The Wings of Eagles Page #3

Well, gentlemen,

your round-the-world race is cancelled.

Well, the Army flight will take place because

the Army asked for it first. But no race.

The Navy appreciates

your position, senator.

Good. You can't win,

might as well be a good loser.

However, I'm not sure the entire Navy

shares that view.

- Permission to speak, sir.

- Fire away.

It's our training. We're not taught

to be losers, good or otherwise.

And now we are losing carriers that

we need and planes to fly from them.

Someday we may lose

something bigger than that.

If you can't develop

both services impartially...

...you're either shirking your duty

or you don't know what your duty is.

Well, son...

...there's a lot of things we don't know.

Here's some of the things we do.

Now, we've got a country

yelling "pacifism" at us. Disarmament.

The world is gonna live together

like one big, happy family.

There'll be no more war.

The Army and the Navy

are going out of business.

Now, you...

...outside of the clubs and barrooms...

...you'll fight maybe one war

in a generation.

Well, we have to fight those voters

every blamed two years.

Now, you want us to cancel

that flight for the Army?

Well, no, sir. That stunt may get them

the bombers they need for their service.

You just want to nail down

the Lexington and Saratoga?

- Yes, sir.

- Not just a mockup, like the Langley.

Well...

...they tell me there's more than

one way to skin a cat, admiral.

- That'll be all, gentlemen.

- Yes, sir.

By the way...

...off the record, who won that fight?

- The Navy.

- The Army.

Oh, boy, where is

the ladies' retiring room?

- Right in there, ma'am.

- Come on.

Black eyes. Swimming pool.

Congressmen.

Now, what's this new scuttlebutt

you're spreading?

International seaplane races, sir.

The United States has never won them,

nor the Schneider Cup that goes with them.

- I'm aware of that, Wead.

- All right, sir, let's play the races.

We'll hit the public

and keep hitting them.

You okay it, sir, and we'll bring

the Schneider Cup home.

Fill it with champagne

and jam it down the Army's throat.

Yeah, that would be nice.

There's only one thing wrong.

Why let the Army

drink our champagne?

That's your daddy up there

with the goggles.

See your daddy?

He's the one beside...

- Daddy.

- Him?

- Yes.

- Daddy.

- Daddy.

- Daddy.

Will you shut up.

Oh, drop dead.

Hey.

Every single day...

This one is for old Dave,

the first to cross the line.

Yeah.

- Let me drink to old Dave.

- Hear, hear.

- Come on, hurry up.

- Hurry it up there.

Speech, speech.

- Give me that cup.

- Yeah, pass it on.

This is a happy cup, inside and out.

And here's a toast to all of you

who brought it back where it belongs.

You're a great crew,

each and every one of you.

Even Carson there,

who slept all through the race.

All I know, Jughead, you were up

96 hours getting the planes ready.

But seriously, I want to thank

each and every one of you...

...from the bottom of my heart.

It was a long, backbreaking job...

...and those that flew know what

they owe to the others.

If it hadn't been for the cooperation

and the teamwork...

- What's a record?

- I told you.

It's something nobody else ever did.

Would it be a record

if Daddy came home?

That would be a world's record.

- We don't want anything.

- We're broke.

We've already got a carpet sweeper.

- It ain't paid for.

- It isn't paid for.

Don't you kids ever read

the newspapers?

I'm your daddy.

- Hey, Pickle Puss, come here.

- What is it?

Remember:

Go and ask.

Are you the funny man

with the goggles?

I sure am, honey.

Oh, Daddy.

And I've got a present

for each one of you.

Now, there's one for you,

and one for you.

- Where's your mother?

- At the bridge club.

The bridge club, eh?

- Oh, they're beautiful.

- Who's getting your supper?

I am, of course.

Do you want some?

- What is it?

- Chicken la King.

- Out of... Out of a tin can.

- I sure do.

- I'm hungry.

- Want some?

- Sure.

- Then you just sit down right there.

I was going to.

Shall I call you "Daddy"?

- You better.

- Me too?

You too, Pickle Puss.

Here, wait a minute. Let me take that.

I'll serve you. Come on.

Sit down. Sit down.

Good night.

- You forgot something.

- What?

Now I lay me down to sleep.

- I pray the Lord my soul to keep.

- I pray the Lord my soul to keep.

- If I die before I wake...

- lf I die before I wake...

...I pray the Lord my soul to take.

...I pray the Lord my soul to take.

- Good night.

- Good night.

Good night who?

- Daddy.

- Daddy.

Good night.

Sleep tight.

- Hi.

- Hi.

Home is the sailor, home from the sea

And the hunter home from the hill

Well, they cooked their own supper,

and then I threw them in bed.

- How'd it feel?

- Great.

But I blackmailed them.

I brought them some beads.

Well, go ahead, get it over with.

Ask me where I have been.

Oh, I know where you've been.

You've been playing bridge.

You got behind.

The winners go to dinner

and the losers stay to play.

I know how it is.

I was going to phone you,

and then I got a cute idea.

I thought I'd come in unannounced.

To tell you the truth...

Why don't you?

All right. I've been thinking

what a heel I've been...

...about you and about my own kids.

I don't know.

When I do something, I go all the way.

Living, gambling, flying,

I tap myself out.

I guess that's the way I want it to be.

- Maybe, even, it's the way I am.

- Star-spangled Spig.

Damn the martinis, full speed ahead

and don't give up the ship.

Have a drink.

Listen, Min, I'm trying to say

I've been a fool.

First-class, senior-grade, gold-braided.

So have I.

Okay, let's change it.

Let's grow up before our kids do.

We'd better hurry up.

- Phone's ringing.

- Oh, let it ring.

Why not? It's probably just Washington.

Oh, I forgot.

Do you know that you're in the arms

of the newest...

...lieutenant commander

in the United States Navy?

Star-spangled Spig.

And a squadron leader.

All I know is that I'm in the arms

of a fella named Spig...

...that I'm nuts about.

Hey, how about

getting back to your necking...

...with a little more enthusiasm.

- Right.

Mommy, do you know

whose lap you're in?

No.

- Daddy's.

- Daddy's.

Go ahead, shake hands with him.

- How do you do?

- How do you do?

Why don't you go to bed.

Mama.

Mama.

Mama.

Spig!

Spig, what...?

Don't. Don't move me, Min.

I can't... My back.

No feeling.

Call hospital.

Naval hospital.

Bilateral paralysis resulting

from indicated fracture...

...of the fifth cervical vertebrae.

- You mean my neck's busted?

- That's it.

- How bad is that?

- Not good.

What are my chances?

If I operate right away, about 4-1.

Well, what are we waiting for?

Permission from you

and your next of kin.

I'm my next of kin, let's go.

- Scissors.

- Scissors.

- Sponge.

- Sponge.

Doctor.

Pressure's dropping, doctor.

- Cc adrenalin.

- Cc adrenalin.

Hey.

- Can you hear me, Wead?

- Yes.

Open your eyes, Spig.

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