Black Sheep Squadron (1976) s01e07 Episode Script
Presumed Dead
But his mind seems to wander.
You got some time off.
A week in the hospital.
We go down any lower, and they'll knock us down with slingshots.
No! You are having a bad dream.
This is a restricted area.
This is urgent business.
You're wasting my time with with suppositions.
You're going to the brig.
On your port side! Got it.
I knew you liked it better when the odds were 4-to-1.
We are poor little lambs Who have lost our way Baa Baa Baa Baa Baa Black Sheep S01E07 - Presumed Dead S01E07 - Presumed Dead General Morris Tanner starts the drive towards Christmas Island, establishing a beachhead on the Isabel chain.
Against determined enemy resistance, allied air and naval forces hold the Japanese at bay, inflicting telling losses against the well-prepared and fiercely held enemy positions.
A major allied offensive has begun.
Another hero has joined the honor roll of gallant men who have made the ultimate sacrifice to rid the world of tyranny.
Captain Charles W.
Dobson of Iowa City, holder of the Navy Cross, the Silver Star, and the Distinguished Flying Cross, downed last week when attacked by enemy aircraft.
Missing in action and presumed dead, the passing of this valiant hero saddens America.
But it also serves to renew and strengthen the determination of every American, man, woman and child, to a total dedication A few minutes from now, Jikenbakudan will begin.
Take a look, Captain.
See that large palm tree? That shouldn't be too difficult to find.
Sit down, Captain.
We'll find a convenient spot to put you afloat.
Say, James, what's up? I saw somethin' down there, Anderson.
Let's go down and take a look.
Yeah.
Hey, James, It looks like one of ours in a raft.
It sure does.
Black Sheep 2 to Dumbo.
Dumbo Air Sea Rescue.
We read you five by, Black Sheep 2.
Go ahead.
Dumbo, we're Grid 883.
We've got a gentleman here in a raft.
Roger, Black Sheep.
We'll send out a fishnet.
All right.
Anderson.
Yeah.
Let's go down and give this man a wave.
Right.
There it is, Anderson, No Name Island.
Yupper.
We'll make a first pass at 500 feet.
Follow me in.
Okay.
Hey, Hey! What's going on? I though you said this rock was deserted.
I know what I said, Anderson.
Three weeks ago it was dead as Kelsey's.
Okay, let's drop down to 200 feet, and we'll slide under it.
Who ever said photo recon was boring? It's thick as grits up here! Uh, just out of curiosity, how many passes we gotta make? Under the circumstances, Anderson, I say just about one.
Roger dodger, Captain.
Get, set, hut! Come on, Bragg, let's go 100 flat.
All right! Soldiers, I've been home three cases.
Have they moved? I'm worried about that undertow.
They're right where we left 'em.
We found another half case of Chablis that we'd forgotten about.
You forgot about.
- Come on, let's have it.
And the temperature is perfect.
Heads up.
Hey, it's the good doctor Corning.
Get that ball off the 50-yard line.
Hey, Doc.
Mornin', fellows.
How's the water? Temperature's perfect.
Air Sea Rescue has just fished out an ace.
Think there's room on this island for another one? An ace? Yeah.
Name's Dobson.
Some zeros dumped him a week ago.
His name Charles Dobson? Yeah.
Off the, uh, Lexington.
I know him.
I went to flight training with him at Pensacola.
Well, let's go, uh, give him a welcome.
Have a little reunion.
I don't know about the reunion.
We almost killed ourselves over a Colonel's secretary.
He's probably forgotten all about it.
He probably has.
He got the girl.
Well, if we're having a reunion.
More wine! Let's get some of that in on here.
Major, I don't know.
Hey, Charlie.
It's me.
Greg Boyington.
Greg Boyington? How you doing? All right.
Nice to see you again.
Excuse us, Major.
Sure, of course.
Look at his face.
He was only out for a week? What's the matter with you guys? He looks pretty sick, Pappy.
Maybe we shouldn't get him too excited.
Sick? Excited? Haven't you guys seen a man in a life raft before? Maybe we should offer him a drink of wine.
He probably doesn't want to meet any strange people.
You think he's contagious or something? Well, he just looks pretty bad.
How'd you think you'd look if you were out there 6 days Iiving off survival bars? Half the day you're baked by the sun, the other half you're so cold, you're afraid to go to sleep at night.
But you're sure of one thing, you're gonna die alone out in that ocean.
Will you quit staring at him Iike he's in a zoo? That goes for all of you.
I don't know, Pappy.
Sometimes I think I'd rather go down full throttle and get it over with.
You'd better stop thinking.
Because with that attitude, that's what's gonna happen to you.
Now I've got two jeeps out there.
Any of you guys want to leave, be my guest.
Pappy.
How's he doin'? He's in pretty good shape, all things considered.
A couple of days rest in bed, as soon as I can find him a bed.
And I've got 16 cases of battle fatigue which the Navy left with me.
I keep telling him I'm fine.
He keeps telling me he wants to get back to his unit.
Captain Dobson? I'm T.
J.
Lieutenant T.
J Wylie.
How you doin', Lieutenant? Welcome to Vella La Cava.
Why don't you get rid of that Navy coffee and join us in a toast.
This coffee's fine.
I'm sorry.
Hey, Charlie, Lt.
Boyle, Lt.
French, Bragg and Casey.
Don French, Charlie.
How are you? We've heard all a lot about you.
What? Well, that you're an ace and then you got shot down, we're just glad to see you.
That's all.
Thank you.
Listen, Doc, as long as you're gonna bump some sailor out of his bed to make room for Charlie, why don't you let him bunk with us? Yeah.
- Yeah.
We can show him all the hot spots and make him feel at home.
All right.
Yeah.
If you're sure of that, I would sure appreciate it.
Hey, we'll even invite a few nurses over to make sure he's okay.
All right.
All right.
After I've run some tests on him at the hospital.
You can come for him after lunch.
But, guys, take it easy on him.
Come on, Charlie.
Attaboy.
Okay, Charlie.
Dobson, Charles W.
Captain.
Why be so modest, Captain? You are an ace.
Eight kills.
We keep score, too.
That uniform fits you perfectly.
Isn't our supply officer wonderful? What happened to the other men? I'm truly sorry.
One never got out of his airplane, the second we could not find.
My name is lkuta.
From the lmperial Behavioral lnstitute of Nagoya.
Dobson, Charles W.
Captain.
0812-40-26.
From the Carrier Lexington.
Your wingman was named Ellis.
Yesterday, you were jumped by five of our fighter planes.
How are you feeling? I'm fine.
You have been treated well? Yeah.
Good.
Good.
You are perfect for this mission.
You have will power.
You struggle.
I'm encouraged.
Mission? Jikenbakudan.
That means "time bomb.
" You are jikenbakudan.
Why don't you wait for us in the jeep, Charlie? Yes, sir.
Something's botherin' me, Greg.
About Charlie? He told me he's feelin' fine.
I want you to keep your eye on him.
He's a little too eager beaver for his own good.
Doc, if if he needs a bedpan, I'd frankly think you oughta keep him in the hospital.
I want your opinion.
You want my opinion? About what? His mental attitude, his state of mind.
I mean.
You used to know him.
You know what I remember about him? He's the kind of guy who never wanted to get a haircut.
He was always chasing skirts.
- Greg.
His mind seems to wander.
General Carl Gant, a vicious, cowardly man.
General Gant was a was a hero.
He was a hero at Guadalcanal.
He was a hero at New Britain.
Charlie.
A hero? General Gant doomed thousands of Americans to death.
No! General Gant is an evil man.
No! General Grant is a a hero.
He was a hero at Guadalcanal.
Do you really believe that? Then turn your head away from the screen.
You see? An evil man.
An iron backbone breaks whereas bamboo would give with the wind.
Like jujitsu, we use the enemy's strength to destroy him.
General Thomas Moore.
An evil man.
We will destroy him.
Charlie was the kind of guy who always had it made.
Rich family.
That sort of thing.
Now guys like that always ticked me off.
Who knows? Maybe we've both changed.
The point is, he feels fine now, but his system's had a tremendous shock.
Now, Greg, he's got to take it easy, whether he wants to or not.
You're the doc.
Charlie, have I got a nurse for you.
You got it all to yourself.
Whose was it? Couple of instructors.
They were transferred here by mistake.
They thought the Marines Corp was getting up early, doing push-ups, shining their shoes.
But they didn't they didn't last very long.
You never changed, did you? No, not the way you have.
What's that supposed to mean? Oh, you could have gone to China with the rest of us.
Flown fighters instead of trainers, fought the war instead of each other.
But you decided to pass.
And now we've got the war all around us, you could have some time off, a week in the hospital.
A couple weeks R & R.
But, no, you want to get right back into action.
Now it seems to me, you're the one that's changed.
Yeah, well Things are different now.
I'm sure you're tired.
I'll talk to you later.
Help! No! No.
No! No! Charlie, wake up.
Wake up.
You are having a bad dream.
Relax.
Relax.
Everything is okay, isn't it? It's the medication.
It's worn off.
And that's what's causing the bad dream.
Now we don't want any more bad dreams, do we? No.
That's right.
That's right, Charlie.
Hey! This is supposed to be a darkroom.
You ruined it.
I'm sorry.
Oh, that's okay, Pappy.
I'll just make another one.
It's just a picture.
What've you got? I don't know, Greg.
There's enough flak up there today, we could have parked our birds on it.
Look at this picture.
There ain't nothing! There's the old airfield.
Jungle's got it.
There's somethin' down here.
Well, if you're so sure about that, fly it again tomorrow.
Now that's a great idea.
We was lucky to get back today.
Call ahead tomorrow, I'll get everything out in the open where we can see it.
When we got you this darkroom stuff, wasn't there a case of infrared thrown in with it? Uh, yes, there was.
But I I don't know how to use infrared film.
Well, practice on it tonight.
Oh, Pappy, not tonight.
There's supposed to be a party tonight.
Where'd you hear that? Bragg was talkin' about it.
In honor of Charlie Dobson, that ace they picked up in the ocean.
Is that a fact? Yeah.
Oh, wait a minute.
Hey, Pappy.
Wait a minute.
Joey! Hey, Charlie.
Come on in, come on.
I'll show you around.
The is the Black Sheep basic.
This is where we bring the nurses, have ourselves a little party now and then.
What'll you have? Scotch or beer? Uh, nothing, thanks.
Sayonara.
What is that? Spaghetti.
What? Spaghetti, the bird.
We found him out here in the jungle.
He must have belonged to the Japanese.
Come here, Spaghetti.
He talks all the time, don't understand a word he says.
Except bakudantohka.
That means "bombs away.
" We looked it up.
Where's he going? I don't know.
I guess he doesn't like birds.
Two beers and a scotch, right? Okay, I'll be right back.
Okay.
Two beers and a scotch, please, bartender.
Yes, sir.
Thank you.
Hey, he's got my girl.
Take it easy.
Well, I just got her a drink.
Take it easy! One, she's not your girl, and two, Dobson needs to loosen up a little bit.
What? He's gotta cut my time to loosen up? Joey.
Take my drinks to Gutterman, will you, please? Hey, everything okay? I got to get off this island.
Greg, if I could get to Espritos Marcos, I could get my orders cut, I could to get back to my old unit.
Dr.
Corning is the only guy that can get you to Espritos.
Do you have any influence with him? None.
The guy makes whiskey out of cough syrup, and he, uh, knows all the nurses.
I can't take it any longer! What's wrong with it here? Charlie, I wanna be honest with you.
Dr.
Corning doesn't think you're ready to leave.
Hey, there is nothing wrong with me.
Now you don't know that and neither do l.
Now it's his job to determine whether you are whether you are sick or not.
You're not gonna be any help, are you, Boyington? I know the kind of marine you are.
You're the kind of marine who likes to break regulations just for the fun of it.
Well, I don't expect you to understand.
You think it's smart to get out of doing your duty.
Well, I don't happen to agree! Now that's the Charlie Dobson I remember.
A little older maybe, but still a spoiled brat.
Leave me alone.
Glad to, pal.
Jikenbakudan.
Come in, jikenbakudan.
Something wrong with you? Hmm? No, not really, Doc.
You.
asked me to talk to Dobson, find out what's on his mind.
I almost took his head off a couple minutes ago.
I never could stand that guy.
It might've done him some good.
I don't know.
Time again.
I can't seem to get through to these guys.
You did well to call.
We must not let this stand in our way.
Hey, I'm not sure if I can make the timetable.
We've gone too far.
You will do whatever you have to.
Won't you, Charlie? Yes.
Good luck, jikenbakudan.
We've been flying photo recon over No Name Island for months.
Suddenly, overnight, the Japanese had moved onto the island with anti-aircraft guns.
I wanted to know why.
I would have gone myself, but I had a problem brewing with Charlie Dobson.
The man spent six days on a life raft.
You expect him to act a little strange.
But Charlie seemed to be a different guy from when I'd known him in flight school.
He'd changed.
And it wasn't for the better.
So I decided to stay on the ground.
I told Jim Gutterman to fly the recon mission and three other guys.
Just in case the enemy had any more surprises in store for us.
All right, Ewen, we're not looking for any trouble.
Remember that.
So, go in, take the pictures, and get out.
That's all right by me, James.
Hey, Greg! Did you get to talk with Dobson yet? Well, I don't exactly have a bedside manner.
He wants to go to Espritos Marcos, and I couldn't talk him out of it.
I was going to ship him on the afternoon flight, I had the orders made out and signed.
Then I got the results of the lab tests.
Greg, I've seen a lot of exposure cases, but I've never seen anything like this.
His pH levels are way out of balance.
He's a sick man.
Well, maybe you should let him go to Espritos.
Espritos is closed for 24 hours to everything but extreme medical emergencies.
Since when? Since 0600 today.
Don't ask me why, they wouldn't tell me.
Hmm.
Wonder what's going on there.
Well, if you want to talk to him, he's over there.
Thanks, Greg.
See you later.
Hey, hey.
Good morning, Charlie.
How'd you sleep? Slept fine, Doc.
Now I want you to come back with me to the hospital.
Hey, look, there's a C-47 leaving for Espritos Marcos this afternoon.
That's a supply plane.
Well, I can still hitch a ride with it.
Look, Charlie, I don't want to hold you here against your will, but you are my responsibility.
And whether you like it or not, you need a few days rest in the hospital.
Well, they got a hospital on Espritos Marcos.
You're my patient.
I'm sorry.
I'm gonna have to decide what's best for you.
You're some kind of quack.
Now you need treatment and rest.
You'll have to trust me, Charlie.
All right.
Boyle, you follow Anderson in.
Me and Mr.
Frenchy are gonna remain upstairs.
Yes, sir, Captain.
What're you doin', Anderson? If we cut any lower, they'll knock us down with slingshots! Hey, Boyle.
Just relax, will ya? You're making me nervous.
Bandits! 10 o'clock high! That's all we need now.
French.
Lower your port side.
Got him! Hey, French.
we've got four of 'em surrounding.
Why don't you give me a hand? On my way, Captain.
No, you don't, Tojo.
You know you liked it better when the odds were 4-to-1.
Way to go, Jim! We scared 'em off.
Look at them run.
Hey, Jim, we're ready to go.
What do you want to do, French? Call the roll? Let's go.
Looks to me you lost that, uh, horseshoe match.
Is that what it looks like to you, Gutterman? Trying to keep it a secret, aren't you? Knock it off, Gutterman.
You should have respect for your commanding officer.
And please keep it a secret.
Anderson's got those infrareds in the soup.
We can look at them any minute now.
Good.
Everything okay? There wasn't anything to it.
Enough of it was easy.
Anybody could do it.
Betties.
Must be an entire squadron of them.
Why would they have heavy bombers on No Name lsland? What good is it to 'em? If we knew that, we'd be Japanese.
Make up a stack.
I'll take 'em to S-2 on Espritos Marcos.
Right away.
Black Sheep Ground to Lullaby.
Come in, Lullaby.
Jimmy.
Nothing.
Bunch of ocean up here.
Jim.
These planes have larger fuel tanks.
How much larger? Half as much again.
Black Sheep Ground to Lullaby.
Come in, Lullaby.
Look here.
Casey, give me Espritos.
I've hit every frequency Espritos uses.
They must be on radio silence.
Use the emergency.
It's a rear area.
What would they want with a rear area? Black Sheep Ground to Lullaby.
Come in, Lullaby.
This is Lullaby.
You are on an unauthorized frequency.
We know what we're on.
This is Major Boyington.
I wanna talk with General Moore.
Stand by.
This had better be an emergency, Boyington.
Laird, I asked for General Moore.
Not possible.
Apple 1 is not available.
Laird, what's going on over there? I got something Moore should see.
Now patch me through to him.
Negative.
Well, then clear me for Espritos.
I'll come over and show you what I got.
Negative.
And don't use this frequency again.
Laird.
Laird.
Lullaby out.
What is goin' on in there? Hey, uh, Pappy.
The blow-ups are drying.
They'll be ready in a half-hour.
I don't have a half-hour.
Get my Mae West.
Hutch! - Yeah? My bird ready to fly? The bird's always ready to fly.
What're you gonna do? It's obvious Espritos is off-limits.
I'm gonna get those pictures to S-2.
Hey, what's that jeep doin' there? I don't know.
That carrier pigeon, Dobson.
He drove up in it.
Alone? Yeah, I think so.
I didn't really pay attention.
He got onto the supply plane to Espritos.
He did what? He got onto the supply plane to Espritos.
Well, where was the doc? I don't know where the doctor was.
Jerry's bag's here.
Sure you didn't see him get on that plane? I don't think so, Pappy.
Get on the phone and see if he's at the hospital.
Hey, Pappy! It's Doc Corning.
Looks like he's hurt bad.
He's still breathing a little.
Get something under his head.
Who could have done this? French, Anderson, take care of the doc.
We're flying in five minutes.
Better call the Provost Marshall.
To hell with Provost Marshall.
We tried! They won't read us.
How about a landing clearance? That's a lot of red tape.
I want Dobson.
You comin' along? Yes, I'm comin'.
Let's go.
None of you are to leave this area.
You landed without permission.
You men are under arrest.
Hey, Casey, get those photographs on my plane please.
What was that? You men are under arrest.
Is there a safety on that toy, son? Yes, sir.
Good.
You've made an unauthorized landing in a restricted area.
And you were told not to land.
Now I'll have to ask you to surrender your firearms.
Now I am not gonna check my gun behind the bar, sport.
Jim, will you shut up? Get General Moore.
He'll straighten this thing out for us.
General Moore's in a high-level staff conference.
All right, then I'll I'll settle for Colonel Laird.
He's on his way.
Move these aircraft off the runway.
Can you men fly? Uh, no.
Then those aircraft aren't moving.
I knew it was you, Boyington! And then I heard someone had landed against a direct order.
Look at these pictures, sir.
I haven't got time, Boyington.
Lieutenant! Yes, sir.
- Put these men in the stockade.
There's a general staff conference going on this island today, Boyington, and you've just violated security.
For a darned good reason, sir.
Look at these pictures.
Betties? See the extra fuel tank? I think they can hit Espritos.
You think? Listen, I'm up to my pants pockets in general officers, and you're wasting my time with with suppositions? You're going to the brig! Lieutenant.
Yes, sir.
Hold these men for 24 hours.
Yes, sir.
When were those pictures taken? This morning, sir.
Get the pictures over to S-2.
But you are still under arrest, and I'm going to hold you here until tomorrow morning.
Lieutenant, get these men to a shelter.
Yes, sir.
Captain.
Corporal, you three men in the other jeep.
Major.
Back in the streets.
Hit the deck! What do you think you're doing? Bring that jeep back in here.
You're under arrest.
Don't let him get away.
You're under arrest.
Hey, Pappy, where are we going? We're going to the hospital to find Dobson.
Now you try one, Charlie.
The first air-raid siren triggers you, you trigger the explosives.
You see? No more evil men.
It will save lives.
He cheated us.
He's not here.
He's got to be out there someplace.
Now hang on, Jim.
Calm down for a minute.
The MP's are out there someplace, looking for us.
Now let's let's think about it.
Where could he be? At least we made it to the Philippines before the enemy interrupted us.
I give you this much, Tom.
The accommodations are excellent.
I'm afraid we can't take credit for it.
The Japanese built these bunkers when they had the island.
It took everything we threw at it, so I figured it'd be good enough for us.
There's his Valpac.
We'll come back for it.
That can't be his Valpac.
You were there when he got rescued.
He didn't have anything with him.
That's right.
Frank, open it up.
What's that? Sure looks like blasting clay.
I worked for explosives over at Pearl.
What's that gadget right there? It's a timer.
These are plastic explosives.
Now you could tell me what Dobson's doing with a bomb? I wish I knew.
Hey, what about the general staff conference? A bomb.
A bomb? What are you trying to say? That he's a saboteur! This here's a bomb, TJ.
Wait a minute.
This doesn't make any sense! How's he going to get to the staff conference? We can't even land on the island without getting arrested.
Hey, what what about the general staff conference? Extra-sized tanks.
Laird said there was a high-level staff meeting here.
Air raid.
Now where would that brass be? The air raid shelter.
That's it.
Come on! Down there! Dobson! Come on, Jim! Casey! Casey! Gimme that back! Stop it, Charlie.
Do we have enough time to stop it? What are you talking about? Listen to me! Dobson! Dobson! Now you listen to me! It has to be done.
They're evil.
Hold him here.
Yes.
Halt! Is General Moore in there? This is a restricted area.
Well, this is urgent business.
I'm sorry, Major.
You're gonna have to leave.
Boyington, what the heck is going on? General, this whole place is wired to go up in any minute.
Who is this man? What's he doing here? I don't know what's going on.
Now close that door.
Close the door.
We're gettin' out of here.
Come on.
Get out of here, you guys.
Explosives! Everyone out! Evacuation.
Tail to toe.
Charlie Dobson was shipped back to the States to be studied and poked and taken apart one more time.
Hopefully, they'll remember to put him back together again.
He'd come close to killing a lot of important people.
And in a way, I felt responsible for that.
Maybe I could have helped Charlie when the doctor first asked me to talk to him.
But I had already made up my mind I didn't like him.
When I began to guess what the enemy had done to him, it was almost too late.
It seems like there is a lesson in there somewhere.
I lost track of Charlie after that.
But I like to think he came out of it okay.
There was a lot of work to do on him but there was a lot of time.
It looked like it was going to be a long war.
You got some time off.
A week in the hospital.
We go down any lower, and they'll knock us down with slingshots.
No! You are having a bad dream.
This is a restricted area.
This is urgent business.
You're wasting my time with with suppositions.
You're going to the brig.
On your port side! Got it.
I knew you liked it better when the odds were 4-to-1.
We are poor little lambs Who have lost our way Baa Baa Baa Baa Baa Black Sheep S01E07 - Presumed Dead S01E07 - Presumed Dead General Morris Tanner starts the drive towards Christmas Island, establishing a beachhead on the Isabel chain.
Against determined enemy resistance, allied air and naval forces hold the Japanese at bay, inflicting telling losses against the well-prepared and fiercely held enemy positions.
A major allied offensive has begun.
Another hero has joined the honor roll of gallant men who have made the ultimate sacrifice to rid the world of tyranny.
Captain Charles W.
Dobson of Iowa City, holder of the Navy Cross, the Silver Star, and the Distinguished Flying Cross, downed last week when attacked by enemy aircraft.
Missing in action and presumed dead, the passing of this valiant hero saddens America.
But it also serves to renew and strengthen the determination of every American, man, woman and child, to a total dedication A few minutes from now, Jikenbakudan will begin.
Take a look, Captain.
See that large palm tree? That shouldn't be too difficult to find.
Sit down, Captain.
We'll find a convenient spot to put you afloat.
Say, James, what's up? I saw somethin' down there, Anderson.
Let's go down and take a look.
Yeah.
Hey, James, It looks like one of ours in a raft.
It sure does.
Black Sheep 2 to Dumbo.
Dumbo Air Sea Rescue.
We read you five by, Black Sheep 2.
Go ahead.
Dumbo, we're Grid 883.
We've got a gentleman here in a raft.
Roger, Black Sheep.
We'll send out a fishnet.
All right.
Anderson.
Yeah.
Let's go down and give this man a wave.
Right.
There it is, Anderson, No Name Island.
Yupper.
We'll make a first pass at 500 feet.
Follow me in.
Okay.
Hey, Hey! What's going on? I though you said this rock was deserted.
I know what I said, Anderson.
Three weeks ago it was dead as Kelsey's.
Okay, let's drop down to 200 feet, and we'll slide under it.
Who ever said photo recon was boring? It's thick as grits up here! Uh, just out of curiosity, how many passes we gotta make? Under the circumstances, Anderson, I say just about one.
Roger dodger, Captain.
Get, set, hut! Come on, Bragg, let's go 100 flat.
All right! Soldiers, I've been home three cases.
Have they moved? I'm worried about that undertow.
They're right where we left 'em.
We found another half case of Chablis that we'd forgotten about.
You forgot about.
- Come on, let's have it.
And the temperature is perfect.
Heads up.
Hey, it's the good doctor Corning.
Get that ball off the 50-yard line.
Hey, Doc.
Mornin', fellows.
How's the water? Temperature's perfect.
Air Sea Rescue has just fished out an ace.
Think there's room on this island for another one? An ace? Yeah.
Name's Dobson.
Some zeros dumped him a week ago.
His name Charles Dobson? Yeah.
Off the, uh, Lexington.
I know him.
I went to flight training with him at Pensacola.
Well, let's go, uh, give him a welcome.
Have a little reunion.
I don't know about the reunion.
We almost killed ourselves over a Colonel's secretary.
He's probably forgotten all about it.
He probably has.
He got the girl.
Well, if we're having a reunion.
More wine! Let's get some of that in on here.
Major, I don't know.
Hey, Charlie.
It's me.
Greg Boyington.
Greg Boyington? How you doing? All right.
Nice to see you again.
Excuse us, Major.
Sure, of course.
Look at his face.
He was only out for a week? What's the matter with you guys? He looks pretty sick, Pappy.
Maybe we shouldn't get him too excited.
Sick? Excited? Haven't you guys seen a man in a life raft before? Maybe we should offer him a drink of wine.
He probably doesn't want to meet any strange people.
You think he's contagious or something? Well, he just looks pretty bad.
How'd you think you'd look if you were out there 6 days Iiving off survival bars? Half the day you're baked by the sun, the other half you're so cold, you're afraid to go to sleep at night.
But you're sure of one thing, you're gonna die alone out in that ocean.
Will you quit staring at him Iike he's in a zoo? That goes for all of you.
I don't know, Pappy.
Sometimes I think I'd rather go down full throttle and get it over with.
You'd better stop thinking.
Because with that attitude, that's what's gonna happen to you.
Now I've got two jeeps out there.
Any of you guys want to leave, be my guest.
Pappy.
How's he doin'? He's in pretty good shape, all things considered.
A couple of days rest in bed, as soon as I can find him a bed.
And I've got 16 cases of battle fatigue which the Navy left with me.
I keep telling him I'm fine.
He keeps telling me he wants to get back to his unit.
Captain Dobson? I'm T.
J.
Lieutenant T.
J Wylie.
How you doin', Lieutenant? Welcome to Vella La Cava.
Why don't you get rid of that Navy coffee and join us in a toast.
This coffee's fine.
I'm sorry.
Hey, Charlie, Lt.
Boyle, Lt.
French, Bragg and Casey.
Don French, Charlie.
How are you? We've heard all a lot about you.
What? Well, that you're an ace and then you got shot down, we're just glad to see you.
That's all.
Thank you.
Listen, Doc, as long as you're gonna bump some sailor out of his bed to make room for Charlie, why don't you let him bunk with us? Yeah.
- Yeah.
We can show him all the hot spots and make him feel at home.
All right.
Yeah.
If you're sure of that, I would sure appreciate it.
Hey, we'll even invite a few nurses over to make sure he's okay.
All right.
All right.
After I've run some tests on him at the hospital.
You can come for him after lunch.
But, guys, take it easy on him.
Come on, Charlie.
Attaboy.
Okay, Charlie.
Dobson, Charles W.
Captain.
Why be so modest, Captain? You are an ace.
Eight kills.
We keep score, too.
That uniform fits you perfectly.
Isn't our supply officer wonderful? What happened to the other men? I'm truly sorry.
One never got out of his airplane, the second we could not find.
My name is lkuta.
From the lmperial Behavioral lnstitute of Nagoya.
Dobson, Charles W.
Captain.
0812-40-26.
From the Carrier Lexington.
Your wingman was named Ellis.
Yesterday, you were jumped by five of our fighter planes.
How are you feeling? I'm fine.
You have been treated well? Yeah.
Good.
Good.
You are perfect for this mission.
You have will power.
You struggle.
I'm encouraged.
Mission? Jikenbakudan.
That means "time bomb.
" You are jikenbakudan.
Why don't you wait for us in the jeep, Charlie? Yes, sir.
Something's botherin' me, Greg.
About Charlie? He told me he's feelin' fine.
I want you to keep your eye on him.
He's a little too eager beaver for his own good.
Doc, if if he needs a bedpan, I'd frankly think you oughta keep him in the hospital.
I want your opinion.
You want my opinion? About what? His mental attitude, his state of mind.
I mean.
You used to know him.
You know what I remember about him? He's the kind of guy who never wanted to get a haircut.
He was always chasing skirts.
- Greg.
His mind seems to wander.
General Carl Gant, a vicious, cowardly man.
General Gant was a was a hero.
He was a hero at Guadalcanal.
He was a hero at New Britain.
Charlie.
A hero? General Gant doomed thousands of Americans to death.
No! General Gant is an evil man.
No! General Grant is a a hero.
He was a hero at Guadalcanal.
Do you really believe that? Then turn your head away from the screen.
You see? An evil man.
An iron backbone breaks whereas bamboo would give with the wind.
Like jujitsu, we use the enemy's strength to destroy him.
General Thomas Moore.
An evil man.
We will destroy him.
Charlie was the kind of guy who always had it made.
Rich family.
That sort of thing.
Now guys like that always ticked me off.
Who knows? Maybe we've both changed.
The point is, he feels fine now, but his system's had a tremendous shock.
Now, Greg, he's got to take it easy, whether he wants to or not.
You're the doc.
Charlie, have I got a nurse for you.
You got it all to yourself.
Whose was it? Couple of instructors.
They were transferred here by mistake.
They thought the Marines Corp was getting up early, doing push-ups, shining their shoes.
But they didn't they didn't last very long.
You never changed, did you? No, not the way you have.
What's that supposed to mean? Oh, you could have gone to China with the rest of us.
Flown fighters instead of trainers, fought the war instead of each other.
But you decided to pass.
And now we've got the war all around us, you could have some time off, a week in the hospital.
A couple weeks R & R.
But, no, you want to get right back into action.
Now it seems to me, you're the one that's changed.
Yeah, well Things are different now.
I'm sure you're tired.
I'll talk to you later.
Help! No! No.
No! No! Charlie, wake up.
Wake up.
You are having a bad dream.
Relax.
Relax.
Everything is okay, isn't it? It's the medication.
It's worn off.
And that's what's causing the bad dream.
Now we don't want any more bad dreams, do we? No.
That's right.
That's right, Charlie.
Hey! This is supposed to be a darkroom.
You ruined it.
I'm sorry.
Oh, that's okay, Pappy.
I'll just make another one.
It's just a picture.
What've you got? I don't know, Greg.
There's enough flak up there today, we could have parked our birds on it.
Look at this picture.
There ain't nothing! There's the old airfield.
Jungle's got it.
There's somethin' down here.
Well, if you're so sure about that, fly it again tomorrow.
Now that's a great idea.
We was lucky to get back today.
Call ahead tomorrow, I'll get everything out in the open where we can see it.
When we got you this darkroom stuff, wasn't there a case of infrared thrown in with it? Uh, yes, there was.
But I I don't know how to use infrared film.
Well, practice on it tonight.
Oh, Pappy, not tonight.
There's supposed to be a party tonight.
Where'd you hear that? Bragg was talkin' about it.
In honor of Charlie Dobson, that ace they picked up in the ocean.
Is that a fact? Yeah.
Oh, wait a minute.
Hey, Pappy.
Wait a minute.
Joey! Hey, Charlie.
Come on in, come on.
I'll show you around.
The is the Black Sheep basic.
This is where we bring the nurses, have ourselves a little party now and then.
What'll you have? Scotch or beer? Uh, nothing, thanks.
Sayonara.
What is that? Spaghetti.
What? Spaghetti, the bird.
We found him out here in the jungle.
He must have belonged to the Japanese.
Come here, Spaghetti.
He talks all the time, don't understand a word he says.
Except bakudantohka.
That means "bombs away.
" We looked it up.
Where's he going? I don't know.
I guess he doesn't like birds.
Two beers and a scotch, right? Okay, I'll be right back.
Okay.
Two beers and a scotch, please, bartender.
Yes, sir.
Thank you.
Hey, he's got my girl.
Take it easy.
Well, I just got her a drink.
Take it easy! One, she's not your girl, and two, Dobson needs to loosen up a little bit.
What? He's gotta cut my time to loosen up? Joey.
Take my drinks to Gutterman, will you, please? Hey, everything okay? I got to get off this island.
Greg, if I could get to Espritos Marcos, I could get my orders cut, I could to get back to my old unit.
Dr.
Corning is the only guy that can get you to Espritos.
Do you have any influence with him? None.
The guy makes whiskey out of cough syrup, and he, uh, knows all the nurses.
I can't take it any longer! What's wrong with it here? Charlie, I wanna be honest with you.
Dr.
Corning doesn't think you're ready to leave.
Hey, there is nothing wrong with me.
Now you don't know that and neither do l.
Now it's his job to determine whether you are whether you are sick or not.
You're not gonna be any help, are you, Boyington? I know the kind of marine you are.
You're the kind of marine who likes to break regulations just for the fun of it.
Well, I don't expect you to understand.
You think it's smart to get out of doing your duty.
Well, I don't happen to agree! Now that's the Charlie Dobson I remember.
A little older maybe, but still a spoiled brat.
Leave me alone.
Glad to, pal.
Jikenbakudan.
Come in, jikenbakudan.
Something wrong with you? Hmm? No, not really, Doc.
You.
asked me to talk to Dobson, find out what's on his mind.
I almost took his head off a couple minutes ago.
I never could stand that guy.
It might've done him some good.
I don't know.
Time again.
I can't seem to get through to these guys.
You did well to call.
We must not let this stand in our way.
Hey, I'm not sure if I can make the timetable.
We've gone too far.
You will do whatever you have to.
Won't you, Charlie? Yes.
Good luck, jikenbakudan.
We've been flying photo recon over No Name Island for months.
Suddenly, overnight, the Japanese had moved onto the island with anti-aircraft guns.
I wanted to know why.
I would have gone myself, but I had a problem brewing with Charlie Dobson.
The man spent six days on a life raft.
You expect him to act a little strange.
But Charlie seemed to be a different guy from when I'd known him in flight school.
He'd changed.
And it wasn't for the better.
So I decided to stay on the ground.
I told Jim Gutterman to fly the recon mission and three other guys.
Just in case the enemy had any more surprises in store for us.
All right, Ewen, we're not looking for any trouble.
Remember that.
So, go in, take the pictures, and get out.
That's all right by me, James.
Hey, Greg! Did you get to talk with Dobson yet? Well, I don't exactly have a bedside manner.
He wants to go to Espritos Marcos, and I couldn't talk him out of it.
I was going to ship him on the afternoon flight, I had the orders made out and signed.
Then I got the results of the lab tests.
Greg, I've seen a lot of exposure cases, but I've never seen anything like this.
His pH levels are way out of balance.
He's a sick man.
Well, maybe you should let him go to Espritos.
Espritos is closed for 24 hours to everything but extreme medical emergencies.
Since when? Since 0600 today.
Don't ask me why, they wouldn't tell me.
Hmm.
Wonder what's going on there.
Well, if you want to talk to him, he's over there.
Thanks, Greg.
See you later.
Hey, hey.
Good morning, Charlie.
How'd you sleep? Slept fine, Doc.
Now I want you to come back with me to the hospital.
Hey, look, there's a C-47 leaving for Espritos Marcos this afternoon.
That's a supply plane.
Well, I can still hitch a ride with it.
Look, Charlie, I don't want to hold you here against your will, but you are my responsibility.
And whether you like it or not, you need a few days rest in the hospital.
Well, they got a hospital on Espritos Marcos.
You're my patient.
I'm sorry.
I'm gonna have to decide what's best for you.
You're some kind of quack.
Now you need treatment and rest.
You'll have to trust me, Charlie.
All right.
Boyle, you follow Anderson in.
Me and Mr.
Frenchy are gonna remain upstairs.
Yes, sir, Captain.
What're you doin', Anderson? If we cut any lower, they'll knock us down with slingshots! Hey, Boyle.
Just relax, will ya? You're making me nervous.
Bandits! 10 o'clock high! That's all we need now.
French.
Lower your port side.
Got him! Hey, French.
we've got four of 'em surrounding.
Why don't you give me a hand? On my way, Captain.
No, you don't, Tojo.
You know you liked it better when the odds were 4-to-1.
Way to go, Jim! We scared 'em off.
Look at them run.
Hey, Jim, we're ready to go.
What do you want to do, French? Call the roll? Let's go.
Looks to me you lost that, uh, horseshoe match.
Is that what it looks like to you, Gutterman? Trying to keep it a secret, aren't you? Knock it off, Gutterman.
You should have respect for your commanding officer.
And please keep it a secret.
Anderson's got those infrareds in the soup.
We can look at them any minute now.
Good.
Everything okay? There wasn't anything to it.
Enough of it was easy.
Anybody could do it.
Betties.
Must be an entire squadron of them.
Why would they have heavy bombers on No Name lsland? What good is it to 'em? If we knew that, we'd be Japanese.
Make up a stack.
I'll take 'em to S-2 on Espritos Marcos.
Right away.
Black Sheep Ground to Lullaby.
Come in, Lullaby.
Jimmy.
Nothing.
Bunch of ocean up here.
Jim.
These planes have larger fuel tanks.
How much larger? Half as much again.
Black Sheep Ground to Lullaby.
Come in, Lullaby.
Look here.
Casey, give me Espritos.
I've hit every frequency Espritos uses.
They must be on radio silence.
Use the emergency.
It's a rear area.
What would they want with a rear area? Black Sheep Ground to Lullaby.
Come in, Lullaby.
This is Lullaby.
You are on an unauthorized frequency.
We know what we're on.
This is Major Boyington.
I wanna talk with General Moore.
Stand by.
This had better be an emergency, Boyington.
Laird, I asked for General Moore.
Not possible.
Apple 1 is not available.
Laird, what's going on over there? I got something Moore should see.
Now patch me through to him.
Negative.
Well, then clear me for Espritos.
I'll come over and show you what I got.
Negative.
And don't use this frequency again.
Laird.
Laird.
Lullaby out.
What is goin' on in there? Hey, uh, Pappy.
The blow-ups are drying.
They'll be ready in a half-hour.
I don't have a half-hour.
Get my Mae West.
Hutch! - Yeah? My bird ready to fly? The bird's always ready to fly.
What're you gonna do? It's obvious Espritos is off-limits.
I'm gonna get those pictures to S-2.
Hey, what's that jeep doin' there? I don't know.
That carrier pigeon, Dobson.
He drove up in it.
Alone? Yeah, I think so.
I didn't really pay attention.
He got onto the supply plane to Espritos.
He did what? He got onto the supply plane to Espritos.
Well, where was the doc? I don't know where the doctor was.
Jerry's bag's here.
Sure you didn't see him get on that plane? I don't think so, Pappy.
Get on the phone and see if he's at the hospital.
Hey, Pappy! It's Doc Corning.
Looks like he's hurt bad.
He's still breathing a little.
Get something under his head.
Who could have done this? French, Anderson, take care of the doc.
We're flying in five minutes.
Better call the Provost Marshall.
To hell with Provost Marshall.
We tried! They won't read us.
How about a landing clearance? That's a lot of red tape.
I want Dobson.
You comin' along? Yes, I'm comin'.
Let's go.
None of you are to leave this area.
You landed without permission.
You men are under arrest.
Hey, Casey, get those photographs on my plane please.
What was that? You men are under arrest.
Is there a safety on that toy, son? Yes, sir.
Good.
You've made an unauthorized landing in a restricted area.
And you were told not to land.
Now I'll have to ask you to surrender your firearms.
Now I am not gonna check my gun behind the bar, sport.
Jim, will you shut up? Get General Moore.
He'll straighten this thing out for us.
General Moore's in a high-level staff conference.
All right, then I'll I'll settle for Colonel Laird.
He's on his way.
Move these aircraft off the runway.
Can you men fly? Uh, no.
Then those aircraft aren't moving.
I knew it was you, Boyington! And then I heard someone had landed against a direct order.
Look at these pictures, sir.
I haven't got time, Boyington.
Lieutenant! Yes, sir.
- Put these men in the stockade.
There's a general staff conference going on this island today, Boyington, and you've just violated security.
For a darned good reason, sir.
Look at these pictures.
Betties? See the extra fuel tank? I think they can hit Espritos.
You think? Listen, I'm up to my pants pockets in general officers, and you're wasting my time with with suppositions? You're going to the brig! Lieutenant.
Yes, sir.
Hold these men for 24 hours.
Yes, sir.
When were those pictures taken? This morning, sir.
Get the pictures over to S-2.
But you are still under arrest, and I'm going to hold you here until tomorrow morning.
Lieutenant, get these men to a shelter.
Yes, sir.
Captain.
Corporal, you three men in the other jeep.
Major.
Back in the streets.
Hit the deck! What do you think you're doing? Bring that jeep back in here.
You're under arrest.
Don't let him get away.
You're under arrest.
Hey, Pappy, where are we going? We're going to the hospital to find Dobson.
Now you try one, Charlie.
The first air-raid siren triggers you, you trigger the explosives.
You see? No more evil men.
It will save lives.
He cheated us.
He's not here.
He's got to be out there someplace.
Now hang on, Jim.
Calm down for a minute.
The MP's are out there someplace, looking for us.
Now let's let's think about it.
Where could he be? At least we made it to the Philippines before the enemy interrupted us.
I give you this much, Tom.
The accommodations are excellent.
I'm afraid we can't take credit for it.
The Japanese built these bunkers when they had the island.
It took everything we threw at it, so I figured it'd be good enough for us.
There's his Valpac.
We'll come back for it.
That can't be his Valpac.
You were there when he got rescued.
He didn't have anything with him.
That's right.
Frank, open it up.
What's that? Sure looks like blasting clay.
I worked for explosives over at Pearl.
What's that gadget right there? It's a timer.
These are plastic explosives.
Now you could tell me what Dobson's doing with a bomb? I wish I knew.
Hey, what about the general staff conference? A bomb.
A bomb? What are you trying to say? That he's a saboteur! This here's a bomb, TJ.
Wait a minute.
This doesn't make any sense! How's he going to get to the staff conference? We can't even land on the island without getting arrested.
Hey, what what about the general staff conference? Extra-sized tanks.
Laird said there was a high-level staff meeting here.
Air raid.
Now where would that brass be? The air raid shelter.
That's it.
Come on! Down there! Dobson! Come on, Jim! Casey! Casey! Gimme that back! Stop it, Charlie.
Do we have enough time to stop it? What are you talking about? Listen to me! Dobson! Dobson! Now you listen to me! It has to be done.
They're evil.
Hold him here.
Yes.
Halt! Is General Moore in there? This is a restricted area.
Well, this is urgent business.
I'm sorry, Major.
You're gonna have to leave.
Boyington, what the heck is going on? General, this whole place is wired to go up in any minute.
Who is this man? What's he doing here? I don't know what's going on.
Now close that door.
Close the door.
We're gettin' out of here.
Come on.
Get out of here, you guys.
Explosives! Everyone out! Evacuation.
Tail to toe.
Charlie Dobson was shipped back to the States to be studied and poked and taken apart one more time.
Hopefully, they'll remember to put him back together again.
He'd come close to killing a lot of important people.
And in a way, I felt responsible for that.
Maybe I could have helped Charlie when the doctor first asked me to talk to him.
But I had already made up my mind I didn't like him.
When I began to guess what the enemy had done to him, it was almost too late.
It seems like there is a lesson in there somewhere.
I lost track of Charlie after that.
But I like to think he came out of it okay.
There was a lot of work to do on him but there was a lot of time.
It looked like it was going to be a long war.