The Thin Red Line Page #4

One spot's as good as another, men.

There's no place to hide.

Just take it easy, son.Take it easy. Take it easy.

Where's... where's Fife?

Fife? He's right here, son. Fife.

Hold my hand, Fife.

Hold my hand.

I got it.

I'm dying, Fife.

Oh, Captain...

Shut up in a tomb.

Can't lift the lid.

Played a role lnever conceived.

Get that blouse on, soldier.It's not a goddamn bathing beach!

Put it on right now.

What you aiming at, son?Let's go get those son of a b*tches.

Move up!

What are you doing laying down therewhere you can't see a damn thing?

Observing, sir. Just sentFirst Platoon forward to the ridge.

- How many of 'em were hit this time?- None, sir.

None? Not one?

Doesn't sound like the situationyou described to me over the sound power.

Well, it's not. The situation's changedjust in the last five minutes, sir.

Captain, you listen to me.

We're going over thereand taking everybody with us.

Do you have any more complaintsor demurrers?

- No, sir. Not now.- All right! We're gonna do things my way!

My way! You understand that, Captain?

We're taking everybody over to that ledge!We may take that ridge by nightfall!

I think the ridgeis quite a way from being reduced, sir.

Show me how to see things the way you do.

Show me how to see things the way you do.

We're just dirt. We're just dirt.

We're gonna get killed ifwe stay here.

Bell, take six men

and go see what's up there.

And we'll cover you the best we canfrom down there.

OK.

You guys, you guys, stay here. OK?

I'm going alone.

Come out.

Come out where lam.

There was a... There was a...

There's a bunker... up there.

It's five guns.

It's five guns.

That strongpoint up there,somewhere up there around those rocks,

is the key to this ridge.

Bell here is quite right.

From their knob up there, those little brownbrothers can cover the whole ofthe ground

in front ofthis position for 1,000 yards.They've left this ledge unguarded.

Now, goddamn it, that's a mistake.That's a hell of a mistake.

We need to take advantage of itbefore they see their error.

All right, all right,I know you're all pretty exhausted,

and we've had a hell of a timegetting water up here.

For that I'm sorry. I apologise to you all.

But ifwe can reduce this bunker tomorrow,I think we can take this ridge.

So I'm asking for volunteers.

Go back up there and knock it out.

Sir?

I'll be glad to go back up

- and lead the way back for a party.- Right.

- I'll go, sir.- You.

All right.

- I'd like to lead the party, Colonel.- All right, John. I was hoping you'd say that.

- You'll be in command.- I'll go, sir.

- Sir?- You.

All right, men, that's enough.Seven is plenty. Gather up.

I don't know ifyou realise the importanceof this operation, Staros.

Once our position is secured,we can move the bombers in.

That means air powerfor 1,000 miles in every direction.

Guadalcanal may bethe turning point in the war.

- It'll cost lives. Is that what's troubling you?- No, sir.

I explained to youthe importance ofthis objective.

How many men do you think it's worth?How many lives?

I can't say, sir.

Are you prepared to sacrifice the livesof any ofyour men in this campaign?

How many? One? Two?

Twenty?

Lives will be lost in your company, Captain.

And ifyou don't have the stomach for it,now is the time to let me know.

No, sir. You're right...about everything you said.

Fine, fine.

That's all, Captain.

One more thing, Staros.

It's not necessary for youto ever tell me that you think I'm right.

Ever.

We'll assume it.

Dismissed.

I feel sorry for you, kid.

- Yeah?- Yeah, a little.

This army's gonna kill you.

If you were smart, you'd take care ofyourself.There's nothing you can do for anybody else.

You're just running into a burning housewhere nobody can be saved.

What difference do you think you can make?One single man in all this madness.

If you die, it's gonna be for nothing.

There's not some other world out therewhere everything's gonna be OK.

There's just this one.

Just this rock.

Go ahead! Come on, come on.

Who's deciding who's gonna live?

Who's deciding who's gonna die?

This is futile!

Look at me!I stand right up here and not one bullet.

Not one shot!

Why?

How come they all had to die?

I can stand right here, I can stand right upand nothing happens to me!

We.

We together.

One being.

Flow together like water,

till I can't tell you from me.

I drink you.

Now.

Now.

You're my light.

My guide.

John, I'll be behind you.If you wanna break through, we'll come after.

We'll charge at your whistle signal.

All right, let's go, men. Go get 'em.

OK.

Stay down, below this ledge,

and I'll call down the data from above.

Once the 81s have plastered that rock...as much as possible,

we're gonna crawl outalong that big rock for cover

and then flank 'em to the right.

OK?

OK. OK.

Azimuth 1470... from Easy Roger 7.

Uncle Baker 1, fire mission.

Azimuth 1470 from Easy Roger 7.

Left 100, add 200.

Machine gun. Will adjust. Over.

Understand. 1470 from EasyRoger 7.

Left 25, drop 50!

Left 25, Uncle Baker 1.

Left 25, drop 50.

Fire for effect. Over.

Roger, Uncle Baker 1.

Let's go!

OK, we're gonna continue onup the hill to the right.

Nobody fire or throw the grenadestill I give the signal.

OK, let's do it.

Is he OK? ls he all right?

What we gonna do? Can't take him with us.

- No, we can't leave him here.- He's from your platoon. You stay with him.

We can leave him and pick him upon the way back,... if he's still alive.

- Is he dead?- Not yet.

Dale, stay with him!Cover our flank! Move!

Behind you!

We're pinned down!

Fall back!

Go!

Watch out.

Clear!

Come on. Get out.

Go on.

Think you're soldiers?

You piece of sh*t!

Son of a b*tch!

Son of a b*tch!

All right?

I shot a man.

Stinks around here.

- All these dead people.- Put a cigarette up your nose.

Look at 'em move!

Look at 'em move!

We got 'em on the run!

Way to go, John. When they saw youmake that attack and win,

you put their hearts back into them.

- Hey, hey!- Don't do that, soldier.

Take care ofthe others. G-2 will want them.There'll be somebody around before long.

We've wasted enough time here. Let's go.

Sir, I've a few recommendationsfor decorations.

Yes. We'll get everything for all of 'emthat we can, but later.

Meantime, I want you to know I'm personallyrecommending you for something, John.

Perhaps the big one.

- Thank you, sir, but I don't feel...- Yes, you do, John.

Getting it for youwill be the goddamn problem!

But, hell, it'd be a big thing for the battalionand the regiment, ifyou did get it.

We better move out.

We need to extend our lines, hook up withthe other companies and push on to the top.

Would you like to take commandof Baker Company?

Of course.

Sir, I don't mean to be a wet blanket,but about the water. Ifwe don't get water...

Don't worry about water.

John, I don't want anything to break up thisattack of ours now we have the momentum.

We'll have some water in a... couple of hours.

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