Original subtitles

The first time I saw her was at the Naval Air Station in Alameda,

a morning in February 1945.

You'd have never known to look at her that she was a battle -scarred veteran

had fought bravely in the Philippine Sea and had practically been destroyed.

When I thought of what this carrier had been through, how she'd fought for

flying colors, I was proud to be assigned to her.

I'd heard a lot about her captain, too.

I was very anxious to meet him, maybe a little nervous, even.

Because he was supposed to be as tough as the ship.

He was reputed to be one of the toughest men in the Navy to serve under.

Whether he was a fair man, too, or just tough, time would tell.

In a little while now, I'd meet him.

Lieutenant Commander McIntyre reporting aboard.

Of course, Father McIntyre. Welcome aboard, Lieutenant Hanson.

I'm glad to be here, Lieutenant.

We didn't expect you until Pearl.

I couldn't wait. I caught a ride on a plane.

Father McIntyre, I'm John Moody, Protestant chaplain aboard.

Well, I'm glad to know you, John. Good to know you, too, Father.

You should have a lot to talk about. Being we're in the same business, huh?

Chaplain, would you show the father his stateroom?

Zero, one, two, eight.

Be glad to.

Come this way, Father?

Surely. Hope you find your stateroom comfortable, Father. Thanks. Thanks a

Have you ever been aboard a carrier before, Father? No, never.

I want to know this one from stem to stern.

I want to know all of her people.

Well, that'll take a lot of knowing.

We have over 3 ,200 men aboard this ship.

Well, that should be enough for both of us.

Many Protestants?

Quite a few.

How is your turnout?

Oh, it could be better.

Well, maybe I can be of some help.

What?

Oh, I promised not to steal any of your customers.

Padre!

Remember me?

Pete Kelly!

Wow!

The last time I saw you was in a hospital bed in Pensacola.

He ditched his training plane and he drowned himself.

That was a close call.

Close enough.

I remember a pretty girl that used to visit you in the hospital.

Mary, uh... What was her name? Mary Carney.

Oh, yes, of course.

And what became of Mary Carney?

She's Mrs.

Pete Kelly now, Father.

Oh, good for you, boy. Good for you.

Any little Kellys?

Not yet, but soon, I hope. Soon, I hope.

Well, this will be your first experience of combat duty, eh, Pete?

That's right, Father. We had our final training at Santa Rosa.

All right, you suave jockeys, get the lead out and get back to your working

parties on the double.

Why this ship has got to be polluted with a mess of skinheads like you guys

more than I can figure out.

But I'm stuck with you and I've got to make the best of it. And I don't know

well you can either.

That gear ain't stowed by the time dinner is piped down. We'll work around

clock. Many of you guys don't like the way you're getting treated. Tell your

troubles to Chaplain Moody.

Right? Right.

Buck, our new chaplain, Father McIntyre, our chief boatswain, Buck Fitzpatrick.

We're proud to have you aboard, Father. How are you, Buck? All right, boys, get

back to your working bodies before I lose my temper.

Not that I ever do.

Buck, the chaplain said he'd like to see the ship, and you know her better than

we do.

Are you just leaving it to me, sir?

You'll be in good hands.

Buck's been with her ever since she was launched.

I'll take your bags and your orders back to your stateroom if you'd like. Oh,

that's very good of you, John.

Thank you very much.

Father. See you, Pete.

Been in the Navy long, Father?

Oh, about a year, but never served on a carrier before.

This is a lot of ship.

About 30 ,000 tons.

A good band.

And a good leader, Eddie Everett.

Used to be a radio headliner. You've probably heard of him.

Yeah, I think I have.

All right, Eddie, pick up the tempo. Let's have a little beat in there.

Shall we go?

After you.

These are some of our bad boys being

mustered, Father. The prisoners are large and restricted men.

For their sin, sir.

Oh, nothing serious. Just fighting, coming aboard a croc. You know, the

But you take that one guy at the end.

Chris Jordan. That's a case for you.

Tough guy?

Just in trouble all the time. Nothing serious. Just stubborn.

Maybe he needs a little help from my department.

I don't know, Father. Maybe he doesn't want to go to heaven.

Look, you want to go ashore tonight?

Might be our last chance.

Are you nuts?

Look, I got a spot where we can have a real ball. I've got it all doped out.

When the guys break for dinner, we hide out. When it gets dark, we come back, we

slip out, we go ashore.

No, sir, I'll have no part of it.

When they ask you about me, what are you going to say?

My name, rate, and serial number.

Very clever.

We're going topside now, Father.

Well, there it is.

This is what most people have in mind when they speak of a flat top.

The flight deck to the plane landing and taking off.

What they don't know is that the main part of a carrier is down below.

That's where her heart is.

Our ship is as long as three football fields if you stretched them out end to

end.

Below deck, we've got everything you'd find in the average American town.

And we also have the best barbershop in the Navy.

You with the new air group?

Yeah, I'm turret gunner on Ensign Pete Kelly's plane.

My name's Halsey.

William.

Come again?

William Halsey.

Yeah. Okay, Admiral.

Address and nearest again.

What do you want that for?

Nothing's going to happen to me.

I hope.

Oh, yes, there is.

After the war.

Look, son.

Do you realize hundreds and thousands of kids have come west to fight this war?

Kids who've never been away from home before.

And what do you think gives them the biggest kick?

California. And when the war's over and them same lonesome kids come back, where

do you think they'll be heading?

California.

What do you think they'll be looking for?

Dames. Right.

What does that lead to?

Marriage.

What happens as a direct result?

Babies. That's what can happen to you, Admiral.

No kidding.

If you pray your cards right.

Hey, give me some of that foo -foo, will you?

See, kid, in my business, I sort of got nature working for me. I'm in real

estate.

I'll put a roof over your head.

Where do you think you're going to want it?

Where else but in California?

Say, you must be from California.

Hey, this kid's pretty smart.

This is your new chaplain, boys. Father McIntyre. Howdy. Carry on, fellas.

The best way for us to get acquainted is the services.

Well, father, that's about the end of the 50 cent tour.

You want to go further?

Yeah, let's keep going. As long as my legs hold out.

I'll see you in church.

So long, father.

So long, boys.

Where was I?

California. Oh, yeah. Yeah.

See, kid, my old man's got a 60 -acre orange grove right in the heart of San

Fernando Valley.

When I get back, I'm going to rip up them trees, and I'm going to build homes

for vets. When them guys come pouring off them ships into the arms of their

-loving babes, their little loveness are going to be ready and waiting for them.

Four bedrooms, two heads, no money down, move right in.

Now we're in the after -engine room, Father.

This is well below the waterline.

This is one of the four engines that will drive the ship through the water at

almost 40 miles an hour.

Hey, man.

Oh.

Commander. Good afternoon, Buck.

Glad to have you meet our new chopper, Father McIntyre. Commander Glasses.

Glad to know you, Father. Welcome aboard. Thank you. Well, that's about

of the tour.

Has the father seen steering out yet, boat?

No, sir.

Of course, you wouldn't want to see that. That's a way, way ad. You got to

way down.

Yes,

I'd like to.

If you're not too tired. Oh, no, I'm feeling fine. I was thinking that maybe

might be getting a little... No, no, no.

Steering F.

Steering F, he wants to see. There's nothing back there he's got to see. More

stairs to climb.

After you, Father.

Go ahead.

Well, this is it, Father.

Steering air.

Very interesting.

This is your new chaplain, boy. He wants to see what goes on down here.

We heard you were aboard, Father.

I'm Marty Brennan. Marty, how are you?

This is Archie Golder.

Hello, Archie.

Tom Short.

Tom?

Well, so this is where the ship can be steered by hand, huh? Yes, sir. In case

the main controls in the pilot house are damaged or shot away.

How is it done?

Well, in an emergency, we unclutch the steering engine. We use this hand crank.

We get our directions from the pilot house over the sound power phone.

It takes 70 turns of this crank to turn the rudder one degree.

And this is your battle station?

Yes, Father. This is our battle station.

Well, thanks, boys.

Hey, folks!

Chris Jordan is still playing tricks, huh? Yeah, what'd he do now?

He's out hiding somewhere on this ship, and they got search parties out looking

for him. You see what did I tell you, Father?

Oh, that guy.

Come on, Father.

Come on, Father.

Bye, Dad. Come on, boys.

You make it, Father?

Just barely. Coming up.

Where was he hiding? In a storeroom. Probably had something better to do

No telling what this guy might do, sir. Let's go, Jordan.

What's the matter, Jordan?

Well, he was due for a promotion to Chief Boatswain's mate, and he didn't

it. He blames everybody but himself.

I'd like to have a talk with him, Buck. Go ahead, Father, but I'm afraid you're

wasting your time.

I'll wait for you on the hangar deck.

I'm Father McIntyre, the new chaplain.

I'd like to speak to this man alone.

All right, sir.

Howdy. Hello, sir.

Sit down.

Well, first you can forgive my curiosity, and then you can tell me

with you.

Physically or spiritually?

Mentally.

I'm 100 % sound and I got a brain like a steel trap.

And you're stuck with it.

I can understand your disappointment when you weren't promoted.

Who told you about that?

Buck.

Bless his dear little heart.

But I can't understand the fuss you make about it.

Got a raw deal.

They promoted a guy with half my experience. I've got more sense than a

those dopes wearing chief's hats.

I'm a high school graduate.

Oh, a high school man.

But by your behavior, you're proving they were right.

I got a sneaking idea they were wrong.

Wouldn't be trying to sell me a bill of goods, would you, Father?

Like religion, for instance?

Well, religion is my job.

Sooner or later, I get around to it.

But right now, all I'm trying to do is straighten out a fellow who's headed the

wrong way.

Your hatred doesn't hurt anybody but yourself.

I don't hate anybody, Father.

I like everybody on this ship, especially dear old Buck. I just want to

far away from them as possible. That's all.

You requested a transfer.

Naturally, but they ignore it. And I don't like being ignored.

So I get in their hair and one day they'll get tired of looking at me and

me goodbye.

Anything else?

Well, guess not.

But you're here for me again.

Thank you, sir.

If you were a betting man, Father, I'd lay you 10 to 1. You didn't get to first

base.

No, I didn't.

But I'll be up at bat again.

And if I were a betting man, I'd be inclined to take your bet.

Father McIntyre!

Been looking all over for you. Heard you were aboard.

I'm Commander Matthews. How do you do, Commander? Our executive officer,

He's been with the ship ever since she was commissioned.

Welcome aboard.

Thank you. Thank you, Commander.

Commander Matthews reporting.

Come along, Father, and meet the captain.

Oh, I'll be glad to.

Well, Buck, thanks for everything. Okay, Father.

Be seeing you.

Attention, all hands.

Attention, all hands.

This is an order from the captain.

A message has just been received which orders our ship to sail tomorrow instead

of the day after.

For this reason, he regrets to announce that all leave and liberty must be

canceled. Effective immediately.

That is all.

Ain't the skipper got no place to go? Wait till my old lady hears about this.

Fix up a standard.

They ought to call this ship the Alcatraz.

All right, you guys, cut the chatter.

You know we never get liberty the last night in port.

Leave your quarters.

The smoking lamp is out throughout the ship while taking aboard aviation

gasoline and fuel oil.

Oh, hello, Mr. Kelly.

I didn't know you were standing there in the dark.

Hi, Admiral.

Sit down.

I've never been so low in all my life.

I wired Dad and Mom telling them I'd talk to them on long distance tonight.

Then I had to go send another wire calling it off on account of no liberty.

My dad's a great old guy, but he's been very sick lately.

It's tough, Admiral.

I'll bet you were glad to see your wife when she came in yesterday.

Yeah, I met her at the airport.

I thought we were going to be together tonight.

Today's her birthday, but we couldn't make it.

I said goodbye to her on the phone.

She had some news she was saving for me.

We're going to have a baby.

Oh, that's tough.

Hmm? Oh, I don't mean about the baby, that's swell, but... Well, I mean not

being with her when she told you.

That's terrible.

Now look, Mr. Kelly, it's all gonna be okay.

They'll be waiting for you on the dock when you get back in.

You just keep your chin up, huh?

Ah, that's it.

Just think.

A baby.

And I'm your turret gunner.

Oh, golly, am I proud.

Tell me, how can they do this to me?

I promise to meet this doll tonight.

Don't worry, somebody will meet her. That's what I'm afraid of.

Let me ask you something.

What are we fighting this stinking war for?

For life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.

So now comes the skipper and says we ain't got no liberty. We ain't got no

to pursue nothing.

Now look, I don't mind fighting and bleeding.

When did you ever bleed, Squawk?

Don't my nose bleed every time them five inches go off?

That's your psychological reaction to gunfire.

Watch your language, fella.

Every time it goes off, it scares the pants off you.

You should crack about being scared.

Why'd you want to go ashore the other night?

I had a date. You mean you were trying to ditch a date, the same date we all

in the battle area?

I've been on his bucket ever since she made her first strike, and I should have

got my liberty tonight.

All you got to do is tell the captain. There's no problem. Just tell the

captain. I'd like to tell the captain.

Shh.

Quiet, Meyer.

If they find out you snuck Meyer aboard the ship, they'll throw you both

overboard.

Don't worry about Meyer. He knows rank.

You let a guy with stripes on his arms come in and... Vump, right under the

goes Meyer.

Say, I keep hearing about this guy Buck.

Buck'll do this and Buck'll do that.

Who's Buck?

Buck's the Chief Bolson. You'll know him when you hear him.

Never speaks above a whisper.

Carry on, you guys!

Carry on!

This is just a social visit.

I'm making around to see that everything's buttoned up.

Everybody present and accounted for?

Yeah, we got our full count, warden.

You must have done time someplace, huh, Jordan?

I'm doing my time now.

Hey, how come these guys don't have liberty tonight?

What difference does it make to you? You wouldn't have gotten one anyway.

Oh, I'm not thinking of myself. I'm only thinking of my shipmates, my buddies.

Who do you think you're kidding?

You don't give a hoot about anybody but yourself.

Look, I'm getting sore about this, and when we dock back at Pearl, I'm going to

go to the captain and demand a transfer.

Well, if you do, I'll okay it.

I'll recommend that you get transferred to the waves.

Can't you see he's just stringing you?

This last night belongs to the ship.

She's your dame now. You're married to her. And she don't want any of you guys

cheating on her.

You may be married to her, but I got big news for you. I'm getting a divorce.

Look, Jordan.

There's one thing you gotta learn.

There's only three things important to a sailor.

His wife, his kids, and his ship.

So you imitate dogs, huh?

Yes, sir.

You imitate any other animals?

No, sir. Just dogs.

Well, go ahead. Do a dog.

Imitation of a dog with a can tied to its tail.

He's also a ventriloquist. Oh.

Yes, sir.

Imitation of a dog on the flight deck.

Okay, kid. Save it. Save it.

When you asked for permission to bring a dog on this ship, I said no, no

mascots.

Where is he?

Come on, Maya.

Come on.

Please don't make me give him up, sir.

You know the regulations.

If we'd have had to leave, I was going to take him ashore and find a home for

him. It's no use, Golder.

If I let you guys have your own way, you'd make an exploding zoo out of this

ship.

I gotta have discipline.

All right, poach, you'll beat it. You don't belong on this ship.

I don't like those kids trying to pull the wool over these old Navy eyes, huh?

Tried to bring the pooch aboard, huh, Boats? Tried to. He did. The kid had it

his bug.

I heard the dog barking when I walked over.

One of his buddies tried to make believe he was a ventriloquist. Is that an old

one or is that an old one? It's got a beard, Boat. A beard? It's got whiskers.

Good night, Lieutenant. Good night, Boats.

On the morning of February 7th, 1945, the ship was ready to leave from the

anchorage at Alameda.

As we headed for the Golden Gate, the shores of our homeland seemed more

beautiful than ever.

The desire to keep them so clearly etched that picture in my memory.

On the way to Pearl Harbor, Intensive training was the order of the day. There

was a big job ahead of us, and everyone had to be ready.

Torpedo defense.

Torpedo defense.

General quarters.

General quarters.

All hands, man your battle stations.

All hands, man your gun stations.

Torpedo attack.

Nine Bettys coming in from dead ahead.

Distance 20 ,000 yards.

All 40 -millimeter mounts ready.

All 5 -inch mounts ready.

All guns ready to commence firing.

Combat information center ready.

Distance 10 ,000 yards. Commence firing.

Commence firing.

Damage control reports condition yoke is set throughout the ship.

Main control reports all boilers on the line for full power.

Cease firing.

Cease firing.

Three minutes to commence firing. Six minutes for damage control to secure

watertight integrity.

Not bad on gun stations.

Yeah, but six minutes is too long for damage control to button up the ship.

If we're not secure below decks, we go down like a ton of bricks.

Continue the drills. Particularly damage control.

Simulate everything that may come up in the combat zone.

Aye, aye, Captain.

Keep him out of it, Joe.

When we go into battle, every man aboard this ship can do his job automatically.

I don't want one man to die or cause the death of anyone else for lack of

training.

That's all, Joe.

Thanks. Yes, sir.

Some of you guys seem to think we won a war in the first round.

But that ain't the case.

We got a long way to go before the final bell, and it's going to get tougher

every minute.

You guys get all thoughts of the Beats, Dames, and Liberty out of your mind for

keeps.

There just ain't no such thing where we're going.

And thinking about them only files up the work that's cut out for us. And

another thing.

On the way to Pearl, we're going to drill around the clock.

And you go to these drills on the double.

From now on on the double meet you've got to move faster than sound

4 minutes and 50 seconds. That's still not good enough.

Men have had a tough day, Captain. They're all fagged out.

Under battle conditions, they may not see their bunks for 72 hours at a time.

One more drill for damage control and then we'll secure.

Damage control will be our salvation if a kamikaze ever gets through our combat

air patrol or any aircraft barrage.

Aye, aye, sir.

Thank you.

It's from Squawk's Girl.

Dear Sweetie Pie, I sleep every night with a picture you sent me under my

pillow, and every morning, I kiss your big blue eyes. Hey, give me that thing.

It's thrilled me to hear how you cut down an enemy plane single -handed and

saved your ship.

Throw a left, you gotta keep your guard up. Otherwise, you're wide open for a

right. You know, I've told you this.

All right, knock it off.

You're both on report for fighting.

Fighting?

Need fight with my old pal, Squawk?

We're playmates.

I was just giving him a couple of lessons in the manly art of self

You don't believe me? Ask anybody.

Ask Father Joe.

I think it was a sparring match.

Okay, Father.

But you guys watch it. We've got enough trouble on the ship the way it is.

May I be forgiven for that white lie?

Maybe you boys are a little over -trained.

A little over -trained? Are you kidding, Father? This is the first night we've

had without a drill.

You better make the most of it.

Get yourself a good night's rest.

Thanks, Father.

Good night, fellas.

More training?

We've got some night fighters out. We're respotting the deck. We'll need more

room to take them aboard when they come back.

This is the last one, kids!

I'm glad that's over. I'm dying on my feet.

Now, there's an idea.

You'll all day long and get called out of your bunks in the middle of the

Would you quit your beefing, Jordan?

Captain? Good.

The flight deck has been re -spotted.

Due to the number of planes we got on the flight deck, we're unable to get

last barrier up.

Request permission to let the flight deck crew go below until a half an hour

before the night fighters land aboard.

If we bring aircraft aboard with that last barrier down, it's too big a risk.

You can't get the barrier up because your spot's too loose. Re -spot the

Aye, aye, sir.

Re -spot the flight deck.

This guy, how much does he think we can take?

Okay, boys, you heard what the captain said. We've got to re -spot the flight

deck. Get moving.

I've seen some tough skippers in my life, but this guy's the champ.

Move that front line forward so we can close up what's in back of it.

The only thing we have to respawn, buddy, is the guy up on the bridge.

Come back here, Jordan.

What are we going to do, sweetheart?

Oh, absolutely.

Come on over here. I want to talk to you.

You know better than to sound off like that.

The captain knows what he's doing, and he's right.

He's your tin god. You should have married him.

I ought to kick you over the side.

And I would, too, if it wasn't against regulations.

Get rid of me, big shot. Use your influence.

Get me a transfer. Stop acting like a juvenile. Get some sense in your head.

Maybe you're right. I guess I've been acting like a first -class chum.

Third class.

All right, I'll play it your way.

You mean that?

Hit below.

That's all. A little trouble?

I wouldn't say that, sir.

Buck, you know this crew better than anybody. What's going on below decks?

Well, if you must know, Captain, the men are a little steamed up on account of

these extra drills.

Aren't we all?

You see, Father, when this ship took a bomb hit in the Philippine Sea, the Japs

reported her sunk.

I still believe that.

When they find out she's alive, they'll make every effort to send her to the

bottom.

That's why I want this crew on the ball.

I want to bring them home, and I want to bring this ship home.

I understand, Captain.

Good night, bud.

Good night, Captain.

Oh, oh, by the way, Captain, one thing I would like to know.

I heard a crack below that you were about as tough as this Captain Bly.

Captain Bly?

Yeah, it seems that he's a CO who had a mutiny on his hands.

Do we have a ship in our Navy called the Bounty?

Captain Bly is a character.

Good night, Captain.

Hey, Father.

Hola, Chris.

Ah, this is one time I'm really glad to see you.

Oh? What brought this about?

Well, I'll be leaving the ship right after Pearl, and now's as good a time as

any to say goodbye.

Oh, you mean your transfer came through? Not yet, but it will.

What makes you so sure?

Confidentially, I took a poking buck.

Oh, so that's what you did.

You took a poke at him, huh?

He's probably up reporting me right now to the old man. They may give me the

works, but at least I'll get a transfer off this ship.

Well, it's been nice knowing you, Father.

Chris, you and I are going to see a lot of each other. Not after Pearl. Oh, yes.

After Pearl.

After Pearl?

Mm -hmm.

Because, you see, I was there when Buck reported to the captain.

And he didn't say a word about you taking a poke at him.

You don't realize what a good friend of yours, Buck, is.

A friend of mine? You must be crazy, Father.

Well, he proved he has your interest at heart.

You should learn to appreciate him.

Well, so long, Chris.

Life is full of surprises, huh?

Dirty double -crosser.

There was more to prepare for than battle stations.

And on the day after we left Pearl Harbor, our planes were having target

practice and learning to land safely on the ship while it was in motion.

And when this was over... Mr. Jensby? Yes, sir.

Tell the captain that last division of torpedo planes is down to 40 gallons of

gas. We'll expedite getting them aboard.

Aye, aye, sir.

Who's the pilot of that last plane?

Uh, Kelly, sir.

Your young friend from Pensacola.

How much gas we got left, Pete?

Practically none.

Five to 18 to Dixie.

This is Dixie.

Over. I'm almost out of fuel.

Less than 10 gallons.

That's not enough for control.

The ship's pitching and rolling.

You've got to take a wave off.

Pete, they're giving you a wave off.

Pete, take the wave off. You'll kill somebody.

I'll die before I ever ditch again.

Brace yourself, Admiral.

We're landing.

Tell the air officer to have the pilot of that plane report to the bridge.

Aye, aye, sir.

The captain wants the pilot of 5 -0 -18 to report to the bridge, sir. Very well.

Get it on the butt! What are you trying to do? Kill it!

Pilot of 5 -0 -18, report to the bridge. Pilot of 5 -0 -18, report to the

bridge. All right, you heard him. The captain wants to see you.

Get going!

Move!

Kelly! Now, I got it coming to me.

Ensign Kelly, Captain. Torpedo Squadron 5.

Didn't you recognize the wave -off signal the LSO gave you? I was almost

gas, sir. Afraid to ditch?

No, sir. But the plane... Only a miracle kept you from crashing into those other

planes. Killing a number of people, including you and your crew. Think of

Yes, sir.

Gasoline systems open for refueling. A fire could spread to other parts of the

ship.

A wave -off from the LSO is mandatory.

It must be obeyed. But, Captain, if you... Your attention, Mr. Kelly.

If you go wrong on a simple training problem like this, what are you going to

in a real fight?

You won't have any time to think, then.

Your reactions will have to be instinctive.

If they're not, you'll get yourself killed, and you'll kill a lot of other

people we can't afford to lose.

Many of the men aboard this ship were with her in her worst hours of trial.

They faced death many times to keep her afloat.

And I'm not going to let any second guesser follow them up. Is that clear?

Yes, sir.

Mr. Kelly, you're relieved of any further duties involving flying.

That's all.

Yes, sir.

It was the morning of March 13th.

And we were approaching our rendezvous with Task Force 58 at the anchorage at

Ulipe.

Task Force 58, Joe.

Isn't that something to look at?

Yes, sir.

That is the Intrepid.

Enterprise.

The Hancock.

I see the Pittsburgh.

The Santa Fe.

That's our escort, the Guam. She's dropping her hook.

You think we'll get liberty tonight?

Liberty? What would you do with it? Well, this is a South Sea island. There

be dames on it. Dames? Not now. They got rid of all the broads. Are you kidding?

Who done that?

Some wise guy in Washington.

Hey,

Pops. Yeah?

How many ships you figured there are?

I don't know. Must be a thousand.

A thousand?

Man, I'll bet there are a lot of prospective customers for my housing

them ships.

Hey, listen, you guys.

It says here if I don't show up in person on or before the 15th and explain

I didn't report for jury duty, I'm in contempt of court.

Well, tomorrow's the 15th.

Yeah, that's right. I can't make it.

I've seen you do that a half a dozen times, Buck. How come you don't open

These are from my dead past.

Huh? A doll?

A Jezebel.

I married her.

So? She sued me for divorce.

Named the Navy as correspondent. She claimed I loved the Navy more than I did

her. How about that?

She get it?

Nah. The judge said love of the Navy was no infidelity and threw the case out of

court. I haven't seen her in over three years now.

She gets part of my page. She keeps writing to me. When I'm done, I'm done.

Here.

Take them back. Take them back. Take them back.

I'm sorry, Father.

Father, how do you pronounce that?

Uh, siderothrypsitry.

That's a citrus disease.

Very destructive.

Oh, is that right?

That's wonderful news.

That's what my old man's trees have got, the whole 60 acres. My dream's coming

true. Oh, the homes for vets? Yeah.

Can't fail, Father.

California climate's perfect for it. What a picture.

60 acres of diapers blown in the breeze.

Since you went away, sweetheart, I haven't gone anywhere, not even to

But your best friend, Louie, is home on furlough, and he's sorry for me, and

comes to see me every night.

Hey, Chris.

Yeah? Here's a letter. I got it mixed up with one of mine. Hey, thanks, Chuck.

Excuse me, pilot.

I'm going to have twins.

What?

I'm going to have twins.

You sure don't show up, Mr. Kelly.

No, no, no, no. Marry me. My wife.

Oh, isn't that great, Father? It's going to be twins. How do you know?

Well, the doctor said so. He practically guaranteed it.

Congratulations.

I think so often about you, Dad.

Wondering where you are.

Praying that you're safe.

Please try to be home when I graduate in June.

Love, Leslie.

She's still a kid. Still puts a row of X's across the bottom of every letter.

Yeah.

It's been a long cruise, hasn't it?

Listen, everybody.

I just got such wonderful news, I've got to share it with somebody or but.

What is it, Father Joe?

I told you my sister was a nun in Manila.

She was captured by the Japanese in 1942, and that's the last we heard of

But she's been found. She's alive and well and back on the job.

That's wonderful.

Isn't that wonderful?

Steve, you lived in Manila.

You must have heard of the Mary in all order that my sister belonged to.

I did, Father.

What's the matter, son?

My mother and brother escaped from Manila.

They were working with a native underground.

My mother was captured.

This letter from my brother says that she was executed as a spy.

On the 14th, we were at sea again, at General Cordes, when word was passed

the captain was about to speak to all hands.

This is the captain.

Now that we've left Ulysses, I can tell you that we're about to become part of a

task group.

whose mission is to destroy air and naval installations on the Japanese home

island. When the Japs see this carrier, they'll think she's a ghost ship.

They believe she's at the bottom of the sea.

They'll soon find out how wrong they are. And when they do, they're going to

give us everything they've got in the way of suicide planes and submarine

attacks. The mission in which we'll be engaged is most important.

We must all be alert for any emergency and do everything in our power to

this ship. I have full confidence in you.

I'm proud of you.

Admiral, I understand your pilot won't be flying anymore.

Don't worry about Mr. Kelly. When the first mission comes up, he'll be flying

it, and I'll be with him.

Wolikowski, the captain's orderly, tells me he doesn't stand a chance.

Walakowski, what does he know? He's got big ears. He knows what goes on up

there. Well, then he shouldn't blab about it. Mr. Kelly passed up a wave

That's serious.

Well, lots of pilots got grounded at Pensacola, but they're back flying

This isn't Pensacola.

Kelly's case comes up before the trouble board tonight.

Why, stop. You should be glad of it. You'll fly with some guy that'll bring

back in one piece.

I'm gonna go talk to the captain.

You're gonna what?

I'm gonna go see him. No enlisted man can get to the captain without

You couldn't even get past Walakowski.

Well, I don't see why not. Lots of guys got to talk to Lincoln during the Civil

War. I'm going to try it.

Lincoln,

see what he gets for reading books?

Where do you think you're going?

Is the captain on the bridge?

Yeah, so what?

I got to talk to him.

You got to what?

Talk to the captain.

About what?

It's personal.

Get lost.

Get lost or I'll throw you in the booby hatch.

Look, I gotta talk to the captain. It's important.

What's the trouble, Wolikowski?

It's an enlisted man, captain, and I think he's nuts. I am not.

Send him in here.

Aye, aye, sir.

Wilson?

Halsey, captain.

WB. Turk, gunner with Air Group 5.

At ease.

You say Halsey?

Yes, Captain.

William Halsey.

They call you Admiral?

Bull?

Yes, sir.

Well, son, what's on your mind?

Speak up.

Well, sir, I... I guess I shouldn't have come up here.

Well, it must be important or you wouldn't be here.

Thank you, Captain. I don't smoke.

Mr. Kelly don't want me to.

Mr. Kelly?

Ensign Kelly.

He don't know I'm here.

He'll be sorry if he finds out.

It's him I came to talk about.

He's in a jam.

What's on your mind?

Well, I've been turd gunner on Pete's... Excuse me, on Mr. Kelly's plane ever

since the group started forming in Santa Rosa.

We get sort of close to our pilot, but with him depending on us and we

on him.

You see, Mr. Kelly's got a wife he's crazy about.

Now family's on the way and he's all upset.

I guess you'd be kind of upset if you were going to have twins.

A little.

Well, he had to ditch a plane once in Pensacola and he nearly got drowned.

He ain't scared of it, sir.

But a guy with his responsibilities wouldn't be blamed for being sort of

careful.

He should have taken that wave off.

But I'll bet even you might have pulled a crazy stunt like that when you were a

young pilot.

I might have.

As far as Kelly's concerned, I can't tell you what my decision will be until

see the findings of the trouble board.

Well, couldn't you pull your rank on the board, Captain?

You think a captain ought to do that?

Well, maybe not.

I hate to keep plugging like this, but couldn't you give me just a little hope?

Well, you know my decision will have to be based on what I think's best for the

ship.

But what you've told me about Mr. Kelly will make my decision easier.

I hope I'll be able to restore him to flying duty.

You mean that, sir?

For real?

For real.

Gee, Captain, you don't know what this means to me.

Maybe I can do something for you someday.

I'm sure you can.

Yes, sir. I mean, aye, sir.

Thank you, Captain.

Thank you, Admiral.

One of these days, they're going to come and get you with a butterfly net.

Get lost, get lost, or I'll throw you in a booby hatch.

Why, you... Volkovsky?

Yes, sir.

As we steam deeper into enemy waters, our destroyer escort sites the

Dixie, this is Eagle. Over.

Dixie, this is Eagle. Over.

Eagle, this is Dixie. Over. I have a submarine contact dead ahead of me, sir.

Bearing zero, zero, zero.

Over. Roger that.

Right -standard rudder. Right -standard rudder, sir.

General Quarters, General Quarters, all hands, man your battle stations.

General Quarters, General Quarters, all hands, man your battle stations.

Captain, strong contact, bearing 0 -0 -0, rate 400 yards.

Come left 10 degrees, Mr. Gower.

Well, I agree.

Exactly.

Dixie, this is Eagle. Over.

Eagle, this is Dixie. Over.

We've got him, sir. We've got him.

You sure?

Yes, sir. I have an oil slick and debris on the surface.

Over. Well done.

Out.

On the night of March 18, our ship closed within 100 miles of the Japanese

Empire.

In the ready room, the squadron commander was briefing his pilots on the

waiting for them the following morning.

Their main mission was to destroy any combatant ships in Kobe Harbor.

And the happiest man among them was my young friend from Pensacola, Ensign

Kelly, who had been reinstated.

Tomorrow's the day we've been waiting for.

And you guys will really have something to cut your teeth on.

And while we're at it, let's give Tokyo Rose something to really talk about.

The enemy expects us.

And he'll throw everything at us, but...

The geisha girls.

Okay.

Aircraft assignments on the board. Let's go hit the pads.

We're going to need all the rest we can get.

During the night of the 18th, there was no rest for those whose battle stations

were in combat information center.

Unidentified aircraft appeared on the radar screen constantly.

We were so close to Japan now and our force was so large that we had been

accurately spotted by the enemy.

Any second, we could be blown to pieces.

Hey, squad.

I wonder what's going on up there.

Japs are looking for us. You can depend on that.

As we steam nearer to our enemy's homeland, through dangerous waters with

planes searching for and making attacks on different units of our force, the

night was one of continuous alarm.

Oh,

I love him. I want to kiss every stinking son of a gun on every stinking

they got.

Me too.

The following morning, we were less than 40 miles off the coast of Japan.

At approximately 645, we had already launched several groups of fighters and

bombers to attack the coast, and were continuing to launch them all the time.

Breakfast had been piped on, and men not on their battle stations were on their

way to the mess hall.

All right.

Boys, keep the line moving. Get your challenges back outside in a hurry. We

work to do.

All right, skinhead, get down a hat. The boys are waiting for their coffee.

Speaking of coffee, I could use a cup myself.

Excuse me, mister.

Go ahead, move.

There were 40 planes on the flight deck and 35 on the hangar deck, all gassed

and ready to go.

They were being launched and catapulted from the ship as fast as possible.

Keep moving, boys. Step lively. Lively now.

Now, you know what I like about sea duty?

What? Nothing.

How does it feel to be flying again, Pete?

Great.

I heard some scuttlebutt about you going to see the captain.

Who, me?

I would dare go see the captain.

I couldn't even get past Wolikowski.

Hey, Patty.

Yeah? Remember that little pancake I knew in San Francisco?

Plano?

Buckwheat. Yeah, yeah, that's the one. Oh, yeah. She was tooth -timing me. She

already had a boyfriend.

A Marine.

No kidding.

How'd you find out? The guy wrote me a letter about it. He was kind of

indignant. Them Marines ain't got no sense of you.

Nah.

TBS message from Hancock, Captain. Hancock, report bogey 350 degrees

Distance 15 miles.

Captain,

Combat Information Center reports radar screen shows no sign of reported bogey.

to keep a close watch on the low clouds ahead.

by an aircraft on fourth beam.

Yeah, bring it around.

We're reaching where we're going.

Fire is raging out there.

Try the other hatch.

I can't touch it.

Get the men and ammunition out of those forward -fired men's mouths.

Open the door and get the men out of the mouth.

Captain says the compartment's directly below our fire.

The magazines and labels will go any minute. Get all the ammunition out of

there.

trapped.

Yeah, but we ain't giving up.

They haven't forgotten about us, Topside.

I gotta get out of here! I gotta get out of this place! Let me out of here!

I gotta get out!

I gotta get out of here!

I gotta get out of here!

If we don't get out of here, some of these kids are going nuts.

Captain, the water lights of the afternoon magazine are broken. The

not been plugged.

Tell everyone to hold this down.

No, we haven't got any pumping pressure.

If that magazine goes, it'll blow the bottom out of the ship.

Tell him to flood it if he has to use buckets.

Tell Cato to leave the engines set. Get

those

men out of the number three five -inch boat!

The fire.

That locker's not more than 150 feet away. If that goes, we're done for.

Quiet.

Some of these kids are ready to crack.

I gotta get out of here.

I don't want to die.

I don't want to die.

Somebody.

Somebody, I gotta get out of here.

Easy, son.

Easy.

They haven't forgotten about us.

Sure wish the chaplain was here.

What for?

Well, he could say a few words.

Buck, why don't you pray?

I am praying.

I mean out loud.

Me? Yeah.

I think it'll help the guys.

All right, fellas.

We need help, fellas.

What I mean is I... I guess it's up to God.

And I ain't kidding when I say I sure hope he knows how we feel about this.

I ain't much on this praying business.

When you're scared, the first thing you do is start trying to square things.

But all I'm asking is that maybe he'll figure we've done the best we can and

let's go at that.

We didn't ask to get in this spot.

So maybe he'll give us a break.

Maybe he'll take a chance on us.

Figuring that we'll all try to do better.

I guess this is a funny kind of praying to you guys, but... It's what I'm

thinking.

And what I meant.

about the kids in the mess hall?

The mess hall? That's easy.

Hey, Jordan, where are you going?

See you later, father.

Chris Jordan, in his previous efforts to hide out of the ship, Had many times

used the ventilator shaft and led to the meth hall.

Now, for the first time, he wasn't using it quick thinking for selfish reasons.

Hey,

it's Chris.

How did he get here?

I'm going to take you topside through the ventilator trunks.

Now, look, we got to climb and crawl in the dark, so stay in contact with each

other. Don't lose your heads and don't crowd.

Now, follow me one at a time.

When did you start giving orders?

Fuck.

Okay, guys, you heard what he said.

Don't crowd. Keep in contact and follow him one at a time.

Let's go, kid. Let's go.

Come on, man. Move.

Come on, move.

We gotta go someplace.

All right, come on, you guys. Let's get going and quick.

Go on to that hatch.

Wait a minute.

That's the ammunition locker.

It's all right. We gotta take that chance. Let's go.

Look at the hatch. All right, come on. Take it easy.

Hurry up.

Keep going.

Take it easy.

Take it easy.

Keep going. Keep going. Easy, easy. No problem.

Make it snappy up there.

Who's got eyes?

Transfer, transfer.

What transfer?

Abort the cruiser. They'll abandon this bucket. We're not going to abandon her.

You're married to her. You don't ditch your wife because somebody sets her up

wearing a stoppy and juvenile. Get some sense in your head.

All right, let's go.

Emergency crews worked all night to put out fires which kept breaking out one

after another.

There was no rest for anyone.

CBS calling, Captain. From the flagship.

Dixie, this is Olympic. Over.

Olympic, this is Dixie. Over.

How are you making out?

We have everything under control and we can just keep these fires down.

Thanks for the air cover, Admiral.

Most of them are your own pilots flying from other carriers.

We have two boilers lighted. By morning, we expect to proceed under our own

power.

Destroyers will run anti -sub patrol through the night and screen you

Roger.

We're going to keep Povar next till morning.

One more bomb or torpedo might send us to the bottom.

The next day, our ship was barely afloat.

The enemy bombs had wrecked havoc everywhere.

And it was a question whether we'd be able to make it back to Ulythia or not.

How we doing, Cap?

Not bad. We got the rest of the boilers lighted during the night. We're making

14 knots.

Orderly, a cup of coffee for the commander.

Aye, aye, sir.

The galley's in pretty bad shape.

I managed to dig up some sandwiches. Can I get you some?

No, thanks. Coffee's all I want.

Never tasted better.

Well, we're still afloat.

Yeah.

Pick up speed during the day and the Jap aircraft don't spot us. We ought to

make you lithy by tomorrow morning.

beam.

Stand back, stand back, you guys. Haven't you ever seen a dead man before?

I ain't dead, you dumb jerk.

Corman, Corman, bare hands, bring a stretcher over here. Hurry up.

Take it easy with him now.

Easy. Hurry up, you guys.

Easy with him. Remember, he's not as young as he used to be.

Wait till I get on my feet again. I'll show you.

On the morning of March 24th, by the grace of God, we limped back into the

anchorage at... By all the rules of the game, she should be at the bottom of the

sea.

Here the job of cleaning up began.

We had a crippled ship, but after two tries, the enemy had still not been able

to make a ghost ship out of her.

What about the men who died here, Father? I wonder if they resent my being

alive.

Do they feel somehow I let them down?

I don't think so.

How can I plead my case to a jury of dead men?

There's no common language.

They know, Captain.

They know.

I suppose when we get home, they'll have a band to meet us.

No band will ever play loud enough for those poor kids at McMuster this

We were not out of danger yet, however.

We still had to take the ship back to the Brooklyn Navy Yard, 12 ,000 miles

away. The job seemed almost insurmountable.

We had only 700 men out of the original 3 ,000 with whom to take the ship safely

home. And there was the possibility every inch of the way...

of attack by plane or by submarine.

Men now had more than home on their minds.

They had prayers on their lips.

On the way to Hawaii, we held a memorial service for those who had given their

lives, our shipmates, our friends.

After we had honored the dead, we decorated some of the living.

Jordan, Wilson's made first class, front and center.

Jordan, I've heard a lot about you the last few days.

You're out of uniform. Take off that white hat.

Try this one on for size.

Congratulations, Chief.

Thank you, sir.

Hey, Chris.

That's a nice looking hat.

Thanks, Buck. I still owe you one. When I get back on my feet, I'm going to pull

it down over your ears. Oh, take it easy, Pop.

Pop!

Take me back to sickbay. I just had a relapse.

He's having one already.

As we sighted Pearl Harbor, one thought was uppermost in our minds.

6 ,000 more miles to go.

The possibility of enemy attack was still imminent.

We were kept on the alert day and night.

Home was only 1 ,500 miles and a few days away as we steamed through the

Canal.

Every minute was bringing us closer and closer to our loved ones in our country.

Slowly, our war -weary ship made its way up the Atlantic coast to New York

Harbor.

The five days seemed endless.

The Statue of Liberty had never looked so young and beautiful as on that day.

She stood for everything we'd fought for, everything we'd hoped for.

And none of us would ever forget our captain, whose courage had proved worthy

the ship and worthy of our trust.

What was left of our band would express better than words what was in all our

hearts.