Objective, Burma! Page #3

We don't jump from there, do we?

No. Once we get over the Hookon Pass,

we come down to 300 feet to jump.

300 feet. That still seems a long way

from the ground to me.

No, that's close. The closer the better.

Less chance of getting shot at,

and more chance of hitting the right spot.

It still sounds very risky. Very risky.

...and as soon as we bury the chutes

we're shoving off.

Now remember, boys,

we can't tip them off we're in there.

So no shooting

till we hit the radar station.

- Do you get it?

- Yes, sir.

Okay.

- How you doing?

- Great. Absolutely great.

Well, maybe not absolutely.

Don't worry about it.

Everybody sweats the jump out a bit,

no matter how often you do it.

Some pretty tough hombres

freeze right at the door.

- Really?

- You'll be all right.

Yeah, that's what the cat said

to the canary when he swallowed him:

"You'll be all right."

All right, fellows. Smoke up.

- It's on the house.

- Thanks, Captain.

Don't thank me.

I swiped them from the colonel.

Free butts.

Now I know I'm getting bumped.

- What's your name, son?

- Soapy Higgins from Flatbush.

- One of them bozos?

- That's right.

Got a match?

- Yeah, sure.

- Thanks.

Take it easy, Pop. There's nothing to it.

- Really? That's fine.

- Only one thing, though.

What's that?

After we jump,

if we have to pick you up with a blotter...

where do you want the blotter sent?

To my mother. She collects blotters.

"George pulled out his gun and aimed..."

There's our bomber escort.

Right on time, too.

Those babies are always welcome.

Am I glad to see you.

Take it easy, pal.

You've been through this before.

Lay off, or I'll kick your teeth in.

Got the shakes?

I won't stick in the door.

- Don't worry about me.

- Who's worrying?

- Listen, Gabby.

- Yeah?

You're right behind me.

Just in case I should stick,

give me a little shove, will you?

If you go, you go by yourself.

I ain't shoving nobody through no door.

But you're my friend, ain't you?

Don't let me freeze.

If I stick, they'll kick me out, you hear?

Miggleori...

I ever tell you about the time

I froze in the door in Fort Benning?

- You, sir?

- Sure. Oh, boy.

I think it was about my fourth

or fifth jump.

Anyway, about five minutes

before it was time to go...

I felt myself starting to get the shakes.

I got up to the door,

I wanted to go and I couldn't.

I froze just like a cigar-store Indian.

There I was, like that, looking down.

My brain kept saying to me,

"Go on. Jump, will you? Jump!"

Couldn't do it.

Finally, I got so sore at myself,

I said to myself:

"If you don't jump,

when I get you back on the ground...

"I'll drill a hole right through you.

Understand?"

I guess I got so scared

at the idea of shooting myself...

I jumped in self-defense.

Take it easy. Everybody gets

a little nervous in the service.

Have a cigarette. Would you like

a nice, stiff shot of bourbon?

- Yes, sir!

- So would I.

Ten minutes!

Ten minutes more, sir.

Stand up.

Hook up.

- Williams.

- Yeah? Excuse me, please.

I know you're an old hand at this...

but just to refresh your memory

here's what you do.

You hook this on up here, like that.

- You hang on to it till you leave the plane.

- Yeah.

When I say, "Stand in the door,"

you get in line behind me.

- When I go, you go. You got it?

- Yeah, I got it.

That's about all there is to it.

Step out with your right foot first...

like you're reaching for a bar rail.

Your static line will do the rest.

It'll open your chute for you.

When you get near the ground,

keep your knees and feet close together.

- When you hit the dirt, relax. Okay?

- Okay. Wait a minute!

- What happens if my chute doesn't open?

- You'll be the first one on the ground.

Check equipment.

- Come on. Snap out of it, Mig.

- Yeah.

If anything goes wrong, give this a yank.

It's your emergency chute.

Good luck. Keep your chin up

and your strap down.

Sound off for equipment check.

- Eighteen okay!

- Seventeen okay.

- Sixteen okay.

- Fifteen okay.

- Fourteen okay.

- Thirteen okay.

- Twelve okay!

- Eleven okay.

- Ten okay.

- Nine okay.

- Eight okay.

- Seven okay.

- Six okay.

- Five okay.

- Four okay.

- Three okay.

Two okay, I hope.

Stand in the door.

Jump or we'll miss the clearing!

- Get some security out, Sid.

- Right.

- What's that?

- That's our diversionary cover.

If the Jap radar picked us up coming in...

a bunch of slopeheads

would've met us before we hit the ground.

This way they'll think our planes

are bombing their airport right now.

- Darn clever, these Americans.

- So far.

He's found a track.

Good.

- Mig, get the point out.

- Yes, sir.

Sid, you bring up the rear guard.

- I'll be just ahead of the first squad.

- Right.

Might be deep.

Mind getting your feet wet?

I jumped out of the plane, didn't I?

Jump in here.

Baker One to Baker Two. Come in.

Baker Two to Baker One. Go ahead.

Jap patrol coming this way.

Okay, Baker One.

Jap patrol coming this way, sir.

Baker One to Baker Two.

Jap patrol passed.

Roger.

Jacobs.

Map.

This is it. The other end of this line

is what we're looking for.

We got the sentries,

and Higgins spotted the station.

Good.

Here's the layout.

The radar's right in the center.

Over here is the radio shack,

and this building looks like the mess hall.

I think we got a break. They're all at chow.

Here's the plan, Sid.

Take your men and cover the mess hall.

Don't fire till they come out.

Then feed it to 'em.

Treace, take five men

and cover the radio shack.

I'll be on your left. You got it?

It's now 6:
47 p.m.

We'll give them the works at 6:54 p.m.

That'll give everyone seven minutes

to get into position. All set?

- Check.

- Right. Let's move out.

- Good job.

- You said it.

Take your demolition team.

We'll blow everything as soon as possible.

Enough said.

- Treace.

- Yes, sir.

- Any of our boys hurt?

- No, sir, but we sure were lucky.

You're not kidding. Get local security out.

Demolition teams, front and center!

Gabby, take two men

and set some charges in the radio shack.

Sweeney, Hallit, do the radar.

You two take this building. Snap it up.

Come on, snap it up, you guys.

I got a date in camp with some Zulus.

Bet you got a room in your house for this.

I think so.

All set now, Chuck.

Right. As soon as we get clear,

give her the works.

...paratrooper...

- Paratrooper?

Not too close together. Keep spread out.

I'd like to be up to my neck

in ocean about now.

Me, too.

What's the matter?

I was thinking of the time the Japs

caught us swimming in New Guinea.

You were laughing like an idiot and

all the time I was looking for my pants.

You were yelling,

"Take cover! Take cover!"

- You could have used a little yourself.

- I never did find those pants.

We've had a few laughs.

It would be swell if we could

take our next leave together.

Yeah. How about 'Frisco?

Shrimp, clam, lobster.

Yeah, and a steak smothered in chops.

Oh, boy.

It's the old strip all right.

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