Original subtitles

You got some trouble.

You take your best shot, Harachi.

He's back and he found me in your aircraft and it wouldn't perform.

We're under attack!

I ain't flying.

I think we're in trouble. What?

Those are Zekes.

GREG: Black Sheep Six!

I got Zekes all over me.

GUTTERMAN.’ What are you flying?

An airplane, you idiot!

GREG: Micklin! Let go of the stick!

GREG: Bad luck is a funny thing. Usually when it comes,

it comes in bunches.

When you're due for a run of trouble about all you can do is cover your chin

and wait till your luck changes.

Unfortunately, on this particular day

[didn't know I was due.

GU TTERMAN.’ Greg, you're having trouble?

I know it, Jim.

Could be a blocked fuel line.

Maybe if] goose it, it'll clear up.

(ENGINE SPUTTERING)

Any luck? Negative.

I'm gonna back off and bring it in easy.

The rest ofyou guys, go ahead.

I'll stay back with you, Greg.

Forget it, go home. Nothing to worry about.

It should clear up in a few minutes.

Roger.

GREG: It was the third time this had happened to me in a week.

And I was getting tired ofit.

lfl hadn't been over friendly waters,

[would've had one of the guys hang back with me.

But we were so close to home, [didn't see the need for it.

I didn't figure to run into Zeros.

I figured I'd better find out what was wrong.

(ALL CHATTERING)

MICKLIN: Where's Boyington?

He had engine trouble, Sarge. He ought to be back in half an hour.

GREG: Vella La Cava,

this is Black Sheep Six, Vella La Cava,

this is Black Sheep Six, over.

This is Black Sheep Six to Vella La Cava,

GREG: l was still out of radio range.

l was starting to reach for the shark repellent

and then my luck really turned bad.

HARACHI.’ Hey, Boyington that you?

I hear your radio, Boyington. Where you hiding?

GREG: I recognized the voice. It was Tomio Harachi.

He had downed 12 of our planes and killed five of our pilots.

Twice he'd left me with a plane full ofholes.

Hey, Boyington, that you?

How you been, rice ball? You dried off yet?

You got some trouble.

[give you more maybe now.

What you think? You ready to go swimming?

Take your best shot, Harachi.

You know, Boyington, you put me in water,

but I say what the heaven, I get later.

Yo u ready?

What's the matter, rice ball? Did you forget where your guns are?

Hate to shoot you when your plane don't fly.

Hey, Boyington, you fix.

I get you later.

I wouldn't cash any tickets if I were you, Harachi.

Sayonara, Boyington. See you later.

My hands were shaking. Harachi had me.

It was only a respect between us built up over months of fighting that saved my life.

I'll take it any way it comes.

(CHATTERING)

Let's go T.J.

Hey, time out.

Spit balls are illegal.

Step in there, fat boy.

I'm gonna blow you down!

You spit on that ball again,

I'm gonna ring your be

.

You're gonna ring my bell? Yeah!

Stop spitting on the ball.

All you do is get it gooey.

MAN 1: Play ball! MAN 2: Let's play ball!

Transport's coming in.

This man's out on a technicality!

What might that be?

Refusal to step into the batter's box.

PILO T.' Clear the field! I'm coming in!

Somebody tell those morons to get off the runway!

We better get off the runway.

Where'd he come from!

Let's go, Don.

T.J.: Play ball everybody up.

You're out ofthis game. I'm gonna go back.

Play ball everybody up.

Strike three! You're out!

Hit the bench, fatso!

French, you're out. Get out of my way.

No, you're out.

That man is out!

Thanks.

I hate this stop. If it ain't the ball game, they're having jeep races.

Like to crack up every time.

Here, give these morons the mail.

Morons?

They have the best record of any fighter squadron in the South Pacific.

They're a crack unit.

I suppose that's some kind of new close-order drill, right?

(MEN GRUNTING)

PILOT: Request permission to take off.

Would you get those men off the field?

All right. I'm taking off anyway!

MAN: Here's the mail.

Excuse me, I'm looking for Major Boyington.

He'll be coming in any minute now.

l'm Floyd Matson. I mean, Captain Matson. I keep forgetting.

Just been in a couple of weeks.

How you doing, Floyd? Good.

I've been attached to your squadron for a couple of days.

I'm a micro specific engineer in time and motion,

kind of what you'd call an efficiency expert.

You play baseball, Floyd? Huh?

Greg's coming in!

Any trouble? Yeah. Where's Micklin?

I don't know. What happened?

I got bad news for you.

Harachi's back.

What are you talking about?

T.J. flamed him. He was a goner.

I ran into him up there, and me with a sick engine.

I'm gonna find Micklin.

Hey, wait a minute, Greg.

Greg, there's gotta be some mistake.

Harachi's dead.

I got his obituary hanging in my tent.

You better read it again.

It probably says they fished him out.

You sure it was him?

(IN JAPANESE ACCENT)

get you later, Boyington.

You fix plane, I get you later.

lt's him.

And he thinks I was the one who splashed him.

Now he wants to even up.

You didn't tell him it was me?

I told him. He didn't believe me.

That's not funny.

Greg, let's not kid around about a thing like this.

lfthat gumbo's out to get me I want to know.

Relax, he wants me.

You guys stay here.

I gotta do some business with Micklin.

You gonna flatten him, Greg?

lt's between the two of us, and we don't need an audience.

Come on.

Don't worry about Micklin.

Excuse me.

What did I hear him say an enemy pilot let him go?

It's a long story, Floyd.

They're kind of like pen pals on the radio.

Pen pals?

Major!

Better give him a few minutes.

He's gonna go beat up on the maintenance chief.

Play ball!

Get this man a mitt!

You're in center field, Floyd.

Play ball!

Hey, I'm back.

Wake up.

I heard you. Then get on your feet.

You looking to get buried under your hat, Major?

l was up all night working on your airplane.

That's very reassuring.

Too bad it didn't work.

You remember Harachi, Micklin?

He's back and he found me in your airplane that wouldn't fly.

You back off a little.

I don't like it when officers breathe on me like you're doing.

Is that a fact? Yeah.

To begin with, it ain't an airplane.

It is a collection of nuts and bolts that's been flying in formation.

I don't know what Hutch was doing with that thing,

but I pulled the cowling on it last night,

and you got enough mess equipment in there to open a restaurant.

You know something, Micklin?

What?

You got a lousy attitude.

That's what your executive officer told me.

Now what was you planning to do about it?

I'll be damned!

Somebody get some water! Micklin's out cold!

MAN 1: Hey, Pappy did it!

MAN 2: Micklin's out cold.

GREG: Get out there, meatball.

MAN: What happened?

GREG: l was trying to cut him down to size

and he went out.

Way to go, Greg!

It wasn't even a fight.

l sucker punched him.

We better get him over to the hospital.

Ain't no crummy major alive can put me in the hospital.

Welcome back, Sarge.

What'd you hit me with?

It's a kind of life-long habit.

I usually try and get one good cheap one at the beginning.

You just bought yourself some life-long trouble, mister.

You give me a day to shake out the cobwebs then I'll be looking for you.

Wait a minute.

Look, I said I'm sorry.

That's twice you hit me when I wasn't looking.

It ain't ever gonna happen again! Give me a hand.

(ALL CHATTERING)

So I was commissioned to make this study and prepare a report

for the Marine Corps and the War Department.

First read all the manuals.

And now you're gonna check out our efficiency, huh, Floyd?

No. Maybe you misunderstood, Major.

Would you like a drink? Oh, yes.

Your unit has the best record

of air victories in this entire theater.

And what I'm doing is studying the way you do it

and making recommendations

to the Corps on why this unit is so hot.

High Command wants to know what you do different so they can adopt your methods.

Whose idea was this?

General Harrison Kenlay's in Washington.

Oh, just some general's, huh?

I beg your pardon, sir?

You got it, Floyd.

Is something wrong?

No, this general must have got some bad shell fish.

It's hard to think when you're running a fever.

It's really quite a compliment to you and your squadron.

And it's gonna be a real eye-opener for you.

Hey, Greg, l was just down with the mechanics.

Micklin's gone off and they say he ain't gonna work on your plane anymore.

What are you going to do about it?

GREG: All of a sudden, I was feeling tired.

It wasn't enough Harachi was back,

I had my maintenance chief ready to kill me.

And some bozo from Washington watching my moves.

I needed some relief.

I want to think about it.

Hey, Pappy.

Hey, what're you doing?

I'm trying to translate this article.

ljust assumed it said he was dead.

I should have checked it out.

Can I ask you some questions?

All right.

How long have you been with this unit?

About seven months.

Do you run into the same problems with the mechanics?

get along with him real good.

Do you have to do anything special to get him to work on your plane.

No, get along with him. He's a lovely chap.

I think that says he was rescued.

You know, this stuff goes up and down and backwards?

You're crazy.

The guy's 21 years old and he's got 32 kills!

MAN: Who wants to go out? We do.

We've got a keg of beer some Navy guys left at the hospital.

You guys want to help us drink it?

Shall we help out these ladies, or not?

Well, no.

Let's take a vote!

I've got a lot of work.

When you make up your minds, let us know.

WOMAN: We can always get the mechanics.

MAN 1: You ready? MAN 2: Yeah.

Come on. You go ahead.

You staying? Take the radio for me.

Thank you.

I'm stuck with the radio and Harachi.

Major, have you got a few minutes?

There are some questions I'd like to ask you.

Yeah, sure.

Thank you.

Washington they told me you run a pretty tight ship.

Yet see... Can I offer you a drink?

Oh, sure.

And I've noticed the discipline in your unit's a little looser than usual.

I can't even find the manual.

The manual?

It's a requirement on my part as the commanding officer

that all my pilots memorize the manual.

They've got it right there.

My doggie has memorized the manual.

Then why is there a discipline problem?

Greg, you won't believe this.

I got Harachi on the radio.

Come on.

I promised you a real eye-opener.

Come on. He's on the radio.

HARACHI.’ Hey, Boyington, you got your plane fixed?

Hey, Boyington. You down there? You hiding?

How you doing, rice ball?

Hey, Boyington, I'm over the lagoon.

You wanna come up and play?

T.J.: You can hardly walk.

My plane won't fly.

You got other planes.

I think you got no guts, Boyington.

You Marine afraid of Tommy?

Just one little rice ball? You coming, Boyington?

This is embarrassing.

Harachi, l'm drunk.

You drunk. Your plane no fly.

I say you chicken, Boyington.

I get you anyway, Boyington!

Maybe I get you on the ground!

We're under attack!

What do you think he was doing?

Could have hurt us.

Okay, rice ball, you asked for it.

I'll meet you tomorrow afternoon, 4:00 over the Slot.

Just you and me.

Okay, Boyington. I be there.

What am I supposed to do? He's calling me out.

GREG: It was a good thing I'd been drinking.

Otherwise I wouldn't have gotten to sleep that night.

Harachi had buffaloed me into fighting him one-on-one.

But what the heaven, my honor was at stake.

The Slot wasn't big enough for both of us.

(ALL CHEERING)

Stop with the darts.

I'm not going to hit you.

Any of you guys feel sick?

I think there was something wrong with breakfast. My gut's acting up.

You think we'll run into Harachi today?

lwouldn't mind running into him.

I'd hate to be the one to get him again.

One of you guys ought to take a crack at him.

It's all in the mind. You know, he's not that tough.

FLOYD: Good morning, gentlemen.

Does he mean us?

How you doing, Floyd? Sleep all right?

I think my mosquito netting's got a hole in it.

Did I miss reveille?

lt's after 7:00. I mean 0700.

I hope I'm gonna be able to fly this morning.

What are you worried about?

Greg's the one Harachi wants.

Don't kid yourself. That guy's murder in the air.

Maybe he wants Pappy,

but he'd sure settle for flaming one of us on the side.

I guess you guys probably talk like this before every mission, right?

Kind of kid around, make jokes, keep the tension down?

Nobody's making jokes, Floyd.

This guy Harachi's personally flamed eight Black Sheep,

me and Boyle included.

We're all a little scared of him.

Oh, come on, you guys are pulling my leg.

The American combat pilot's better trained than the Japanese,

has better eyesight and a superior aircraft.

You've been watching those War Department propaganda films.

Why do you think Greg wouldn't go up against him yesterday?

Now wait a minute, Pappy was drunk.

That's right! Pappy's not afraid of him,

and neither am .

It's just you know how some guys, if you hit them, they go berserk?

See red, can't feel a thing?

You can get hurt fighting a guy like that.

Maybe in a week or so, after Harachi's calmed down...

Harachi's not gonna be around next week.

Pappy's gonna flame him this afternoon.

I hope so.

GUTTERMAN: Hey, Greg.

Jim, you better take the mission for me this morning.

I got things worked out with Micklin, more or less.

He's gonna fix it?

Long as help him.

Otherwise, he's gonna strip it for spare parts.

Is it gonna be ready to fly by this afternoon?

I don't know.

Don't you remember?

Did I really tell Harachi l'd meet him this afternoon?

4:00.

Listen, Greg, if your plane's not ready, you can use mine.

lt's tight, Greg. I been taking real good care of it.

Boyington,

get your butt back over here!

Coming, Sarge.

I got the weather reports this morning.

You should find a tail-wind coming home at 30,000 feet.

Okay.

And take care.

If we run into Harachi,

we'll make sure nothing happens to him.

MAN: Yeah, we'll save him foryou, Pappy.

(ALL CHUCKLING)

MICKLIN: You got 380 yet? 340.

340 and the bolt comes loose, I suppose that'd be my fault.

(GROANS)

380. Now do the other three.

Where're you going?

Coffee break.

Major, do you mind if I ask you a few more questions?

No.

This relationship you have with your maintenance chief,

is that the way things normally are in a front area?

I don't know, Floyd.

Do me a favor, will you?

Sure.

Climb up on the ladder and help me with this.

Just grab hold of it.

You got it? Yeah.

One ofthe things in my report is the coordination between

pilots and flight crews.

This the way?

You got to change your way. Put your weight on it.

Frankly, I was expecting more of an officer-enlisted man type of relationship.

How am I doing?

Just keep pushing.

Do you find keeping things on a more or less equal footing improves

your working relationship with the Sergeant?

Let me see if I can explain it to you, Floyd. I don't like Micklin

and he doesn't like me.

But I need him to keep my plane flying.

He doesn't need me for anything.

That's why I try and show him a little respect.

That was good. Keep the weight on it.

Okay, you'll tell me when to stop?

lwill. Little more pressure.

That's it. 380.

Micklin!

What?

Come on, let's get this thing finished.

What's the rush, Major?

That rice ball's just gonna put you and the airplane under water.

Sarge, I don't need to hear that kind of negative attitude out of you.

It ain't no negative attitude. It's the truth.

Look, I'm asking you nicely.

I been thinking about it.

You want that plane in the air?

Then you're gonna settle with me.

Ain't nobody around. We can take care of it right here.

Sarge, we haven't got time for that.

I got all the time in the world.

I gotta take on the hottest pilot in the Slot this afternoon.

Now if you don't mind, I'd just as soon not have to do it with sore ribs.

You're admitting I can take you?

You can't take me, Sergeant,

but you might do a little damage, that I'll admit.

I'll do more then a little damage, Major.

l'll fix your face so you can wear it inside out.

And I won't use no sucker punches.

Micklin, you get me up in the air this afternoon with an airplane

that's ready for combat, and when get back you'll get your chance.

You ain't coming back this afternoon.

(GUN FIRING)

GREG: Black Sheep were flying without me.

We'd been pounding the airfield on Bougainville for months.

It was almost routine for us.

Gutterman was in command while I was trying to get my airplane fixed.

We're coming up on angels thirty.

Heading ought to be three-one-three.

Hey, Gutterman, where's that tail-wind Greg promised us?

ldon't know, Larry.

Why don't you go up to 35,000.

Boyle, you drop down to 25,000. See if you can find it.

On my way.

Roger.

Micklin! Check the rudder cables, will you?

They're all right. They're loose, damn it!

They're supposed to be loose, Major.

Not that loose!

You're scared. The rudder's fine. Get out of my way.

You ever fly one a these planes?

You kidding? I'm a mechanic.

You fix a truck, you test drive it, right?

You fly them, I fix them.

Sergeant! Sir?

Get a couple of Mae Wests and take them

over to that S.N.J.

Now wait a minute.

Major.

Thanks.

It goes under your crotch

and buckles back here, Sarge. Get away from me!

Sorry!

I ain't going up in this thing. You can forget it, Boyington.

l'll bust you back to private, Micklin. I gave you an order.

You can hang your orders on your ears. I ain't flying with you.

You afraid of flying, Sarge?

Sonny, you're gonna watch the rest of this war from a hospital bed.

Lots of people are afraid of flying. It's nothing to be ashamed of.

You're all pale. Maybe you better sit down.

The day I'm scared of you or anything you do...

Yeah? That day ain't never coming.

Good. Then let's go.

All buckled up, Sarge?

Gotta make a head call or anything.

Let's get this over with!

You're gonna love it.

Put your helmet on.

I got it.

Now put your hand on the stick.

If you want to go down,

push the stick forward.

Try that.

Forward. Not to the right!

Fun, huh?

I'm down below a hundred gallons.

Me, too.

Let's try it at 15 angels and keep it lean.

We may need some reserves if we run into Zekes.

Now ease the rudder to starboard.

Now snap it back to portside, all the way.

You see how slushy that feels?

The cables ought to be tighter.

You gotta tighten the cables down.

ltell you, there's nothing wrong with it. It goes where it's supposed to go.

I'm telling you, it's too slushy.

Hey. Where are we?

I don't know.

Where's the island?

Back there somewhere.

Those college boys due back from the mission anytime soon?

About half an hour. I think we're in trouble.

What?

I may not fly them, but I can recognize them. Those are Zekes.

(GUNS FIRING)

Micklin! Let go of the stick!

Take your hands offthe stick!

Black Sheep Six, Black Sheep Six.

T.J..' Jim? You hear that?

BOYLE: Sounds like Pappy! Shut up!

GREG: You read me, Black Sheep Six?

Greg? Is that you?

Jim! Where are you?

About 15 minutes out ofLa Cava.

Can you get over here and bail me out?

I'm somewhere between home and the Treasury Islands.

lgot two Zekes chewing on me.

GUTTERMAN: What are you flying? An airplane, you idiot.

Keep away from them, Greg!

We're on our way!

I got 95 pounds of fuel left. Anybody with less, go home.

I got 110. Follow me.

(GUNS FIRING)

Boyington, you get us out ofthis alive, I'm gonna kill you!

Here they come!

He's flying a trainer. That means he's unarmed.

Come on, college boys!

Greg come around to starboard and head for the deck!

We made it, Sarge!

MAN: Hey, Sarge.

How'd you like it, Sarge? Pretty exciting up there, huh?

Drinks are on me.

College boys to the rescue, right, Micklin?

How about that?

That was one we can tell our grandchildren.

Hey.

(DOG BARKING)

What was that all about?

It's all right. He hates to fly.

l tightened down your rudder cables, Major.

I gave it a pre-flight.

She won't act up on you.

Thanks, Andy.

You let anything happen to that bird, you'll answer to me.

I've spent too much time working on it.

T.J.: I been thinking about the way he flies.

When he rolls to the left, he almost always goes into a dive.

That's how he got behind Gutterman.

I've watched him fly, too.

What I'm trying to say is, keep on his port side. I think it disorients him.

Will you leave the man alone?

Just be careful of him, Greg, all right?

What're you guys worried about? I got Tommy's number.

You'll take him easy, Pappy.

You know, I think one of us ought to go up with you.

You could by flying into a trap.

Listen, this is between Harachi and me.

He sees more than one Corsair,

he'll run

and I don't want him flying over this island tomorrow afternoon saying,

"Come on up, Boyington."

Just don't let him suckeryou, Pappy.

You can always come back and get him tomorrow.

Will you relax? I got it covered.

Good luck, Pappy.

See you in a couple of hours.

Give him my best as he's going down.

Take care, Greg.

Hey, Tommy.

You up here?

Right behind you, Boyington.

Let's get this over with!

(GUN FIRING)

GREG: Harachi had got me.

But I had hoped I could keep my plane in the air.

I knew he'd try and finish me off

so I tried the oldest trick in the book.

l chopped my power, went to full flap, dropped my air speed

and let him overshoot me. I wasn't finished yet.

You're all through, Tommy. Hit the drink!

You too, I think, Boyington.

Nothing doing. I'm gonna nurse it back.

See you in the water, Major.

(BIRDS CHIRPING)

Black Sheep One to Vella La Cava.

Black Sheep One to Vella La Cava.

Black Sheep One, this is La Cava. You're loud and clear.

Larry, I'm down.

I'm on the southeast tip ofthe Nitaki lsland.

Roger, Greg. l'll contact Air Sea Rescue.

Let's pre-arrange pick-up points. Over.

1800 hours.

Copy. 1800 hours

offthe southeast tip.

lfthere's a change, we'll contact you on this frequency at 1750.

He got you, huh?

We got each other.

Out.

What was it? 1800 hours offthe southeast tip. MAN: Yeah.

Hey, rice ball.

You on this rock, Tommy?

(RADIO BUZZING)

Hey, Tommy.

Hey, Tommy.

I'm in tree over your head, Boyington.

There isn't any tree over my head.

Tommy, I got you.

Then how come you sitting in the sand now?

Where are you?

Hey, Boyington.

What you say we go somewhere on this island, you and me.

I saw a beach on the east end.

I saw it, too.

You bring any rice wine?

You got American chocolate?

Yeah.

Where's the rice wine?

What you think, Boyington?

lthink next time, I'm gonna get you.

My submarine comes after dark.

We will meet again. Maybe tomorrow.

I had you, you know that?

No, you didn't, Boyington.

This time, no winner.

But one day one of us will win

and the other will be very sad.

NEWSREEL NARRATOR.’ The Marine Corps honors its best!

VMF 214, called the Black Sheep,

and under the leadership of Major Pappy Boyington,

has been named the best combat squadron in the Pacific Theater.

With more air victories to its credit than any other squadron,

the 214 will be considered a model unit

for other squadrons to pattern after.

After extensive study of the Black Sheep's methods,

the Marine Corps has reiterated the secrets of the 214's success.

Discipline, teamwork,

and a spit-and-polish operation from beginning to end.

With inspired leadership and a dedication

to the ideals that have made the Marine Corps strong,

the Black Sheep have set an example for fighting men all over the world

and shown all our soldiers what it takes to be the best!