"One, two, three, four." "Hey, Maggio!" "Hello!" "Hiya, Prew." "What are you doing over here?" "Transferred over from Fort Shafter." " You quit the Bugle Corps?" " Yup." "For here?" "I didn't pick it." "You made a very bad mistake." "This outfit, they can give back Custer." "Yeah?" "Captain ain't in yet." "I'll look around." "What do you think you're doing?" " What's your name?" " Prewitt." "Transfer from Fort Shafter." "I heard about you." "I heard about you, too, Sergeant." "This here's a rifle outfit, Prewitt." "You ain't supposed to enjoy yourselfbefore sundown." "Put up your cue and come along." "Grand went to the hospital yesterday." "You put him in the sick book?" " Didn't have time." " You're the company clerk, Mazzioli." "The medics returned the sick booklate yesterday." "I'll do it now." "Thanks, I already done it for you." "You're the best buglerthey got over at Shafter." " You're the best bugler on this island." " That's true." "I feel for you, pal." "But from my position,I can't quite reach you." "Ten-hut!" "At ease." " 'Morning, sir. - 'Morning, men." "Anything special for me?" "I've only a few minutes." "Yes, sir." "New man here." "Oh, yes." "Come in." "Private Robert E. Lee Prewitt, reportingto the Company Commander, as ordered." "At ease." "Where's that service record?" ""Born in Kentucky." "Enlisted first at Fort Meyer, Virginia." ""Bugle Corps, First Bugler. "" "Prewitt, I always make it a policyto talk to my new men." "Now, I have a fine, smooth-running outfit." "If I like a soldier, he can becomea non-commissioned officer quickly." "But he has to show methat he's got it on the ball." "What trouble were you in,in the Bugle Corps?" "No trouble, sir." "What made you transfer out, then?" "It was a personal matter." " Something you wanted to ask, Sergeant?" " Why, yes, sir." "Prewitt, you was a corporalin the Bugle Corps." "You took a bust to buck privateto transfer to an infantry outfit." "Why?" "Because you like to hike, or was itbecause you couldn't stand to bugle?" "It was a personal matter." "That's up to the Company Commanderto decide." "Well?" "I was First Bugler for two years." "The Top Kick had a friendwho transferred in from another outfit." "The next day he was madeFirst Bugler over me." "I was a better bugler." "And you asked out on account of that?" "Maybe it ain't sensible,but that's the reason." "His feelings were hurt." "Kids they send us now!" "We'll get your stripes back for you,maybe an extra one for good measure." " Know why you're assigned to G Company?" " No, sir." "I pulled a few strings." "I'm the regimentalboxing coach, you know." "Yes, sir." "I saw your fight with Connors in the Bowlyear before last." "You should have won." "Thank you, sir." "Our regiment got beaten in the finalslast December, but I mean to win this year." "All I've needed is a top middleweight." "I'm sorry, sir." "I quit fighting." "Quit fighting?" "When?" "What for?" "Well, over a year ago." "Maybe you heard about what happenedwith Dixie Wells?" " You mean that fellow that got hurt?" " Yes, sir." "Yes, I heard about that." "It's too bad." "I can understand how you feel,but those things happen." "That's why I decided I would quit, sir." "You might as well say stop warbecause one man got killed." "Our fighting programmeis the best morale builder we have." "I've got a mighty sour company bugler." "How'd you like the job?" "Not if it means fighting." "Looks to me as if you're trying to acquirea reputation as a lone wolf." "You should know that in the Armyit's not the individual that counts." "You'll find that we won't putany pressure on you in my outfit." "Just don't make any mistakes in it,that's all." "I'm going to town." "Anything else, Sergeant?" "Company fund report's due tomorrow." " You make it out." "Is that all?" " No, sir." "Whatever it is, you fix it up." "If anything has to go in this afternoon,sign my name." " I won't be back." " Yes, sir." "He'd strangle in his own spitif I wasn't here to swab his throat out." "Come on." "You been in the Army what now?" "Five years?" "Five and a half?" "Yeah." "Don't you think it's about timeyou got smart?" "You know what you did just now,turning down Dynamite Holmes?" "You put your head in the noose." "Things are soft for a boxer in this outfit." "Otherwise, you better know how to soldier." "I can soldier with any man." "This place is getting to be likethe Royal Hawaiian Hotel." " Who's that?" " She's Captain Holmes' wife." "You'll fight, Prewitt, becauseCaptain Holmes wants to be Major Holmes." "He's got an idea he'll make itif he gets a winning team." "If you don't do it for him, do it for me." "'Cause my job is to keep him happy, see?" "More he's happy, the less he bothers me,and the better I run this company." "So, we know where we stand,don't we, kid?" "I know where I stand." "A man don't go his own way he's nothing." "Maybe back in the days of the pioneersa man could go his own way." "But today, you got to play ball." "Leva!" "Can't I once find you in the supply roomworking with both hands?" "I can't do no betteron what you people pay me." "Draw this man some supplies." "G Company squad room is on the top floor." "Take your bags then come here." "Leva will help you lug your stuff upstairs." "Save you making four or five trips." "Thanks." "I just hate to see energy wasted." "Besides, you'll be needing yours." "Looks like a good man." "I know his type." "He's a hardhead." "Her and them sweaters." "I'll bet she's colder than an iceberg." "Not her, Top." "She knows the score." "Like I been telling you." "Is that right?" "Not around here, but when I soldieredat Fort Bliss, I heard plenty about this lady." " You did?" " Okay, not me." "But I know some of the guysshe played around with, so don't tell me." "I'm not telling you." "You're telling me." " Good morning, Sergeant. - 'Morning, ma'am." "I'm looking for my husband." "Captain Holmes just went into town." "On business." "He was to have left some things for me." "Do you know about them?" "No, I don't, ma'am." "Anything I can do for you?" "No, thanks." "I'd be glad to help, ma'am." "My husband's been telling mea lot about you, Sergeant." "He says you're very efficient." "Yes, ma'am." "What is it that makes youso efficient, Sergeant?" "I was born smart, ma'am." "I love that." "Well, good-bye, Sergeant." "Man, she sure is one, ain't she?" "One what?" "One woman." "I've seen better." "Karen?" " Sorry I'm late." " It doesn't matter." "I got tied up with General Slater." "I bumped into him in the Officers' Club." "Yeah?" "What did the General have to say?" "Success, he said." "Success in war, success in peacetime." "Not a word about my promotion." "Sometimes I think the old man'sjust waiting to ship me down." "Less time buttering generalsand more with your company..." " ... maybe you'd get that promotion." " The company takes care of itself." "I went over there today looking for you." "I had some business to attend toat Kaneohe." "That was all right, wasn't it?" "Of course." "I've no right to inquire into your actions." "That was our agreement." "Then why bring it up?" "Because I wanted you to know I'm notas stupid as you maintain all women are." "Now, just what does that mean?" "What are you accusing me of now?" "Of nothing." "It's no longer my businesshow many women you go out with." "But I wish you could just be honestabout it once." "No reason I should try to hide anything,is there the way things are between us now?" "What right have youto always be accusing me?" "What right?" "Are you going back to that again?" "How long will it be, I wonder,before I'm allowed to live that down?" "How many times must I sayit was an accident?" "Please, Dana." "I'm going to bed." "Please get out of my bedroom." "Captain Holmes says you don't wantto come out and fight for us." "That's right." "We thought we'd buy you a beerand talk it over." "We're the company boxers." "I figured." "What I wouldn't give to have this guyin a corner poolroom in my hometown!" "If you box as good as you used to,we'd be a cinch this year." "You ain't forget, division champsget ten-day furloughs, did you, son?" "I'm Ike Galovitch." "Platoon guide of your platoon." "And don't thinkyou're a tough guy, Prewitt." "You no talk now, but out in the fieldwith us you sing different song." "He don't have to fight if he don't wantwithout being kicked around." "We're playing pool." "Take off." " You want busted head, Maggio?" " No." "Then keep your big nose out altogether." "Training starts next week." "Pick up your stuff" "Look, I told Holmes and I'm telling you I ain't fighting." "I quit fighting!" "You guys want to put the screws on,go right ahead." "I can take anything you can dish out." "Okay, Prewitt." "Thanks." "I just hate to see a good guyget it in the gut." "You'd better get used to it, kid." "You'll probably see a lot of itbefore you die." "You don't scare easy, do you, Prewitt?" "You know anything in Army regulationsays I got to box?" "Every boxer in this outfit's a non-com." "I guess you've never seena bunch of them get together and give a man "The Treatment. "" "What do you mean "chick"?" "She's 45." "She's still too young for you." "I'm a better man than you any dayand don't forget it." "I won't forget it." "What's the deal with him, anyway?" "With Warden." "I don't figure him." "Warden?" "He ain't like the others." "He'll make it tough on you." "But he'll draw himself a line he thinks fair,and he won't come over it." "You don't see many top kickslike him no more." "He was with the 15th in Shanghaiwhen they saw their action." "I heard about itdown in the Philippines, even." "All I know is,he's the best soldier I ever saw." "Count cadence, count!" "One, two, three, four." "Prewitt!" "Get in step!" "Hut!" "Hut!" "Prewitt, this is a drill, not a picnic!" "Get in step!" "Hut!" "Hut!" "Hut!" "Halt!" "Left face!" "Prewitt!" "One step forward." "March!" "You march like a drunken gooney bird." "I got to teach you how to drill." "Stay here." "Platoon, dismissed!" "Detail, right face!" "Detail, forward march!" "Half left march!" "Half right march!" "Assemble your weapons." "All right, start." "A rifle's your best friend." "In the case it jams in combat,could mean life or death." "You got to learn to strip them downand put them back together, blindfolded." "Your rear sight's way off!" "You'd be 50 feet off-target at 300 yards." "That's what happens when a soldierdon't know how to assemble his rifle." "Seven laps around the track, double time." "Keep the rifle at high port!" "Wide open, huh, Prewitt?" "Maybe seven more lapswill teach you to watch yourself." "Are you crazy?" "I saw what you did." "Nothing but trouble." "Better keep your mind off her." "What do you wanna do,wind up in Leavenworth?" "I won't be back in time to take retreat." "Or reveille, either." "All work and no play, Sergeant." "All you do is sit aroundsweating over papers." "There are other things in the worldbeside work." "You ought to get outmore yourself, Warden." "I've been considering it." "Well, I'm going." "I'm leaving it in your care, Sergeant." "It'll be here when you get back, sir." "Well, if it isn't Sergeant Warden." "You'd better step inside or you'll get wet." "I am wet." "If you're looking for the Captain,he isn't here." "And if I'm not looking for him?" "He still isn't here." "I'm looking for him." "You know where he is?" "I haven't the slightest idea." "Perhaps he's in town on business." "That's the way you put itthe other day, isn't it?" "I got some papersit's important for him to sign." "I'll try phoning him at the club." " Maybe he's there." " Don't do that." "I never like to disturb a manwhen he's drinking." "I could use a drink myself." "Do you wanna ask me in?" "The liquor's there, Sergeant." "In the cabinet." "You're taking an awful chance, you know." "My maid is liable to be home anytime." "No, she won't." "Thursday's her day off." "You think of everything, don't you?" "I try." "In my position, you have to." "Are these really important?" "Yes." "But not importantthey get signed today." "Tomorrow's okay." "I got copies at the office." "So it won't be much work to fix them up." "That's what I like about you, Sergeant." "You have confidence." "It's also what I dislike about you." "It's not confidence, ma'am." "It's honesty." "I hate to see a beautiful womangoing to waste." ""Waste" did you say?" "There's a subjectI might tell you something about." "I know several kinds of waste, Sergeant." "You're probably not even remotely awareof some of them." "Would you like to hear?" "For instance,what about the house without a child?" "There's one sort for you." "Then there's another..." "You're doing fine, Sergeant." "My husband's off somewhere,it's raining and we're both drinking now." "You've probably only got one thing wrong:" "The lady herself." "The lady's not what she seems." "She's a washout,if you know what I mean and I'm sure you know what I mean." "You gonna cry?" "Not if I can help it." "What are you doing?" "I'm leaving." "Isn't that what you want?" "I don't know, Sergeant." "I don't know." " Speed it up." " I'm speeding." ""Payday"" "All right, Maggio." "You wanna get paid?" "Knock it off." "Angelo!" "A dollar he's wrong, coming up." "Sorry, I already won my bankrollin the latrine." "Besides, it's a penny-ante game." "Come on, buddy boy, we're going to town." "Look, don't let them get your goat." "We dress up in civviesand we're as good as the rest of the world." "Here, wear this." "My sister sent it to me." "She buys everything too big." "Look, first we hit a few bars, see?" "Then we go to a place where I'ma member:" "The New Congress Club." "Girls!" "Any prejudices against girls?" "That's what I thought." "Well, it looks like you're all primedfor a big night." "Hello, Stark." " You want some company?" " No, thanks." "All tied up." "Leva says you've been eyeing the Captain'swife like a hound at hunting." "He has, huh?" "What else did that character tell you?" "She took up with a lot of menback at Fort Bliss." "I wouldn't put stock in stories like that." "This ain't no story." "Because I was one of them myself." "Not for long, though." "Sure is something strangeabout that woman." "Yeah." "Thanks for the tip." "See you." "Hello." " I didn't think you were coming." " Why not?" "I ain't late." "No, I guess you're not." "But I got here a little early." "I must have been over-anxious." " You weren't, though, were you?" " I stopped along the way for a few drinks." "You chose a lovely spot for our meeting." "I've had three chances to be picked upin five minutes." "That's par for the course around here." "Well, I don't care for it." "I never went in much for back-alley loving." "Take it easy." "You probably think I'm a tramp." "What makes you thinkI'd think a thing like that?" "Don't try to be gallant." "If you think this is a mistake,come right out and say so." "Well, I guess it's about time for meto be getting home, isn't it?" "Isn't it?" "What's the matter?" "What started all this, anyway?" "You think I'd be hereif I thought it was a mistake?" "Risking 20 years in Leavenworthfor a date with the Commander's wife?" "And her acting like Lady Astor's horse,and all because I got here on time!" "On the other hand,I've got a bathing suit under my dress." "Me, too." "Why, it's Angelo Maggio." "Greetings, Mrs. Kipfer." "There you are, sweetie-pie." "Dues all paid up." "Who you got playing the piano, a hippo?" "Angelo, I don't think I've met your friend." "Private Robert E. Lee Prewitt." "You know how I hate itwhen you boys are in this condition." "You see that, buddy boy?" "A woman sees a soldier and, like that,she figures he's drunk." " You know why?" " Because he is." "Heavy drinking simply doesn't mixwith the entertainment business." "A respectable placemust consider its future." "Mrs. Kipfer, you have my solemn wordyour future will be safe with us." "Angelo is one of my favourites." "Annette, dear, take care of this gentlemanfor me, will you, please?" "That'll be $4, babyface." "$2 for initiation fee,$2 for this month's dues." "What do I get for it?" "Entitlement to all privileges of the club:" "Dancing, snack bar, soft drink bar." "Gentlemanly relaxationwith the opposite gender." "So long as they are gentlemen." "No liquor is permitted." "Got it?" "I've got it." "Girls, here's some new poison." "This is Billie, Jean and Nancy." " Nice meeting you." " Hi, there." "Don't tell me the princess is your style." "This is Suzanne and Roxanne." "Hello, there." " Would you like to dance, honey?" " Hey!" "Much as I adore your company I hope I may be allowedto tear myself away." "I just saw a few friends at the door." "I can also see that I will beof no further use to you." "Hi." "You busy?" "What's your name?" "I'm Lorene." "Lorene?" "I haven't seen you in here before." "I haven't been in here before." "My friend brought me." "He and I are stationed out at Schofield." "I didn't think you were a soldier." "What do you mean?" " Well, I" " I'm a 30-year man, in for the whole ride." "I suppose it's differentwhen a fellow makes a career of it." "Nothing wrong with a soldierthat isn't wrong with everyone else." "I like you just the same." "I liked you the minuteI saw Annette bring you in." "You did?" "It's funny, I came in and stood thereand saw you sitting over here." "Knock it off, buddy." "Put a mute in that thing." "I'll play as loud as I want, you little wop!" ""Little wop"?" "Mess with me, fatstuff, I'll bust you up." "You must be in a hurry for trouble, wop." " Wait right here for me, will you?" " Yeah, sure." "I will not have this." " Mussolini's telling me how to play." " Busting my eardrums with his noise!" " Let's not be cruel." " Break it up." "You'll have to go if you can't behave." "Only my friends call me "wop"!" " You know who that guy is?" " What do I care?" "Who is he?" "Fatso Judson." "Sergeant of the Guard at the stockade." "Let him alone." "I seen him nearly murder a guy once." "He likes it." "Okay, bullyboy, now you won the war." "Let's dance, huh?" "Yeah, we'll dance." "First I got to calm my nerves." "Let's go to a phone boothwhere I'll unveil a fifth of whisky I have hidden hereunder my loose-flowing sports shirt." "Don't get hurt, pal." "Your balance has got to be letter-perfect." "I thought you were gonna wait?" "Bill was telling me about surfboarding." "Hello, friend." "Just sit down and listen." "He describes it thrillingly." "You know anything about surfboarding?" "No, nothing." "Not a thing." "You must be stationed inland." "At DeRussey I get lots of chances." "Yeah, but we got mountains." " Know anything about mountain climbing?" " A little bit." " You a mountain climber?" " No." " Know about flying a plane?" " I've had a few lessons." "I can't fly, either." "What do you know about deepsea diving?" "Bill, shall we move into another room?" "Sure." "The air in here seemsto have gotten lousy, hasn't it?" " I noticed that." " Listen, fella." "Come on, let's go." "How's the deepsea diver?" "That was a terrible way you acted." "Maybe I was jealous." "You're a funny one." "What do you dames want?" "To tease a man to death?" "Mrs. Kipfer pays us to be niceto all the boys." "They're all alike." "Is it so important?" "It is important." "We may seem all alike, we ain't all alike." "I'm sorry." "Look..." "Let's go sit up in Mrs. Kipfer's parlour." "She lets us use it sometimesfor somebody special." "I'll go ask her." " Then you're not mad?" " No, I'm not mad." "Because if you're still mad,I'd just rather we call the whole thing off." "You certainly are a funny one." "I never knew it could be like this." "Nobody ever kissed me the way you do." "Nobody?" "No." "Nobody." "Not even one?" "Out of all the menyou've been kissed by?" "Now, that'd take some figuring." "How many do you think there have been?" "I wouldn't know." " Can't you give me a rough estimate?" " Not without an adding machine." "Do you haveyour adding machine with you?" "I forgot to bring it." "Then I guess you won't find out, will you?" "Maybe I already know." "What's the matter?" "What are you hinting at?" "Why?" "Is there something to hint at?" "Maybe there's been a long lineof beach parties." "You must be crazy." "Am I?" "What about when you and Holmeswere back at Fort Bliss?" "Did you ever hearof a soldier named Stark?" "Maylon Stark?" "Why, yes." ""Why, yes. "" "You knew him, too, didn't you?" "Didn't you?" "I had to go and forgetyou were like all the rest of them." "Only it's true, ain't it?" "Well, ain't it?" "Why don't you tell me about it?" "Tell me the story." "There's always a story." "You don't leave a person anything, do you?" "Come back here, Sergeant." "I'll tell you the story." "You can take it backto the barracks with you." "I'd only been married to Dana two yearswhen I found out he was cheating." "But by that time, I was pregnant." "I thought I had something to hope for." "I was almost happythe night the pains began." "I rememberDana was going to an officers' conference." "I told him to get home early,to bring the doctor." "He might have, if his conferencehadn't been with a hatcheck girl." "He was drunk when he came in at 5:00 a. m." "I was lying on the floor." "I begged him to go for the doctor,but he fell on the couch and passed out." "The baby was born about an hour later." "Of course it was dead." "It was a boy." "But they worked over me at the hospital,fixed me up fine." "They even took my appendix out,threw that in free." "Karen." "And one more thing:" "No more children." "Sure, I went out with men after that." "And if I'd ever found one that" "Karen, listen to me, listen." "I know." "Until I met you,I didn't think it was possible either." "I enlisted too." "Came out here on my ownto get away from my hometown in Oregon." "How come?" "I had a boyfriend." "I was a waitress, and he wasfrom the richest family in town." "He just married a girlsuitable for his position." "After three years of going around with me." "A pretty story, isn't it?" "Maybe they could write a book about it." "They did." "Thousands of them." "So I left and went to Seattle." "When I got thereI met a girl back from Hawaii." "She said she'd made a lot of money there." "So I caught the first boat." "I've been here a year and two months." "You don't like it very much, do you?" "Oh, I don't like it." "But I don't mind it." "Anyway, I won't be here forever." "No." "Sure." "I mean, why should you?" "I got it all figured out." "In another year, I'll be back home,with a stocking full of money." "And I'll be all set for life." "Who is it?" "I didn't hear no sounds of combat,so I thought you might want a drink." "You've been hogging the whisky, Angelo." "Not me, buddy." "It's that Sandra." "She's a nice girl, but she drinks like a fish." "I hope there's a cop under that." "Keep pouring." "No, thanks." "I don't drink." "I think it's a weakness." "I grant you that." "I don't like weakness." "Do you?" "No, I don't like weakness." "But I like to drink." "What are you going to do, marry this guy?" "You're grinning at him like you're his wife." "Get out of here!" "Okay." "I'm going." "Back to old long-legged Sandra." "I love them tall." "Acres and acres." "Enjoy yourself, paisan." "You need this more than I do." "Tomorrow you'll be backwith "The Treatment. "" "What does he mean?" "That was nice before." "The way you snuggled up in front of him." "What's "The Treatment"?" "Some of the guys putting meover the jumps 'cause I don't want to fight." "Fight?" "Yeah." "On the boxing team." "I don't want to box." "I don't even want to think about it." "Why should you have to box?" "Well, see, I used to fight, middleweight." "I was pretty good, and they know it." "Well, anyway..." "Well, come on." "Tell me." "I want to hear." "Well, the thing is, see..." "I used to work out with this guy,Dixie Wells." "He's a real good friend of mine." "He loved to box." "People on the outside had their eye on him." "He was gonna come out of the Armyand go right up to the top." "Well, one afternoon he and I were sparring in the gym." "You know, kind of friendly-like." "He must have been set pretty flaton his feet 'cause I caught him with a no-more-than-ordinary right cross." "He didn't get up." "He didn't move." "He was in a coma for a week." "Finally, he did pull out of it." "Only, the thing was, he was blind." "I went to see him at the hospitala couple of times." "Finally, I just couldn't go back." "The last time he and I started talkingabout fighting and..." "He started to cry." "Seeing tears coming out of those eyesthat couldn't see anything..." "I thought I ought to tell you." "Holmes spoke to his boxers last night." "From now on, it's no holds barred." "They aim to run youright into the stockade if they got to." "Let them." "I'll help you as much as I can." "But I can't go too far out on a limb." "I ain't risking losing my stripes." "I like this outfit." "So do I. That's funny, ain't it?" "Yeah, that is funny." "Keep going in a straight line, Prewitt." "Keep going!" "All right, that's enough." "Okay, Prewitt, bury it." "Time!" "Clean up the mess, Prewitt." "Hurry it up." "You're on fatigue detail, not vacation." "Come on, clean it up!" "Clean it up yourself!" "What?" "You heard me." "Rub your own nose in it a while." "Prewitt, you know better than talk backto a non-commissioned officer." "Yes, sir, but I've never liked being spit on,not even by a non-commissioned officer." "You owe Sergeant Galovitch an apology." "I don't think so." "Sergeant Galovitch owes me an apology." "Corporal Peluso?" "Have this man roll a full field pack,extra shoes and helmet." "Take a bicycle and hike him upto Kole Kole Pass and back." " Then bring him to me." " Yes, sir." "All right, Prewitt, let's go." "Time!" "Hold it a minute." "Go ahead and have a cigarette." "I don't like this any more than you do." "Thanks." "I take it you're ready to apologiseto Sergeant Galovitch now?" "No, sir, I'm not." "Peluso, take him up there again." "Yes, sir." "All right, Prewitt, let's go." "You can't be decent to a man like that." "You have to treat him like an animal." "Sergeant, prepare court-martial papers." "Insubordinationto a non-commissioned officer." "Yes, sir." "Only, it's a shame." "What is?" "I was thinking,too bad you'll lose a good middleweight." "I don't care." "I don't have to tolerate such insolence." "No, sir, you sure don't." "I'll prepare the papers then." "Trouble is,even if he gets just three months he'll still be in the stockadefor the boxing finals." "Do you see any other way of breaking him?" "You could double upon company punishment, sir." "All right." "I'll throw the book at him." "If you think that's the way to do it." "Nice going, Sarge." "Keep looking, you'll find yourselfscrubbing this orderly room floor!" "Coming through!" "Watch it." "Me and my waitersare working our tails off." "Hot!" "Hot!" "H-O-T!" "How you doing, buddy boy?" "Better than being thrown in the stockade,ain't it?" "How am I doing, Sarge?" "I'm a rough man." "Slow up a little, stop sweating in the food." "Don't hold me back, Sarge." "I'm putting in for corporal tomorrow." "You'll never make it." " Hi, Sarge." " Hi, Top." "Life in a rifle company." "You look awful tired, kid." "How do you like straight duty?" "What makes you think I mind it?" "I didn't say you minded it." "I just said you looked tired." "You know, drawn to a fine edge." "I like this life." "It's a great life." "If I find a pearl, I'll cut you in." "Fifty-fifty." "You know what I mean?" "If you didn't put me here,I'd have no chance to find it, right?" "Now, there's a man for you." "What do you know?" "Since you like it so much,I'll see if I can find more for you." "How about garbage detail?" "Thanks." "I had that on Wednesday." "So, you did." "What about street cleaning?" "Yesterday." "You got a better memory than me." "Of course, if you were smart..." "Yeah, but I ain't smart." "I know." "But if you were,you wouldn't have to pull KP." "Or any other fatigue duty for that matter." "If you think you can bribe me into boxing,Warden, you're wrong." "Not you and Dynamite Holmesand "The Treatment. "" "How long are you guys gonna keepbreaking it off on that kid Prewitt?" "You've had him on that extra duty rostera month already." " I can't see why you" " Can't you, Pete?" "Getting soft in your old age?" "Maybe I want to teach him a lesson." " Maybe you like it." " Maybe I do." "I'm getting sick and tiredwatching you being a stooge for Holmes." "You won't see it much longer." "I'm getting sick and tired of it myself." "I'm through, Pete." "Any day now." "And I mean it." "Listen, if Holmes'd let me,I'd transfer out of here tomorrow." "Half a dozen companies in this regimentwould grab me, in grade, too." "Oh, sure." "I could be Chief of Staff, too." "Only I just can't think of leavingmy old buddies." "Where're you going, Little Sir Echo?" "To take my shower, if the stinkingFirst Sergeant has no objections." "Where'd you think?" "To the movies in this towel?" "Hurry up." "We'll get some beer." "I wouldn't drink with youif it was the last beer on Earth." "I'm buying." "That's different." "Do you know why I liketo have you serve me beer?" "So as I can watch youwhen you walk away." "It's in regulations." "You got a right to complain." "You've a right to take your caseto the Inspector General." "Any soldier has, even a plain dogface." "Nope." "I ain't gonna complain." "They ain't going to get that satisfaction." "This soldier's got a real big family." "Fifteen of them." "'Course this is only half of them." "You see the gentlemanwith the handlebars?" "That's Mr. Maggio." "Mr. Maggio is my father." "I never saw anyone so stubborn." " How long since they let you go into town?" " Six weeks." "Liable to be six years." "How'd you like it?" "Six years before you see a dame?" "Look, why don't you justmind your own business?" "And why don't you learn to play the bugle?" "That's my buddy boy!" "Who's the broad?" "It's my sister." "You hit me!" "Yeah, and I'm about to do it again, too." "Why, you dirty wop!" "If you want to fight, take it outside!" "I'll cut this wop's heart out." "Anybody steps in here,I give it to him first." "One step further, Fatso,and I'm going to de-brain you." "Nobody's doing nothing." "Anybody does any killing, I'll do it!" "It's a private affair, Warden." "No, it isn't!" "This man's in my company!" "And you ain't making twoextra weeks' paperwork for me for nothing." "Out for blood, huh?" "You'd puke at the sight of a dead man." "Put down that stool." "Put it down!" "Drop that knife." "Okay, Fatso,if it's killing you want, come on." "Well, come on!" "On the floor!" "Killers, huh?" "I'd trade the pair of youfor a good Camp Fire Girl!" "Tough monkey." "Guys like you end up in the stockadesooner or later." "Some day you'll walk in, I'll be waiting." "I'll show you a couple of things." "I'm going to get a breath of air." "I'm glad he stopped it." "He's a good man." "You keep it." "Keep it for a souvenir." "Okay, I'll keep it." "You ain't enjoying life much, are you, kid?" "Could you stand a weekend pass?" "Could I..." "What about Holmes?" "Don't worry about Holmes." "He signs anything without reading it." "I sure could use it." "I hear you've gone dippy over some damedown at the New Congress Club." "What'd you say her name was?" "Lorene." "It's a beautiful name." "Hey, paisan!" "What's holding you up?" "Let's get going." "What's wrong?" "Don't you like it here?" "Something better to do in town?" "The bus is leaving right away." "I'm taking the bus." "Take off." "You're talking to a rich man." "I'll hop a taxi." "I'll meet you at the Kalakaua, later." "Maggio." "Get ready for guard." "Campaign hat, cartridge belt and weapon." "Report to the orderly room in 10 minutes." "What?" "I got a pass!" "Not anymore." "Anderson's sick." "You're on guard." "I just had guard yesterday." "Why me?" "I'll tell you why, you." "You should have gotten dressed faster." "I sure never figuredon your giving me the runaround." "They didn't even want to let me in." "We're mobbed, that's why." "A big crowd from Hickam Fieldgot in here first." " Did you expect a brass band to meet you?" " No." "Thought you'd want to see me." "I'm busy, can't you see?" "Look." "Yes, I see it's crowded." "Well, I am." "Maggio's going to beat the Kalakaua Inn later." "Is there no way you can get out of here?" "What's the matter with you?" "I work here, you know, after all." "Can't you understand?" "Yes, I do." "I understand." "I understand very well." "You haven't been here in weeks." "Now you turn up all of a sudden" "Watch it, Mack!" "Watch where you're going!" "Come on out of here." "Don't you think Mrs. Kipfer has rules?" "I can't just walk out." " Even if I could, she doesn't like us" " All right, look." "If you feel that way,just forget about it, okay?" "You haven't any claims on me, mister." "You're not my husband, you know." "There you are." "I vastly admire your taste,but we really need Lorene now." "So many gentlemen are unattended." " It is such a rush, isn't it?" " Yeah." "Almost like one of those bigpolitical conventions in Philadelphia." "You are coming, Lorene?" "In a minute." "I'm sorry." "How do you think I feel?" "I may not get another pass for months." "I've been counting on thislike a kid counts on Christmas." "But forget it." "Lorene's busy, she's got work to do." "Lorene's sorry." "Stop calling me Lorene!" "My name's Alma!" " Alma?" " Yes, Alma Burke!" "Alma?" "Mrs. Kipfer picked Loreneout of a perfume ad." "She thought it sounded French." "Hey, how did you get away?" "I told Mrs. Kipfer I was sick." " But I bet she doesn't believe it." " I bet she doesn't." " What'll you have?" " A Coke, please." "Give her a big Coke." "It's great you meeting me here." "You know, I'm just lucky getting in town." "Top Kick gave me a break." "They still pouring it on?" "Holmes and those others,they really got me on the edge." " You must hate the Army." " No, I don't hate the Army." "But look what it's doing to you." "I love the Army." "But it sure doesn't love you." "A man loves a thing,that don't mean it's got to love him back." "Yeah, but a person can stand just so much." "You love a thing, you've got to be grateful." "I left home when I was 17." "Both my folks is dead." "I didn't belong no placetill I entered the Army." "That's where I learned to bugle." "To bugle?" "That's the mouthpiece I usedwhen I played a taps at Arlington." "They picked me to play a tapsat Arlington Cemetery on Armistice Day." "The President was there." "I play the bugle well." "Hello, citizens!" "Hey, where you been?" "Hi, pals." "I've been in three barsand I put a dent in all three of them." "Yeah, you look it." "Give me a nail." "I'm hungry for a nail." "What you doing in uniform?" "I'm thinking of joining the Army." "Or maybe I'll go to Mexicoand become a cowboy." "You want to go with me?" "You keep on drinking,you'll be as much use as a melted candle." "You're absolutely right." "Bartender!" "Large whisky." "Excuse me." "Hey, buddy." "Sam!" "Hey, coming out, fellas,the terror of Gimbels' basement." "Stand back." "Here we go." "A seven for Daddy, five deuce." "Seven." "Snake eyes." "The story of my life." "Prew, that's the Royal Hawaiian Hotelaround the corner where all those movie stars stay." "Paisan, you'd better simmer down." "You got a whole weekend ahead of you." "That's what you say, buddy." "What do you mean?" "They only gave you an overnight pass?" "No pass." "No pass." "They put me on guard duty." "But old Angelo, he foxed them." "You walked off guard?" "I checked in and I checked right out again." "Get your tail right back to the post." "You're in trouble, you know that." "I got a good idea." "Let's go swimming!" "We'll go swimming with a movie star." "That's what I'm gonna do." "Listen, Angelo." "Twenty feet tall,I'm going swimming with a movie star." "You'd better go." "Hey, Angelo." "You jerk, get up." "Wake up." "I'm awake." "What are you hollering about?" "Yeah, you're awake." "Put your clothes on." "Give them back to the Indians." "They need the clothes." "All they wear is G-strings." "You ain't drunk." "Come on, get up." "I am waiting here for a movie starto come out of the hotel." "I'm not going until she shows up." "Put your clothes on." "Let's get out of herebefore we get in trouble." "Okay?" "What's the matter with you?" "Can't a man get drunk?" "Can't a man do nothing?" "Can't he put his lousy handsin his lousy pockets on a lousy street?" "A man gotta be hounded all his life?" "I'm tired." "I ain't no criminal." "I ain't no coward!" "Buddy boy, look..." "Get dressed, put your clothes on." " Wait for me?" "I'll get a cab." " Yeah, sure." " Will you wait?" " You get a cab." "Hey, MPs!" "Come and get me, you guys!" "Here I am!" "Is that the best you can do?" "I bet you guys eat Wheaties!" "Any word on Maggio's court-martial yet?" "It's on right now." "He'll get the stockade sure." "Maybe he won't get it." "All he did was to get drunk." "It's a soldier's nature." "It's almost a sacred duty once in a while." "But he walked off guard." "He went AWOL." "What are you hanging around here for?" "Can't a man rest a minute?" "What man?" "You got no work?" "Maybe I can scare you up some." "Go shoot some pool." "Any word comes, I'll let you know." "Company G,First Sergeant Warden speaking." "Yes, sir." "Yes, sir, I'll have his things in order." "He got it." "Six months." "I'm gonna escape from this dump." "Gimbels' basement couldn't hold me,neither can this." " Shut up!" " Whatever you say, Brownie." "Prisoner!" "Halt!" "Hello, tough monkey." "This other girl and I were lucky to rent it." "This is a very fashionable district." "I have another key made for you." "You can use it any time you want to,even when I'm not here." " Hi." " Hi." "This is Prew, the soldier I told you about." " This is Georgette, my roommate." " Well, welcome, friend." "Hasn't been a man around the housesince the cat died." "I belong to the Book Guild Club." "I always take every book." "That's the way I get all the dividends." "She'll be great for your friendwhen he gets out of the stockade." "Yes, he'll be crazy about her." "Just sit down and get comfortable." "I'll make you a martiniand see what's to cook for dinner." "This is like being married, ain't it?" "It's better." "You okay?" "Glad you came?" "Let's get out of here." "Don't look around." "It can't go on like this much longer." "Even though we sneaked acrossthe island we had to run out like jailbirds." "If there was only some way we..." "Holmes'd probably give you a divorce,but never let me transfer out of his outfit." "There is a way." "I've been thinking about it." "You've got to become an officer." "You can take the new extension course,the one they passed last May." " Once commissioned you go to the States." " An officer?" "Yes." "Then I could divorce Danaand marry you." "I hate officers." "I've always hated officers!" "Well, that's a fine, intelligent point of view." "Suppose I said I always hated sergeants." "That'd make a lot of sense, wouldn't it?" "You sure made a complete study of it." "Okay, suppose I did it." "And don't think it's a cinch." "You'd be here, I'd be in the States,we'd be apart six months!" " We're sure to be into a war" " Tell the truth." "You don't want the responsibility." "You're probably not even in love with me." "You're crazy!" "I wish I didn't love you." "Maybe I could enjoy life again." "So they were marriedand lived unhappily ever after." "I've never been so miserable in my lifeas I have since I met you." "Neither have I." " I wouldn't trade a minute of it." " Neither would I." "I'll probably make the lousiest officerin this man's Army you ever saw." "You'll make a fine officer." "A remarkable officer." "Thank you." "Come here." "Can't you wait until we finish dinner?" "Honey I want to marry you." "You're a funny one." "Why's it funny if a guywants to marry you?" "Because I'm a girl you metat the New Congress Club." "That's about two stepsup from the pavement." "Well, what am I?" "I'm a private, no-class dogface." "The way most civilians look at that,that's two steps up from nothing." "Prew, I thought we were happy." "Why do you want to spoil things?" "Look, I've got a year to gobefore I re-enlist." "If I can swing sergeant's stripes by then,they'll let me go back to the States." "We can go back together if you'll wait." "How do you expect to become a sergeantunder Captain Holmes?" "It's all you can doto keep out of the stockade." "I'll fight." "You're not gonna fight." "It'd be worth it." "Prew, it's true we love each other now." "We need each other." "But back in the Statesit might be different." "That ain't the real reason." " All right, it's not." " What is the real reason?" "I won't marry you becauseI don't want to be the wife of a soldier." "Well, that would be about the besti could ever do for you." "Because nobody's going to stop mefrom my plan." "Nobody, nothing." "Because I want to be proper." ""Proper"?" "Yes, proper." "In another year,I'll have enough money saved." "I'll go back to my hometown in Oregon." "I'll build a house for my mother and myself." "Join the country club and take up golf." "I'll meet the proper manwith the proper position." "I'll make a proper wifewho can run a proper home." "Raise proper children." "I'll be happy because when you're proper,you're safe." "You got guts, honey." "I hope you can pull it off." "I do mean it when I say I need you,'cause I'm lonely." "You think I'm lying, don't you?" "Nobody ever lies about being lonely." "And don't talk to me about a divorce." "Why?" "Because the scandalwould spoil your chances for a promotion?" "I ask you once more:" "I want to knowwho he is and where you met him." "I'm not going to tell you." "One thing I know:" "I know he's a civilian." "You'd be too discreet to pick an Army man." "I wonder which is hurt more,your pride or your curiosity?" "You can't know how I feel about this." "I wonder why men feel so differentlyabout it than women?" "It's just not the same." "It's a lovely day." "I think I'll go for a walk." "I hear you just got out of the stockade." "It was rugged." "Kept my mouth shut, didn't get in trouble." "Did you see Maggio?" "Fatso's really got it in for Maggio." "He's using a billy, too." "In places where it won't show." "On the back, on the chest." "He's got it down to a system." "He kicks him a lot, too." "You know how Maggio's taking it?" "He just keeps spitting in Fatso's eye." "Ain't he a hot one?" "Well, he's a good man." "Fatso can't make a dent in him." "But, that Fatso, he's smart." "He makes surethe O.D. never sees nothing." "Why don't Maggio go to the O.D. himself?" "We tried to get him to, but he won't peep." "That boy's the toughest nut in the woods." "You think he's going to be all right?" "Well, maybe he's cracking, at that." "What do you mean?" "After Fatso threw him in the Hole-That's solitary he started talking a couple of timesabout how he's gonna escape." "He said to tell youhe'll look you up one night." "Still on your knees, Prewitt?" "Boxing finals next month:" "December 15." "You've still got time to help uswin the championship." "Are you proud to be in this companyor not?" "I ain't gonna move around you again." "Something tells me you need a lesson." "Maybe I'll give it to you myself." "Leave him alone." "He's in my detail." "You'll get in trouble if you fight here." "Get back to work." "Get out of my way!" "I'll be glad to recommend you." "You've got service, experience, grade." " You'll make an excellent officer." " Thank you, sir." "It'd be a feather in my cap, too." "A man from my company." "At ease." "What's the trouble, Sergeant?" "They're fighting outside, sir." "Galovitch and Prewitt." "Prewitt?" "Galovitch looks likehe's going to murder him." "I'll take care of it." "Don't you want to see?" "No!" "Nor you, either!" "Get out of here!" "Why don't Prew go for his head?" "Blinded a guy once." "Must be scared of the same thing." "The face, Prew!" "Hit him in the face!" "Come on, Galovitch, fight fair!" "I'll fight any way I want." "Come on, Prew, get up!" "Why doesn't that officer stop that fight?" " What's his name, Major?" " Captain Holmes, sir." "At ease." "What started this?" "Prewitt refused an order I gave him." "Talked back and started a fight." "I taught him a lesson." "You won't disobey orders in my company." "Sir, I'm sorry,but Private Prewitt's not to blame." "Sergeant Galovitch started it." " Thornhill?" " Yes, sir." "You're in charge of this detail." "What about it?" "He's right, Prewitt did nothing." "Yes, sir." "Galovitch started it." "That's all." "Let's forget it." "Let's get back to our jobs." "If you guys think this meansI'll step into a ring, you're wrong." "You'd better put some iodine on them cuts." "Hey, Friday." "Why are you called "Friday"?" "I don't know." "I was born on a Wednesday." "Hey, Prewitt, where you going?" "Where am I going?" "I'm going to Choy's." "I'm gonna get me another beer." "Halt!" "Who goes there?" "A friend." "Advance, friend, and be recognised!" "Ten-hut!" "About face!" "Rear face!" "On your knees!" "Scrub the floor!" "At ease." "Hello, kid." "What you doing out here all by yourself?" "I'm gonna get a little drink." "Sit down." "I got a bottle." "Thanks, Top." "I got to hand it to you, kid the way you beat upold Galovitch this afternoon." "Too bad they gotta get you sooner or later." "Life's crummy, you know it?" "Yes, sir, it's perfectly miserable." "What do you suppose would happenif a truck came along and ran us over?" "We'd be dead." "Better not sit here anymore." "You'd better get upand sit over on the side of the road." "What do you mean, I better?" "You've got more to live for than I do." "You got your whole companyto take care of." "You move overto the other side of the road." "I'm old and it don't matter if I die." "You got your whole life ahead of you." "Don't argue." "Get up." "No, sir, not Prewitt." "Prewitt stays right here to the bitter end." "Okay, we'll stay together." "I couldn't have got up anyway." "I got the biggest troublesin the whole world." "In the whole world, huh?" "Take love." "Did you personally ever seeany of this love?" "You'll understand what I mean." "This girl she wants me to become..." " Become what?" " An officer." "Can you see me as an officer?" "Yeah, I can see you as an officer." "You'd be a good officer." "Well, you both can seemore than I can see." "I don't wanna be an officer." "I'm happy where I am." "I might turn out to be a guy like Holmes." "You wouldn't want meto be a guy like Holmes, would you?" "Well, would you?" "A man should be what he can do." "How's your girl?" "What's her name again?" "Lorene." "Oh, yeah." "I remember now." "A beautiful name." "Beautiful." "You two dumb, crazy screwballs." "What are you trying to do,get yourself killed?" "Why are you in the middle of the road?" "My friend Prew and I,we're sitting here discussing the weather." " Your friend, huh?" " You heard me." "Don't you knowyou gotta take care of this man?" "Holmes is bound to get himsooner or later." "And he's the best stinking soldiering the whole Army." "You both got rocks in your head." "Angelo." "I figured you'd be here at Choy's." "I done it, Prew." "I escaped just like I said." "Just like I figured in a back of a truck, under a tarp." "They rode me right out." "Just like I figured." "Only the tailgate opened up, Prew,about a mile back and I fell out in the road." "You should've seen me bounce." "I must've broke something." "Prew, listen." "Fatso done it, Prew." "He likes to whack me in the gut." "He asks me if it hurts and I spit at him like always." "Only yesterday, it was bad." "He hit me he hit me he hit me." "I had to get out, Prew." " They gonna send you to the stockade?" " No, they ain't." "Watch out for Fatso." "He'll try to crack you." "If they put you in the Hole don't yell." "Don't make a sound." "You'll still be yellingwhen they come to take you out." "Just lay there." "Just lay there and be quiet, Prew." "He's dead." "I'll bet you that's Prew." "Sergeant Judson?" "You want me?" "Yeah, Fatso." "I don't like that nickname." "You want to see me about something?" "Let's step around the cornerwhere we can talk." "Okay." "Are you sore about something?" "I don't like the way you play the piano." "Remember Maggio?" "The wop?" "Yeah, real tough monkey." " You killed him." " Did I?" "Well, if I did, he asked for it." "The Army's going to get yousooner or later, Fatso." "But before they do,I want a piece of you myself." "I figured that." "See this knife?" "It's the one you pulled on Maggio." "What's happened?" "It's all right." "Don't worry." "I ain't gonna die." "First Platoon present and accounted for!" "Second Platoon all accounted for!" "Third Platoon all presentand accounted for!" "Fourth Platoon all presentand accounted for!" "Fifth Platoon all accounted for!" "Sixth Platoon all accounted for!" "Company, dismissed!" "Prewitt's still absent." "Makes three days now." "How long are you gonna carry him present,Top?" "I just mention it." "Well, don't mention it." ""Upon observing these incidents,an investigation was made..." ""... by the Inspector General's Departmentover a period of several months." ""It was found that Captain Holmes..." ""... has been guilty of indefensible crueltyto the aforesaid Private Prewitt." ""As mentioned, this included instigationof wholly unauthorised tactics..." ""... to force the soldierto join the interregiment boxing team. "" "I'm waiting for your reply." "I haven't any, sir." "First thing I learned in the Armywas that an officer takes care of his men." "It seems to be the first thing you forgot." "My only regret is we have to keep you in uniformtill a court-martial is concluded." "If there were any wayto avoid a court-martial, sir." "There is one alternative, General,if you are so disposed:" "A resignation for the good of the serviceunder Army regulations." "Write a letter of resignation." "Have it on my desk this afternoon." "As far as I'm concerned the quicker you're out,the better for everybody especially the Army." "That's all, Holmes." "I know what's been going on in this outfit." "I know how far some of youhave been out of line." "If you want to remain non-coms,you'd better snap into it." "And another thing:" "From now on,no man will earn his stripes by boxing." " Get rid of those." " Yes, sir." "Dismissed." " About Sergeant Galovitch." " Yes, sir." "Bust him." "Sergeant Galovitchis now Private Galovitch." "Put him in charge of the latrine." "What are you grinning at?" "I think the Company Commandermade a wise decision, sir." "Company G, Captain Ross." "Just a minute." " It's for you, Sergeant." " Thank you, sir." "Yes, sir." "Yes, the parcel has already arrived." "What?" "I've got to see you, Milt." "It's important." "Okay, I'll get away somehow." "Sure, that'd be fine, yeah." "I'll be there in about an hour." "Right." "He's being sent back to the States,sailing next week, and wants me to go." "What will we do?" "When do you thinkyou'll get your commission?" "I didn't put it in." "I filled it out, but I didn't sign it." "I took it out of my desk a dozen times,but I couldn't sign it." "Why?" " But it was the plan" " I know." "It's been weeks." "You can't say you'll do a thingand not do it." "Karen, listen to me." "Why didn't you do it?" "Why didn't you tell me?" "Be back in a minute." "Sorry, I thought you were somebody else." "I thought it was a guy from our company,Prewitt, the kid I told you about." "He got mixed up with a girlat the New Congress Club." "He's AWOL, probably in lots of trouble." "Robert E. Lee Prewitt, a crazy, no-good..." "Karen, I'm no officer." "I'm an enlisted man." "I can't be anything else." "If I try to be an officer,I'll be putting on an act." "I just can't do it." "Please don't ask me why." "I know why." "You don't have to become an officer now now that Dana's out of the Army." "You just don't want to marry me." "You're already married to the Army." "I love you, Karen." "I know." "I don't want you to go back to Holmes." "I don't want to, either." "But I am." "There's nothing else for me to do." "It's no good with us, Milt." "It could never have been any good." "Hiding, sneaking." "It had to wear out." "Good-bye, Sergeant." " Thanks." " It ain't good-bye, it's..." "We'll see each other again, somewhere." "Of course we will." "Somewhere." "Here it is." "Got it on the inside page already." ""Still no clue..." ""... in the fatal stabbingof Staff Sergeant James R. Judson. "" "Did you hear me?" "Are you trying to set a new world's record?" "Yeah, as a matter of fact, I am." "To the memory of Robert E. Lee Prewitt holder of the new world's record." " Everything all right, Top?" " Great." "This is a beautiful meal to put in frontof a guy on a Sunday morning." "Congratulations." "They sure look prettyover them mountains." "Don't they, though?" "Sounds like they're dynamitingdown at Wheeler Field." "Mighty ambitious." "Sunday morning before 8:00?" "The Japs are bombing Wheeler Field!" "I've seen the red circles on the" "Get out of here." "Hurry up!" "Go!" "This is a real attack, not a manoeuvre." "The Japanese are bombing Pearl Harbor." "Please keep in your homes." "Do not go on the streets." "This is a real attack." "Japanese planes are bombingour Naval and Army installations." " Quiet down!" " At ease!" "Non-coms, get bars and ammunitionfrom the supply room." "Get up on the roof." "Anderson!" "You're in charge of the loading detail." "Get moving." "Rest of you men, listen to me." "Every man get his rifle, go to his bunkand stay there." "And I mean stay there!" "Shut up!" "You'll get your ears shot offif you go outside." "You'll get plenty of chances to be heroeswith Japs in your lap before night." "Now get moving, we're wasting time!" "Into the kitchen and make a pot of coffee." "Wait a minute, a barrel of coffee!" "I can't issue live ammunitionwithout a signed order." " The Captain ain't here, jerk!" " Sorry." "No order, no ammo." " What's the matter?" " I got my orders!" "Army regulations state that I can't" "You blind?" "Give me the key!" " I got to obey orders, Top." " I'll see you get a medal!" " Bust it down, boys!" " I warned you!" "Don't go out, Warden, you'll get killed!" "Put your pants on." "You'll catch cold!" "Give them a hand with this ammo!" "Put that stuff over there." "Watch your fire, boys,and lead those planes!" "Friday's gone crazy!" "He's blowing the Cavalry Charge!" "Here they come, boys!" "I got him, Pete!" "I got him!" "I got him!" "The danger of an invasioncontinues to exist." "Infantry from Schofield Barracksmoved out within a few hours and have manned beach positions." "This is no manoeuvre." "This is the real McCoy." "Look out for falling shrapnel." "Keep under cover." "Blackout and curfew restrictionswill be rigidly enforced." "Stay in your homes." "Don't use the telephone." "Rest assured that immediate relayto you of any and all information..." "We've been to Queen's Hospitalgiving blood." "The town's a madhouse!" "A big house was bombed on Kuhio Street." "The drugstore down on McNullyand King is smashed flat!" "A man and his wife were killed." "Your attention, please." "Listen to this carefully and keep calm." "The danger of an invasioncontinues to exist." "And the planes have been identifiedas Japanese planes." "Who do they think they're fighting?" "They're picking troublewith the best Army in the world." "Where you going?" "I gotta get back to the company." "The company?" "But why?" "Why?" "But you can't." "You're not well yet." "You're AWOL.They'll throw you in the stockade." "They'll be throwing them outof the stockade." "They need everyone." "But your side'll open up." "They'll find out you killed that soldier." "Once I report in to the company,they'll take care of me." "I'll be all right once I get back." "But you'll never make it!" "There's patrols all over!" "I'll make it." "I know a shortcut." "Prew, stay till morning." "Maybe if you stay till morningyou'll change your mind." "Prew, don't go!" "I'll do anything you want." "We can go back to the States together,we can even get married." "If you go now,I'll never see you again, I know it." "I'm sorry." "What do you want to go backto the Army for?" "What did the Army do for youbesides treat you like dirt and give you one awful going over?" "Get your friend killed!" "What do you want to go back for?" "What do I want to go back for?" "I'm a soldier." "A soldier!" "A regular." "From the regular Army!" "A 30-year man!" "I got to turn off the lights,'cause of the blackout outside." "They say they've seen parachutistsland up in the hills." "I ain't worried about them." "Saboteurs is what worries me." "I bet they're operatingall over these islands." "Halt!" "Halt!" "Halt!" "Do you know this man, Sergeant?" "Yes, sir." "He didn't have any regular identification." "They found a card on him with his name." "Seems to be membership of a club:" "The New Congress Club." "You'd better take care of these, Sergeant." "Was this man a friend of yours?" "Yes, sir." "He must've been trying to reachour company position up the beach here." "Then why didn't he halt?" "He was always a hardhead, sir,but he was a good soldier." "He loved the Armymore than any soldier I ever knew." "I see." "I'm sorry, Sergeant." "You just couldn't play it smart, could you?" "All you had to do was box, but no,not you, you hardhead." "Funny thing is, there ain't gonna beany boxing championships this year." "What's the matter?" "Ain't you ever seen a dead man?" "Let's get this body out of here!" "We ain't got all night!" "It's very beautiful, isn't it?" "I think it's the most beautiful placeI ever saw in my life." "I can almost see where I worked from here." "There's a legend:" "If they float in toward shore,you'll come back some day." "If they float out to sea, you won't." "I won't come back." "My fiancé was killed on December 7." "I'm sorry." "He was a bomber pilot." "He tried to taxi his planeto the edge of the apron." "The Japs made a direct hit on it." "Maybe you read about it in the papers." "He was awarded the Silver Star." "They sent it to his mother." "She wrote me she wanted me to have it." "That's very fine of her." "They're very fine people." "Southern people." "He was named after a general." "Robert E. Lee Prewitt." "Who?" "Robert E. Lee Prewitt." "Isn't that a silly old name?"