The Thin Red Line Page #3

I'm serious!

I counted seven Japsleaving that left-hand grassy ridge!

I got me one of 'em.

So?

I think maybe they're pulling out.

Maybe somebodyought to go tell the captain.

You wanna be the one to do it?

You just stay put! I'm ordering you!

Down!

Stay low.

Go! Go!

Go! Go!

What do we do now?

We wait right here. Maybethey'll send us up some reinforcements.

To do what?

To capture some ofthesefucking positions around here!

- You mean you really wanna go on with this?- Hell, no. No, not no uphill charge.

If they send us reinforcements,maybe we could scout around

and locate these machine guns.

- Anyway, it's better than going back down.- Something's coming!

They're coming!

What are they doin'?

If they want to throw us out,why didn't they come in force?

Maybe they was acting on their own.

Maybe they wanted to get into nirvana.

They're coming.

Keck!

Jesus!

Oh, Jesus!

I blew my butt off!

- It's all right. It's all right.- I blew my butt off!

Lay down!

What a f***ing recruit trick to pull!

- Take it easy. Take it easy.- I grabbed it by the pin!

You write my old lady. You tell her...I want her to know I died like a man.

Nobody's gonna have to write her.You'll make it.

- Don't bullshit me!- Stay down!

Hey, hey.

Have I got mud on my face?

Wipe it off. Get it off.

No!

I'll write her. I promise.

Take my canteen.There's still some water in there.

It's for the best.

I'm all messed up down there.

I can't f*** no more.

Whoa... Where am l?

Where am l?

You're gonna be all right.

Even ifyou die,you didn't let your brother down.

If you hadn't thrown yourself againstthat embankment, we'd all have been killed.

I'm cold.

I'm cold.

I'm... freezing.

You gonna write his wife?

F***, no.

I don't know his old lady.

That's the company commander's job. Yououtta your mind? I ain't no good at writing.

You told him you would.

I'll say anything to 'emwhen they're like that.

Somebody ought to do it.

Well, then, you write her. Yeah, you write her.

What's wrong, Jim?

There's nothing anybody can do for him.He'll die before they get him to a surgeon.

- Then I can't ask you to go out there.- Maybe I could get some morphine into him.

- Would it keep him quiet?- Not for long, but I can give him two.

And I could maybe leave himthree or four for himself.

Couldn't you give 'em to him all at once?

That's what you are.

That's all there is for us.That's us, that's us.

I lost all twelve. I lost all twelve.

All twelve of 'em.

It's insanity up there.

I told 'em what to do, I showed 'emwhere to go and I gave 'em a push.

- Somebody help!- I know you. I know you, Sergeant.

It's insane. I don't know who's in charge here,but don't let him go! Don't let him go!

I'm outta here. I'm outta here.

I'm outta here. All right, move feet.Move, move, move, move. Move, move!

I'm moving. I'm moving. I'm moving now.

Don't touch. Don't touch. Don't look at me.Don't touch. OK, I'm outta here.

All right. All right.

All right. All right.

Somebody help me!

Help me!

You gotta be quiet. I came to help you, Tella.

- OK. Calm down.- F*** you!

I'm dying! I'm dying, sarge!

OK. Well, goddamn it, do it with less noise!

- How you gonna get me out?- I'm gonna take you back.

- Come on.- No!

Put me down! Put me down!

Leave me alone... Leave me alone.

Please, leave me alone.

Give me more. Give me more.

Give me more. Give me more.

Give me more. Give me more.

Here, Tella.

Goodbye... goodbye.

Bye, kid.

Goodbye, sarge. Goodbye.

Fortunately, Jim, the fate ofthe companydoesn't depend on one man.

Sergeant, I saw the whole thingthrough the glasses.

I'm gonna mention you in orders tomorrowand recommend you for the Silver Star.

- It's the most courageous thing...- Captain,

you say one more word to thank me,I'll knock you right in the teeth.

You mention me in your f***in' orders,and I'll resign so fast

and leave you hereto run this busted-up outfit by yourself.

You understand?

Property!Whole f***in' thing's about property.

What's the matter with you, Staros? Thosemen should be reinforced immediately!

What are they doing?I can see 'em through my glasses.

They're lying behind thatledge!

They shouldbe up and out,cleaning out those machine guns! Over!

I don't think you understandwhat's going on, sir.

We've had... heavy casualties.

We had a man... His gut got shot outon the slopes, sir. Created quite an upset.

Fine, fine. Now,what about those reinforcements? Over.

I have... two squads to...

First Platoon I can send up, sir. Over.

What the hell do you mean, two squads?!

Goddamn you, Staros!When I say reinforcements,

goddamn it, I mean it! You commiteverybody you have there and do it now!

Your First Platoon, too. I see 'emlying on their fat asses doing nothing.

Get a man to 'em right now with orders toattack, and move 'em by the flank to the ridge.

Then get that Second Platoon over to the hill!

Have 'em press the centre.Go straight up that goddamn hill!

Attack them right now!

Jesus, Staros! Do lhave to give youa lesson on infantry tactics

while yourmenare getting theirasses shot off?.

Colonel, I don't think you fully understandwhat is going on here.

My company alonecannot take that position, sir.

The Japs are too well dug in.They've got too much fire power.

Colonel, there's a bunker up there.

We can't see it, and it's...it's chewing my men to pieces, sir.

I request permissionfor patrol reconnaissance around

to the right of Hill 210.I believe the entire position, sir,

can be outflankedwith a manoeuvre there in force.

- No! Goddamn it, no!- Mightsave lives!

There'll be no flanking move.

Listen, Staros.You're notgonna take yourmen

around into the jungleto avoid a goddamn fight!

Do you hear me, Staros? I want you to attackright now with every man at your disposal!

Now, attack, Staros! That's a direct order!

Sir, I must tell youthat I refuse to obey your order.

- There it is, right there. See it?- I don't see it.

This is not your fault, Jim.He's ordering you to.

I again request permission for patrolreconnaissance around to the right in force.

The time, sir,... is 1321 hours, 25 seconds.

I have two witnesses here. I request thatyou do the same with witnesses there. Over.

Staros, don't pull thisguardhouse-lawyer bullshit with me!

Now, lknowyou're a goddamn lawyer!This is nota court oflaw.

This is a war. It's a goddamn battle!

Now, I want that frontal attack.I repeat my order. Over.

Colonel, I refuse to take my men up therein a frontal attack.

It's suicide, sir.

I've lived with these men for two years, andI will not order them all to their deaths. Over.

This is a very important decision, Staros.

But if you feel that strongly, maybeyou have a reason, so I'm coming down.

Go take a look.

I'm not rescinding my order to you, son,

but if I find extenuating circumstanceswhen I get there, I'll take that into account.

Now, in the meantime, goddamn it,I want you to hold on until I get there.

And, ifpossible, you get those menon the ridge outandmoving! Out.

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