Stand by for Action Page #6

gills, Lindsay. Why don't you go below?

I was below, sir, but...

I just came topside for

a breath of air.

You'll be all right, sir.

I'm glad you think so.

Our eight o'clock position, sir.

Dead reckoning.

Too overcast for star sights.

- Bridge.

- Starboard life raft,

- adrift on deck.

- Aye aye, Jenks.

Chief Paulson's made a report,

starboard life raft

adrift on deck, sir.

Take care of it,

will ya, Masterman?

Aye aye, sir.

- I'll go with ya, sir.

- All right, Johnson.

Be careful, sir!

She's pretty rough!

Better use the safety line, sir.

Be careful, sir!

That was a close one, Johnson!

- You all right, sir?

- I'm all right.

Johnson! Johnson!

- Is he bad, Miller?

- Pretty bad, sir.

I know he has a concussion,

maybe a skull fracture.

But, he has a chance.

At his age, a man doesn't rally

like a 20 year old, sir.

I'm afraid he can't

stand this pounding, sir.

If we were in still water,

or if we could reduce speed...

- Do everything possible.

- Yes, sir.

- Got plugged.

- Yeah.

He kept me from going overboard.

I feel like it was my fault.

Forget it.

Any man aboard would've

done the same thing.

I'm woozy on my feet.

Think I'll turn in

and catch 40 winks.

Keep driving her, Masterman.

But Doc said that Johnson

couldn't take this pounding.

I'm afraid he'll

have to take it.

Don't call me

unless it's necessary.

Good...

...ship...

Hundred line...

- What's he saying? - He's

been talking about his ship.

This ship, sir.

Johnson...

Johnson?

I hear ya, sir.

Coming right up.

If you're going on watch, sir,

better wear your

shammy and leather coat.

Shammy and leather?

I haven't got one.

The one you took from the skipper

of the U109 when we captured it.

You'll be needing it, sir.

There's a smell

of ice in the air.

Thanks Johnson for

reminding me about the coat.

If we could only slow down, sir.

It might make him rest easier.

Force, 3-1-5!

Checking 3-0-2 magnetic.

Standard speed 25, 277 turn.

Steaming the boilers,

one and two.

Maintain present course and

speed throughout the night.

Check with the next fray,

second section.

I relieve you, sir. Good night.

Reduce speed to 1/3rd,

Mr. Martin.

But the orders are to

maintain standard speed, sir.

I accept the responsibility

for changing those orders.

Aye aye, sir.

- Quartermaster?

- Aye.

Notify the captain that I've reduced the speed

to 1/3rd on the advice of the navigator.

- Aye, sir.

- Belay that, Quartermaster.

Captain's orders were not to disturb

him unless I considered it necessary.

Ship's office,

Pharmacist Mate Miller.

That better, Miller?

Well, yes sir, Mr. Masterman.

Much better.

- He's resting a lot easier.

- Good.

Mr. Martin, my orders were to maintain

a speed of 25 knots through the night.

Yes, sir.

I changed those orders, sir.

I hope you have a satisfactory

explanation, Mr. Masterman.

I have a very satisfactory

explanation, sir.

Chief Yeoman Johnson's

lying below badly hurt.

I was aware of that fact

when I gave the orders.

Your counter-manning them

has cost us precious time.

Life of a man like Johnson should

be worth some of the Navy's time,

no matter how precious.

If that's sentiment, sir, I'm willing

to have the most made of it.

You seem to be forgetting

that the convoy we're joining

is carrying hundreds of women

and children and wounded men,

who may be at the

mercy of the enemy.

Risking the life of any one man

must be subordinated to

risking the lives of many.

Resume standard

speed, Mr. Martin.

Aye aye, sir.

When you achieve command,

Mr. Masterman, you'll find

that it'll be necessary

to make many decisions

that will be personally

unpleasant for you.

You'll also find it necessary to carry

out an order, come hell or high water.

All right, Johnson.

It's all right, old man.

Easy now.

Steady, Johnson.

- Good morning, sir.

- Good morning.

- Good morning, Masterman.

- Good morning, sir.

- Morning, sir.

- Oh, morning, Chief.

The next guy that calls

this ship a romantic old tub

with tea kettle engines, will have

me and the black gang to lay.

Boy can she take it.

Listen to her.

Tickin' like a watch

and purring like a kitten.

- Keep her tickin', Chief.

- Aye aye, sir.

Good old, girl.

Too bad the man on board

who knew she could take it

can't hear us

congratulating ourselves.

What? Oh, Johnson.

Well, he took it all right. In fact,

he's much better this morning.

There's a floating object,

one point off the port bow, sir.

Looks like a life boat, sir.

It is a life boat.

There might be survivors, sir.

It might be a Jap hiding

his periscope behind that.

- Mr. Lindsay.

- Yes, sir.

- Circle it at full speed.

- Aye aye, sir.

Survivors, all right.

Mr. Masterman,

stop all engines.

Stop all engines, sir?

Yes, Mr. Masterman.

This is the exception that

always proves the rule.

There's a man in that boat

that looks pretty well used up.

Yes sir.

- Stop all engines, Mr. Lindsay.

- Stop all engines, sir.

There's another man in the bow.

Mr. Lindsay,

all engines back one!

All engines back one, sir.

Stand by on deck to receive

life boat on port side.

All right, men!

Barrel hand!

- See your bow line!

- Heads up!

Over the sides, men.

Come on, Davis.

Make it fast!

Give the stern line!

Make fast the stern line!

Step lively down there.

Get 'em aboard and

cast that boat adrift.

All right, lads.

Bring them up.

All right, give 'em a hand.

- Steady, lad.

- There ya go, fella.

Heave!

Under the tarpaulin...

He says there's something

under the tarpaulin!

Hey look! Hey Chief, look!

Holy mackerel!

Come on, Jenks!

Show some life!

What's going on down there?

I don't know, sir.

Looks like we made a haul!

Women... and a whole

school of babies!

- Babies?!

- Yes sir.

Kids, sir. Minnow sized.

This is impossible!

What are we going

to do with babies?

Well, if they're that small,

you can throw them back in.

Save time.

- All right, bring 'em aboard.

- Aye aye, sir!

Come on, lift the

women folks up here.

Barrel hands, boys.

You're all right, lady.

Hand those children up here!

Easy going, you big

old nursemaid, you!

- Congratulations, sir.

- What?

Old lady Warren seems to have

become a mother very late in life.

- It's amazing. - Women and

children aboard a destroyer.

Looks like we've got

quite a job ahead of us.

Oh, I'm sure you'll do the best possible

job with whatever tools are at hand.

- What?

- Sir?

Oh yes, you're quite right.

And I know just the man for the

job of looking after them.

- You.

- Me?

I seem to recall how beautifully you took

care of social affairs for the Admiral.

- Wait a minute...

- Mr. Masterman, that's an order.

Come hell or high water,

remember?

And you'll probably run into

both on this assignment.

Resume standard speed,

Mr. Martin.

Aye aye, sir.

All present and

accounted for, sir.

Call the men to attention.

Attention!

Mr. Masterman, I figure

we could stow the babies

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