"Setup on leading freighter." "Range." "Mark?" "1500." "Fifty port." "Open outer doors, tubes one and two." "Stand by." "Open outer doors, tubes one and two." "Stand by." "Open outer doors on one and two." "Stand by." "Firing two fish forward." "Watch your depth." "Two degrees down bubble." "Hold her at 60." "Outer doors open on tubes one and two, sir." "Final bearing." "Mark." "320." "Set." "Fire one." "Fire one." "One is fired, sir." "Fire two." "Fire two." "Two is fired, sir." "Time on that first torpedo." "Should hit in about 42 seconds, sir." "Crash dive!" "300 feet!" "All ahead full !" "Got a destroyer coming in fast!" "Rig for depth charge." "Silent running." "Rig for depth charge." "Silent running." "Time!" "Ten, nine, eight, seven, six..." "We'd better hold on to these reports to Admiral Bowers, sir." "Why?" "His car had a flat tire this morning." "Right rear." "He's fit to be tied." "Send 'em tomorrow." "Yes, sir." "Captain Field's a little touchy this morning, too." "Another flat tire?" "Almost the same thing." "His wife, sir." "They had a quarrel last night." "That." "I'm ready for action." "Passing up the decoy, sir." "In position." "Heading straight on towards the Akikazes." "Stand by to dive." "Aye, aye, sir." "Range, 1,800." "Akikaze bearing down on us, bow on." "Clear the bridge." "Dive." "Dive." "Ready to shoot in 25 seconds, sir." "Bearing." "Mark." "Fire." "Fire one." "Twenty-four seconds, sir." "Torpedo running hot, straight and normal." "You sunk him again, sir." "That makes 200 times you sunk Bungo Pete in..." "Two hundred days." "He only sunk you once." "Just once." "But it wasn't on a desk." "Where do you get all these things anyway?" "Tables, desks." "Mueller, you're a thief." "I'm a collector, sir." "Bungo Pete!" "Let's put him next to his Akikaze destroyer." "The unknown factor." "The Sea Dragon of Area 7." "There's nothing superhuman about him or the area." "Too bad they'll never give you another chance in that area, Commander." "Holy smokes." "Four submarines sunk in the Bungo Straits, and they keep you behind a desk for a year, for something they can't even figure out themselves." "How many subs?" "You said four, I think." "Yes, sir." "The count was three a month ago." "Well, it's only scuttlebutt, Commander, but the word's around that the last boat sent out there was lost three days ago." "Get these things out of here." "Mueller, when is the next sub due in?" "Two weeks, sir." "The Nerka." "Her skipper was wounded, but the executive officer is due to take over." "He qualified for command?" "Yes, sir." "They'll send her out to 7." "I suppose so." "Get the Chief of Staff on the phone." "Tell him I'm coming over." "Executive Officer to the Duty Section." "Now hear this." "The repair crew will take over at 1 300." "Duty Section will stand by with a repair list." "You beach boys who will be checking in at the Royal Hawaiian Hotel, the hotel does not have a repair crew." "So have fun, but keep the damage to a minimum." "Break it up!" "Russo!" "Cullen !" "Break it up, I..." "For the next captain of the Nerka, sir." "What we mean to say, Mr. Bledsoe, congratulations." "Good luck, Captain." "Good luck, sir." "So this is the way we start, huh?" "Bribery!" "Don't know what you mean, sir." "Next thing you know, it'll be special privileges." "Sunbathing on the deck, two-hour watches..." "A sunburned crew's a happy crew, sir." "It's an old Navy axiom." "That you just made up!" "Thanks a lot, men." "Don't any of you get the idea I can be had !" "The thought never entered our heads, sir." "I'll bet!" "Go on, try it on, sir." "Yeah, come on." "You'll look mighty sharp on that bridge, Mr. Bledsoe!" "Looks great!" "See you a moment, Bledsoe?" "Yes, sir." "We were just leaving, Captain." "I said we were leaving !" "It's a sort of a gift, sir." "The men, they..." "It's all right." "Never mind." "Any milk left in the galley?" "Yes, sir." "It's powdered, sir." "That'll do." "She belongs to the chief of the boat." "Good luck token." "The men give her a pat on their way to battle stations." "Interesting." "I'll get the milk, sir." "Submarines." "They ruined my liver!" "Couldn't take one again." "Terrible thought." "Makes me old." "Makes me antique!" "You like subs?" "I chose the service, sir." "Yes, of course." "Good record." "Thank you, sir." "It's a fact, not a compliment, so don't thank me." "I told you two years ago you were pretty hot stuff, that you'd have a sub one day." "Remember?" "Yes, sir." "Thank you, sir." "Well, you're going to, Jim, but not this time out." "The Nerka is being assigned to Commander Richardson." "He'll be your skipper for this patrol." "You see, Jim, she's going to Area 7, and Richardson's acquainted with the area." "7's a hot spot." "We lost four subs there the last year, all of them sunk by an Akikaze off the Bungo Straits." "His sub was the first." "The Navy Board feels he deserves another chance now." "That command was mine, sir." "Don't they think I can handle her in 7?" "Is that it?" "Of course not, Jim." "Your ability isn't being questioned here." "It's just that Richardson's suggestion..." "Richardson's suggestion?" "He presented a very strong case." "This whole thing is suddenly very clear to me." "That all, sir?" "That's all." "You won't mind if I keep this out of mothballs, Captain." "There are other boats besides the Nerka." "Rich?" "Rich?" "Hey, be careful !" "What's the matter?" "Thought you might like me to fix some lemonade." "Sure, honey, you go ahead." "I'll be down..." "Better make enough for three." "Three?" "We have company arriving." "I can't see anyone like this!" "I don't think this is a social visit." "You'd better put some gin in that lemonade." "Looking for me?" "Commander Richardson?" "That's right." "I'm Bledsoe." "Jim Bledsoe." "Well, a pleasure!" "Would you mind throwing me up that insect spray, Jim?" "Excuse me, sir, but I didn't come here to spray insects." "Well, it's the leaves you spray." "But it doesn't matter." "What's on your mind?" "A request, sir." "I'd like you to ask for another exec." "Just like that, huh?" "My privilege, sir." "Navy regulations." "Well, I'd have to take it to the Board." "You went to them before." "That's just it." "I got what I wanted then." "Why should I change it?" "Maybe I can enlighten you." "There's a crew that's already accepted me as its captain." "They have me decked out as the groom." "Now that you're taking my place, I'd rather not go the wedding." "Are we discussing your pride, or are you embarrassed to face them?" "You'll be facing them yourself in a couple of days." "The resentment's going to be twice as great with me on board." "Mr. Bledsoe, let me be honest with you." "I don't care about their resentment, or yours." "I wanted a boat." "The Board gave it to me." "That's all there is." "The Board didn't give you a thing." "You went to them." "The poor desk commander with a tear in his eye." "You told them if you could have me, a qualified commander, for a backstop, you could do the job." "That was your selling point, wasn't it?" "Mr. Bledsoe, your request for release is denied." "Well, Commander, I'm glad I came over, so to get things straightened out." "We're going to get along just fine." "Don't worry, Jim, I'll take good care of the bride." "Anyone for a slug of gin?" "We're out of vermouth." "Lieutenant Bledsoe, Laura, my exec." "Hello." "Thanks, Mrs. Richardson." "I'll take a rain check on the drink." "You sure?" "Some other time." "Lieutenant?" "If there isn't another time, good luck." "Take good care of my husband." "I'll take care, ma'am." "Take over, Mr. Conwell." "Aye, aye, sir." "Captain's off the bridge." "It won't be long now." "Captain's off the bridge." "Cap's off the bridge, Chief." "Orders coming up soon." "Okay." "Is he downstairs yet?" ""Below," Jessie." "The captain's below." "Hey, Chief, how much is in the pool?" "Two hundred bucks." "Are all the areas covered?" "I've got a five-spot on Area 22." "16 for me." "I hear it's a pleasure cruise." "I took 7." "7?" "7?" "What?" "I took 7." "That's a one-way ticket, idiot!" "You trying to jinx us all?" "What do you mean, "one way"?" "No return, Jessie." "No return !" "But I was born on the seventh !" "What with all that money in the pool..." "Well, seven's lucky for me." "Ain't it?" "Here you go." "The money's all locked up inside." "Bosun, tell the engine room we're standing by, and relay to maneuvering." "Right!" "Hey, Chief!" "Could I change areas?" "Too late." "Gentlemen, I ask for silence." "The next voice you hear will be the dealer." "This is the captain." "I know all of you are vitally interested in our area assignment." "Here is a brief rundown of the orders under which we will operate during this patrol." "Number one, and I'm sure you've heard this many times, sink enemy shipping." "Number two." "Proceed on a specified course to Area 7," "and radio exact position" "I knew it!" "I just knew it!" "of all ships in the area." "For Pete's sake, turn it off!" "Number three." "Avoid the section in Area 7 known as the Bungo Straits." "Number four." "Take coast intelligence photos wherever possible." "A third of you are new men, and I know there are bound to be some questions." "Feel free to ask your division officer anytime." "That's all." "Thanks for your attention." "Hey, where are the Bungo Straits anyway?" "Why?" "He said we'll avoid it." "What's the difference?" "He didn't say anything about avoiding 7!" "Okay." "Give everyone back his money, Kohler." "No dice." "Somebody took Area 7." "Who?" "He did." "Well, jeez, fellas, I didn't know!" "Well, it's my birthday!" "Seven's my birthday!" "Simulated target dead ahead, sir." "Range, 2,000." "All hands standing by for drill." "Very well." "Lookouts below!" "Clear the bridge!" "Dive!" "Dive!" "What's the depth?" "Thirty-eight feet, sir." "Ruby, where's the scope?" "We're not at periscope depth yet, Captain." "Stand by to surface." "Stand by to surface!" "Stand by to surface!" "Now let's get this straight." "I want this scope up as we dive." "As we dive, sir?" "I want to be ready to fire as soon as we level off at 50 feet." "Now, I know this is all new to you, but you'll just have to get used to it." "The whole purpose of this drill is to dive and fire as soon as we level." "Let's try it again." "Surface!" "Surface!" "Surface!" "Blow main ballast." "Hard rise on planes." "Flow negative." "Level off." "Eight-degree angle." "Depth, 40 feet." "Steady on course, Captain." "Mark." "Fifty, leveled off." "Fire one." "Time?" "Forty-two seconds, sir." "That's not fast enough." "You have to get those vents open sooner." "Aye, aye, sir." "Stand by to surface." "We'll try it again." "Stand by to surface!" "Stand by to surface!" "Dive!" "Dive!" "Open the vents on the diving alarm." "Taking a chance, isn't it?" "The Captain wants a faster dive." "You can always shut it if you don't get a green board." "Aye, aye, sir." "Dive!" "Dive!" "Open them up!" "Flood those tanks!" "Dive!" "Dive!" "Mark 50." "Leveled off." "Fire one." "Thirty-seven seconds, sir." "Good." "Very good." "By the time we reach Area 7, I want it down to 33." "Thirty-three, sir?" "Thirty-three is right." "Yes, sir." "Secure from battle stations, sir?" "Yes, Jim." "Take the con, Mr. Cartwright." "Aye, aye, sir." "Secure from battle stations." "Secure!" "Third Section, take watch !" "Secure!" "Third Section, take over watch !" "Up scope." "All ahead one-third." "All ahead one-third, sir." "Light the smoking lamp." "I said secure." "Your tails can't be dragging that much." "What's the matter?" "No gripes?" "No groans?" "Isn't anyone gonna say it's a four-second difference?" "Not a boat in the fleet could make it?" "Ruby, you worried about drills?" "No, sir." "Poplin?" "Now, look, I never keep anything from a crew," "I don't expect them to keep anything from me." "So come on, speak up." "Well, I..." "I guess it's Area 7, Mr. Bledsoe." "Didn't you hear the captain read the operation orders?" "That's just it, sir." "He specifically mentioned the Bungo Straits." "What difference does that make?" "That's the section of Area 7 where all those subs were lost." "That's the graveyard." "And we've got orders to avoid the Bungo Straits." "For Pete's sake!" "Yeah, right." "And all the time, we thought that Area 7..." "Don't think." "You better grab some coffee." "In 30 minutes, you got another drill." "Drill !" "Drill !" "Drill !" "Thirty-three seconds." "No boat in the fleet..." "We could leave the hatch open." "The water might pour in, the boat might go down faster." "How do we get back up?" "There's no room to swim anyway." "I heard you, Lieutenant." "Now that you've explained the orders, how do you explain the purpose of these drills?" "Captain to the bridge." "Captain to the bridge." "Easy, fellas!" "Take it easy!" "She's got to last the patrol !" "One pat to a customer, now!" "All ahead standard on the board." "Okay, I got it." "Radar contact dead astern, sir." "We think it's a Jap sub." "Has he seen us?" "Hard to tell." "Shall we open the outer doors on the stern tubes, sir?" "No, just keep her on present course." "Conning tower, manned and ready." "Comm, forward torpedo room, manned and ready." "How long should we hold this course, sir?" "What?" "Before we double back to get him." "We're not going to double back." "Sir?" "He might get lucky." "I'm not risking it." "But we're faster, sir." "We could outmaneuver." "Just hold her steady on present course." "Aye, aye, sir." "Keep a sharp lookout astern !" "Aye, aye, sir." "Lost radar contact at 6,500 yards, sir." "Very well." "Secure from battle stations." "Secure from battle stations." "Second Section, take the watch." "I'll take the con." "Lay below." "Aye, aye, sir." "Well, you've had the boat for a week now, Captain." "I guess you noticed how quickly she responds." "Always a little shudder, though, when you push her too hard." "Best to ease her into it." "Thanks." "Anything else?" "Just one thing, sir." "She hates showing her backsides to Japanese submarines." "Permission to go below, sir?" "Granted." "Now hear this." "Now hear this." "Orders of the day." "To your sacks, men." "You've got 25 seconds to lay flat on your backs." "Any of you gripers want a sleeping pill?" "He's a caution." "Isn't he a caution?" "Give the skipper a couple, will you?" "A Jap sub and all these drills," "Captain must be running scared." "Is that what it is?" "It's the craziest war patrol I ever started on." "Who said anything about a war patrol?" "You're all confused, my friend." "We're on a drill patrol here." "The first time in the annals of the Navy Department." "What's it all mean?" "What's he got in mind?" "Haven't you heard?" "He's gonna challenge the Japs to a drill." "The winner's going to get an all-expense-paid honeymoon trip with Tokyo Rose in the Bungo Straits." "Gentlemen, we are indeed fortunate." "Let us pay tribute to that great motto." ""Caution with safety, and safety with caution."" "No, let's do better than that." "Let's drink a toast to our beloved captain, the drill master." "For it was he that knew our fleet boat was faster than a Jap sub." "I think I've had enough kidding, Jerry." "Why?" "A cautious captain with orders that say, "Avoid"?" "Now, if we stay out of Area 7 as well as the Bungo Straits, we're in !" "I'll bet he's thinking of a way right now..." "Excuse me, sir." "Your watch list." "What about that, Mueller?" "You're pretty chummy with the captain." "I don't know what you're talking about, Mr. Cartwright." "Do you, sir?" "Come back here, Kraut!" "Get out, Mueller." "Go on." "You have any questions, Cartwright, you come to me, not members of the crew." "You understand?" "And that goes for your opinions, too." "Maybe we better break this up." "It's getting late." "Shut up." "Battle stations manned, Captain." "Standing by for drill." "Lookouts below!" "Clear the bridge!" "Dive!" "Dive!" "Surface!" "Surface!" "Someone left topside, sir." "All stop." "All stop, sir." "Emergency surface!" "Open up!" "You all right?" "I'm all right, sir." "I'm okay." "Who gave you permission to dump the garbage?" "Mr. Cartwright, sir." "I thought he'd already asked the O. D. , sir." "I was on the bridge with Mr. Beckman, and I didn't hear..." "Get below." "Yes, sir." "The captain gives permission to dump the trash, and only the captain." "Instead of losing time on this drill, we almost lose a man !" "Stand by to dive!" "Check the watch, Mr. Kohler." "Aye, aye, sir." "Mr. Bledsoe." "Yes, sir?" "Have you been with this boat long?" "Over a year, sir." "And is this the kind of cooperation you usually get?" "No, sir." "A man could have been killed today." "The responsibility is yours, Mr. Bledsoe, you're in charge of the drills." "I have no excuses, Captain." "But under the circumstances, the crew did their best." "What circumstances?" "Don't press it, sir." "I intend to." "I want an answer." "It's one thing to drill a crew for fighting." "But when you duck a Jap sub, they wonder why they should break their backs on drills when the captain has no stomach for attacking." ""What does he want?" "Obedience?" "Efficiency?"" "Or the best-drilled cowards in the Navy?" "Mr. Bledsoe, tell them I am doubling the drills, starting tomorrow." "Yes, sir." "You might as well know, sir, I don't believe it." "Believe what?" "That you ran away from that sub from cowardice." "Yeah, sure, I know what you mean, but what's the cook supposed to do, eat the garbage?" "We haven't had a minute to..." "Hey!" "Hey, Vince!" "SJ contact!" "SJ contact!" "Bearing 330, range, 15 miles." "Looks like a big one, huh?" "It's not a fishing boat, friend." "Picking up two of them now, sir." "Range closing." "The first check puts enemy on southerly course." "Very well." "Right full rudder!" "Come right to course 330!" "Right full rudder, sir." "Coming right to 330." "Very well." "Looks like he's going to go in." "Sightseeing, Pat." "Just sightseeing." "I can see them now." "Lead ship, possible Momo destroyer." "Trailing ship, a large tanker." "We'll wait until the destroyer passes clear, then we'll take on the tanker." "Shifting to TBT." "Bearing coming down." "Bearing 020." "Set, sir." "Right full rudder." "Come right to course 030." "Open outer doors on tubes one and two." "Open outer doors on tubes one and two." "Open outer doors on tubes one and two!" "Angle on the bow now, starboard 70." "Torpedo spread, one right, one left." "Solution checking." "Everything's set, sir." "Destroyer's well clear now, Captain." "Tanker range, 3,200." "All ready to fire, sir." "Very well." "Stand by, tube one." "Stand by, tube one." "Stand by, tube one!" "What's the torpedo run?" "2,500 yards, sir." "Commence firing." "Fire one!" "Fire one!" "Fire one." "One fired, sir." "Stand by, two." "Stand by, two!" "Spread set." "Fire two!" "Fire two!" "Fire two." "Two fired, sir." "Torpedo number one running hot, straight and normal, sir." "Destroyer's angle on the bow now zero." "Bearing?" "Bearing 045." "He's heading right at us." "Keep the sound on him, Cullen." "We'll have orders to go deep in a second." "Aye, aye, sir." "If you had any questions about the drills," "I think you'll have them answered now." "We're taking on the Momo." "Right standard rudder." "Come right to course 045." "Right standard rudder, sir." "Coming right to 045." "Very well." "Open outer doors on tubes three and four." "Open outer doors on tubes three and four." "Open outer doors on tubes three and four." "Range to destroyer, 2,000." "Bearing steady." "Closing in fast, sir." "Coming head on." "At range 1,500, we'll crash-dive." "At 50 feet, we'll give her two fish." "Down their throats?" "That's a bow shot." "Range, 1,800." "Lookouts below!" "Stand by to dive." "Stand by to dive!" "Stand by to dive." "Clear the bridge!" "Dive!" "Dive!" "Bearing," "mark." "044." "Set?" "Depth, 34 feet." "Ten-degree angle." "Thirty-nine feet." "Level off." "Forty-four feet." "Steady on course, Captain." "Stand by on tube three." "Stand by, three." "Leveled off at 50, Captain !" "Fire three!" "Fire three!" "Three fired, sir." "Fire four." "Fire four!" "Four fired, sir." "Stand by to take her down fast." "Stand by to take her down fast!" "Aye, aye, sir." "Standing by." "Got 'em !" "We got 'em !" "Thirty-two seconds." "Thirty-two seconds!" "Left full rudder." "All ahead one-third." "Left full rudder, all ahead one-third, sir." "Very well." "Now hear this." "Captain speaking." "You've just given a Jap tin can the deep-six with a bow shot in 32 seconds." "Gentlemen, I think this boat is ready for anything." "Let's keep it that way." "Drills, no more than usual tomorrow." "Bledsoe." "Yes, sir." "Take the con." "Get us back on our base course." "Aye, aye, sir." "Boy, that skipper!" "Let me tell you, he knows his stuff." "That was amazing !" "Come here, you guys." "Listen to this." ""Dear Commander, Japanese Imperial Fleet." ""Be it hereby known that on July 31, 1943," ""the USS Nerka, under the command of Captain P.J. Richardson," ""sunk a Japanese destroyer."" "Be quiet!" ""One down, 20 fish to go!"" "Signed, Kraut Mueller." "How do you like that, Chief?" "We've been drilling for a bow shot all the time." "Hey, Ruby, you were up there, huh?" "Right on the pickle, dear friend." "That tin can zigs right into us." "I tell you, I was shaking." "What about the old man?" "What did he do?" "Calm, you know what I mean?" "No excitement." "He just orders two fish right down her throat." "Just like you'd order ham and eggs." "If we'd missed, though, we wouldn't have lived long enough to get into Area 7, which I still think we won't live long enough to get out of!" ""If, if, if." Go back to Sears, Roebuck, will you?" "Forgive me if I interrupt the music." "You are listening once again to the voice you call Tokyo Rose, speaking to you from the heart of the mighty Japanese Empire, telling you in your own language of a war you cannot win." "It has been substantiated that we have destroyed 16 enemy ships this month alone." "Come on, Rosie, why don't you get up to date, huh?" "You're missing one Jap tin can !" "Jessie!" "Jessie, dear friend." "We've decided to be big about it." "We're not going to hold you responsible for Area 7 any longer." "We'll take back the money." "Gosh." "Well, that's nice of you fellas, but my conscience hurt me so much I threw it overboard." "Not now, Kohler." "Don't shut me up again, Lieutenant." "I've seen all kinds of captains." "We've seen them together." "But I never saw one run away from a Jap sub before, then take on a destroyer with a shot I didn't even know was in the book." "There has to be a reason." "That bow shot didn't just happen." "The drills were planned for it." "The whole thing was..." "I never heard of a bow shot being set up where it wasn't used in desperation." "It's all like some experiment!" "Suppose a bow shot was the only way he thought he could get an Akikaze." "An Akikaze isn't a Momo." "There's a hell of a difference." "This Akikaze's in the Bungo Straits." "But that's impossible." "The orders say to avoid it." "I know." "Look, I know how you feel about him taking the boat and all, but don't you think you're working at it overtime, sir?" "We'll be hitting Area 7 tomorrow morning." "Four." "Five." "Six." "It's a convoy, all right, sir." "Bearing 320, relative." "Sounds like a whole lot of them, sir." "Cullen." "Right, sir." "I have the dive, Captain." "Depth, 60 feet." "Forward torpedo room manned and ready, sir." "We're undetected, sir." "After torpedo room manned and ready, sir." "We're dead ahead of the convoy, Captain." "What firing position shall we take?" "Captain?" "Take her down, sir?" "Take her down to 100 feet." "A hundred feet." "Aye, aye, sir." "Five-degree down bubble!" "Take her to 100 feet." "Secure from battle stations when we level off." "Aye, sir." "Come right to course 280." "Coming right to course 280, sir." "Very well." "Mr. Cartwright, take over the con." "Yes, sir." "What's he doing?" "What's going on?" "Give me a line on course 280." "Sir?" "A line on course 280." "Now!" "Aye, sir." "What's the skipper up to?" "Later, Beckman." "Start leveling off." "Aye, sir." "There it is." "You might as well post it." "A whole area to patrol, and you pick the graveyard !" "The Bungo Straits!" "It's the only place we can get the Akikaze." "The one spot the orders direct you to avoid !" "You make it sound like a snap decision." "It wasn't, Jim." "That's quite obvious now, sir." "Passing a Jap submarine to save your torpedoes, jeopardizing the whole boat with a bow shot, ducking a convoy so they can't radio our position." "You planned it, all right." "And you knew it the day I came to your house." "I knew it before that, Jim." "I knew it a year ago, when my boat went down." "We have operational orders." "They're explicit." "We have a crew that expects the captain to follow those orders." "You know as well as I do that a captain can redefine orders if he feels he has an advantage." "What advantage?" "You just named it!" "A bow shot!" "We proved we could do it with a Momo." "We can do it again." "You call that an advantage when there are four subs out there before us that never even had a chance to shoot?" "They were detected." "Not even Pearl knows where we are." "And what about the Japanese Navy?" "No, sir." "That's no advantage, not in my book." "But you're not the captain." "If you should fail and somehow come out of this alive, there won't be a desk small enough for you this time." "That's strange, Jim." "I never even thought of failing." "You've got a lot of guts, sir, with other people's lives." "That's my decision and my responsibility." "To whom, sir?" "To a crew that died a year ago?" "Yes!" "To a dead crew, a dead sub!" "Now, believe what you want." "Well, this crew's still alive." "They at least have a right to know where they're going." "Do I have to tell them?" "What's the matter, Captain?" "Surely you've got guts enough for this, too." "This is the Captain." "Due to conditions of special advantage," "I have decided to take this boat to the Bungo Straits." "Bungo Straits, broad on the port beam." "We're there." "Bungo Straits." "We're at the Straits." "Bungo Straits." "Bungo Straits." "Bungo Straits." "We're there." "We're in the Straits." "If I'd only been born on the eighth." "See you a moment, sir?" "What is this?" "Well, we..." "We want to talk to you, Jim." "I've been looking through the Navy rules and regulations." "We want you to take over." "Well, that's very flattering, gentlemen." "Let's go." "Everyone outside." "We're talking about Navy orders!" "What right does he got to..." "A captain's right." "That's all he needs." "We might as well make up our minds right now." "We're going to follow his orders." "Where?" "To the bottom?" "If that's what he's got in mind, that's where we'll go." "This boat, any boat, has one captain." "Is that right, Kohler?" "Yes, sir." "Is that right, Mr. Cartwright?" "Yes, sir." "Let's break this up." "Mr. Cartwright?" "With all due respect to your rank, may I say that I think you're an ass?" "I see by this report that you called Mr. Cartwright an ass." "Yes, sir." "An officer?" "That's right, sir." "Mueller, you're a damn fool." "Yes, sir." "I know it." "But as long as I overheard, you might as well know, too, Captain." "They wanted Mr. Bledsoe to take over." "Well, he put an end to that fast." "He would." "Would you tell me something, Mueller?" "If I can, sir." "Am I a damn fool, too?" "Sir?" "Well, Mr. Bledsoe seems to think I am, and I have a great respect for his opinion." "Well, maybe you have to be, Captain, to do something like this." "Look, sir, you nailed that Momo with a bow shot." "Why not the Akikaze?" "The Akikaze never misses, Mueller." "Never." "Well, he will this time, sir." "Is that a classified opinion, or am I at liberty to repeat it?" "It's a fact, sir." "A fact they'll all realize at Bungo Pete's funeral." "Convoy now bearing 31 3." "Range, 7,000 yards." "Are we going to set up on the leading ship, sir?" "No, that's a decoy." "Shallow draft." "Used to draw fire away from the convoy." "You could shoot 10 fish." "They'd only run under." "There!" "There she is, pulling up with the convoy." "The Akikaze?" "Yes." "She'll keep astern of both columns until they zig." "Look at her cut through there." "Must be making 30 knots." "Doesn't stay in one position long enough to give you a target." "Not unless she's coming toward you." "Take over in the conning tower." "Start tracking the next-to-last ship in the port column." "We'll give you a bearing on her." "Aye, aye, sir." "Right standard rudder!" "Right standard rudder, sir!" "Very well." "This is the Captain." "The convoy we've been waiting for is on our starboard bow." "The plan of attack is as follows." "First, we'll strike a freighter going in." "If that doesn't bring the Akikaze toward us, we'll attack the freighter nearest him." "When the Akikaze does head toward us, bow on, we'll dive and give him two fish at 1,500 yards, just like the Momo." "Let's go." "All ahead standard." "All ahead standard, sir." "Very well." "All ahead standard on board." "How's the target course and speed check with the TDC?" "Course checks." "Speed, one knot slower." "Plane contact, sir." "Captain, radar's picked up an enemy plane." "Lookouts, planes coming in." "Watch for them." "Aye, aye, sir." "15 miles." "Range closing." "Plane's 15 miles." "Range closing." "They're closing fast, sir." "Plane's closing fast, sir!" "They must've known." "The Japs must've known we were here." "We're going in according to plan." "Give me the setup." "Stay right on that freighter, Beckman." "Aye, aye, sir." "Range on freighter, 2,000, sir." "Track 70, gyro 20 right." "Recommend firing course 297." "Come right to 297." "Coming right to course 297, sir!" "Very well." "Plane, six miles." "They'll be on us in a minute, Captain." "Stand by." "Ready on tubes one and two." "Outer doors open." "Standing by." "Range, 1,800 yards." "Commence firing." "Fire one!" "Fire one!" "Fire one!" "One has been fired." "One fired, sir." "One's away." "Fire two." "Fire two!" "Fire two." "Two has been fired." "Two fired, sir." "Two's away!" "Make ready stern tubes." "Make ready stern tubes!" "Make ready stern tubes!" "Aircraft now one mile." "Come to course 089." "Coming to course 089, sir." "Very well." "Time check on first torpedo." "Five seconds." "Four..." "Both fish hit." "She's headed down." "Stern tubes ready, sir." "Very well." "Aircraft range steady." "Appear to be circling overhead." "Right full rudder." "All ahead flank." "Right full rudder, all ahead flank, sir!" "Shift target to Akikaze." "He's coming on." "Bearing, coming down." "Bearing 250!" "250, sir." "Radar to bridge." "Aircraft returning !" "Range, 4,000." "Tubes three and four ready." "Outer doors open." "Shall we take her down, sir?" "Not yet, not yet." "Lookouts below!" "Stand by." "Range, 3,000." "We'll have to fire from surface." "Stand by." "Commence firing !" "Fire three." "Fire three!" "Three fired, sir." "Three's away, sir." "Clear the bridge!" "Dive!" "Dive!" "Take her down to 300, fast!" "Aye, aye, sir!" "Give me a time check on that fish." "Twenty-four, twenty-three..." "Torpedo screws, sir." "Heading in toward our port side." "Must be that last torpedo, sir." "It's a runaway!" "It's coming back at us." "Crash dive!" "Sound collision alarm." "Passing 75 feet, sir." "Passing 90 feet, sir." "Destroyer coming in, sir." "He's shifting to attack frequency, sir." "Picking up splashes, sir." "Depth charges on their way down." "Passing 150 feet." "Ignited torpedo!" "Pass along that T wrench !" "It's all right, leave it." "The governor'll stop her at 2,100 rpm." "Forward torpedo room reporting." "Hatch was blown on the main..." "We cannot make..." "Forward torpedo room." "Forward torpedo room !" "Forward torpedo room !" "Forward torpedo room !" "Phone circuit's out, sir." "Check on the damage." "Yes, sir." "Coming through." "Watch it." "Captain wants a report on the damage." "Couple of dogs sheared off the hatch." "Can you fix it?" "We'll know in a minute." "Turn on emergency lights." "Torpedo room." "Forward torpedo room, report." "Forward torpedo room !" "Take the con." "I'm going to check." "Leveling off!" "All ahead one-third !" "All ahead one-third, sir." "The hatch sprung?" "Couple of dogs sheared off, Captain !" "Close the hatch !" "Come on, close the hatch !" "Go!" "Losing depth control." "Heavy forward." "Request more speed, sir." "Forward room must be flooding." "All ahead standard !" "All ahead standard, sir!" "You okay, sir?" "Yeah." "Compartment flooded?" "Partially." "Three dead." "They're coming in for the kill, sir." "Only way to get out of this alive is to make them think we're all dead." "Send up an oil slick?" "We'll send up everything." "Blankets, gear, everything." "Jim." "The men that were killed." "Send them up through the tubes." "Yes, sir." "Screws diminishing, sir." "Captain?" "Captain, there's something else here." "Listen." "What is it, sir?" "I can't make that out." "What's the situation on the hatch?" "It's okay, Captain." "The engineer should have the new parts ready in a couple of hours." "It's well secured with block and tackle, sir." "Clear the compartment." "Okay, everybody out." "Come on." "On the double." "Let's go, fellas." "What is it, sir?" "I can't make that out." "What is it, sir?" "I can't make that out." "What is it, sir?" "I can't make that out." "Here." "Better take a swallow, sir." "What is it?" "A stimulant, Captain, from the medical safe." "It's 100 proof, sir." "How long have I been out?" "Just a few minutes, Captain." "Here you go." "No." "You'd better worry about yourself, sir." "You're gonna be in for a pretty rough time." "Please, Captain." "Hendrix knows what he's talking about." "You've had a pretty bad concussion." "It's worse than that." "There's a long medical term for it, but it all adds up to blacking out every now and then for quite a while." "If you don't keep off your feet, sir, you're gonna be blacking out permanently." "You'll keep this to yourselves." "But, sir, in my report..." "That's an order, Hendrix." "Send for Mr. Bledsoe." "Well?" "Go on !" "Yes, sir." "The torpedo firing circuits will take 24 hours to repair." "We'll have to set up a jury-rig for the radio, and the radar needs some work, too." "That's another 24 hours." "That's not bad, considering." "We'll lay over for two days and then we can get moving, huh?" "Yeah." "The timing's perfect." "Those convoys come out every 48 hours." "You really got shook up, didn't you?" "No." "No, I couldn't feel better." "Then maybe I didn't hear you right." "You heard me right." "I'm talking about the Straits, going back to the Bungo Straits." "We're through playing with lives, Captain." "This boat's had it." "It's the end of the line." "Why?" "Because a torpedo went wild?" "You know yourself that's 100-to-1." "An accident!" "The whole Japanese Air Force, dropping everything it's got." "That's an accident, too?" "The next time around, we'll make it." "What are you gonna do?" "Swim back to the Straits or use a lifeboat?" "Because that's all the help you're gonna get." "Those are tall words." "You better stop and think a minute." "I have thought about it, Captain." "That wasn't exactly a tea party the crew held before." "They wanted me to take over then, and I can assure you they'll feel the same way now." "You make one move to take over this boat, and I swear, I'll see that you're hung." "Then we'll hang together." "The orders were disobeyed." "It's a proven fact." "No more technicalities." "A fleet boat of the Navy, a submarine with her fighting power still intact, and you'd take her back to Pearl?" "I don't believe it!" "Mr. Cartwright!" "Yes, sir?" "Mr. Cartwright, we'll lay over two days for repairs before returning to Pearl." "I'll be in command." "Get a detail started right away." "Yes, sir." "That's all, Cartwright." "Yes, sir." "The best exec I could possibly get in the whole Navy," ""the backstop," I think you said, and the first command you give as a captain is to order a retreat." "Goodbye, Bungo" "Hello, Pearl" "Funny, funny, funny!" "What's with you?" "I'm trying to eat." "Knock it off." "That's all." "What is this, a private dining room?" "You wanna sing?" "Go to the head !" "It'll take a little more than you to put me there!" "Break it up!" "Break it up!" "What's the matter with you guys?" "We're going back to Pearl, aren't we?" "How many patrols have you had, Mr. Sears, Roebuck?" "This is my second." "I've had five since '42." "I've taken depth charges, shells, strafings, even a bombing run off the Solomons." "But it's the first time I've ever gone back to Pearl with 15 torpedoes still aboard." "Kohler?" "Yes, sir?" "Better get the torpedo check started." "Aye, aye, sir." "Mr. Cartwright, do you think we could've had him, sir?" "What?" "Well, suppose..." "Suppose that fish hadn't gone wild, sir." "You think that aircraft was just playing games up there?" "The Japs had us detected before we moved in." "But the Captain said when we moved out..." "The Captain's flat on his back." "We'd be better off if somebody put him there sooner." "Kohler, get started on that before the watch." "Aye, aye, sir." "Mr." "Cartwright?" "This time words just fail me." "It's this way, sir." "I..." "Why didn't you stop him?" "I didn't know it was gonna happen." "You were here, weren't you?" "Yes, sir, but..." "But you let it go on." "Well, no, sir, I..." "Then it didn't happen?" "Well, yes, sir, it happened, but..." "If I have to put every member of this crew on report, I will !" "It was my fault, sir." "Go on up to the bridge." "Tell the O. D. you're on report." "Sir?" "What'd you say?" "I only said..." "I told you once, Mr. Cartwright, to keep your opinions to yourself!" "Now get out of here." "Yes, sir." "I'm not gonna stand for any fighting or insubordination." "If you think you've got a soft touch, you're mistaken !" "You hear?" "How about that?" "Chewing out an officer in front of us." "He was chewing us all out." "What's he so sore at us for?" "Turn it up a bit, huh?" "It's okay." "Let's leave it." "What are you trying to do, break the plate?" "You are listening once again to the voice you call Tokyo Rose." "Ed, turn it off." "Did you like the music?" "Yes, sir." "I play it tonight for the wives and sweethearts of the submarine Nerka." "You'll never see these men again." "The Nerka has been sunk." "It lies at the bottom of the Bungo Straits." "They bought it!" "They chalked us up!" "We send you our regrets." "To the relatives of Captain P.J. Richardson, of Officers James Bledsoe, Gerald Cartwright, Carl Beckman, of seamen Jessie Warner, Kraut Mueller, Robert Hendrix." ""Kraut" Mueller?" "How could they..." "Listen." "You'll never see them again." "Think about it." "Think what your country has done to these men as you listen to the music." "Why, they even named us!" "The officers, the crew..." "How could they possibly know?" "Welsh." "Yes, sir?" "Were any dispatches, any messages sent after we entered Area 7?" "No, sir." "We cut off all radio transmission." "Captain's orders." "No information, no transmitting of any kind left this boat in 7?" "That's right, sir." "Mueller!" "Yes, sir." "Did you ever sign your name "Kraut" Mueller?" "Only on that notice I put up about the Momo destroyer." "Russo!" "Where's Russo?" "Yes, sir?" "The trash you put in the garbage sacks." "How do you weight it?" "How do you weight it?" "Answer me!" "Well, some tin cans, broken tools, anything I can find that'll help weight the sacks down, sir." "Does it sink?" "I think so, sir." "You think so?" "Well, I can't say for certain, Mr. Bledsoe." "Did you dump any sacks off the Bungo Straits?" "Yes, sir." "What have I done now?" "How do you feel?" "I'm all right." "Repairs are completed." "We're ready to move." "The crew must be very happy." "Aren't you?" "That's what you wanted, isn't it?" "It's what I wanted." "I see." "You're going back to the Straits." "That's right." "What changed your mind?" "I found out how they detected us." "Those fishing barges along the coast have been picking up our garbage sacks." "For the first time, we have a real advantage." "Sure, Jim." "I made the same speech." "But you and I both know that the odds are still against us." "There's always a calculated risk, the unknown factor." "Let's not kid ourselves." "You're going back because you've been through it." "Because you have to go back." "You knew all along I would." "Let's say I had a hunch your order to retreat wouldn't be carried out." "Okay, Rich." "I guess the real reason I came in here was to tell you that I..." "Good luck, Jim." "Now, we all know they think we're sunk." "There's no possible way for them to know we're here." "Every angle has been covered, except the risk of battle." "We're gonna make that risk pay off." "Any more questions?" "There must be something you want to ask." "Well, sir, we all thought..." "Would you mind stepping over here a moment, sir?" "Be my guest, Mr. Bledsoe." "Thanks, Kohler." "A privilege." "Decoy leading as before." "There she is, the Akikaze." "Traveling about 30 knots and coming up." "Stand by to surface." "Stand by to surface!" "Stand by to surface!" "Surface!" "Surface!" "Blow main ballast, hard rise on planes!" "What is it, sir?" "I can't make that out." "What is it, sir?" "What is it, sir?" "I can't make that out." "What is it, sir?" "I can't make that out." "Port side clear, sir!" "Steady on course 050!" "New course 050, sir!" "Very well." "What is it, sir?" "I can't make that out." "What is it, sir?" "I can't make that out." "...main engines!" "All ahead one-third, sir!" "Very well." "Lookouts to the bridge!" "Mr." "Cartwright." "Yes, sir." "Same plan of action." "We'll draw the Akikaze to us by attacking the last freighter in the starboard column." "When the Akikaze comes in, we'll give her a bow shot, as before." "All tubes ready for firing, sir." "Very well." "In firing position, Captain." "Good setup on freighter." "Outer doors open on tubes one and two." "Fire one!" "Fire one!" "Fire one!" "One fired, sir." "One's away, sir." "Fire two!" "Fire two!" "Fire two!" "Two fired, sir." "Two's away, sir." "Left 10-degree rudder." "Come to course 041." "Akikaze moving up starboard side of burning freighter." "Bearing on Akikaze." "089, sir." "Come right to course 089!" "Coming right to course 089, sir!" "Very well." "At what range will we fire, sir?" "1,500 yards." "We'll take her with decks awash." "Shift to battery." "All ahead one-third." "Shifting to battery." "All ahead one-third, sir." "Very well." "Control room." "Control room, aye, aye." "Flood down to 26 feet." "Aye, aye, sir." "Open main ballast tank vents, flood down to 26 feet." "Range to Akikaze?" "Range, 2,400 yards." "Use tubes three and four on this run." "Tubes three and four." "Aye, aye, sir." "Rig out bow planes." "Range, 2,100 yards." "Open outer doors on tubes three and four." "Stand by to fire tubes three and four." "Ready on tubes three and four." "Outer doors open." "Range, 1,800." "Lookouts below!" "Range, 1,600." "Commence firing at 1,500." "Stand by to fire!" "Stand by to fire!" "Fire three!" "Fire three!" "Three fired, sir." "Three's away, sir." "Fire four!" "Fire four!" "Four fired, sir." "Four's away, sir." "Clear the bridge!" "Dive!" "Dive!" "15-degree angle!" "Take her deep." "That's it!" "We got her!" "All ahead one-third!" "All ahead one-third!" "Level off and bring her up to periscope depth." "Aye, aye, sir." "Flow negative." "Level off." "Bring her up to periscope depth." "What is it, sir?" "I can't make that out." "What is it, sir?" "I can't make that out." "Take a look." "Sir!" "Listen." "That transmission again." "I can't make that out." "Bledsoe!" "Take her down !" "Sound collision !" "Take her down fast!" "Sound collision !" "All ahead full !" "Flood negative!" "Take her down !" "Flood negative!" "Hard dive on planes!" "Torpedo coming down !" "It's another runaway!" "It can't be!" "Both of them were hits!" "It's not ours, it's theirs." "It's from another sub." "That's what sunk all our boats." "A Japanese submarine." "She missed us." "Captain, hadn't you better go below?" "Passing 90 feet, sir." "All ahead one-third !" "All ahead one-third, sir." "Level off at 120!" "Level off at 120, sir!" "Rig ship for silent running !" "Rig ship for silent running." "Shift to manual control." "Shut down ventilation." "Secure all of the machinery." "No unnecessary movement or talking." "Here he is, sir." "I've lost him." "They've stopped their motors." "Then let's make it a standoff." "All stop." "All stop, sir." "We can't hold her down too long without some speed." "We'll have to start the motors soon." "Let's hope they start theirs first." "What was his last true bearing?" "1 35." "The bearing's no good without knowing his depth." "And we can't get that." "We gotta get him to surface." "There's a convoy still up there." "With the Akikaze gone, he's gonna have to come up to protect those ships." "Well, suppose we sink a couple?" "I have your permission, sir?" "You're the captain." "Stand by to surface!" "Standing by to surface, sir!" "Secure from silent running and collision !" "Secure from silent running and collision, sir!" "All ahead full !" "All ahead full, sir!" "Reload forward tubes when we surface." "Reload forward tubes when we surface!" "Shift targets." "Angle on the bow, 70 starboard, bearing coming down." "Commence firing when set." "Radar!" "Aye, aye, sir." "Any sign of that sub?" "Not yet, sir." "Keep a sharp lookout, Johnson !" "Aye, aye, sir!" "Fire three!" "Fire three!" "Fire four!" "Fire four!" "New radar contact, bearing 303 relative." "That should be our friend." "There he is." "He's changing course." "He's moving in behind the decoy, using it as a screen." "Right standard rudder!" "Come right to course 069!" "Right standard rudder!" "Coming right to course 069, sir!" "Very well." "That decoy, you say it has a shallow draft?" "Yeah, that's right." "We could shoot under it and hit the sub." "Open outer doors on tubes five and six." "Set torpedo depth at 16 feet." "Steady on new course, sir!" "Range, 1,500." "Standing by to fire, sir." "He's all yours, Captain." "Fire five." "Fire five!" "Fire five!" "Five's away, sir." "Fire six." "Fire six!" "Fire six!" "SJ radar contact!" "Aircraft, coming in fast!" "Clear the deck." "Lookouts below!" "Hurry!" "Clear the decks!" "Stand by to dive!" "Dive!" "Dive!" "Beckman, secure the hatch !" "It's 38 days now since we left Pearl Harbor." "I know how some of us felt then," "I think I know how some of us feel now." "But let no one here, no one aboard this boat, ever say we didn't have a captain." ""Unto Almighty God we commend the soul of our shipmate departed," ""and we commit his body to the deep," ""in the sure and certain hope of the Resurrection unto eternal life," ""when the sea shall give up her dead" ""and the life of the world to come.""