"Hello there, captain." "You know the chief of BuAir, I understand." " Admiral Gray." " How about this picture, Pug?" "Like it?" "It's fine, sir." "Of course, I'm a sucker for sea scenes." "So am I, but do you know he's got the rigging wrong?" "What about that, Pug?" "All the man had to do was paint a sailing ship." "That was his whole job and he got the rigging wrong." "Well, that thing isn't gonna hang in here." "Well, Talbot, what about it?" "Are we gonna put Pug Henry to work on that little thing?" "Will he do?" "If you assign Pug Henry to paint a square rigger, Mr. President, you might not recognize it, but he'd get the rigging right." " A Naval aviator would be a far more..." " We went through all that." "Pug, I assume somebody competent is tending shop for you in Berlin?" " Yes, sir." " All right, Talbot." "Henry, see me tomorrow morning at 8." " Aye, aye, sir." " Mr. President." "That painting isn't going to end up in here, either." "It's going into the cellar." "Oh, just put the papers on the table, Felix, and thank you." "Thank you, Mr. President." "Well, how was the wedding, Pug?" "Did your boy get himself a pretty bride?" "Yes, sir, ravishing." "Imagine, a son of yours marrying Ike Lacouture's daughter." " Good afternoon, Franklin." " Just in time." "Hello there, doggy." "Hey, fella." " This is the famous Pug Henry, dear." " Oh, what a pleasure." "Captain, are you surprised at the way the war is going?" "Well, ma'am, in Berlin, they thought the Western campaign would be short." "Back in January, the war contracts had a terminal date of July 1st." "They were sure that by then it'd be over." "That fact was never brought to my attention." "That's extremely interesting." "Why are the British putting up such a poor show?" "Well, the French army collapsed on their flank, ma'am." "The British either had to fall back to the sea or surrender." "This is an excellent martini, Mr. President." "It sort of tastes like it's not there at all, just a cold cloud." "You just described the perfect martini." "You've made his day." "Pug will the British hold out if France quits?" "I don't know much about the British, sir." "Would you like to go there for a spell as a Naval observer?" "Possibly after you've had a month or so back in Berlin?" "Mr. President is there any chance of my not going back to Berlin?" " You go back there, Pug." " Aye, aye, sir." "You'll get your sea command in due course." "Yes, sir." "Will you be taking your wife back with you?" "No, she'll be staying here." "She and my daughter are getting an apartment in New York." "At some point I'd like your impression of London." "There's the question of helping the British." "Franklin, you know you're going to help the British." "Captain Henry here doesn't know it yet, but he's gonna be in charge of getting rid of those old, useless surplus Navy dive-bombers." "We badly need a housecleaning there." "Is that definite at last?" "How wonderful." "Of course, that may be the end of me, if word gets out." "Pug, what's your guess on that one?" "Is that "man in the White House"" "going to break George Washington's rule and try for a third term?" "What I do know, sir, is that for the next four years this country is going to need a very strong commander in chief." "A politician exhausts his welcome after a while, Pug." "Like an actor who's been on too long." "The goodwill ebbs away and he loses his audience." "However..." "That Sumner Welles thing didn't come to anything, Pug, but our conscience is clear." "We made the effort." "You were very helpful." "Thank you, sir." "Goodbye, Pug." "Goodbye, Mr. President." "Goodbye, Mrs. Roosevelt." "Oh, a quarter to 1." "That show was even longer than it seemed." "How about a drink?" "If I'm gonna search New York courthouses tomorrow for Aaron's documents, I probably better get some sleep." "Let me see his letter again." "Why don't you mix us a couple shorties?" "All right." "You know, Aaron is in hot water on two counts." "First there's this about his father's naturalization." "If Aaron wasn't actually a minor at the time his father was naturalized, then Aaron isn't a citizen, technically." "Never has been one." "Even if he is a citizen..." "I mean, even if he was a citizen, he's been out of the country more than five years." "I told him he should come back, stay a few months." "I've just seen too many passport messes crop up on this one point." "I think the best thing now, by far, is to have the secretary of state drop a little note to Rome." "Therefore, there's not much point in nosing around Bronx courthouses." "I'll get on this first thing in the morning." "If I'm gonna hang around Washington, we're gonna have to get me a hotel room." "I'm not gonna stay here after tonight." "I feel pretty peculiar about it as it is." "I was on the phone for more than an hour." "There's not a room to be had." "Washington in May is impossible." "If Byron finds out, God help us." " Will he believe I slept on the couch?" " He's just gonna have to." "Leslie?" "Can you get me permission to go to Italy?" "The State Department is advising Americans to leave Italy, I told you." "But if I don't go back, Aaron won't come home!" "I don't think you're going to Italy to help Aaron." "Not really." "I think you're running away." "Because you're in way over your head with your submarine boy and you don't know what on earth to do about it." "My, aren't you the clever one." "I leave in the morning, Slote, if I have to stay at the YWCA." "Good night." "Yes?" "Open up." "Hi." "Something on your mind?" "Care for a nightcap?" "Why, Slote, it's after 2:00 in the morning." "Don't you ever sleep?" "All right." "I'm wide awake anyway." "My, how cozy this is." "A fire and everything." "Come here." "That was a very mean crack about Byron." "Wasn't it the truth?" "If we're playing the truth game, isn't it a lot simpler now for Foreign Service officers to have Jewish wives, now that the Nazis are beyond the pale?" "That never once occurred to me." "It didn't have to occur to you." "Listen, Leslie, you can feed me stiff highballs and play "This Can't Be Love"" "and all that, but would you really want me to invite you into the bedroom?" "Honestly, that would be a sluttish thing for me to do." "I don't feel like it." "I'm in love with someone else." "You're too damned explicit, Natalie." "You always have been." "It's coarse in a girl." "You said that the first time I proposed to you, sweetie." "I hate to bring this up again, but I must go back to Italy and get Aaron out." "Honestly, I feel horrible about my father." "He was worrying about Aaron the very day he died." "I must bring him home safe." "All right." "I'll arrange it, if it's arrangeable." "Now we're talking." "Thanks." "My goodness, what a rich drink." "I do believe you're nothing but a wolf." "Let's see, what can I read?" "Graham Wallas." "The very man." "I shall be asleep in half an hour." "Listen to me." "I love you." "I'll love you forever and I'm gonna do everything I can to get you back." "Fair enough." "Good night." " Morning, Henry." " Sir." "Air Commodore Burne-Wilke." " Captain Henry." " Commodore." "Have some coffee." "Now, let's get at it." "Here, Chicago, St. Louis, Pensacola." "We've got 53 old-type scout bombers, SBU-1's and 2's that have been declared surplus." "Wanna get them to Chance-Vought, Stratford, Connecticut." "That's the manufacturer." "Get all US Navy markings and special equipment removed." "Our British friends will pick them up and fly them to a carrier standing off Halifax." "Now, for obvious reasons involving the Neutrality Act, this is touchy business." "The idea is to get this done without leaving a conspicuous trail" " of blood, guts and feathers." " Aye, aye, sir." "I'll put a plane at your disposal." "We have 60 pilots on hand and waiting." "How soon could we have those planes, captain?" "Day after tomorrow, late afternoon." "Would that be convenient?" "It'll take some time to get those markings off." " Day after tomorrow, you say?" " Yes." "The stragglers could come along on the deck of the next cargo ship." "Actually, we were thinking more in terms of a week from now." "We've given some of our fliers leave, and it'd require a bit of rounding up." "Thursday." "That gives you four days." "Four days?" "You do think that's feasible?" "He says so." "Well, then, I'd better get right at this one." " Admiral." "Captain Henry." " Commodore." "Day after tomorrow, eh?" "Admiral, I didn't really think that those fliers were all ready and waiting." "Well, Thursday's cutting it close enough." "Let's have some fresh coffee." "Refill, Tim." "Now, this whole thing is a subterfuge." "I suppose you grasp that." "The boss man wants it, so that's that." "But there are a few things you'd better understand." "Well?" "We count 52." "One forced down outside Nashville, busted undercarriage," " getting repaired, it'll be here at 0900." " Quite a job." "How long a drive is it to New London?" "Oh, I'd say about two and a half hours." "I got a son up there in sub school." "Think I'll pay him a visit." "Briny, my love, when you receive this letter in New London," "I ought to be in Lisbon." "I'm flying to Italy to fetch Uncle Aaron." "With luck, I'll be back in two months or less." "Don't be angry, sweetheart." "It's good for both of us to catch our breaths." "Your submarine school, and even Aaron's mess, are providential." "Your father's visit to Miami was an alarm clock, and it rang Just in time." "Weren't you having second thoughts about me at Warren's wedding?" "I saw your mother's viewpoint and quite sympathized with her." "Why on earth should her little boy want to marry this dusky old Jewess with Rhine maidens like Janice Lacouture so abundant in the United States?" "I'm not backing out, Byron." "I love you." "But a couple of months to think it over is no hardship, it's a godsend." "When I come back, if you still want me, I'm yours." "Plain enough?" "So, courage, wish me luck." "Here I go." "Love you, Natalie." " Yeah." " Ensign Henry?" " Yes, sir." " Chief Schmidt at the commandant's office." "Your father's here." "He's gone with Captain Tully to Electric Boat to inspect the Tambor." "If you wanna Join them, they're at Pier Six." "Thank you." " Not bad, Red." " I thought you'd be impressed." "Hey, Pug." "Remember that magnetic exploder you were pushing up at buord?" "She's onboard now." "Standard equipment." "Dad." "What brings you here?" "I wasn't too far from here." "I thought I'd mosey on over." " Have you met Byron, Red?" " Not as yet." "Welcome aboard, Byron." "Well, you're in for a rough couple of months, young man." "Well, I'll try and survive." "Let's go aft, I wanna show you this new electric drive." " It's a honey." " Right." "What the devil's the matter with you?" "You'd do well to watch your tone with your superiors, you're in the Navy." "Oh, I know I'm in the Navy." "And Natalie's gone back to Italy." " Why?" " You scared her off, saying I won't be admitted here if I was married." "She probably went back because of her uncle." "She's worried, I know." "If you hadn't come to Miami, I might be married by now." "I know that." "Possibly, I should have butted out, but the decisions you're making will shape your whole life." "I was trying to help." "Yeah, you helped." "She's gone." "And if anything happens to her over there, I'm never gonna forget it." "Hey, Pug!" "Ready to go ashore?" "This is the toughest school in the Navy." "What's past is past." "Let's get off this thing." "The retreating British expeditionary force," "England's last hope for continuing the war, the entire Belgian army, and ten divisions of the French 1st army have their backs to the Channel, surrounded on all sides by the German army." "Then, as the badly outnumbered Spitfires of the RAF battle the Luftwaffe to a standstill in the air, the British Admiralty presses into service every seaworthy vessel in English waters." "And in ten desperate days, 338,000 British and French soldiers are rescued from under the guns of the enemy." "Calling it "The Miracle of Dunkirk", Winston Churchill takes the occasion to deliver one of the most memorable orations of his remarkable career." "We shall go on to the end." "We shall fight in France." "We shall fight on the seas and oceans." "We shall fight with growing confidence and growing strength in the air!" "We shall defend our island, whatever the cost may be." "We shall fight on the beaches." "We shall fight on the landing grounds." "We shall fight in the fields and in the streets." "We shall fight in the hills." "We shall never surrender!" "But Churchill's fighting words cannot hold back Mussolini." "As the French government declares Paris an open city and flees southward and the whole French front collapses," "Italy declares war on France." "The people and the government of the United States have seen with the utmost regret and with grave disquiet, the decision of the Italian government to engage in the hostilities now raging in Europe." "I have, of course, felt it necessary, in my communications with Signor Mussolini, to express these concerns." "The government of Italy has now chosen to preserve what it terms its "freedom of action"" "and to fulfill what it states are its "promises to Germany"." "In so doing, it has manifested disregard for the rights and security of other nations, for the lives of the people of those nations which are directly threatened by this spread of the war." "On this tenth day of June, 1940, the hand that held the dagger has struck it into the back of its neighbor." "Natalie!" "How splendid!" "You made it!" "I called and called for a taxicab and when time came for my nap, none had come." "Except I had a wonderful nap." "Come on indoors, my dear, and get some refreshments." " You haven't even begun to pack!" " We'll talk over tea." " I suppose you want to wash first?" " What is the situation?" "Didn't you get word from Washington?" "We heard word from Washington." "Leslie was splendid." "Aaron, you have got to get out now." "Natalie, I have reached page 967 of the book and it's good!" "Italy is at war!" "And if the British navy blockades..." "Why don't you go upstairs and wash first." "You look positively boiled!" "You're caked in dust." "The eminent author's niece." "What a pleasure." "Please sit down." "I'm sorry I couldn't see you yesterday, but I was simply up to my ears." " It's perfectly all right." " People are scurrying home in droves, dumping everything on the consulate, and I'm up to my neck in paperwork." " Would you like some Evian water?" " No, thank you." "Well, I have to drink an awful lot of it." "Some stupid kidney thing." "My uncle is under house arrest." "No!" "The day Mussolini declared war, the police came to the villa." "He's confined to Siena, his own home, as a "stateless person of Polish origin"." "But how could they know about his little passport mess-up?" "Obviously, the police intercepted the letter you wrote." "Oh, my God, that's perfectly awful!" "Is that what happened?" "I certainly didn't have my thinking cap on when I wrote that, did I?" "How could you recommend that he apply for readmission to the United States as a refugee Jew?" "Well, I should be hung, drawn and quartered." "Frankly, Natalie, if I may call you that, I thought the visa that I'd issued him had solved everything and that I'd seen the last of the messy Jastrow case." "Well, what do we do now?" "Blessed if I know, offhand." "May I make a suggestion, Mr. Van Winaker?" "Just renew his passport, then they can't hold him." "Oh, Natalie, that is so easy to say." "People don't see the screaming directives we get, warning us against the abuse of the passport system." "People don't see the departmental circulars about consuls called home and whose careers have gone "poof' because they were loose about things." "The secretary of state himself wants Aaron cleared, you know that." "Now, let's get one thing straight." "I've received no written instructions from the secretary." "Actually, I think that time will solve your uncle's problem." "The French are asking for an armistice, and the British won't fight on for long." "They'd be mad to try." "The Luftwaffe would pound them to jelly." "No, I fear me, this round goes to Fritz." "We can't count on the war ending!" "Oh, I think you can." "I expect peace by July 1st, if not sooner." "I want to take Uncle Aaron home tomorrow!" "Please give him the passport!" "Unfortunately, my dear, it is a matter of official record in this consulate that his passport is void." "To tell you the truth, as things stand now," "Dr. Jastrow has no more claim to American citizenship, technically speaking, than Adolf Hitler does." "Now, I couldn't be sorrier, but it's my duty to tell you the law." "Seems to me it is your duty to help us, and you're doing absolutely nothing about it!" "I have a suggestion." "Now, this is off the record." "By all means, tell me." "Just go." "Now." "The Italians are so sloppy." "Just get on the first boat or bus and leave." "Nobody's watching your uncle." " But won't they ask for an exit permit?" " It's a trivial formality, dear." "Say, "Oh, I lost it," and fumbling for it, you reach into your bag and happen to take out a few thousand lire and put them on the table." "It's custom of the country, you understand." "I'd rather go to the consul general in Rome and tell him that you are deliberately thwarting the desires of the secretary of state!" "Well, that's certainly your privilege." "I'm prepared to take the consequences, but not of breaking the law." "Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm rather busy." "Oh, Mr. Van Winaker, I'm so terribly sorry." "I've been traveling for two straight weeks and I've just lost my father, and I'm just not in the best shape." "I'm terribly troubled about my uncle." "I entirely understand, Natalie." "I tell you what." "I'll comb his file again." "Believe me, there's nothing I'd like better than to see your uncle go." "You will find a way to get him his passport?" "I'll give it my serious attention." "You have my promise." "Come back in a week." "Send in the next person, Myrna." "Paris falls, and Hitler's legions enter the City of Light." "Two days later, the French government sues for peace." "What does it say?" ""Here, on the 11th of November, 1918," ""succumbed the criminal pride of the German Empire," ""vanquished by the free peoples which it tried to enslave."" "Have it blown up." "Early in his rise to power," "Hitler vowed to erase the shame of November 1918, at the place where the years of Germany's suffering had begun." "He has kept his promise." "It is his towering moment." "Read the terms." "No, Natalie, I just heard from Byron." "He's received no letters." "I must have written a dozen." "What should I tell him?" "My letters go through the diplomatic pouch." "That I'm fine." "That I miss him terribly." "He expected you back by now." "There are problems." "Tell him not to worry." "They'll all straighten out." "When does he finish that school?" "In December, if they don't throw him out first." "They won't." "Anyway, I'll be back long before then." "Tell him that." "And that I love him." "The war's going really badly, isn't it?" "Well, the British claim to be hanging on in that air battle." "Do you think that the Germans will invade England soon?" "Here in Berlin, the Germans believe that the Luftwaffe will finish off England in about two weeks." "Goodbye, Natalie." "Goodbye, Captain Henry." "Dear Pug:" "CNO says you're a long-time booster of radar." "The British are secretly reporting to us an extraordinary success in their air battle of something called "RDF"." "How about going there for a look as we discussed?" "You'll get dispatch orders, and our friends will be expecting you." "London should be interesting now, if a bit warm." "Let me know if you think too warm for us to give them 50 destroyers." " Blinker." " Welcome to London, Pug." "How the devil do you keep looking so fit?" "It's good tennis weather." "I play every day." "Really?" "Some war you've got here." "Oh, the war." "It's going on up there somewhere." "The Germans haven't dropped anything on London." "You see contrails." "You know the fighters are mixing it up close by." "Otherwise, you listen to the BBC for the knockdown reports." "Damn strange war." "Come on, I'll drive you to town." "We keep an apartment off Grosvenor Square for important visitors like you." " How's the family, Blinker?" " Fine." "But they're not here." "Oh, London's one hell of a town, Pug." "It's not easy to get lonely here." "I've even got a bit of the aristocracy feeling sorry for me." "How's this one:" "Lady Maude, without her lord, and a hell of a wine cellar," " and a lot of friends." " No, thanks, Blinker." "Sure, Pug." "Just trying to be helpful." " How's Rhoda?" " Fine." "The limeys will be in touch with you next." "This is the end of the line for me, until I can be of service to you, one way or another." "OK, Pug, if you'll hang on, I'll get your bags organized and pick you up." "Hello." "Hello, Pamela Tudsbury." "You're here." "Pamela!" "How did you get this number?" " How did you know I was here?" " My spy in your embassy." "Your father's in Washington." "I listen to his broadcasts." "I abandoned him." "I was choking on all the bloody steaks and ice cream there." " I've joined the WAAFs." " That's wonderful." "And what are you doing here?" "Have you ever heard of a Major General Tillet?" "Our great military expert?" "Who hasn't?" "Well, I'm meeting him tomorrow." "He's showing me the war." "Is he?" "When he's taking you around, bear in mind I'm with Group Operations." " Number 11 Fighter Group." " Will do." "We'll be coming up to London next week, any chance of seeing you?" "We?" "I'm engaged." "Who's the lucky fellow?" "He's called Teddy Gallard." "Fighter pilot." "His squadron gets off ops next week, so we thought we'd come up together." " I'll be around." " Lovely." "Well, I'll call you then." "Goodbye, captain." "So glad you're here." "Goodbye, Pamela." "Looks like the Germans took a beating last night." "I told Hitler the range of the Messerschmitt 109 was far too short." "He agreed, said he'd take it up with Goering." "The thing got lost in the Luftwaffe bureaucracy." "It's a mistake to think dictators are all-powerful." "They're hobbled by paper-shuffles like all politicians." " You've met him?" " Once or twice." "I've had several sessions with him." "He's a great admirer of mine." "Or so he says." " Do you think Hitler's crazy?" " He's a split personality." "Half the time he's a reasonable, astute politician." "When he's beyond his depth, he gets mystical, pompous and silly." "All in all, I rather like the fellow." "There's an odd pathos about him." "Of course, there's nothing for it now but to finish him off." "One of our airfields back there." "Jerry did quite a job." "Caught us napping." "You're welcome to inspect the damage, but I'm thinking we go straight to the Isle of Wight." "The fat boy should be over today, so you might find Chain Home Station interesting." "Chain Home Station?" "Goering's just starting to make sense, isn't he?" "He's wasted a whole bloody month, bombing harbors and pottering around after convoys." "He's got till the equinox, damn fool." "The Channel's impassable after September the 15th." "I mean, his mission is mastery of the air." "Define your mission." "Define your mission and stick to it!" "Chain Home Station." "You've come at a good time." "There's a large attack being laid on today." "Four bogeys bearing one-two-five." "Angels one-two." "Range 70." "Group of 24 bogeys." "Angels five-zero." "Now bearing one-zero-zero." "Course due west." "Quite a circus forming up there." "Well, we count 37 so far, sir." "And there's another 22 circulating over Cherbourg." "How do you get such a clear beam?" "Our radar designers say it's impossible." "Our cavity magnetron takes care of that." "Cavity magnetron?" "Yes, it takes a bit of designing, but your people should work it up in due course." "That breakthrough gives you the edge in the air war." "We vector our fighters straight at Jerry." "No wandering about in search." "The sky's a big place otherwise." "Have you got any cavity magnetrons for sale?" "Since you ask, why don't we pop back to London?" "A couple of people there would like to talk to you about that very subject." "Come in." "Prime minister, this is Captain Victor Henry, Unites States Navy." " Captain." " Sir." "All right, major general." "We're going to win, you know." "I'm beginning to be convinced of that, Mr. Prime Minister." "Your post is Naval attaché in Berlin." "Your president has sent you here to take a look at my RDF." "We call it radar, sir." "He reposes confidence in your judgment." " What do you think of my stuff?" " The United States could use it, sir." "Well, then, I suggest that you report to the president that we simple British have somehow got hold of something that he might want." "Oh, I will, sir." "Tillet has shown you the secret charts of the alarming rise in U-boat sinkings." "So you understand our problem." "If we are to beat off invasion, we must keep the Atlantic pipeline open." "Now, my own new construction won't fill the gap until March, so it is imperative that we have those 50 old destroyers." "I understand, sir." "Unfortunately," "Mr. Roosevelt wants a written guarantee from me, that should the Nazis invade and win," "I will not yield the British fleet or scuttle it, but instead, steam to American ports." "I mean, that's a possibility I wouldn't even consider, let alone discuss." "The Germans have had practice in scuttling and surrendering." "We have had none." "Of course, I understand that the giving of 50 warships to us is not a wholly friendly act towards the other side." "There is a fear that Hitler might declare war on you." "Oh, I don't think there's much danger of that, sir." "There's not much hope of that, I agree." "Now, here is that bad man's invasion fleet." "As you see, the threat is real and serious." "So far, the stamina and valor of our fighter pilots hold him at bay." "I shall, in fact, be saying in the House of Commons tonight:" ""Never in the field of human conflict," ""has so much been owed by so many to so few."" "That is magnificent, sir." "Tell your president that now is the time to get to work on a landing craft." "We shall have to go back to France, and we shall need a lot of these." "We shall want a real Henry Ford effort." "Oh, I assure you that we shall do it." "Bomber Command is growing by leaps and bounds, and we shall one day bomb them until the rubble jumps, and invasion administers the coup de grâce." "But we shall need those landing craft." "We are prepared, even now, to raid Berlin in force, should he dare to bomb London." "If that occurs while you're here, you might like to go to see how it's done." "I should be honored, sir." "You don't think that's foolhardy nonsense?" "Not at all, sir." "Of course," "I don't suggest that you return to your duty post by parachute." "It would save time, but might be considered irregular by the Germans." "They are sticklers for form." "I suppose it's out of the question." "It would be fun, though, wouldn't it?" "Captain, here we are." "Captain Henry, my fiancé, Ted Gallard." " How do you do?" " Sorry we're late, entirely my fault." "Operational delay." "Forgiven." "Shall we go down?" "And how is Mrs. Henry, Captain?" "Very well." "I mean, Natalie's extraordinary." "Good-looking, intelligent, willpower." "And ten times more organized than I'll ever be." " Good evening." "Your drink order?" " Dry martini, please." " Two." " Sir?" " Orange squash." " Orange squash, very good, sir." "Devil of an order, eh, in the Savoy?" "I'm told he used to drink like a proper sponge, but he went on orange squash the day we declared war." "My son is a Naval aviator." "I wish he'd go on orange squash." "It's not a bad idea." "This business up there happens fast." "Better look sharp to see the other fellow before he sees you." " Mr. Gallard." " Thank you." "I have to check back with operations." "I'll only be a moment." "Well, it's just as well I didn't wait for that Naval officer son of yours." "If you'd given me encouragement, I might have worked on it." "And Natalie's got the other one, so that's the end of the available Henrys, isn't it?" "Well, Ted seems like a nice boy." "Boy?" "He's 28." "The old man of the squadron." "Positively decrepit, captain." "Why don't you call me Pug." "Everyone else who knows me does." "Why "Pug"?" "It was hung on me at the academy." "I was a freshman boxer." "You boxed?" "Do you still?" "Too strenuous." "Tennis is my game now." "I play a fair game of tennis." "If you're here for a while, we could have a game." "Perhaps." "How long have you known Natalie Jastrow?" "Years ago." "In Paris." "She and I ran around with two chaps who roomed together." "That's who she was visiting at the embassy." "Leslie Slote." "Right." "That's what disturbs me, Pamela." "She's too old for him." "She's much too smart for him." "Everything about it is all wrong." "Except for the fact that they're crazy about each other." "Well, that's something." "But not everything." "Pam, there's been a change." "Our squadron's rest off ops is canceled." " When do you leave?" " Now." "I'll drive you to Biggin Hill." "Actually, they're digging the chaps out of various pubs and places of lesser repute." "We'll all be going up together." "There's no reason for you two not to go on to that Noel Coward show." "I heard it's funny." "Now's the time for me to leave you two quietly alone." "Why?" "Couldn't you stand Pamela's drunken chatter for a little while?" "Don't go." "Here she is, all tarted up for the first time in weeks." "Well, I think I might bear up." "Well, we shall have a nice long stroll through the lobby." " Good luck to you, captain." " Thank you." " If you get a chance, pay us a visit." " I'll do that." " The spirit is very high at Biggin Hill." " Were you there?" "Yes, no question about spirit." "It's the arithmetic that's bad." "I mean, maybe the fat boy's running low on fighter pilots too." "We are perilously low." "We don't know the situation on the other side of the hill." " One waits for the signal." " The signal?" "A shift to terror bombing of London." "If the fat boy does that, it means he's quitting the battle of fighter pilots." "The bombing will be hell." "I'm not sure how we'll stand up to that." "But meantime, we'll have won the first round." " Where are we?" " Oxbridge." "You wanted to look at the 11 Group Operations Center." "Oh, yes." "One expects to meet a white rabbit, doesn't one, hurrying by, consulting his watch and all that." "Nothing here that interesting, I'm afraid." "Burne-Wilke, here's your American visitor." "Hello there." "Frightfully glad to hear you were coming." "Nothing much happening yet, but there will be soon." "The bad weather's drifting clear of the Channel, and Jerry's getting airborne." "I say, those airplanes you rounded up have proven ever so useful." " They can't play in this league." " They've been excellent on patrol." "They've done some smart punishing of invasion barges." "See here, could you have produced those planes in two days?" "I was sorely tempted to take you up." "But you look like a chap who might bring it off." "And then we'd have looked very foolish, wouldn't we?" "Smart girl, Pamela." "Says she and her father knew you in Berlin." "Yes, that's right." "Well, this is all fairly clear, isn't it?" "In theory, we dispose of more than 500 fighter pilots." "In theory." "Just now, we're borrowing pilots from other groups." "Even so, we're way under." "However..." "Coming down the wall with white lights, you step up in readiness, until the red row of lamps, detailed to raid, then enemy sighted." "Hello, here we go." "I believe Jerry's on his way." "Chain Home at Ventnor." "Several attacks forming up or orbiting." "Two of them, 40-plus." "One, 60-plus." "Goering's been an abysmal donkey, hasn't he, not to knock out our Chain Home stations?" "It'll prove his mistake." " He's tried." "It isn't so easy." " He should've gone on trying." "Air Vice Marshal Dowding." "He comes round when things heat up." "Likes to run the show himself." "We've got almost 200 planes engaged." "The others stand by to cover when these land to refuel and rearm." "Of course, we're at the far stretch for fighter pilots." "Biggin Hill has landed, reporting three aircraft down..." "These things seldom last very long." "Jerry runs dry rather fast, and have to head back." "They keep falling into the sea like exhausted bats." "Yes." "The Luftwaffe has given the Channel an impolite name, equivalent to that creek you Americans are always up without a paddle." "Yes?" "What's the tally?" "What?" "All right." "Thanks." "Would you like to say hello to Pamela?" " Very much." "Well, how did it go?" " Oh, one can't stop every bomber." "I'm afraid quite a number got through." "But still, they lost a number of planes." "So did we." "I'll wait for you in the car, captain." "Well, you made it." "Not on the best day." " Ted's down." " Are you sure?" "He may have parachuted, but his plane dove into the sea." "Two of his squadron-mates reported it shot down." "As you've said, Pamela, they often climb out of the water and go right back to work." "I've asked for a special pass." "I think I'll come up to London tonight." "Would you buy me dinner?" "Some flowers, sir?" "Fine, thank you." "Well, thank you." "Thank you." "Marching as to war" "With the cross of Jesus Going on before..." "Bless them all Bless them all" "The long and the short and the tall" "Bless all the sergeants The sourpuss ones" "Bless all the corporals And their drinking sons" "'Cause we're saying goodbye To them all" "As back to the barracks They crawl" "No ice cream and cookies For flat-footed rookies" "So cheer up my lads Bless them all" "Bless them all Bless them all" "The long and the short and the tall..." "I have a feeling Freddie is not unhappy about being kicked out of Berlin." "He's having such a good time with the girls in London, sometimes he has to crawl to the studio on his hands and knees." "What's the matter?" "I'm behaving shockingly." "I'm playing on everyone's sympathy so I can be here." "I'm pushing them so far I'll get myself confined to camp until further notice." "By then, you'll be gone." "I might as well make the most of you while you're here." " Pug." " Oh, God." "I'll get us some drinks." "Aren't you the sly one, Reverend Henry?" "She's small, but saucy." " She's the daughter of a friend." " Of course." "Talky Tudsbury." " Old pal of mine too." " Exactly right." "That's who she is." "Her fiancé is an RAF pilot who is missing in action." "Just so, she might enjoy a little consolation." "And how would you enjoy getting knocked on your ass?" " You mean it?" " I mean it." " How's Rhoda?" " She misses me, New York stinks, she's bored, and the weather is unbearably hot." "Situation normal." "Good old Rhoda." "Well..." "Here." "Here, Spiegelman." " What's wrong?" " Come on, let's get out of here." "Come in." " Cup of tea?" " Please." "I must say, I'll take your place over Fred Fearing's madhouse any day." "That's where the fun is." "Of course, you know, he assumes we're shacking up." "If he only knew." "I hope that's a complaint." "Would it get me anywhere if it was?" "My God, here they come!" "This is it!" "Where on earth are our fighter command?" "Tangling with fighter escort further south." " Poor old London." " If General Tillet is right," " you've won the air war." " Won?" "According to him, the terror bombing of London means that Goering's given up on the duel of the fighter commands." "This could be his last card." "It's one hell of a way to win a battle, I'll grant you." "This is not the effect that Goering was after." "No, we thrive on disaster." "A bit too much, actually." "Let's go down to the Thames." "It must've been the docks that caught it." "Take me away from here, please." "I want to go back to Oxbridge." "I feel like a deserter." "I should be in uniform." "My God, they're coming back!" "These fires are a beacon to them." "Let's get you back to your flat." "Come on." "They just can't miss with those fires to guide them." "Well, Berlin can catch fire too, you know." "Oxbridge, I imagine." "Screaming for their little fugitive from duty." "Possibly inviting me to a court-martial." "Hello?" "Yes." "Yes, he is." "Who's speaking?" " It seems to be for you." " Who is it?" "Wouldn't say." "Sounded important though." " Captain Henry here." " Henry." "Jolly good." "Your friend Fearing suggested I call you at this number." "You do recall when you paid a visit a few weeks ago on a portly old gentleman, he mentioned you'd want to go on an expedition in the works?" "A trip to familiar foreign scenes." "I remember." "Well, the trip seems to be on." "Are you interested?" "I say, Henry?" "Are you there?" " Will you be going along, general?" " Me?" "God, I don't know." "I'm a timid old chap, quite unsuited for the rigors of foreign travel." " Besides, I haven't been asked." " Do you think I should accept?" "Since you ask me, I think you'd be ruddy insane." " When are they going?" " I gather sometime tomorrow night." "Can I call you back?" "I'm supposed to pass your answer along within the hour." "I'll call you back real soon." " I'm sitting here waiting." "Bye, captain." " Goodbye." " Who was it?" " Tillet." "Pamela, the RAF is bombing Berlin tomorrow night." "They've asked me along as an observer." "I see." "You going to go?" "I think it's an idiotic notion and General Tillet agrees." "It comes from your prime minister." "I either accept or not." " You want my opinion?" " That's what I'm asking." " Decline." "It's not your business." " True." "The chances of coming back must be... three out of five?" "It's terribly unfair to your wife." "That was my first thought." "Still, your prime minister feels there's some point in my going along." "Oh, rubbish!" "Winnie's such a child about combat." "He probably wishes he could go himself." "He imagines everyone thinks like him." "Well, I'm supposed to call General Tillet back pretty quick." "Hang on, what are you going to say?" "I'm going to accept." "Well, why did you ask my opinion then?" "I thought you'd voice an objection that I hadn't thought of." "You gave the best objection yourself." "It's idiotic!" "I'm not positive." "My job is intelligence." "Moreover, there's a taunt in this and it's a hard one to duck." "You're reading too much into this." "What would your president say?" "Did he send you here to risk death?" "After the fact, he'd congratulate me." "What about me?" "I miss Ted." "I should not be able to endure missing you." "I'm much more attached to you than you realize." "And I'm not at all that moral, you know." "You have very wrong ideas about me." "You don't understand, do you?" "On the Bremen you took me for a schoolgirl, and you've never changed." "How has your wife kept you so innocent all these years?" "I don't think I was born to be shot down in a British bomber over Berlin." "I'll see you when I get back." "If you get back!" "If." "Right, so much for the opposition map." "Again, primary and secondary targets, main flak positions, searchlight belts." "It's maximum effort tonight." "Over 100 aircraft in all from this and other bomber command airfields will be on the same target." "Sorry, lads, but it's got to be 10,000 feet." "Headwinds any higher will be too strong." "Otherwise, weather en route will be fine." "Visibility will be good, but unfortunately there will be a moon." "So you may have fighters." "Lights, please." "Now, Berlin will be on full alert after all the stuff they've been dumping on London, so work fast." "The flak will be heavy." "Keep those photoflash bombs handy." "Get your photographs, shove the nose down, pedal home as fast as you can." "Our American observer will be flying in F for Freddie." "Flight Lt. Killian, meet your passenger for tonight, Admiral Victor Henry." "One of the least prudent officers in the United States Navy." " Welcome aboard, Admiral Henry." " I'm afraid that's Captain Henry." "Spot promotion for fortitude." "All I've got to say is anybody who'd go on an op like this when he doesn't have to belongs in a bloody loony bin." "I'm Second Pilot Johnson, of F for Freddie." "And what I've got here is a token of the crew's admiration." "Well, thank you, Johnson." "But I'm already so scared I don't think I'll be needing this." "Well, that's it, chaps." "Good luck." " Good luck to you too." " Thank you, sir." "Let me introduce you to the others." "This is Reynolds, our navigator." " How do you do, sir?" " He'll do bomb aiming at the target." " Peters, our wireless operator." " Nice to meet you, sir." " Carter, front gunner." " Nice to have you, sir." " Rear gunner, Bailey." " How do you do?" "Tail end, Charlie, the loneliest man on the crew." "Once he's in the turret, you won't see him till we land." "You've got a few hours." "We'll see you're fitted out and get you" " after flight planning's finished." " Thank you." "If I may recommend these, sir." " Three pairs of socks?" " Gets cold up there, sir." " And you'll need this, sir." " Parachute." " Beautiful suit, sir." " What's your name?" "Aircraftsman Horton, sir." "Well, Aircraftsman Horton, if I should forget to pick it up, or something, it's all yours." "Oh, thank you, sir." "That's very fine tweed." "Jolly good night for a ride, old chap." "How do you like her, admiral?" "The Wimpy's nothing but a big canvas kite." " Canvas?" " That's right, admiral." "She's covered in canvas." "She carries a pretty good bomb load." "Conditions should be the same, skipper." "They're off to Freihausen." "F-Freddie ready for takeoff." "F-Freddie ready for takeoff." "F for Freddie, clear for takeoff." "We don't fly in formation, admiral, so you won't see any of the other chaps, except in searchlights or maybe over the target." "But we won't be alone." "They'll all be out there somewhere." "Second pilot, why don't you let the admiral sit down?" " No, that's OK." " No, no, it's eight hours roundtrip." "Make yourself comfortable." "Keep that light down, navigator." "About three more hours to go, admiral." "Why don't you go get some shuteye?" "Go ahead." "Nothing much happening until we reach the Dutch coast." "That damned convoy of ours, the one discussed in briefing, always where they shouldn't be." "Front gunner, fire off recognition signal, please." "Good old navy, admiral." "Shoot first, and ask questions afterward." "Now, why don't you go on back and get some rest." "While you're at it, admiral, will you please wake second pilot?" "Right." "OK, admiral." "Dutch coast searchlight belt." " What happens next?" " We'll probably pick up some flak, or maybe a fighter or two." "Hang on, admiral." "Here it comes!" "Last time we crossed the coast, admiral, the flak was heavier." "That was bloody close!" " You all right, admiral?" " I can't see." " Wireless operator!" " Hold on to me, sir." "I'll take you back to the bunk." "Searchlights, 10:00." "Here we are, admiral, Berlin!" "20 degrees off, navigator." "Don't blame me, those forecast winds at briefing were all wrong." "You should know by now." "Damned near missed Berlin altogether." "That'll do, sergeant." "Navigator to pilot, hold the course to one-zero-five for the target area." "Pilot turning on to one-zero-five." "I'm going below, skipper." "OK, navigator." "Those poor blokes who got there first are getting a real pasting!" "It looks worse than it is, admiral." "The stuff spreads apart once you're in it." "See that fire off at 11:00, admiral?" "Some of the chaps have pretty well clobbered the primary already." "Navigator to pilot, can't see a bloody thing for the smoke." "All right, then." "Let's go for the Spandau Gasworks." "Course for the secondary, please, navigator." "I have the secondary in sight, skipper." "Stand by for runner." "If you want a better look, go below with Reynolds." "Go ahead, admiral." "Help yourself to a front-row seat." "Here, I'll let you by." "Good evening, sir." "Here." "Right there." "Navigator to pilot." "Open bomb doors." "Bomb doors open." "Excuse me, sir." "Bomb selected." "Here we go!" "Right." "Right." "Steady, left." "Steady." "Steady." "Steady." "Close bomb doors." "Missed." " Bull's-eye!" " Right on target." " Jolly good show!" " Course for home, navigator." "Stay at two-seven-three, skipper." "Look at that AA!" "Pilot to crew, put on parachutes." "I've got to get out of these damn searchlights!" "I'll get the chutes, skipper." "Pilot to crew, we're out of it and we seem to be under control now." "But we've lost an engine." "I haven't a clue how bad it is, but I'm going to try a restart." "You all right down there, admiral?" "I'm all right, but your navigator is injured." "Hang on, admiral, we'll be right there." "You're gonna be OK, Reynolds." "Don't worry, admiral, we'll take good care of him." " He'll be OK." " Good." "To hell with the pictures, admiral." "We're going home to eggs and bacon." "You'll tell them you saw that gas plant go up?" "You're damn right." "How's the airplane?" "Starboard engine's hit." "Still pulling, but we'll see." "Bloody asinine way to make a living, isn't it?" "I should've joined the bloody navy." "Admiral, it may be close at that." "We're having a bit of trouble holding altitude." "How's your French?" "Subtitles by SDI Media Group"