book, sir.

He's a rate and I'm commissioned.

Corporal Ruffino,

take a squad of men in this airplane

- and hustle out that gear. On the double!

Yes, sir.

- Brand new, huh?

- Yes, sir. I guess it shows.

Well, here's your nursing bottle.

You can sure cut your teeth on that one.

Thank you, Captain. Say, how long does it

usually take for the shiny stuff to wear off?

- Not very long in this sector.

- I hope not.

I'm in a hurry to see some action.

Well, you'll get more Japs walking

than running, son.

Captain, I just wanted to tell you I really

admired how you made that forced landing.

Well, you can thank the airplane. It's

better than the last one I tried it with.

And, Lieutenant, I'll need some

of your men for a burial detail.

- Burial detail?

- There's two men up front I didn't save.

Complete assembly!

We must realize, sir,

that time is against us.

The plane must have contacted

its base by radio.

Yes. There will likely be

an American rescue force.

Then we should attack the landing area

before they come.

We shouldn't attack blindly.

The enemy commander would know

better than to stay where he landed.

But, sir...

That's enough! I will take command.

Our first operation is to locate them and

assess their strength. Tamura!

- Sir!

- You will reconnoiter northeast.

Take Private Takumaru and

Private Ishii with you.

Yes, sir.

Corporal Fujimoto,

you will reconnoiter southeast.

- Yes, sir.

- Leave immediately!

Yes, sir.

Oh, that's a beauty.

Probably a little concussion.

But the shape your brain's already in,

it may be an improvement.

- What's biting you down there?

- Nothing. Just a nervous habit.

See me later.

I'll fumigate your blankets and you. Next.

Better go easy on it, Doc,

it's my loving arm.

Sit down here, lover boy.

Looks like a dislocation.

Damn you!

- Okay, pal.

- Thanks.

Searcy, what's the matter?

Oh, I figure I got me

a hunk of packing case in my back, Doc.

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