The Fighting Seabees

1

We're the Seabees

of the navy,

We can build

or we can fight.

We'll pave our way

to victory,

And guard it

day and night.

And we promise

that we'll remember

The 7th of December.

We're the Seabees

of the navy,

Bees of the Seven Seas.

Ding!

Where's Ryan?

You see Wedge?

- I can't hear you!

- Hi, Wedge!

Ryan!

- Oh, I'm sorry.

- It's quite all right. Excuse me.

- Bob!

- Oh, I am sorry.

Let's not make this a habit.

The lady's difficult.

Excuse me.

Bob!

Sorry, you can't

come through here.

It's all right, I'm Connie Chesley,

Inter-Ocean news service.

Pleased to meet you. I'm Ben

Hedburg. So what, cookie?

It's all right, Coxswain.

You can let her through.

Yes, sir.

- Hello.

- Connie.

- How are you?

- I'm just wonderful, darling.

- And you?

- Good.

- Mr. Collins.

- Howdy, Wedge.

- Rollie.

- Hi, ya, Wedge.

Yump, how are ya?

Glad to see ya, Brick.

Hans, good to see you.

Where's Denny Ryan?

Denny ain't comin' back.

- Anyone else?

- Evans, Burns and Long Louie.

- Where's Johnson?

- Hello, Wedge.

Hello, fella.

Well, this one's nearest

my heart, anyhow.

- What happened?

- They wouldn't give us any guns.

We wanted to fight, but we didn't have

no chance. They wouldn't give us guns.

Who wouldn't give you guns?

That gold braid over there.

The Japs sneaked in a landing party,

infiltrated our covering posts,

and then rushed the workmen.

The workmen?

You see, they're technicians who

couldn't be replaced within 7,000 miles.

Getting them means more to the

Japs than getting us, out there.

Something ought to be done about

this, Bob. Something will be done.

- And I mean to see that it's done.

- Mister?

I gave you a gang of men to

build an airfield in the pacific.

They were whole men.

Take a look at 'em now!

- I hope you can sleep nights.

- Aren't you mixing your pronouns a little?

Didn't you refuse them arms

to protect themselves?

That's right.

- And I'm not apologizing for it.

- Apologies won't bring back my men.

- Are you Donovan?

- Yes.

- Then, you're just the man I want to see.

- About what?

About what's eating

you right now.

I didn't arm your men because civilians

found armed are shot like spies.

- It's a rule of war.

- What do you think happened to them?

I know what happened to them. That's

why the rules have to be changed.

We're not fighting men anymore.

We're fighting animals.

I want your men armed in

the future, legally armed,

and I'll need your

help to do it.

Well, on second thought, I guess

you don't make the rules.

Keep talking, sailor.

I'm Lieutenant Commander Yarrow.

This is Miss Chesley.

I'd like to talk to you about

this as soon as possible.

- Could you join us for dinner?

- Well, I can't.

I'm giving a welcome-home party

for my men at the St. George.

Why don't you two join us?

We could talk then.

- Fine. We'll be there.

- I'll be expecting you around 9.

Right.

And so, to you gentlemen of the

Donovan Construction Company,

who have been so devoted,

so unbegrudging,

so stuffy, so...

Ladies and gentlemen, I

have a toast to offer.

Mr. Donovan!

Where do you work-a, John?

On the Delaware Lackawann'.

What do you do-a, John?

I push-a, push-a, push.

Hey!

What do you push-a, John?

I push, I push-a da truck.

Where do you push-a, John?

On the Delaware Lackawann'.

A-wan, a-wan, a-wan, on

the Delaware Lackawann'.

Hey!

Where do you work, me boyo?

I'm in Donovan's employ.

How's your boss, me boy?

He makes workin' seem a joy!

Hey!

How're ya doin', Jock?

I've money in every sock.

And who do you work for, Jock?

A man you better not knock.

Yea!

Where do you work, you?

Whenever there's work to do

And after the war is gone.

There's plenty more work to be done.

Yea!

And what do you

like to eat?

I am crazy for caviar,

but I haven't got caviar!

So I eat anything there are!

Yea!

I want to thank you, John,

for the job they put me on.

And who do you

work for, John?

A mighty man is he.

How do you like the dough?

Indeed-y I don't know.

But again the world go on.

So humanity's work is done.

Excuse me a minute,

will ya?

-You're welcome, Commander.

- Oh, thank you.

I'm Eddie Powers, Donovan's

factotum, meaning, "Man Friday."

That's Latin.

I see. Well, I'm glad to know you,

Friday, even if it's only Thursday.

- This is Miss Chesley.

- The navy's "Blue Monday."

Pleased to meet you. If you follow

me, you'll wallow in bubble water.

- Well, here's Mr. Donovan.

- Hello, hello.

- The navy and his lady.

- You hear our song?

Not a sour note in

the whole gang.

- Nothing like it at the metropolitan.

- I'll say.

You seem to be a man of

many talents, Mr. Donovan.

Don't be so susceptible, Connie.

I play a mean mouth organ myself.

You do, sailor? We'll have

to play a duet sometime.

You were saying this afternoon

that I could help you.

- That's right.

- How?

By coming with me to Washington,

representing the construction angle.

Helping me sell my

plan to the navy.

Sell the idea of arming construction

gangs? What is there to sell?

- Well, there's a...

- Oh, nothing at all, just an Admiral or two,

and a few battleships

to be pushed around.

There's more to it

than you think.

Could you find me a thousand men-

cat-skinners, hoisters, drillers...

every kind of specialist in

their proper proportion?

You have 'em, sailor.

All we'll have to do...

You do things easily, Mr. Donovan,

by just a wave of the hand.

Who was it flung seeds on the earth,

and saw furrows of armed men...

rise from them between

sunset and sunrise?

- Or vice-versa?

- That was St. Patrick, ma'am.

Eddie, will you do me a favor?

Name it, boss, and

it's a fait accompli,

meanin' "in the bag".

That's French.

Take baby snooks out

and buy her a Popsicle.

Connie, it looks like...

I'm quite capable of recognizing

a hint when I hear one.

Shall we waltz, Mr. Powers?

I must be warnin' you, Miss.

I'm no terpsichorean.

It's a relief to be out of earshot

of that important baboon.

Oh, don't let the boys hear

you call him that, lady,

or you'll go home in a state

of "ecdysical" embarrassment.

- I will?

- You will.

Oh, Mr. Powers,

if I go home in a state of "ecdysical"

embarrassment, how will I go home?

Wearin' nothin' but your hat!

Frankly, I don't get it,

his throwing a brawl

like this for his men,

when they come home with

five dead and four crippled.

That's Donovan's way of showing his

appreciation for the men who did a job.

Oh.

- I suppose you'd like a drink.

- Well, that I would, ma'am.

Shall we sit here?

Please, that's for the

five who didn't come back.

I see.

How did you come to work

for Donovan, Eddie?

I didn't. He came to me.

To you?

Yep. I was the boss of a

sewer gang in Brooklyn,

and he braced me for a job.

I should have chased him off, but

I gave him a muck shovel instead.

He looked starved.

I'll never forget.

He was only 14... and

skinny as a rail!

But I'd still like

that drink, ma'am.

Well, Eddie, suppose you

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