The Frogmen Page #3

It's just that... well, I simply|never thought of it before.

- We'll do it when I return from the flag.|- Good.

Hot water.|Boy, it sure feels good.

When this war is over,|I'm taking a bath every Saturday night...

whether I need it or not.

- How you doin', Kinsella?|- Still living and breathing.

Don't let Commander Lawrence hear you say that.|He might try to do something about it.

- Tried hard enough this morning.|- Why get worked up over that hardheaded jerk?

Attention!

I'd have mentioned this before|if I'd thought of it.

When I return from the flag,|we'll hold services for the dead on the fantail.

Services for the dead.

You just don't understand the man, Jake.

He's really a good-hearted fella|down deep.

A warm, lovable fella.

Have Commander Lawrence stand by|for transfer to the flagship.

All engines ahead standard,|turns for 12 knots.

Stand by! Stand by!

Heads up. Here comes the line.

Fire!

Tighten up on the high lines!

Heave around on your end hull!

Those lines have been known to bust.

My conclusion is that the seaward approach|to Green Beach is relatively clear.

Whatever obstructions there are|we can handle by blasting.

What do you think, Jack?|Looks good to me.

Almost too good to be true.

It is true, sir. You can bank on it.

No reflection intended on you|and your boys, Lawrence.

You don't know these U.D.T. boys, Jack.

They're prima donnas.

- Can you do this mission with the men you have left?|- Yes, sir.

- At what time will you be finished?|- We're sure to be out at 0800.

Good. "H" hour stands as planned.|0900.

Have this chart duplicated at once...

and send copies to all ships|in the transport group.

Aye, aye, sir.

- Well done, Lawrence.|- Thank you, sir.

Don't let us down tomorrow.|We're counting on you.

- You can, sir.|- Good luck.

Thank you, sir.

- Lawrence?|- Yes, sir?

- What's the matter with your leg?|- It's nothing serious, sir.

- Tangled with some coral.|- Well, look after it.

Thank you, sir.

Coral poisoning, all right.

It's got a good hold on that leg.

Should have told me about this|this morning.

- Shooting a little temperature too.|- How high?

Little over 101.

What can you do, Doc?|We got a mission in the morning.

- You won't be on it.|- I've got to be.

This is gonna get lots worse|before it gets any better.

Can't you fix it up so I can at least...

Best I can do, best anyone can do|is check it, keep it from spreading.

It'll have to run its course. Two or three days|probably, then you'll be all right.

Do what you can tonight because|I'm going in the morning, fever or no fever.

No use my arguing|or exercising my authority.

Mama Nature will keep you aboard.

I'll be back in a little while|to cauterize the wound...

start wet dressings|and begin feeding you sulfa.

Okay, thanks. Look, Doc.|This is just between us...

- Between us and Pete Vincent now.|- Hiya, Vincent.

Hi, Lawrence. What is it?

My leg's acting up.|I cut it on some coral this morning.

I thought I noticed you favoring it.|What does the doc say?

That I won't be able to go|on the mission in the morning.

- We'll see about that.|- Doc Ullman's a pretty good man.

A rotten mess.

Klinger gone, not a soul in the outfit|capable of taking over.

Some of those boys impress me|as pretty sharp.

They're certainly old hands at it.|Cassidy had a lot of faith...

Yeah. Yeah.

Well, maybe one or two could handle it.

There's Flannigan, possibly Hodges.

Flannigan's probably the best choice.

This is no time to drop|a monkey wrench into the works...

but if you're thinking of Flannigan...

This is Mr. Lawrence.|Have Flannigan, Kinsella, Creigh...

No, no. Wait a minute.|Never mind Kinsella. He's hurt.

Flannigan, Creighton and Minkowsky|report to me in the wardroom at once.

- That's right. Thanks.|- Take it easy, Lawrence. You're in no shape...

I'm in plenty good shape.

I know what's eating them.|They need to be told a few simple facts.

- Why not let me handle it?|- No! This is my baby.

Okay.

Come in.

The captain just handed me this.

You have the right to make|this request for transfer.

I'll endorse it and forward it|through channels when we get back.

I don't want men serving with me|who don't want to serve with me.

But I didn't call you here|to tell you that.

I called you here to tell you that I know|why you've asked for a transfer.

It's because I didn't put about to pick up|Flannigan here and Kinsella.

Is that right, Flannigan?

- Let's not stand on formality. Speak up. Is that right?|- Well, sir, yes.

The rest of you feel the same way,|don't you?

I thought so.

All right. Now I'll tell you why|I didn't put about to pick you up.

If I'd put about to pick you up...

we might have been lucky.

Then I'd have been|a regular guy in your eyes...

maybe even regular enough|to be compared with Cassidy.

But what ifluck went against us?

That charge was due to go up|at any minute. What if it had?

What about the big show tomorrow?

You were on Red Beach, Flannigan.

You know what would happen|if they tried to hit it.

Thousands of men|would die unnecessarily.

So that's why I didn't stop to pick you up.|That's the decision I had to make.

That's the kind of decision the navy|expects an officer to make.

And that's the difference|in thinking between us.

Okay, that's what I wanted to|make clear to you, why I called you here.

We've got a mission to do tomorrow morning.|It's got to come off.

That's all that counts.

Be prepared to shove off|for Green Beach at 0500.

Everybody goes but Kinsella.|That's all.

- What's cookin'?|- I don't know.

Hodges and Jake are still down there|with hardhead.

He's probably warning them that this is a|strategic maneuver through an accessible area...

which separates the outlying fringe|from the tactical objective.

- And unless this situa...|- Chiggy!

Chief Flannigan|will be in charge of this mission.

Good luck.

Over the side, fellas.

The bombardment group is really|laying 'em in there. So are the air boys.

Looks like you fellas will have more|than enough smoke this time.

They'll need it.

- Who'd you put in charge?|- Flannigan.

When I saw you this morning...

I thought for a minute|you were crazy enough to go along.

Well, I suppose sick or not,|Cassidy would have gone.

Cassidy? I don't know.

I was going to go, but I analyzed it...

and I decided I'd be more of a liability|to the mission than an asset.

Why don't you go below and lie down?

It won't make much difference|to the mission now.

It will to me.|Thanks. I'm all right.

Get your fins and masks on.

I know you guys are busting|to know what the score is.

Lawrence picked up some coral poisoning,|and the doctor won't let him go in the water.

- Coral poisoning?|- Where did he pick it up, on the flagship?

All right. That's what they told me,|and that's what I'm telling you.

Coral poisoning, my eye.

He's got "beachitis. "

Save the wisecracks.|We got a job of blasting to do.

Keep your ears open.|Here's the score.

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