They Were Expendable Page #2

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They won't be.

Our job is to lay down

that sacrifice.

That's what we were trained for.

That's what we'll do.

Understand?

Thank you.

All set, sir.

Secure your boats.

Secure the boats?

Shorty, take the admiral

and his staff to Corregidor.

Lefty, you stand by to run

a messenger trip daily at 900.

The rest of you

take your boats to Sisiman Cove.

You join us there.

Are you kidding, Brick?

Theirs not to reason why,

theirs but to do-

And die.

I don't want to be bored

to death running messages.

I'll see that you get

the more intriguing ones.

Does that help?

Any chow, Brick?

- Razor blades and toothpaste.

- That's a swell diet.

- What's the dope, Skipper?

- Jap transports landed up north.

They're giving Bataan the works.

- Good morning, sir. Any dope?

- No dope.

Good morning, sir.

A message just came in.

And Admiral Blackwell wishes

to see you immediately. Very urgent.

Thank you.

Probably wants us to carry

a message to Garcia.

Cross, stand by with that 41 boat.

Let's use those razor blades.

Chief, I want you to keep

sanitary precautions at all times.

Dig a big hole over there to put

the garbage in and what-have-you.

Ik eep these pots and pans scrubbed.

Don't put anything in the bay,

whatever you do.

Holy smokes, cook!

You call that soup?

No, sir, that's dishwater.

Ensigns.

I suppose you're getting tired...

...of all this routine messenger

and patrol duty.

I know you're anxious to prove

your theory of the motor torpedo boat.

As you know...

...the Japs have Subic Bay.

They've got a cruiser at Fort Balanga

shelling our positions on Bataan.

We've either got to sink her...

...or pull out our troops.

Corregidor, Sisiman Cove, Subic.

The lines are here.

The Jap minefields here.

Their cruiser...

...there.

Sink her.

Excuse me, sir,

may I borrow that?

I think one boat,

don't you, Mr. Ryan?

No, I think two boats, Mr. Brickley.

Two boats, sir.

Shove off at dusk.

Good evening, gentlemen.

We haven't got enough

steel helmets to go around...

...so issue them to your gunners

and torpedo men.

I repeat again...

...do not open up on your radios

until you're sure they've spotted you.

Use your 50-calibers

to knock out the searchlights.

You said there'd be two boats.

Who's the second?

Rusty with the 34 boat.

That's all.

We'll shove off about 1800.

I'll regulate the speed...

...so we'll reach the end

of this leg here in darkness.

All right, Andy.

All right, let's go, Mahan.

Sir.

Nothing.

- Sir?

- Not a chance, Shorty.

Copy that in longhand

and give it to Andy on the 34 boat.

Eager beavers.

What's the matter with us?

We have the best boat.

And my boat's the fastest one

in the water.

Seventeen-thirty.

Doc, will you take a look

at this finger?

Fellas...

...we finally got the green light...

...to sink a Jap cruiser

in Subic Bay.

Through those Jap mines, artillery

and past them patrol boats.

One of our boats ought to get back.

Any of you guys not on time

don't get to go.

All right, Shakespeare.

You got blood poison to the elbow.

You belong in the hospital.

When I get back.

- If you don't want to lose it, go now.

- Put iodine on it and wrap it up.

Look, Doc, do me a favor.

Ik eep your mouth shut about it.

Don't forget to put a pinch of salt

in that pancake batter.

You'll find jam under my bunk.

Give them that.

All set, Rusty.

- Your arm all right?

- Sure.

Everything's ready.

Okay, Slug, relax until time

to shove off.

Hey, Rusty!

Let me see that arm.

You're going to sick bay, fella.

You aren't afraid of a little

competition, are you, Brick?

Shorty, the 31 boat'll go

instead of the 34. Get her ready.

I won't lose a good exec

because you're out of your head.

Secure the boat.

Mulcahey!

For two bits, I'd punch you

right in the mush.

- You know the score.

- Right.

And have your torpedo man stand by

in case those circuits fail.

Wind them up.

Come on.

Let's go, Good Luck.

Corpsman! Corpsman!

This is a hospital.

Why don't you hire a hall?

Take off your hat.

It's just a little cut

along the finger. I don't-

Shirts are hard to get out here.

So are artificial arms.

Anchors aweigh.

You've got a temperature

a little over 103.

Chew these sulfur pills.

What is this, shrapnel?

Where did you get it?

Cavite.

It doesn't hurt.

It doesn't hurt?

Did you ever hear

of blood poisoning?

If you'd been a few hours later,

I'd have had to take that arm off.

Headquarters called.

Casualties arriving in two hours.

- How many?

- Over 200.

Double deckers.

Try and get some rest.

We've got work to do.

That young man is sick.

Get his temperature down

and get him to sleep.

Take a few minutes yourself.

You'd better lie down.

You have a temperature of 103.

So I've heard.

You Navy boys always run about

two degrees above normal.

Must be the time spent at sea.

What is your rank?

Second lieutenant.

I'm a j. g., so watch your language.

I thought you were a motorcycle cop.

Despite your gold braid,

you don't tell us.

We tell you. So lie down.

Unfasten your pants.

- What?

- Unfasten your pants.

Unfasten your pants.

Come right a little.

Right a little!

This should be the

minefields now, sir.

Left a little.

Left easy.

Steady as she goes.

- Any sign of Long's boat?

- Don't see him, sir.

- What's wrong?

- This gas was loaded with wax.

Sabotage.

- How long to get started?

- About 40 minutes.

Hurry it all you can.

Forty-minute job.

They're trying to pick us up.

Get that light!

Abandon ship!

Abandon ship!

The shore batteries got

the 31 boat, sir.

Stand by your torpedo tubes.

Stand by!

Fire one!

Fire two!

- Well, Cookie, we did it.

- Did what?

Been someplace?

We blew that Jap cruiser

into next month.

Recently?

Pick up any chow?

I forgot to tell you, Mick,

your laundry's drying. Came out swell.

You guys were late for breakfast too.

It was wonderful.

Yeah, cupcakes with raisins.

Listen, bigmouth.

That ship was a big, converted

job with eight-inch guns...

...and we blew her

into kingdom come.

Tompkins.

- How?

- Machine gun in the belly.

Yes, and we lost the 31 boat too.

Our club on Bataan took another

rap on the chin last night.

Where is that Navy of yours, anyway?

On Central Park Lake?

They'll be along.

We won't see them till Christmas.

By then the Air Force will have

won the war, I suppose.

Only, where is the Air Force?

Enemy aircraft approaching.

Secure all ventilators and bulkheads.

Repeat:
Enemy aircraft approaching.

Secure all...

...ventilators and bulkheads.

That's a nice kind of a girl

to have around...

...in wartime.

Or anytime.

She's...

...kind of cute too.

11,000 guys can't be wrong.

Pretty tough, huh?

Why don't you girls

get some rest?

Don't think we won't.

How about it?

Going to ask tall, dark

and obnoxious?

Got to look pretty

for that dance tonight.

How's the arm?

Okay.

Good. Would you like to

go to a dance?

Listen, sister, I don't dance.

And I can't take

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