When Willie Comes Marching Home Page #6

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- At ease. Well, Chester?

- Very vital information, sir.

- I came at once. Let's have it.

Okay, Sergeant, once again,

right from the beginning.

- Well, we took off in a B-17, sir.

- When?

- Three days ago.

- Where?

Well, uh, from Loring Field,

Punxatawney, West Virginia.

- Destination?

- We were bound for England, sir,

but we never got there.

- Who was your pilot?

- Well, I was a replace-

The copilot

called him Junior, but-

Then they put me on a boat.

Then I got to London.

Please, sir,

couldn't I just rest a little while?

This is top priority stuff,

Chester!

In view of the impending situation,

we'd better inform General Merrill.

- I've already taken the liberty, sir.

Attention!

Carry on, gentlemen.

I've just left the president.

Eisenhower called from London.

Says G-2 reports

the film is genuine.

The Maquis have since reported

the launching sites by radio.

- Is this Kluggs?

- Yes, sir.

All right, soldier.

The whole story, right from the beginning.

Begging the general's pardon, sir,

I've already told the story five times.

This will be the sixth.

Take off, Sergeant.

Begging your pardon, sir,

but this man is near exhaustion.

Yes. Exhaustion.

Kluggs, you may not know it,

but your exhaustion is nothing...

to what will happen if we do not

pin down this information.

We're close to

the invasion of Europe.

The Hun is planning to use those rockets

against our bases and our jump-off.

It is essential that their sites

be verified and destroyed.

The war itself depends on it.

Anytime, Kluggs.

- Wake up, Kluggs!

- Give him a nip of bourbon to pick him up.

In the second drawer, Larry.

Uh, medicinal, sir.

I keep a bottle

for just such emergencies.

Take it.

- Get a doctor!

- Blast it! I am a doctor.

Well, do something!

- He's coming around, sir.

- Kluggs!

Yes, sir. Then we took off on a B-17

three days ago from Punxatawney, West Virginia.

- And I was-

- That won't be necessary, Kluggs.

I've examined your five other statements,

and they hold up.

You've rendered a great

service to your country, Sergeant.

Unfortunately, something

we cannot talk about. Carry on.

Harold, get this man to a hospital

and see that he has a month's furlough.

Instruct him regarding security.

- I have an appointment with the president at 2400.

- Yes, sir.

- Sergeant, this is top secret.

- Our destination was England-

You cannot say a word about this again outside

of this room to anyone. Do you understand?

- Not exactly, sir.

- You've been nowhere. You've seen nothing.

You absolutely refuse to answer

any questions whatsoever. Is that clear?

- Yes, sir.

- He's all yours, Chester.

Yes, sir.

- Kluggs. I'm sending you to the hospital for a rest.

- Yes, sir-

After that, you're going

home on a long furlough.

- Home? Oh, no.

- You'll see he's taken care of, won't you?

- Right, General.

- And remember, Kluggs, not a word to anyone.

Not a word to anyone.

- Remember, Kluggs,

not a word about this to anyone.

We're sending you to the hospital

for a nice, long rest.

- Yes, sir.

- All right, men. Get this man to a hospital.

What do you want?

This is rather a skimpy

sort of admittance card, soldier.

Yes, sir.

They were in a hurry, sir, all of them.

All of whom?

Oh, all of the... generals

and colonels and-

The generals?

What are you talking about?

Nothing, sir.

Uh, how is General Reeding?

He's fine.

- I'm the one that's not feeling so well.

- Mm-hmm.

- I tell you what you do, soldier.

- You see this room across the hall here?

- Yes, sir.

You go over there and see Lieutenant Handley.

He'll take care of you.

Thank you, sir.

I don't want

any more excuses, Bagley.

In the future, do your job

and don't pass the buck.

This army runs on efficiency.

Wait a minute!

London- three hours ago...

every airplane

in the Allied Air Forces...

lashed out against

the French invasion coast...

in the most violent

bombardment of the war.

Over 20,000 aircraft

have been flung into the dawn attack.

From Cherbourg to Dunkirk, the French

coast is aflame with bursting bombs.

Washington is rife with rumors.

Some say the Allies have located

the sites of the Nazi secret weapon...

and are trying to wipe them out.

- There's a prowler at the Kluggs'.

Telephone the police.

- Bill!

- My boy!

- Darling!

- Herman, what have you done?

What have I done? What is he doing,

sneaking in the back window like a spy?

My boy. My boy.

- You've got a lot of explaining to do.

- Oh, Bill.

What are you doing home?

You're supposed to be overseas.

My poor boy.

Is your head all right?

Never mind his head.

I barely dusted him.

Go on to the bathroom, dear.

Poor boy!

My poor, poor little boy!

I'll get you a nice glass of milk.

- Quiet! Quiet!

- Quiet yourself, Herman!

I want to know what you're doing,

crawling in here like a deserter.

- Deserter? Oh, hi, Pop.

- Oh, Bill.

Bill, you're not a deserter!

Huh? Oh, hi, Marge.

No. Ooh!

No. Uh, no.

I'm not exactly a deserter.

- Oh, Mr. Kluggs!

- Now will you tell us-What's going on?

It's a military secret,

and I really shouldn't tell you.

But I've been in Europe.

I had to parachute and came down in France.

Well, they caught me, see?

- They?

- Yeah, the French Underground.

Their leader was

a beautiful French girl.

Wait a second. Wait a second.

What are you giving us?

The whole time I was in France,

I never saw a good-looking mademoiselle.

I'm telling you, Pop, she was beautiful,

and she helped me escape.

And she gave me some movie film.

When I landed in London, they rushed me

right to Eisenhower's headquarters.

- Oh, Bill!

- You can trust us, son.

Well, then they flew me

to Washington, see?

'Cause I had to get this dope

to General Marshall right away.

Then they sent me to a hospital...

and somebody tried to put me in a straightjacket,

so I escaped, and here I am.

You flew out of here Sunday.

This is Thursday.

In four days, you've flown

the Atlantic twice...

seen Eisenhower,

advised General Marshall...

and stopped over in Punxatawney?

It's the truth, Pop.

You gotta believe me.

I believe the part

about the straightjacket.

Stop giving me all this malarkey

and start leveling!

I'm your father. You can trust me.

Now, what happened really?

Are you A. W.O.L.?

Are they after you? What did you do?

Bill, you've got to tell your father.

I've told him everything I know, and you too.

If you don't wanna believe me, that's your affair.

You ought to be ashamed of yourself,

picking on the boy.

He's not well, and all you do

is ask him a lot of silly questions.

Mrs. Kluggs, we're just doing it for his own good.

We've got to know what's wrong.

I don't care what's wrong!

I know my son.

I know whatever he's done,

it's right. Now, here.

Here, Willie, you drink this, baby.

Drink it. Drink it right down.

Precious, oh.

Drink it right down.

Oh, Mr. Kluggs!

Look, they've come to take him away!

What's the trouble here?

Kluggs in trouble again?

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