"January 1943." "The survivors of the battle of Gudalcanal were taken to Melbourne, Australia." "Here, they would recover and wait, while the United States built up its military forces." "In spite of the victory at Gudalcanal," "Japan still held the vast territory surrounding it's homeland." "It would take close to a year to build the force large enough to launch the next major American offensive in the Pacific." "Meanwhile, when the Marines docked in Melbourne, news of their success had preceded them." "We got to Melbourne and they were calling us the saviors of Australia." "You know what, it was--it was music to our ears." "When we arrived in Melbourne, we had no, uh, idea what Australians were supposed to be like, or what the country was supposed to be like." "All we knew is that we'd been unloaded there in heaven." "You gotta keep in mind that the Australian-New Zealand Army Corps, they were in Africa and... so, there was a shortage of men." "And all these gals hadn't had any attention for a long time, and we endeavored to do a good job." "I bet that was the best liberty port one ever got." "It was perfect." "It was constantly on your mind, that this haven that we were in, wasn't gonna last forever." "You're still knew you was in the Marines, and you knew that there was a war going on and we, uh, knew that we would be into it in a very short time." "Where we didn't know, but we knew we were going." "We've been swallowed by the jungle and 5,000 Japs waiting to kill us." "So, the Japs got us surrounded." "Is that what's buggin' you?" "Jap navy sails up and down this slot every night and plasters us." "Bud." "Bud, we gotta go." "Come on, Bud!" "Come on, come on!" "Our battalion will join Hanneken's in our old position south of the airfield." "They might pull Hanneken," "And that is gonna leave us alone, singled up on the line." "I got the whole fucking Jap army headed your way." "Japs left, crawling in!" "I'm putting you in for a medal, John." "Sir, anybody bring in Sergeant Rodriguez last night?" "Get your gear and stand by to stand by." "We're finally leaving this shithole." "So how bad was it?" "'Cause I heard it was bad." "From who?" "Before you got here, had you ever even heard of this place?" "Everybody's heard of Guadalcanal and the 1st Marine Division." "You're heroes back home." "Heroes!" "Heroes!" "Welcome to Australia, mates." "What the hell is this?" "Well done." "Well done." "Yay for the Yankees." " Yay!" " Welcome down under." "G'day, handsome." "We love you." "G'day there, mate." "Do you believe this?" "We love you!" "We love you!" "How many Japs you kill, Yank?" "You kill many Japs?" "Killed any Germans?" "Let's go." "Disembark the truck." "Find your company areas." "Where are we?" "Keep moving." "Make sure you got all your gear." "Find your area." "Keep moving all the way through." "Let's go." "Find your areas." "Make sure to store those M1 rifles now!" "Andrews, you're mess duty." "Move it." "It ain't no Wrigley Field." "Attention in the area." "Attention in the area." "All arriving personnel, this is your billeting area." "You will be directed by your company." "First Squad, let's go." "Grab those packs." "Oh, the hell with this." "I'm gonna sleep for a few days." "You guys better take a look at this." "MP's are just giving up." "Can they do that?" "Everyone's going AWOL." "Nobody's stopping them." "Oh, I've got to be a part of this." " Whoo, freedom!" " All right." "Melbourne, here we come." "Let's hit the streets." "Hey, buddy, rest up." "All right?" "Mmm." "I have something." "It's like St. Mark's on Woodward." "All Saints on North Hermitage." "It's as pure as every church bell that ever rang." "Straight ahead." "Give it a try." " It's wonderful." " Sorry, excuse me." "The beers?" "Here, here, and here." "Whiskey," "Gin," "Rum," "Vodka," "Rye," "Brandy, Bourbon, and Vermouth." " And you call that?" " A Blockbuster." "You're sure gonna be trouble tonight, Cobber." " Here you go, Manny." " To Manny." "Never thought you'd down that, mate." "Right now we could down anything." "Aren't you supposed to be in Africa fighting Rommel?" "Somebody has to keep the peace at home, let you Yanks get your proper RR." "Quite a lot of you here now." "Just arrived today?" " Must be thousands." " Tens of thousands." "How many, mates?" "Enough for a cricket team." "Enough to make our beer run dry and our girls run loose." "Have to fuck the king himself to find a taxi you warriors haven't commandeered." "I'd say it's a bit more like a gang of roaches." "Every step we take, and bloody hell, there's another Yank under our boot." "I'm guessing this is one Yank we don't have to worry about anymore." "Hey, if it weren't for us, you'd be guzzling sake with a pair of chopsticks up your ass, you stupid fuck." "Okay, okay, that's it." "Yeah right, you're all Tommy Mix who saved the day." "This one hits the turps, first thing out he's having a blue." "Another dumb drunk who thinks he can fight." "Let us buy you the next round of drinks." "Otherwise what kind of hosts would we be?" "Alan, another round of drinks for the cowboy Yanks." "Whoo!" "Oh, Yank here." "Looking to see the town." "Oh, hello." "Hello, beautiful." "Visitor down under;" "speak the same language." "Hey!" "Hey, beautiful." "Oh, what the hell's he doing?" "Where's that tram go?" "That's the Preston line." "He'll end up in Perth." " Oh hey, Leckie, come on!" " Hey, Leckie, what the hell?" "Excuse me, sir." "Ma'am." "I apologize." "Pardon me." "Excuse me." " Excuse me." " Hey, Leckie!" "Whoa!" "Attaboy, Leckie." "Are you proposing already, Yank?" "I'm proposing that you take a walk with me." "You never know what the future may bring." "You know what take a walk means?" "Oh, ma'am." "Ma'am, ma'am, Miss..." "Miss, I'm..." "I'm a foreigner on your shores." "Forgive my ignorance of your customs, but... my invitation remains an offer." "Ha." "You're a bold one sotted." "Let's see you in the light of day." "Collect me at home." "Being sober would be a plus." "I'm Stella, in case you were wondering what to call me." "Ah." "Stella is it?" "Well, you've got guts, Leckie." "Thank you very much." "That made my night." " You'd better laminate that piece of paper." " That made my night." " Gonna be good?" " I'll say." "Shh, be quiet." "Hit it." "Company dismissed." "Let me tell you something, Sergeant, stumbling around camp like the town stiff is not acceptable behavior." "Not anymore." "Can't help but notice I'm not alone in this, sir." "Well, you are in one respect." "You are about to be awarded the Medal of Honor." "President Roosevelt found you worthy." "Congratulations, old man." "You're about to go where very few Marines have ever been." "Oh, hey hey!" "Here here." "Oh, shit." "This is..." "I'm sorry." "Yeah, all right." "Listen, get yourself a big breakfast and a pot of coffee, and you come back here when you're respectable." "It's not gonna do to have you heave all over your own citation." "This is the highest honor that our country can award a serviceman." "But from now on, you try and act like it's yours." "Yes, sir." "Well, go." "Aw, jeez." "* you're just an angel in disguise * * who wandered down from up above * * you're just a heavenly surprise * * who came to earth for me to love * * 'cause introduction to an angel *" "* is more than thrilling * * it leaves me high... *" "The Articles of War?" "That's what I'm calling 'em." "He's been going on about this since long before you came along." "See, Gwenie's dad, my son, he's over there in Burma showing the Japs what side is up." "I'm in charge of Gwenie's honor." "A manual of arms." "My grandfather would want the same understanding." "Let's get this understood." "Hit him with it, girl." "Article 1:" "General Provisions." "Hands off the merchandise." "You've memorized this?" "See, I'm the merchandise." "Hands off." "Aye aye, sir." "Article 2:" "Hands off the merchandise." "Meaning there'll be none of that." "There's no problem there." "I'm not much of a dancer, sir." "Um, Article 3:" "Punishments for violating one and two." "It'll be swift and unflinching." "Don't for a moment think otherwise, son." "Yes, sir." "Make a hole." "Come on." "Drink it out of the glass without spilling." "That's right." "Take your time." "Move closer." "A little closer." " Closer." " Come on." "Closer." "Closer." "A little closer." "It's hard." "Come on." "MP's just pulled up." "You've got to get out of here." "Every Marine in this place is AWOL." "I'd say that's why they're here." "Listen up." "Every Marine in this establishment will produce a liberty pass or will return immediately to his billet." "Oh, come on!" "What's this then?" "There's no problem." "I've got a pass." "But still, why don't I escort Gwen out the back, sir?" " You're going back to your billet." " Good night, Gramps." " Don't wait up." " Show me your pass." "Come on, let's go." "Come on, Mo." " Saddle up, pardner." " Stealing an MP's Jeep?" "Are you kidding me?" "Come on, Mo." "Hop in." "You can't do this shit, John." "Not now." "Remember what Chesty told you." "Don't screw this up." "Left." "March." "Line halt." "Detail halt." "Sir, detail is formed." "For extraordinary heroism and conspicuous gallantry," "Sergeant John Basilone," "While at great risk to his own life, fought valiantly to check a savage and determined Japanese assault" "While serving the 1st Battalion, 7th Marines in Guadalcanal on October 24th and 25th, 1942." "Sergeant John Basilone is hereby awarded the Medal of Honor." "Left as we go." "Right face." "Company right hut." "Face right." "So what's your name then?" "Bob." "Sobered up, are you, Bob?" "I'm no fool." "These are for you." "I hope you're hungry." "World wide interest has been created by the announcement that President Roosevelt and Winston Churchill have met at Casablanca and completed..." " This is Bob." " Leckie." "Bob Leckie." "Shake hands with my father, Baba." "What a grip." "An American grip, eh?" "This is my mama." "This is a Yank." "Skin and bones." "Like a skeleton." "Like a rail." "Stella, his jacket." "Ella." "I thought we were going for a stroll." "Good news, Bob." "You're staying for dinner." "I am?" "One word of an American coming to call and that was that." "This is like a Thanksgiving." "Oh, what is that?" "It's a holiday Roosevelt made of the fourth Thursday of November." "Everyone sits at the table, eats turkey, and argues." "Roosevelt is a great man." "You eat as much as you like, eh?" "Ella." "The beans are from the garden." "You didn't touch the feta." "We save it for tomorrow, huh?" "Nay, Mama, I'll start cleaning up." "You see?" "Good girl, my Stella." "Good greek girl." "You're on your own now." "I think I can handle this one." "So, Mama, what's a greek girl like you doing in Melbourne?" "Oh, you don't care about that." "No, no, no." "Don't go officer on me." "You're not Australian." "No, no." "I come from the old country." "Smyrna." "That was sacked by the Turks, wasn't it?" "You know about that?" "Um, I read a lot." "The Turks invaded in 1922 and burned it down." "All gone." "If you survived, you fled like my mama and me." "But we made it down to the docks." "We swam to a ship." "The captain took us onboard and sailed us to Piraeus." "He saved our lives." "But our home was gone." "So where do we go?" "We come here." "We live, we work, we find love." "So now you must tell about your home." " Yeah, about America." " No, no, no." "Not America." "America we see in the movies." " Your family." " Well, seems like we both escaped disaster." "I fled the Leckie household." "How many in the household?" "Mama had five girls, three boys." "Oh, okto babies." "Your lucky mama." "I don't know if she'd agree." "She was almost 40 by the time I came along." "She was worn out by then." "I think they all were." "But it's a blessing, eh?" "So many children." "Well, Marion and Foddy Leckie, they didn't want eight kids." "Oh no?" "What, they should stop?" "They didn't want the beautiful baby son?" "I was last." "Last is least." "Oh, Bob." "You know nothing." "By the time I met Nicola it was almost too late to make babies." "Not that we didn't try, eh?" "Eh, relax." "Ella." "That girl in the kitchen, my only blessing." "I prayed for more, but God said no." "Nothing you can do when God say no." "So where do you stay with the Marines, huh?" "They put us in the stadium where you play cricket." "What?" "You will stay here tonight." "Stella, get the bed ready in the spare room." "Yeah, okay." "I can't do that." "I could never repay you." "You can help clear the vines from the roof." "Yes, you will do that." "You will make this your home." "Twist a guy's arm." "Oh, dear God." "Oh, God." "No, no, no." "You stay right there." "I think we should give it another go." "Okay, sure." "Sure, me too." "But even Americans need, uh..." "Oh, a wait before they reload." "It's okay." "I'm going nowhere." "Why did you have to flee your family?" "Oh..." "My family." "Not a happy bunch, my family." "Why not?" "Something in our bones." "Did your brothers go into the service to get away too?" "One of my brothers was too old." "The other died when I was a kid." "That's terrible." "My father's been crippled in the head ever since." "We're not exactly the Judge Hardy family." "I swear, I'm just waiting for the clock to hit midnight and my sanity bell goes ringing." "I had a brother who died too." "You did?" "No one talks about him." "He was a baby, just a few days old, and didn't live." "Mama got sick and wasn't able to have any more." "We start by restoring their bodies." "They rest, they play, and then we work on their pride." "We remind them they're Marines." "And then we replenish our supplies." "You see, all of that takes money." "I understand." "It's a hell of a lot easier to raise money when there's a face behind it, and a heroic story attached to it, like yours." "I don't feel like a hero, sir." "You're not getting it." "All right, lis..." "Think of us out there on that line." "All right, you know what we need." "New weapons, new gear, better motor transport." "Yes, sir." "Selling U.S. War Bonds is just as important, just as life saving, as what you did on Guadalcanal." "Now pack your seabag." "You're going home." "Home?" "How many U.S. War Bonds you gonna sell stomping around the Solomons with us?" "Go on." "Get it done, Sergeant." "Oh, I liked that." "Shame on me." "I got you something." "Stockings?" "Real silk?" "I'll wear them only for you." "Wait, wait, wait, wait." "There's more." "This... is for everyone." "Oh no." " Leg of lamb." " No." "How?" "How did you get it?" " I'm not gonna tell you." " Why not?" " I think you should kiss me first." " How?" " How?" " I can't remember." "I can't get a leg of lamb." "But you do?" "American ingenuity and a few packs of Lucky Strikes." ""Nicholas Genkos-- wounded."" "Is that Theodora Genkos' nephew?" "I don't know." "Baba checks the casualty reports for greek names." ""Alexi Stavrapolous."" "What's happened to Alexi?" ""Killed in action."" "I grew up with Alexi." "He lived two streets over." "Change your shirt, Nicola." "We'll take them the spanikopita." "I'd like to go." "Pay my respects, if they're friends of yours." " This is my friend, Bob." " My condolences." "Stella and Alexi, they were friends ever since they were children." "He was her friend." "It's no good, Bob." "Mama is still up." "The greek boys are gone, more and more every day." "All of Stella's friends from when she grew up." "I prayed for them, and for their families." "Do you go to church, Bob?" " St. Mary's." " Mmm." "What kind of church?" "Catholic." "I like the early morning mass." "Less people." "Hmm, we need prayers." "How are we going to make it through these years if we don't pray?" "We are so lucky to have you with us, Bob, to have a young man in the house." "I like you." "Stella, she likes you." "Baba, he always wanted a son like you." "I am going to pray that you come back to us." "That's a good thing to pray for." "Let's get your squads going!" "Pack up that gear and let's go!" "What?" "You thought Uncle Sam was gonna pay for your great debauch forever?" " Move out!" " Semper Fi." "Better gear up, brother." "Time to get back in shape." "The M1 is better." "There's no contest." " Okay, so show us." " Okay, ready ready." "Oh!" "Eight rounds over five." "No, I will still keep my Springfield." "Jesus Christ, it's like talking to an old lady." "Fine." "You know what?" "Keep your cane." " I will keep my cane." " I'll take the M1." "Because it beats the hell out of the Springfield." "No, no, no, no." "The 03's are still more accurate." " Exactly exactly." " No no, they're slower." " Target in sight." " Watch him miss." " Do it!" " Come on, Gibson." "Come on, Gibson." "Bull's-eye!" "Hey!" "Hey!" "What are you doing?" "You just shot some poor farmer's cow!" "It was gonna be steak anyway." "Not if it's a dairy cow, you idiot." "Good shot, Gibson." "What kind of morons have you become?" "Did you see that?" "I've never seen that." "You will be given one sack of raisins." "You will be given one sack of uncooked rice." "A Japanese soldier can live on that for three weeks." "You will March the 100 miles back to Melbourne and be in the arms of your Aussie girlfriends in three days." "Fall in, column of two." "Standby to move out." "Let's go." "Fall in." "Move out!" "H-2-1, drop your cocks and grab your socks." "Formation in 20 minutes." "Come on, let's move." "On your feet, let's go." "Come on, shake it out." "Let's do it." "On your feet." "Let's move." "Fuck!" "God!" "You first." "Mmm!" "Oh, sweet Jesus, that feels good." " Couple of doors down." " Just right up?" " Yeah." " Oh, thank you." " Take this with you." " No..." "You have to go away, Bob." "Please don't come here anymore." "I told Mama and Baba already that you got your orders and you left." "You couldn't say goodbye." "You lied?" "I'm fairly crazy about you, Robert." "I think you know that." "I thought so, yeah." "But..." "I don't want to have a baby with you." "Uh... are you pregnant?" " No." "No." " You're not?" "Bob, you and I aren't going to have a family, and we're not going to get married, and you are never coming back to Melbourne." "You're dumping me because you think I'm gonna get killed?" "Bob... if you don't come back to us," "I don't just lose you," "Mama does too." "I can't do that to her and I won't let you." "She's lost so much already, Bob." " She's praying for you to come back to us." " Well, she can save her breath." "Leckie." "Leckie, oh god love you." " Come here." " Fuck off." "No, seriously." "I've got to piss like terrible." "You've got to cover for me, okay?" "I can't." "Drunk as a skunk." "One minute, that's all I need." "Come on." "Come on." "Thank you." "Leckie, what are you doing?" "Manning this fucking post, lieutenant." " Are you out of your mind?" " I'm the fucking guard on guard duty." "You pull a fucking sidearm on an officer?" "Lieutenant, I went for a quick piss." "Leckie was just covering." " You fucking prick!" " Stand at attention." " Fuck you!" " I said stand at attention!" "And I said fuck you!" "* don't sit under the apple tree * * with anyone else but me * * with anyone else but me * * with anyone else but me * * no, no, no." "Don't sit under the apple tree * * with anyone else but me * * with anyone else but me * * till I come marching home. *" "Yay, Ma." " Run, Ma!" " Good hit, Ma." "Yes, Auntie, that's a six." "So I guess it's sort of like baseball, huh?" "What happens in baseball?" "Well, in baseball, you hit a ball and you run to a base." "Then you run to the next base if you can." "You keep going to the next base." "If you get to enough bases, you score a run." "Sounds like rounders." "We play that in school." "Looks like someone's hunting for you, Cobber." "Hey, it's my turn." "Shit." " Your unit?" " Howe Company, 1st Marines." "Report to your CO no later than 2400." "I trust you Marines got your heads back together." "Now, I'm on orders from 2nd Marine Division." "Lieutenant Lebec has got the platoon now, and I want him to inherit a solid outfit, so I volunteered you for reassignment to the Battalion Intelligence section." "You're booting us?" "No, not you..." "Leckie." "Fuck." "So, a little light." "Yeah." "How about if an engine catches fire and you dump in the Pacific?" "Swim around for days, weeks, get strafed by Jap zeroes." "Finally the Navy picks you up." "Think about how many War Bonds you'd sell then." "Probably give you another medal." "You're gonna look up Katie, right?" "First chance I get." "I've been sending my poker winnings home to her." "Hey, 700 of that is mine." "That's the good thing about leaving," "I won't lose any more money to you." "Wish you were coming with me." "I think that's you."