The Frogmen Page #4

Pappy and I'll be partners|and go in first.

Then Hodges and Canarsie.|Then Ferrino and Sleepy.

As soon as you get through|tying off your charges...

give yourself plenty of time|to get back to the pickup line.

At least 20 minutes.

Twenty minutes. Two-zero.

You understand?

All right. Here we go.

Hey.

Wait a minute.|We clean forgot about the sign.

- I'd just as soon skip that, Pappy.|- Skip it?

- Why? We got time.|- Sure you wanna do it?

I gotta do it. I got a 50-buck bet|with my kid brother.

Let's get in there|and get it over with.

- Let's get to it and get out of here.|- Yeah.

Let's get out of here.

- Did they get you, Pappy?|- Yeah. In my back.

I'll get you out in deeper water,|see if you can swim.

Now try it, Pappy.

I can't.

- I can't.|- Well, grab ahold.

I'll tow ya.

We got a lot of time.

That's everybody butJake and Pappy.

Rosemary 4-1, this is Rosemary 4.

Report your progress. Over.

Rosemary 4-1, this is Rosemary 4.|Report your progress.

- Over.|- What do we do?

Make out we didn't hear.

Put about!

They still ain't here.

We have time enough|for one more run.

Circle around|and come back on the line.

Rosemary 4-1, this is Rosemary 4.

- Imperative you report your progress. Over.|- What'll I say?

Didn't hear it.|These things sometimes get banged up.

I can see 'em! Cut your engine.

There they come, Pappy.|We're all right.

There they are.

So their radio must have gone haywire.

I'm sure glad they're back.

Tell the Engine Room|to make turns for three knots.

Turns for three knots. Aye, aye, sir.

- Have the crew stand by to pick them up, Bill.|- Aye, aye, sir.

Ah, that sounds mighty good to me.

You really sweated this one out.

Better get below|and see the doc right away.

Would you, uh, please radio the flag?

Tell them Operation Number 18|is completed.

Wilco.

Tell Radio to send|the following message to the flag:

- Operation Number 18 completed.|- Aye, aye, sir.

Very nice. Very nice.

Hey, Sleep, this time I know|there'll be girls on the beach.

Pretty hula girls. Lots of'em.

Oh, come off it, kid.

You don't have to go through|them maneuvers to get a gal in Hawaii.

Even Canarsie does all right there.

Don't worry about me.

Just ask any gal you meet in Hawaii...

about Minkowsky's|magic method of making moo.

- How's Pappy?|- Aw, about the same.

That harness or whatever you call it,|with them sandbags, would drive me nuts.

What are they doing all that for, Jake?

It's his spine. He's still got|a couple of slugs in it.

He can't be moved|or get tossed around any.

Well, why don't the doc|take out the slugs?

Search me. I don't know.

Pharmacist's mate says they're gonna|do it at the hospital back at Pearl.

I think I'll go see him.

Boy, thatJake's sure busted up.

Yeah. Tough Pappy had to get it.

And him the only married guy|with kids in the team.

Hey, hey, look.

One of the swabbies said|he saw him at chow this morning.

First time in three days.|Maybe he really was sick.

Aw, if you ask me, he was just pulling|a diversionary camouflage.

- Does it hurt you much, Pappy?|- No, no.

They keep me pretty well doped.

Pharmacist's mate says you'll be okay.

Oh, sure.|Takes more than a few slugs to kill me.

Boy, we sure were a couple of dopes.|I could kick myself.

Dopes? To pull a great gag|like that on the marines?

Oh, I'd like to have a picture of|my kid brother's face when he saw it.

I'll bet he busted|his britches laughing.

Hello, Flannigan.

Good morning, sir.

- How are you, Creighton?|- Not bad, sir. Thanks.

Good. Sorry I couldn't|get in sooner, but, uh...

the doc tells me you're gonna be fine|once those slugs are removed.

When did it happen?

Just two seconds|before we were picked up, sir.

Oh, that's too bad. I'm sorry.

Write out the details, will you, Flannigan?|I'll need them for my report.

Aye, aye, sir.

And tell the men the flag radioed|congratulations for a job well done. Add mine.

- Thank you, sir.|- See you later, Creighton.

Now, don't you go|and make me out a liar, Jake.

You put it down that it happened|just like I told him.

Why start anything?

No, Pappy, it's no good.

Sooner or later,|he's bound to find out about it.

They'll probably have a picture|of that sign in every paper in the country.

Oh, the heck with it.|I'm gonna tell him.

He can like it or lump it.

- He'll lump it.|- Well, let him.

Well, I'll see ya. Take it easy.

Roger.

- Morning.|- Oh, good morning.

- Heard you were in for breakfast. Good to see you up and around.|- Thanks, Vincent.

Isn't it about time we drop|this Vincent and Lawrence business?

Most everybody calls me Pete.

- Mine's John.|- Okay, John. Have some coffee.

- Help yourself.|- Thank you.

I've been getting|some pretty good reports.

It seems the landing was made|with comparatively few casualties.

- Doc give you the message from flag?|- Yeah, yeah, thanks.

Sounds like a presidential citation.

Well, the team rates it.

And I'm glad for Flannigan.|He did a great job.

- Yes, Bill?|- Coded message from CinCPac.

Bad news, huh? I can always tell|by Bill's chin if the news is good or bad.

Oh, it isn't that bad, Skipper.

- Concerns you and your team, John.|- Yeah?

- Looks like we'll be parting company soon.|- Why's that?

"Rendezvous|with SubmarineJack SS-259...

"at 1900 Greenwich civil time|on 9 June at 2430 North, 152 East...

"on special mission for U.D.T. Team 4.

Commanding officer submarine|will supply all detailed information. "

Hmm. Where will that be?

Right here, sir.

A real hot spot.

You suppose the Bonins|are our next objective, Skipper?

Who knows?|What do you think, John?

The last I heard we were|gonna bypass the Bonins.

Well, no use speculating.|We'll know in a couple of days.

- Well, Bill, we'd better look after this.|- All right.

- Pardon me, sir.|- Come in, Flannigan.

Sir, I... Well, it's about|how Creighton got hurt.

- It didn't happen the way Pappy said.|- How did it happen?

Sir, you know how the marines are always|saying they're the first to hit the beach.

That's never sat very well|with us U.D.T. guys...

so Pappy and I rigged up a gag|to pull on the marines.

We planted a sign on the beach saying "Welcome|Marines" with the team's number underneath it.

Now wait a minute.|Let me get this straight.

You mean, you and Creighton went ashore|and planted that sign on the beach?

Yes, sir.

Before or after|you touched off the charges?

No, we took care of that first, sir.

Well, it's a wonder you didn't|overlook that minor detail.

- Is that where Creighton got hurt?|- Yes, sir.

Flannigan, you were in charge|of this mission.

I put you in charge because I thought|you had intelligence enough...

to realize its importance.

But everything went off all right, sir.

- You said yourself the flag congratulated us.|- You miss the point.

You've been missing the point ever since|I took over command of this team.

You're a brave man, all of you are,|or you wouldn't be in this outfit.

Nobody questions that.

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