The Bridges at Toko-Ri Page #2

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That's why, one day, we'll knock out

those bridges at Toko-Ri.

- Do we have to knock them out?

- Yes, we must.

I believe without question,

some morning, Communist generals

will be meeting to discuss the war.

A messenger will say, "They've

knocked out the bridges at Toko-Ri!"

That mission will convince them that

we'll never weaken in our purpose.

That's the day they'll quit.

I didn't call you here

to discuss strategy

but to chew you out

'cause of your wife.

My wife?

- You knew she was in Japan.

- She made it!

- I hope she's got the kids.

- Hope you don't get a court martial.

- I had nothing to do with it.

- How did she get here?

Her father was a senator

for Massachusetts.

- I don't care if she's broken rules.

- War's no place for women.

I'll tell COMNAVFE you had nothing

to do with bringing her out.

- I'd like to meet your wife.

- It'd be a pleasure.

See if the surgeon can spare you

a nightcap, give you a good sleep.

In three days, you'll be in Japan.

No more take-offs for a while.

No, sir.

It's gonna be a long three days.

Group one, idle.

Group two, idle.

Group one, full throttle.

Group three, full.

Come in.

CAG wants to see you, Admiral.

Lee, Commander of the Air Group.

Send him in. Wait a minute.

What do you think of Lee?

He's a good man. Popular.

The pilots swear by him.

The personnel office are looking for

someone for higher-command training.

They want my opinion of Lee.

Send him in.

Group one, full throttle.

I received a dispatch

from COMFAIRJAP.

The replacement aircraft

are not available.

- I saw it.

- All we have is what's aboard.

The captain's burning up the engines.

- Have you talked to the captain?

- He wouldn't see me.

He's busy berthing the ship.

If he keeps doing it, sir, we won't

have any propeller planes left.

How would you berth a carrier

against the wind?

I wouldn't run a lashed-down engine

at top speed.

That's not fair to the pilots, sir.

The pinwheel operation

is necessary in this harbour.

There's no room for a tug. The planes

are the only way to hold us off.

He's been running those engines

since we hit the channel.

Engines are more valuable

than a carrier?

No, but they've only got

so many good hours.

- How long have you been in the Navy?

- 20 years, sir.

20 years. You're the commander

of the Air Group.

What if one of your pilots

went over your head and came to me?

The task-force commander

doesn't interfere with the ship.

But under circumstances

such as these...

You're coming up for promotion, Lee.

Captain Parker will have to turn in

a fitness report on you.

- Yes, sir.

- Suppose I did talk to the captain?

What kind of a fitness report

do you think he'd give you then?

It was only my point of view, sir.

I was thinking of what was best

for my pilots.

- Next time, think twice.

- Yes, sir, I will.

I don't like to see a young officer

going over somebody's head,

but I hate to see him back down

from something he believes is right.

He'll be all right for some job,

but as far as higher command goes...

I'll have to tell them so.

The uniform of the day for liberty

is dress blue.

Liberty will expire on board

at 0700.

- Looking for your wife, sir?

- Yeah. There she is!

Mrs Brubaker!

I got the same reception

waiting outside the gates.

- You married?

- Not yet. I may be after this leave.

Liberty party fall in. Muster

on the flight deck for inspection!

Lower away. Easy!

All right, men.

Open up, front and centre.

- Beer Barrel, what's your handicap?

- I only have two hands.

- I can't lift beer mugs fast enough.

- Do you need a caddie?

You bet. After the first nine steins,

they get heavy.

Permission to leave the ship, sir.

Darling, darling!

- Where are the kids?

- It was too long a trip for them.

- How long is your leave?

- A week. Are the kids OK?

Fine. I found a wonderful Japanese

nurse. They're dying to see you.

Have your liberty cards ready.

Have your liberty cards ready.

There she is, Nestor.

Hey, Kimiko! Your man's back.

Not so fast. Things are different.

We got to talk.

All right, let's find some cosy nook

where we can talk.

- Daddy!

- Daddy!

Kathy! Susie!

- We saw you getting out of the car!

- You did? They've gotten so big!

- This is Setsuko, Daddy.

- How are you?

- Have they been good?

- Oh, yes.

- Come on!

- I'm coming!

Thank you.

Daddy, Daddy! I want to show you

the fish pond.

Take your sweater off and put it in

the closet. See that Susie does, too.

Daddy, Daddy! I want to show you

the funny bed I sleep in.

OK, young lady, you show me.

Why don't you leave me alone?

When I've those paddles in my hands,

I have enough to worry about.

When I get ashore,

I don't wanna worry about anything.

One thing does worry me, though.

Have they got enough beer in Japan?

- Good evening, boys.

- Good evening, Admiral.

- How's the family?

- Fine, thank you, sir.

- This is Mrs Brubaker, Nancy.

- How do you do?

Your husband took off like a jet

when he heard you were here.

- Now I understand why.

- Thank you.

- I was pleased to see him, too.

- Won't you sit down, sir?

- They didn't keep you in Tokyo long.

- They don't any more.

Not since that first press conference.

I told them we were fighting Russian

guns, radar, planes and submarines.

Our men were being killed by Russian

equipment manned by Russian experts.

Ever since then, they've bundled me

out here as fast as possible.

- I'm Brubaker.

- Gentleman to see you, sir.

Excuse me.

- Have a drink.

- Doctor won't let me.

- What is it, Nestor?

- Mike's been in a fight.

- Just Mike?

- No, sir.

I got away. Mike's in jail in Tokyo.

- I came as quick as I could.

- What happened?

His girl's marrying a bosun

from the Essex.

If you don't come,

he'll be locked up permanent.

Nestor, Tokyo is 60 miles away.

I'll phone the MPs.

Mike clobbered two MPs,

along with the gang from the Essex.

- Did you two take on the whole town?

- Yes, sir. Practically.

- I'd like to do something...

- Please, you gotta help Mike.

OK, I'll come. You wait here.

There's been some trouble in Tokyo.

- What kind of trouble?

- Mike Forney again.

A girl, another sailor, a brawl,

usual consequences. He's in jail.

You don't have to get mixed up in it.

Darling, if Forney were in China

I'd have to help him.

Harry!

If you were freezing to death

in the sea and a man rescued you,

wouldn't you help that man

if he got in trouble?

- Did Harry crash at sea?

- Yes, four days ago.

You know your husband's at war,

but you can't believe

that he'd crash into the sea.

- Hasn't he told you what he's doing?

- He never talks about the war.

With the rest of them,

he's been doing a tough job well.

When we go back to sea,

he's got a tougher one ahead of him.

He's going to have to fly against

some... certain bridges.

- Ask him to tell you about them.

- I don't want to think about it.

I suppose to you

it's a sign of weakness.

Maybe not weakness.

Like most people at home, you're

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