"November, 1944" "Peleliu was an American victory," "But it came at great cost." "The 1st marine division lost more than 1/3 of their men," "Suffering over 6,500 casualties." "On Peleliu we" "We were..." "What I would call a bunch of raggedy-ass marines" "When that battle was over." "Ultimately general Macarthur" "Would not use Peleliu in retaking the Philippines." "Nor was the island ever used" "For any future operations." "Few would hear of the fierce battle fought on Peleliu." "Peleliu was a forgotten battle." "And I want it to be known that there was a battle there" "And it was an s.O.B." "For every marine that was on there." "By February of 1945," "U.S. Forces were converging on a tiny island" "Only 660 miles from the Japanese mainland." "Iwo Jima" "Eight square miles of volcanic rock and Ash." "But it held an airfield vital" "To the planned invasion of mainland Japan." "We knew as marines if we landed on that island" "That if we didn't get killed we could win that war." "But I was scared, yes." "To be perfectly honest about it, everybody was." "I don't know anybody that could claim they weren't scared." "30,000 marines landed on the beaches of Iwo Jima." "It was the only battle in the war" "Where American casualties outnumbered the Japanese." "A lot of good marines got killed there." "I think I was blessed by getting wounded 'cause I probably wouldn't be here today" "If I had stayed on." "'cause there aren't many of us that got out." "It's a hell of a lot easier to raise money when there's a face behind it" "And a heroic story attached to it like yours." "I don't feel like a hero, sir." "What kind of man would risk his life" "Running much needed ammunition" "Back and forth to his buddies on the front line?" " John!" " A fighting man like no other." " Sergeant John Basilone." "You have no idea what's coming at you." "Better keep your head down." "You can't dwell on it." "You can't dwell on any of it." "Sniper got the Skipper." " Captain Haldane?" " Ack Ack's dead." "You've gotta take more salt than this." "You're just depleting yourself, all right?" "Are my eyes yellow?" "Why would your eyes be yellow?" "Come on, your old man's a doctor." "Look at my eyes." "Give it a rest, snafu." "Seriously." "I'm getting that yellow jaundice" "That's been going around." "I know it." "The heebie-jeebies." "It's hepatitis and you don't have it." "I'll catch a fever then turn inside out" "Through my asshole like Carson in love company." "Come on, look at my eyes." " I'm dying, sledge." " Hey." "Hey." "Check out my eyes, Jay." "They look yellow?" "I just got transferred out of king." "What?" "Where?" "Headquarters company." "It'll be all right, Jay." "Shit." "You're just down the road." "Yeah, I'm just down the road." "Least I can do is buy you guys a drink at the slop shoot." "This is NBC," "The national broadcasting company." "Carlo works at a camouflage factory" "And Angelo is a fireman at an army depot" "In their home of Raritan, New Jersey." "Well, you brothers have a lot to talk over." "What do you say, Carlo?" "Well, for one thing, I'd like to be out there fighting with Johnny," "Instead of making camouflage paint." "That's where you're wrong, Carlo." "Some guys have to fight, sure," "But some guys have to give us the stuff to fight with." "I'll never forget that day you left for overseas." "Johnny, remember?" "All of us kids at mom's house," "And after putting away all that grub." "Ha-ha, that's right." "You got up to go" "And all you said was, "goodbye, folks." "Be seeing you in the funnies."" " And that's just what happened." " Yeah, sure sure." "Go ahead, Johnny." "Tell us about the night you killed all those Japs." "Remember?" "You were out in the jungle, standing guard from 8:00 till midnight." " It was raining." " It had stopped raining." "My guns began throwing a lot of stuff" "And plenty of stuff was coming back." "I was in charge of two sections of heavy machine guns." "While the enemy was hammering out our defensive positions," "We fought valiantly to check the savage and determined assault." " The fierce frontal attack" " Oh, this is good." " That's right." "Can I have some more?" "Yeah, dad, I was so nervous." "I've never been more nervous." "Let me tell you." "Hey, sweetheart, I was good though." "I sounded like a movie star, right?" "I don't know." "I was shaking like a leaf." "Of course, pa." "Of course." "Moses said I sounded like a movie star." "That's me, right?" "I sound like that too, pa- the voice of an angel." "Oh, Johnny, we're so proud of you." "Ma, all I do is dress up and say what they tell me." "Well, everyone in America knows the family name" " Because of you, Johnny." "That's right." "I don't want everyone to know me." "But they do," "Because you're so special." "Hey, I get free drinks because of my hero brother." " How about that, huh?" " That's right." " I love that, Johnny." " Yeah, me too." " This looks great, ma." "What's the matter?" "It smells good, ma." "Thanks, ma." " What did I say?" " Mom, he just needs some time." "That's all." "What can I do for you?" "Sir, I joined the corps" "Because I knew the marines were gonna be the ones" "Who went in first and the hardest," "And that's how it worked out." "But I've been back more than a year, sir." "I've done what the corps asked me to do." "Well, that you have, John." "Well, I see your enlistment's up in six months." "I'll tell you what" " I'll push through your discharge," " Let you go home now." " No, sir, that's not what I mean." "My home is the corps." "I just can't push pencils anymore." "Please, let me go back and train the new kids," "Let me help them the way I know how." "Sergeant Basilone," "You make me proud to be a ma." "Thank you, sir." "Sergeant Basilone." "They brought you back after Guadalcanal?" "Yes, sir." "I was at Tarawa." "No war bond drive for me though." "I guess it's good to have another combat veteran training." "Where's the rest of the company?" "I'm told they're coming in three days-- a week." "What would you like to to do until then, Captain?" "Take it easy." "Put your feet up." "Whatever you want." "Company!" "Fall in on your racks!" "Shit." " Names." " Tatum, Charles!" "Private first class!" "Evanson, Steve!" "Private first class!" "Well, Tatum, Evanson," "Why do I find you in your racks in the middle of the day?" "We've had no orders, sergeant." "So you've been doing what you've been told to do" " Nothing." " Aye, sergeant." "As of now you are the first machine-gun squad" "In b company's weapons platoon." "Fall in for p.T., five-mile run." " Three minutes." " Aye, sergeant!" "that's John Basilone." "Who the hell is John Basilone?" "Jesus." "Do you live in a cave?" "The guy killed like 1,000 Japs on the canal." "The president gave him a medal." "He's a hero." "Let's go!" "Let's go!" "Move!" "Move your ass!" "You've got to go faster than that!" "The Japs are killing your buddies!" "Get up that net!" "Move!" "1500 marines waiting to follow you down that net!" "The sea is pitching and rolling." "It's not steady like this." "Now we're doing the range at 1400." "Go draw your weapons and stand by to move." "Aye, gunny." "The Jap banzai charge is right there!" "They're coming, damn it!" "Hurry!" "You drop that gun, I'll make you carry it" "For one solid month." "Teamwork is the key to the marine corps machine-gun squad!" " Set that pin on the tripod." " Shit." "Get that gun out of the dirt!" "Sorry, gunny." "You drop your rifle in a firefight, you die, Tatum!" "Drop that machine gun, fumble with a belt," "Your buddies die!" "Do you understand?" "Aye, gunny." "You cannot fuck this up, ever." "Lives depend on it." " Is that clear?" " Aye, gunny." "Break it down." "Do it again." " Hey, Greg?" " How you doing, John?" "How's the chow, boys?" " Sorry." "You stupid" " Good hands!" "Good hands!" " Lend him a hand." " Go on, get yourself some more." " Yes, sergeant." "Come on, move it." " V.I.P. On deck." " Who?" "That gunny with the ocean of hair." "It's John Basilone." "Oh, and he looks even better in person." "Oh, and here he comes." "Can I give you a hand?" "We've got it under control." "Are you sure about that?" "Do you see these stripes?" "I'm an n.C.O. Just like you." "I have work to do." " What's her name?" " Sergeant Lena Riggi." "I'm Lucy." "You know, every Friday" "Us girls catch the 6:00 train to L.A.," "Just in case you're interested." " Sergeant Riggi." " Yes." "I'm assuming that's Italian, right?" "here it comes." ""I'm Italian." "You're Italian."" "Hey, we're both probably related to Joe DiMaggio." ""Oh." "You know, I know where we can get the best lasagna in the city."" "I could go for some good lasagna." "look." "L.A. Is full of girls for a guy like you." "You'll do fine." "Happy hunting, sergeant." " Sergeant." " Gunny." " If that's all right with you." " Sergeant Basilone." " Yeah." " That's right." "That's-- oh, really?" "This is so nice." "I love it here." "To better days." "Hey." "Boy, it's true what they say about you." "You get shot down, you keep coming back." "What?" "Everybody comes to the Biltmore, don't they?" "There's another medal in your future" " If you can get us a table." " How long have you been waiting for?" "We gave up waiting." "It's like this every liberty." "Well, I'll see what I can do." "And what would that be, exactly?" "Making a table appear out of thin air?" "They know me." " Oh, hey." " Big shot here thinks he can get us a table." " I want to make him prove it." " No." "You go." "I'm thinking of joining the Navy." "Looks like it'll just be the two of us." "This place is bigger than the house I grew up in." "Yeah, I never ask for it," "But they always put me up in the presidential suite." "And I'm supposed to be impressed?" "That's why you arranged all this?" "To impress me before we get down to business?" "Business?" "Exploring the bedsheets together." "No." "Well, that's standard operating procedure for you, isn't it?" "No." "Not anymore." "You know, I saw you once at the brown derby." "Me and the girls were waiting to get in" "When you arrived with one of those blonde starlets on your arm." "There you went, right to the front of the line," "And everyone was saying, "ooh." "Ah." "There goes John Basilone, the hero of Guadalcanal."" "I was still there when out you came," "A brunette starlet on your arm," "And back into the same limousine." "And everyone said, "ooh." "Ah." "There goes John Basilone," ""The hero of Guadalcanal."" "You ever make it inside?" "I had a shrimp cocktail and a coke just before they closed the joint." "Gunnery sergeant Basilone, dinner was delicious." " Thank you." " You barely touched it." "Did I do something wrong?" "This is nothing but steaks and conversation." "I am now going to Turin." " Turn in?" " We girls all share a room," "Fight over the bathroom in the morning." "Tell the chef the Caesar salad was excellent." "The porterhouse is a little tough." "Lena," "If I did something stupid, I'm sorry." "You didn't do anything a million other guys haven't done." "You just did it in a nicer room." " Left right left." " Left right left." " Left right left." " Left right left." "Gunnery sergeant Basilone, sir." "Stand at ease." "I'm lieutenant Sohn." "I'll be replacing Captain Le Francois," "Who went AWOL while on liberty." "How are the men shaping up?" "All two of them?" "The rest of the company comes in today from mainside." "They'll be pretty green, gunny." "Don't worry sir." "I'll take care of that." "Well, you haven't got much time." "Your enlistment runs out in..." "July." "I've been in eight years" "Four with the doggies," "Four in the corps." "I understand." "Get across that water!" "Get up that tower!" " Go!" " Get off my wall, marine!" "Get off!" "One more time!" "Up that cargo net!" "Now!" "Keep moving, boy!" "What is this, a mob?" "!" "In formation, two ranks behind me." " Oh, come on." "Move your ass!" "Let's go." "All right." " Okay, that's the last of the butter." " 26 lbs." "Private Dowling, grab a hand truck and get those sacks of rice." " Got it?" " Grab those from the bottom." "All perishables go in the reefer." "All right." "Sergeant Riggi." "Gunny Basilone." "This may not be appropriate, but" "Hold on." "Just a couple more and we'll have all this cleared out." "Uh, I would be happy" "If you would allow me to take you out for a proper dinner." " When?" " Friday night," "A place I know just off the base" " A restaurant." " Clancy's?" " So you know it too." " Nice place, but no." "Friday's no good for me." "I have orders" "A big banquet for the officers." " Maybe some other time?" " How about breakfast?" "Tomorrow morning." "The k.P. Reports 0530." "I show 0500." "Show up a little earlier, I'll make you French toast." "Every marine out of those racks and on my deck!" "Get your ass up!" "You've got five seconds!" " Five seconds!" "Up up!" " Let's go!" " Move your ass!" "Get up!" "Move!" "Don't you eyeball me!" "You stand at attention!" "And how come we're the only ones running like this?" " Every damn morning." " To make us the best." "Oh, shut up." "I'm so sick of this shit." "I just want to get out there and slap a Jap." "What did you say?" "I said I want to slap a Jap, gunny." ""slap a Jap"?" "Well, how about it, boys?" "I bet you all want to do more than slap a Jap." "Yes, gunny!" ""slap a Jap."" "That's what the enemy is to you, huh?" "A fucking bucktoothed cartoon dreamed up" "By some asshole on Madison Avenue to sell soap." "Well, let me tell you something." "The Jap I know," "The Japanese soldier," "He has been at war" "Since you were in fucking diapers!" "He's a combat veteran," "An expert with his weapon." "He can live off of maggoty rice" "And muddy water for weeks and endure misery" "You couldn't dream up in your worst nightmare!" "The Japanese soldier doesn't care if he gets hurt or killed," "As long as he kills you." "Now you can call them whatever you want," "But never ever fail" "To respect their desire to put you and buddies into an early grave!" " Is that clear?" "!" " Yes, gunny!" "Why aren't you in your full packs?" "Gear up!" "10-mile run in formation" "In two minutes!" "You're gonna enjoy this." "Almost ready." "Pretty fancy for 0500." "You strike me as an Italian mama's boy," "Worshipped and pampered just like my brothers." "I wanted to make you feel at home." "Well..." "I was told" "At a very early age I was the best thing" "Since sliced capicola." "And there's enough for seconds." " You'll want seconds." " This is good." "when I first got here, the coffee was dreadful." "How a marine mess can serve bad coffee is beyond me." "I can't live without it." "The best coffee I ever had was on Guadalcanal" "The morning after the battle." " I know the story." " Not this part." "We stole some coffee from the doggies when they came ashore." "Liberated some hooch from their officers too." "Anyway, the morning after the battle," "My guys cooked up the coffee over a fire of green coconut logs." "There wasn't any part of me that didn't hurt" "Burns on my hands," "Ears still ringing from the shelling." "But when they handed me that cup of coffee," "I never tasted anything so good." "Not that I don't appreciate this." "What was the best cup of coffee you ever had?" "My parents were real traditional." "I was supposed to get married and give them grandkids." "So when I announced that I'd joined the marines," "There was a lot of yelling and crying" "And finally my father just stopped talking to me," "Cut me out of t family." "A year later I got my stripes." "I went home to see my mom, my brothers." "I was sitting in this diner" "And my pop walked in," "Sat down beside me." "He ordered two cups of coffee" "And he put the milk and one sugar in for me." "That was the best I ever had." "It's incredible what can happen over a cup of coffee." "My enlistment's up in July." "I don't know what I'm gonna do." "You're gonna take a discharge and you're gonna go home." "I should be looking forward to my freedom," "But I can't imagine it." "I love the marines." "You do too." "I love everything about it." "I can't imagine being anywhere or doing anything else." " Lena." " Yeah?" "You might hear this all the time," "But you're the most beautiful woman I've ever seen." "No." "I don't hear that very often." "Must be the uniform." "I could use a coffee." " Shh, she's with the movie star." " Interesting." " Yeah." " Look at gunny." "A little early morning." " Clear!" " Clear." "Tatum, Evanson, set it up." "Two short bursts, 85 rounds." "Ready!" "Gun set." "Fire!" "That's good." "Nice." "Listen up!" "This is a bale." "It'll make it easier to carry the gun with a hot barrel." "You won't burn your hands." "Now it's not made for its stability and accuracy" "But if you're in a pinch," "You can shoot and move with this." "Let me show you." "I couldn't hit the side of a barn with that thing." "You'd better start practicing." "Yeah." "It's gorgeous." "Come on, let's go in the water." " No." " Come on, come on." " No, I'm not going in that water." " Come on." " No way." " No!" " I'll get you." "I'm not gonna have you drown." "No, put me down." " Put me down." " We're going in." "No!" "oh, my hat." "My hat." "My" "I'll get it." "John, you're crazy." "Ah!" "I got it!" "Oh no." "Oh no, you don't." "Don't you dare." "Attention on deck!" "Stand easy." "Gentlemen, the 5th division will ship out very soon" "For action in the Pacific theater of war." "We won't know our destination until we're well underway." "But wherever we go," "We will see the job through." " Am I clear?" " Yes, sir!" "I have some more good news." "Gunnery sergeant John Basilone" "Has decided that home can wait." "He will be joining us." "Carry on, gunny." "Atten-hut!" "At ease." " So is anybody scared?" " No, sir." " I said is anybody scared?" " No, sergeant!" "You lying sacks of shit." "It's good to be scared." "It means you're awake," "You're ready." "Company dismissed." "You ready?" "You scared?" " It's not ready yet." " Oh, okay." "Can I have a bowl this time?" "She's back there." "Lena?" " Hey." " Hey to you." "Out with it." " Out with what?" " Whatever grim tidings" "You men carry around with you like rock sacks." "I've shipped over." "I've re-enlisted." "I see." "They can ship me out whenever they want." "So if you're looking for something else," "Somebody in a different line of work," "Tell me now." "That sounds like an ultimatum." " I'm just saying" " Look." "I'm in for the duration plus six months." "I know how it goes, sergeant." "So?" "Where do we go from here?" "Congratulations!" "Stay there." "I'm gonna take a photo." "You look so beautiful." "Lucy, let me get a shot." "No, you stay there." "I want to take it." "No, I want a shot of Lena alone in that dress." "Look here, darling." "Try not to blush." "I feel like a paratrooper." " I don't know why I wore this dress." " You look beautiful!" "Be-Au-ti-ful!" "Okay, John, go pose with your wife." "Let's make it official." "Whoo!" "Now kiss her like you mean it." "I can do that!" "Don't you touch me." "Hold it." "Wait." "What?" "Go stand over there." "Take your clothes off." "What?" "Do it." "John, what have we done?" "We've gone respectable." "You know..." "I woke up one day" "And I was 30 years old." "Satisfied." "Then you walk into my mess hall," "And look at me now." "Just wait and see." " We're gonna have six kids." " That's a lot of kids." "You should have come around 10 years ago." "Little boys for you to pamper," "And little girls for me to drive crazy." "I'd like that so much." "This is yours now." "I want you to wear it." " You want some food?" " Dear God, yes." "Let me see what I can rustle up." "What?" "Look at me!" "I said look at me!" "You want to live?" "Get off the beach." "Move!" "Help, help me." "help me!" "Corpsman!" "I need a corpsman!" "Move it back." "Get off the beach!" "Keep moving." "Keep moving." "Don't stop." "Keep moving!" "Get off the beach." "Keep moving." "Off the beach!" "Get up!" "Move!" " Someone help me!" "Help him back." "Off the beach!" "Off the beach, get off!" "Evanson, Tatum, let's go." "Get the fuck off the beach, you sons-of-bitches!" "Set that fucker up here." "Move!" "We gotta kill the bunker." "Get me a rabbit team." "Get your charges ready to move." "Captain, up here!" "Aim for the gunport." "Short bursts." "Go go!" "Keep firing!" "It's jammed." "Pegg!" "All right, gunny!" "Go, move forward!" "Further up!" "Here!" "Let's go!" "Go go go go go!" "Fire in the hole!" "Let's go, let's go!" " Get in, get it." " On me!" "Flamethrower u" "Move!" " Go go." " Come on." "Tatum!" "Take out that machine gun and set up position!" "Tatum, clear the back line!" "Hold your fire." "Go go go!" "Stay low, stay low!" " Those are ours!" "Tatum, set the gun up there!" "They're firing for the Ridge." "Go go!" "Move move move!" "Down low." "Steve, Steve, lower!" "Do not leave this position come hell or high water." " Do you understand?" " Aye, gunny." "You tell that tank to follow me!" " Aye aye." " Move!" "Let's go!" "The rest of you, grab as much ammo as you can find" " And get off the beach!" " Aye, gunny" "We're fucked." "What are we gonna do?" "Get that gun over here!" " Move!" " Get down!" "Go!" "Come on, let's go!" "Move!" "Move!" "Japs are fightin' for their own turf now." "Every damn foot we go South," "They'll get meaner and meaner." "Wait." "Wait till they're close." "You better get mean too." "I thought it'd be different." "Different from what?" "Books you read?" "Movies you saw?" "I told you to cease fire." "You're supposed to be observing." "We're all sent here to kill Japs, weren't we?" "Can't surrender?" "I hope they don't."