Black Sheep Squadron (1976–1978): Season 2, Episode 2 - The 200 Pound Gorilla - full transcript

Get a hold of some of that
fine Aussie scotch and get

the guys together. We'll
have a wetdown for Micklin.

I'm in trouble! Faulty ammo!
Give me some help!

This is a rear area!

I'm not gonna take a pasting for not
getting here ahead of those Zekes.

I'm doing everything I can.
I'm fighting with lousy ammo.

He's gone crazy!

He picked a fight with three men.

Three times!

Beat him, beat him, annihilated him!

All right, college boys!



Next on The Black Sheep Squadron.

As the Marine Corps
publishes its quarterly promotion list,

a high-ranking staff
officer gets a new star.

General Thomas Moore, a veteran of
World War I and a career Marine, has made

the ultimate climb from buck private
in 1912 to the rank of two-star general.

This fine career officer, who knows
what it's like to be a mud Marine,

is flying to Washington to receive
the plaudits of a grateful nation.

Meanwhile, fighting men
all over the Pacific Theater

anxiously wait to see
if they will be promoted.

Increased rank brings
benefits and, of course,

those extra dollars sent
to loved ones at home.

It's here! It's here! It's here!

IT'S HERE!

Bob! Bob! Bob! Bob!
It's here! It's here! It's here!



What's here?

The list! The list! Promotion list!

Oh.

Hey, Greg?

Oh, hey, Don. Don, have you seen Greg?

Ain't my day to look after him.

Well, hey, look. Look, the list is here.
The promotion list.

They're not going to promote me,
and I wouldn't let them if they did.

I got too much respect for this Marine Corps
to allow a mistake like that. Excuse me.

Hey, have you guys seen Greg?

I think he's over testing his guns.

What's up, Larry?

Well, the list is in.

No kidding.
Hey, I wonder if I made captain.

That's what I was wondering.

Well, thank you, Larry.
But I don't think I made it.

Hey, you know, I got the
seniority. 30 months is a first.

I think those guys
would jump me up a grade.

Yeah, I wouldn't
count on it, T.J.

I don't think either one of us
is going to make captain.

Maybe if we stopped
flying with hangovers.

I can't think about it. I don't know how
to fly without a hangover.

See? Jam. Just like this morning.

See what you mean, sir.

Richards, I want you to go
through all those crates and look for

condemned lot numbers. That
ammo is strictly for the 4th of July.

You know there's not enough power
to knock coconuts out of those trees?

Yeah, well, I checked
all the boxes that came in

yesterday, sir, and all the
lot numbers checked out.

Yeah, well, I want you to go
through it again. I'm not going to send

my boys up there depending on
Kentucky windage to knock Zeke's down.

Yes, sir.

Hey, Greg!

What?

Greg!

Hey, Greg, the list is in. The list is in.

What list?

Promotions.

Oh, yeah?

Uh, I was wondering, you
know, I'm in the promotion zone.

No kidding.

Uh, yeah.

Did I make it?

Not yet.

This is the warrants list.
It comes out separately.

Look at this.

Micklin made warrant officer.

That's, that's really great.

Sure is.
He's the best line chief I ever had.

I wonder what happened
to that officer's list.

Well, I'll call Espritos Marcos.
Maybe it got hung up someplace.

Hey, Casey, do me a favor. Get a
hold of some of that fine Aussie scotch

and get the guys together. We're
going to have a wetdown for Micklin.

No, no.

We're going to have a surprise
for Micklin. I'm going to promote

him, and I'm going to initiate that
cranky muttonhead into the unit.

Hey, you.

Are you talking to me, Sergeant Micklin?

Well, I don't see no other
college boys around here.

I got a message Boynton wants to
see me. I don't like having to drop

everything and come down here,
so where is he? I got work to do.

You know, I'll bet it's never occurred
to you, my pugilistic friend, but

hey, you is not exactly the way
you're supposed to address an officer.

However,

considering the fact that
you are 70 pounds heavier than I am and

twice as vicious, I will kindly tell you
that our audacious leader resides within.

You got something wrong with you, boy.

Hey, Boyington!

I beg your pardon, please.
Can I get by? Excuse me

I'm sorry. No, I
just wanted to get by.

Surprise!

For he's a jolly good fellow.
For he's a jolly good fellow.

For he's a jolly good fellow.

Which nobody can deny.
Which nobody can deny.
Which nobody can deny.

For he's a jolly good...

You guys know the Girl Scout Anthem?

Relax, Micklin.
This party is in your honor.

In my honor? What kind of garbage
are you trying to feed me now?

You made Warren officer.

Congratulations.

Hey, come on, Micklin.
Have a seat over here.

Micklin, you are now an officer.

Now, when did this come through?

Hey, Daniel's made tech,
so we'll move him up to line chief.

That makes you
ordinance and supply officer.

Now, you can start working on
getting us some parts right now.

Now, you want to choose
someone up the line?

You got the rank
to do it now, Micklin.

Oh, no, no. I got work
to do. French is plane.

I mean, I got to cross
wires on a rebuilt servo.

T.J., I pulled a cylinder head
on that tractor you fly.

You got enough carbon in it to
open a pencil factory. I got to go.

No, that can wait.
We're going to celebrate now.

Yeah.

Congratulations, Danny.

Thanks.

What's wrong with him?

Oh, if I knew what
was wrong with him,

you think I would have
walked into that right cross?

Let's nail him.

Are you crazy? That guy punches hard.

Yeah, well, I punch hard, too. Come on.

We're only going to pick the French.
We're cute.

Hey, you know, you might help us.
You don't need a ticket here.

Three times. Three times.

What are you going to learn?

The guy's gone crazy. Absolutely crazy.

Just take it with you.
Just take the chair with you.

Listen, Micklin, let's talk.

Where have you been, Jerry?
We could have used you in here.

Jerry? Jerry? Jerry?

Greg! Greg!

What the hell is going on?

Micklin, Micklin, Micklin's gone crazy.

Slow down. Slow down.

Micklin, Micklin,
Micklin's gone crazy. He

started a fight with French,
Anderson and Bragg.

Hold on a minute. He what?

He tore up the sheep's pen.
He knocked out two mechanics on the way.

He started tearing up tents. Everything
he could get his hands on. He's gone crazy.

Are you telling me that he
picked a fight with three men?

Three guys. He beat them.
Beat them. Annihilated them.

Greg, you got to do
something. You got to do

something. He's beating up
everybody. He's gone crazy.

Yeah, well, I'll take care of it.

Three guys?

Well, that'll be all, Larry.

Yeah.

The fellow has a punch like a rock.

Watch out, Donnie.

Greg, he's gone absolutely insane.

He's like ten guys, Greg. He's taken on the
whole camp and he's beating everybody, too.

Very encouraging.

He's coming your way. Get him. Get him.

That's it, T.J.

Get him. Get him.

Your turn.

Are you going to hit the guy back?

You big gorilla.
I've got something for you.

Nothing to it.

What got into him?

He's drunk.

Well, he's been drunk before.
He never acted like this.

Yeah, well, a couple of you guys take him,
throw him, lock him up until he sobers up.

Come on, let's go.

Come on, Larry.

My head hurts.

Well, he hit hard, didn't he?

My stomach is not used to being a punching bag.

I told you guys to leave him alone.

Morning.

Hope all you guys who
lost teeth last night got

a present from the
tooth fairy this morning.

Thank you very much.

This is what happened to your spirit.

Right, here are the grids. They're the
same as yesterday. We fly up the slot.

Now, we have information the Japanese
are moving two heavy carriers north.

They were tracking them in the rear area,
but they lost them in the fog last night.

So they want us to find
them and give them a party.

Hey, that's great. We
stop hunting Zeke's

and start going on a
search mission for Lard.

I'm afraid that Tojo will
show up and give him a party.

What's the matter, TJ? I don't
see anything wrong with trying

to locate two enemy carriers
on the way to the rear area.

Hey, Larry, why don't you put that
in a message? Send it to the colonel.

Might get your captain bars by lunch.

Well, I don't have to
take that stuff from you.

And what's the matter? Didn't you guys
have enough fun last night with Micklin?

Maybe I should turn him loose.
Give you guys an early morning workout.

Turn that guy loose.
I go in the jungle forever.

Anybody talk to the sergeant this morning?

Yeah, I tried to pawn
that threshold of disaster

this morning and slip
some eggs in there.

He was just waking up. He was really cute.
He was kind of like pawing at his pits.

He made absolutely no
attempt to communicate.

Well, I think I'll drop in and talk to him.
We're flying in a half hour.

Hey, Sarge.

How do you feel?

Well, what did you expect?

Did you expect us to
sit around while you Bury

this camp under a six
foot high pile of junk?

Anybody take a look at them birds?

Somebody ought to make sure TJ's ready.

I usually run it up to 3,000
myself before I give it back to him.

On account he can't
fly off with beans, I want

to make sure he can
stand the torque he gives it.

If you promise not to Bury this squadron
under their hats, you're out of here.

Who said I want to be let out of here?

As far as I'm concerned, you can
send me to the brig and leave me.

I've had it with this chicken outfit.

Keep that up, and I'm
going to try you out myself.

Get out of here, Boyington.

I'm putting you in for a three day pass.
I think you need three days away from here.

Sure, fine. Now take a hike, will you?

Hey, what is it with you?

Do you have the corner
on the hostility market?

All those men were trying to do was
give you a party and be your friend.

That's all they were trying to do.

I don't want no party.
I don't want no college boy friends.

If I'd wanted college
boyfriends, I'd have gone to the university

so I could hitch
up in the Marine Corps.

Now why can't you fraternity
brats get it through your head?

When you finish eating those bones,

Why don't you go outside
and shimmy up the tree?

When are you gonna take a hint?

Okay, we're heading out on 040.
Join up at elements and check your guns.

Roger, Pappy.

Roger.

Mine are working.

Okay, here.

Roger, Pappy.

Okay, here.

Any malfunctions.
I want to hear about it, meatheads.

Okay, let's go find those flattops.

We didn't find the flattop, but we
found the planes that were flying off her.

They were streaking down the slot
under the radar, at least 50 of them.

Half were Kates carrying belly bombs.

The top cover were Tojo's newest hot zeros.

Bogeys, nine o'clock low.
They're on the deck.

Casey, take your flight
and go after the Kates.

Roger, Pappy.

B flight and hold altitude.
We'll give you a ten-count, Greg.

Roger. Okay, you guys, follow me down.

Okay, B flight. Let's go.

Here we go again.

I'm in trouble.

Coming, Pappy.

Faulty ammo. I got faulty ammo.

Someone come up here and give me some help.

Coming in off your starboard wing.

Grab some altitude, Bob.

Get up there. Bragg, you stay with them.

Lawrence, pull up. I'll take him.

Pappy, my gun's are jammed, too.

I'm with you, Bob. I'm coming up.

Okay, Black Sheep, break off. Break off.

You gotta do something
about this ammo, Pappy.

We might as well be throwing
marshmallows at them.

We're committing hairy carry out here.

How do they expect us to fight this war?

We can't do it without good ammo.

Alert Espiritos Marcos. Tell the
field to scramble everything they have.

We let a flock of them through.

This mission was a bust, so we
packed it in and headed for home.

I knew when I got down I'd have
a message from Colonel Lard.

He hated to grab his helmet
and dive into a foxhole,

and every time it
happened, I heard about it.

This sort of thing has been
happening off and on for the last week.

Bad ammo, bad ordnance,
bad replacement parts.

And it wasn't just our squadron.

We'd been hearing from the others.
The same thing was happening to them.

Somebody in the rear
area was dropping the ball,

and I had a hunch that right about
now, they were paying the price for it.

What do you mean, sending
a message like that, Boyington?

We didn't have anything to scramble.
We don't have any fighter cover here.

Sir, would you mind lowering your voice?
You're breaking up on this end.

Well, you ought to see this place.
We're three-quarters on fire around here.

Heavy damage everywhere.
Even the officer's club.

And the canteen down near the
beach was damn near blown away.

Sir, I'm sorry to hear that the
enemy's causing you trouble.

I can't understand why they'd want
to hit the canteen down by the beach.

It seems to me the Japanese are losing the
spirit of this thing, don't you think, sir?

One more smart remark like that,
Boynton, and I'll have you in the brig.

Hey, that's fine with me, sir.
You know, I would rather be in the brig

than up there in the sky with half
my squadron firing lousy ammunition.

I don't want to hear that excuse again, Boyington.

Yes, sir.
I will send you my armorer's report.

But just for the record, I want
you to tell that supply captain

that if this ever happens
again, I'm going to find him

and I'm going to teach
him the four-cornered waltz.

What supply captain are
you talking about, Boyington?

We don't have one. Danzig was
sent to Europe and is still there.

We can't pull another supply captain until
General Moore gets back from Washington.

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

Well, then don't send me
up with lousy ammunition

and complain about the officers'
club being hit down by the beach.

I'll send you the report. Out.

Greg, I thought you were going
to ask me about the officers' list.

It clean-slipped my mind.
Tell Micklin I want to see him.

Yes, sir.

Oh, I almost forgot.
Boyington wants to see you before you go.

He better get his butt down to flight
line because I'm getting on that transport.

Hey, Sarge.

I think he wants you to go to his tent.

I ain't going to his tent or anywhere
else he wants, except the rear area.

You take care of those birds, Stan.

I got a lot of time invested in them.

And you let one, just one, go
down because of bad maintenance.

I'm going to flap myself
up like a big angry bird

and come back here
and tie you into little strips.

Hey, Sarge, everything's going to be fine.

Just fine.

Better.

It just better.

Where's Mickman?
You know he missed the flight.

No, sir. He's on board, sir.

Well, I wanted to talk to him.

Didn't someone tell him to come to my tent?

Yes, sir. I told him.

Well, what's he doing
leaving without talking to me?

What am I, around here, the queen mother?

No, sir.

When I tell a man to
report, he damn well reports.

Yes, sir.

You know what's wrong around here?
There's no discipline.

No Discipline.

When you're nice, people
will step all over you.

Sorry, sir.

You know what I ought to do?

I ought to go up there.
I ought to shoot that tin can down.

That's what I ought to do.

Yes, sir.

No, sir.

Sir, I don't think Sergeant
Micklin understood the order, sir.

What do you mean he
didn't understand the order?

He's been in the Marine Corps for 20 years.

Sir, I'm a little worried.

I don't think Sergeant Micklin
is planning on coming back, sir.

What do you mean he wasn't
planning on coming back?

He's been assigned here.
He doesn't have word one to say about it.

Yes, sir, but, sir, when I was in his
tent, he was cleaning out everything, sir.

He even took his pictures.

It didn't seem to me he was
going on any three-day pass, sir.

Don.

Yeah, Pappy.

I've seen guys wine-soaked that look better
than you lying under a Seattle bridge.

Beg your pardon?

You know what I want you to do?

Huh?

I want you in Marine issue in five minutes.

I want you shaved.

Do you understand that? In five minutes.

You talking to me, Pappy?

Who do you think I'm talking to?

Does that sound like I'm talking to you?

Does it sound like I'm talking to him?

Yes, sir.

Five minutes. Do you understand that?

Yes.

And you better shower
twice to get that grime off you.

Or I'm gonna gig you.
You understand that? Five minutes.

What's eating him?

I don't try to figure out, officers.

That's much too confusing.

Listen, Stan.

You got a great thing going here, you see?

There's only one thing wrong with it.

I'm not laughing.

Which makes it instantly unfunny.

So why don't you just go over to your
tool shed before I put you on report?

What's the matter with you?

Okay, you guys.

Check your guns.

Okay, here.

Okay, Pappy.

They fire, but how do we know
how long they're gonna last?

Maybe you should just throw
your compass at them, Bobby.

Oh, is that Clark Kent, clean-shaven
deodorant king of the South Pacific?

That's who it is, bozo.

Pop off one more time, and little Bobby
Boyle is gonna have a trip to the dentist.

Okay, you guys.

Button it up, will ya?

The flat-top had obviously
moved down the slot

and was hiding under
the seasonal cloud cover.

We couldn't hit what we couldn't see,
and that afternoon we didn't see anything.

Espritos-1 to Black Sheep-1.

Black Sheep-1, go.

We just picked up some bogeys on the radar.

Looks like the E-T-A our
field is ten minutes.

Can you intercept?

One moment, Espritos.

Negative E-M, negative.

Best I can do is intercept
them on the way out.

The C-O here is looking for some air cover.

One moment.

Greg, this is Colonel Lard.

You get those seats off us.

This is supposed to be a rear area.

Rear area means safe.

Now, I don't want to see any zeros today.

You intercept. Do you read?

Roger.

Good.

What is going on? They get here so fast

I'm getting out of here, sir.

This is a rear area!

Bring the fire truck!

Now!

Nice shooting, Colonel.

Get those fire extinguishers
on the building 4.

Move it!

Bring the fire truck! Now!

You tell the 214 to land here.

And I want to see Boyington
as soon as he hits the ground.

In my office!

If it's still there.

Yes, sir.

You are bordering on disrespect
to a superior officer, Boyington.

No, I am not. I am not being disrespectful.

But I sure as hell am
not going to take a pasting

for not getting here
ahead of those Zekes.

You want to lower your voice, Major?

I'm doing everything I can.

I'm fighting with lousy ammo.

I'm fighting ten miles of Thule fog.

I am not interested in excuses, Boynton.

I've had a lot of high-ranking officers
jumping into mud holes around here.

And they don't like it.

And I don't like it.

Look at this place.

Admiral Tillotson actually left yesterday.

Oh, he was very nice about it.

But the fact is he got
back in his Admiral's barge

and is now laying
someplace off Point Ambrose.

What do you want me to do about it?

Well, I'll tell you.

I am pulling 214 off La
Cava and giving you a

temporary assignment
right here on this field.

We need some protection around here.

General Moore can do what he
likes about it when he gets back.

That's fair enough.

But there are some conditions, Boynton.

One, your men will maintain
flight-ready status 24 hours a day.

That means no officer's
club and no canteen.

I thought you said the canteen was hit.

We restore quickly here, Major.

This is not the hooligan Marine Corps.

What's the rest of it?

Two, your men will be restricted
to perimeters A-16 and B-23

and will not be permitted
to leave the designated

flight-line barracks area
without my permission.

This is beginning to go downhill.

And three, under no
circumstances will your pilots

have any contact at all with
Navy personnel, specifically nurses.

We don't want a repeat of last
year's Christmas episode, now do we?

Nurses are hard enough to come by as it is.

With no due respect, sir, Lieutenant
Boyle and Lieutenant Anderson

were merely trying
to find those nurses'

quarters, as the review
board clearly indicated.

Four, you will be allowed no
alcoholic beverages on this base

and will be subject
to military inspection at

odd-hour intervals day
or night without warning.

Do you want us to march
on this field or protect it?

Boyington, I don't want you here. I need you.

Now, no alcohol, no misconduct, no parties.

Beep, beep, beep, beep, beep,
beep, beep, beep, beep, beep, beep.

You almost didn't make a dead guess.
Excuse me.

Hey, you know, what
am I supposed to think of?

Does anybody here care for a drink?

Didn't think you'd ever make it.

Well, here we are, ma'am. Sir?

No, thank you.

Ha ha, surprise.

Pappy Boyington, right?

Excuse me.

You know, half of us were pulled
back here to help out with the wounded.

For a rear area, this place
is certainly getting pasted.

That's what they tell me.

I see you smuggled in a few locals.

Old friends from days gone by.

Hey, boys, wasn't that a good one?

The Benny Goodwin Quartet
and I found a new baby.

We like good music just like you do, Joe.

And now, a new song, "He's My Guy".

For all you fellas stationed
on Espritos Marcos,

we're sorry things have been so
tough, and we're playing this one for you.

Dottie, would you like to dance?

I'd love to.

Thank you.

He's got all kinds of music.

No, he didn't.

Oh, watch your feet, Lieutenant.

What is that song?

Well, anyway, they
brought four men on a

stretcher, and two more
on the back of a six-by.

No kidding.
Sounds like a sweetheart of a brawl.

Texas. You're from Texas?

Mm-hmm.

Oh, wait a minute.
I'm really good with accents.

Midland. No, wait, don't tell me.

Uh, uh, say something
else, but don't tell me.

Well, this one little old
Alma major lost two teeth.

-Right, right. Let's see, south of
Dallas, somewhere in Clark County.
-No

Uh, Corpus, uh... No.

Brownsville.

That's right.

Brownsville!

Well, at least close.
About 20 miles to the west.

Now, anybody who can guess
your hometown just by talking

can also guess the college
you went to just by kissing.

Oh, brother.

Don't mind me.

By the way, I kiss.

I bet you do. I bet you $10 a kiss.

Did, uh, did you say that an
Army officer lost a tooth in a brawl?

Mm-hmm.

Greg, do you mind?
I'm playing a little hometown here.

Will you take Dottie
and go for a little walk?

Do you want to play down-and-out?

Down-and-out? No.

Who was it?

Well, rumor I heard was that some
maintenance chief from the front area

just wandered into the officer's
club and took the place home.

Sounds a little like Micklin, huh?

Sounds a lot like Micklin.

You know where he is?

Last I heard, it took six
MPs to keep him down.

He's gotta be in the brig.

Hometown?

Yeah, hometown.

Where you going?

I'm going over to the wire.
I want to see if Micklin is in the brig.

Excuse me.

Hometown, here I come.

Hmm.

Well, well, well, if it ain't
the king of college, boy.

I guess I'm just supposed to fall down with
joy because you're coming to see me, right?

I looked up your service record, Sarge.
You know something?

You got some strange things in there.

It seems every time
you're up for a promotion.

that you tear the paneling
out of some officer's club

somewhere and get
busted back down to private.

Now, you did that in Norfolk.
You did it in Hawaii.

Now you've done it here.

I really ain't interested in
this conversation, Boyington.

You know, there are
easier ways of doing it.

I mean, you don't have to send a
whole room of guys to the hospital.

You can say, uh, say no thank you.

You don't happen to have a smoke, do you?

Here.

Well, how about it, Sarge?

Is that what this whole thing is about?

I felt like busting some
heads, so I busted some heads.

Now, don't go trying to make
no big interpretation on it.

Yeah?

Well,

you happen to be the
best line chief I've ever had.

And I really don't want
you to go to Portsmouth.

I ain't going to Portsmouth.

They just rip my stripes
off like they always do.

You are really one stubborn jarhead.

Let me tell you something about
the boys over here at Espritos.

They're very tough on insubordination,

on resisting arrest,

on assault.

You know that you have a
major over there in the hospital

wondering why his Ipana is smile is
looking at him from a jar next to his bed?

It's time, Sergeant.

You're in tough.

I didn't ask for this promotion.

Then you should have turned it down.

It ain't right for a Marine
to turn down a promotion.

My old man spent 30
years in the Marine Corps.

You just don't turn nothing down.

That's the way it is.

Well, then you better start thinking
about 20 years at Portsmouth.

Because that's where you're headed.

Unless, of course, you want my help.

Then you better become real cooperative.

Because this thing's going to
take some very tight maneuvering.

Well, you do what you want.

I'll take that to mean yes.

Boyington, I don't like you.

I spent most of the night trying to
come up with a new way to spring Micklin.

I knew I had to get some leverage.

I couldn't seem to come
up with a way to deal

Micklin enough aces
to get him out of the brig.

And then at 3 o'clock in the
morning it came to me so clear,

it woke me up out of a sound sleep.

Sometimes Marine regs can
get you into a lot of trouble.

But sometimes they can get you out.

It took me 10 minutes to
find the reg I was looking for.

It turned out to be on page 43,
paragraph 3, under filed promotions.

I signed a paper and sent it through.

I'm going to let the Marine
Corps bureaucracy pull this

200-pound maintenance chief
through the eye of a needle.

Good morning, Lieutenant.

Good morning, Lieutenant.

Hey, Lieutenant, have you
heard about the supply and ordinance,

Captain, that
got locked up in the brig?

Come on.

We've been trying to get a supply and
ordinance captain out here for two weeks.

I'm telling you, he's there and he
has 20 years in supply and ordinance.

What are you talking about?

What I'm talking about, Lieutenant,
is that you have the very guy that

General Moore's looking for locked
up on the other side of the compound.

And the way supply's been
so messed up around here

lately, I just thought you'd
like to know, that's all.

Yeah, give me the
morning roster on all

officers on this base.
I want it in 10 minutes.

If you're right, I owe you a drink.

If I'm right, you owe me a new car.

Deal?

Fair enough.

The fuse was lit. Now for the explosion.

I ain't putting on no captain's bars.

You're going to put them on or
I'm going to weld them on you.

I'd truly like to see you try, mister.

Okay, Micklin, you're so tough.
What about the black sheep?

What about the black sheep?

Well, this may curl your
stomach, but we need you.

Putting a little junk on your
collar's going to save some lives.

Who's it hurting?

I don't want to be no officer.

I know you don't want to be no officer.
It is a temporary commission.

It doesn't become permanent
until it's approved by Quantico.

And Quantico will never approve it.

In the meantime, you've got the
rank and you've got the experience.

And believe me, Micklin,
before you can say

college boy, you'll be
sitting behind that desk.

And when you're behind the
desk, we've got some leverage.

Captain Micklin?

Here, I got you some caps.

You college boys are always pulling this.
I don't like it. I don't like you.

Are you Captain Micklin?

He's Captain Micklin.

What do you want?

Well, sir, it says on the duty
sheet that you are a supply

and ordinance officer with
a temporary rank of captain.

Is that right?

No, it ain't right, college boy.

Now, get the hell out of my cell.

But, sir...

How did he hit me? What did I do?

He didn't hit you. He gave you
a little shove. He didn't hit you.

Why don't you go out and
wait for us for a moment?

I have to have some further
discussions with the captain.

Gentlemen, what say we
step outside for a while?

Did I say something?

I've had it with you, you big ugly ape.

You've had it!

How long do you think I was going
to stand around and take your gas?

I'm going to knock your
teeth down your throat.

Well, well, well.
Now, this has been a long time coming.

Just a minute.

I thought they were going to discuss it. It
sounds like they're tearing up the place.

Well, sometimes they
discuss things like that.

Well, lieutenants, how are
things in supply and ordinance?

Were they everything you were hoping for?

They're fighting in there.
Can't you hear that?

You know, I was thinking about
getting into supply and ordinance myself.

There's nothing like
knowing that you are the guy

getting the goods out there
to the guys that need them.

Yes, sir.
You ought to be proud of yourself.

Yeah, supply and ordinance.

I may get into it myself
before this war is over.

Sounds like they stopped.

Yeah. Let's go see what they decided.

I told you they were fighting.

We've come to an understanding.

All right, Sarge?

You've still got to service your
plane for a week, right, Boyington?

For one week.

I've got to see.

Go on, son. Ask him again.

You Captain Micklin?

Yeah, okay. Captain.

Well, sir, we've got a job for you.
A very important supply job.

Okay. Get out of here.
I'll be over there in a little while.

Who won?

I did.

No, no, really. Who won?

He's wearing the captain's bars, isn't he?

I ain't wearing them. They're in my pocket.

And you've still got to service your plane.

Let's get out of here.

I think this belongs to you.

Ain't mine.

- This it?
- Yes, sir.

I'll take this one.

I don't want no lieutenant helpers.

You give me two clerk typists, a decoder,
and then I'm above the rank of sergeant.

Sir, I really don't think you understand.

Am I running this Ordinance office?

Yes, sir.

Then how come I ain't getting
what I need College boy?

College boy?

Did you go to college?

Of course.

Then what's the probelm?
Now get out of here before I throw you out.

Yes, sir.

Don't worry, fellas. I'll take care of it.

Well, I see you got them on the run.

Okay, Boyington, I'm your
freaking supply officer. Now what?

Now it's time we make some deals.

That's what I'm afraid of.

Colonel Sanderson on Guam was a
big help in return for four carburetors.

So was Red Buell, once he got
those two new Pratt & Whitney engines.

Together they put in a word with
Admiral Tillerson on Guadalcanal.

And there were others.

The major with his
teeth in a glass was really

looking forward to
court-martialing Micklin.

But when an admiral,
colonel, and half a dozen flight

commanders ask you not
to push it, you don't push it.

In the meantime, the war went on.

Only with Micklin running the
supply train, it went on a lot smoother.

Not to say a few egos didn't get bruised.

I sent that unit two barrels
of engine oil a week ago.

Listen here, college boy, I ain't about
to go drawing this here thing out for you.

You got all the oil you're gonna get!

You ask me for one more
thing, I'm gonna drop the

control tower on your
head. Now get off my phone!

I never had much influence over Micklin.

And lately I had none.

But that didn't stop Tojo.

Bogey's coming in on 167.

Move it!

Scramble, scramble, scramble!

Let's hit him!

Casey, get up to 5,000 and
bust up those dive bombers.

French, take your bombers up to 15,000.
I'm going up after the top cover.

Roger, B-Pilot.

Roger, Pappy. Taking her up to 15,000.

We were still looking for that flat top, so
we had French's flight loaded with bombs.

And since Micklin was running ordnance,
we had no problems with the Zeros.

The afternoon fog was
lifting as we chased them.

And there was the flat top.

Lying off the St. Alban Islands.

So we hit her.

Let's drop these eggs where it counts.

We didn't sink her.

But we moved her.

Espritos settled down
to a nice succession

of afternoon drinks in
the new beach cabana.

And so naturally, we were sent home.

And life went on for us as well.

Two days later, Micklin arrived, still a
captain, but with a wrench in his hand.

It's here. It's here.

It's here!

Bob! Bob, it's here, it's here.
The list is here. Let's go find Greg.

Uh, if Micklin's a
captain, there's really

not too much hope for
you, is there, Lawrence?

Bob, there's more to
life than sitting around in

your underwear sunning
and playing the clarinet.

A sage and wonderful observation, Lawrence.
Now please be gone from my presence.

Hey, where's Greg?

He's over in the
mechanic's shed with Micklin.

Did the little old letter
come in yet, Larry?

Yes, sir. You want to go see if he made it?

You go with him, T.J.

You go with him.

Hey, come on.
Don't you guys want me to make captain?

Hey, look, I've been leading B-flight.
I've been doing all the paperwork.

Eh, it's not that, Larry.

Well, what?

It's that ever since Micklin made captain,
nobody cares much about rank anymore.

Micklin's just a temporary captain.

That's right.

Point.

That's it.

That's as tight as she'll go.

Then how come you're
getting all that vibration?

I'm getting all that vibration because
this thing is made out of string and wire.

You kick a wheel, it's liable to fall off.

I want you to check those mouths again.

Now.

Hey, Micklin, you know something?
I don't have to take this.

This is my engine.

Excuse me, Greg, the list is in.

Did I make it?

Nope.

Micklin lost it.

I can't understand what's
going on with that list.

I wonder if I'm ever going to make captain.

Here, kid.

You're going to make it one of these days.

And two days later, he did.

You're going to make it one of these days.