JAG (1995–2005): Season 7, Episode 20 - Port Chicago - full transcript

NEWSREEL ANNOUNCER:
50 miles north of Oakland,

the Naval munitions base,
Port Chicago,

is abuzz with activity.

Working round the clock,
sailors load

the bombs and ammunition
our fighting men need.

It's tough going

but these sailors know
they're doing their part

to beat back the Japanese
in the Pacific.

Port Chicago--
gateway to victory.

(soft groan)

Whoa. My back
is killing me.



Loading those bombs--

be grateful it's
just your back.

Are you sure
you told them girls

and her friend 9:00?

How many times
I got to tell you?

Hey, how many tons you figure
we loaded on our shift today?

About 250, including
that 500-pounder

Johnson dropped
on the deck.

They got us working

too fast.

Yeah, but if we fill
the lieutenant's tonnage quota

then we get Saturday liberty.

(screaming)

Oh, my God.



That was our ship.

♪ ♪

SINGER:
Admiral,
may I have a minute?

CHEGWIDDEN:
Sure.

Sir, with Lieutenant
Roberts detached,

I imagine you'll
be spreading the
workload around.

I was hoping for my
share of big cases.

No small cases,
only small lawyers, Lieutenant.

Yes, sir.

Just saying please
keep me in mind.

You're often on my mind,
Lieutenant.

Yes, sir. Sir,
one more thing?

In Lieutenant Roberts' absence,

I'd like to request that
I move into his office.

I'll think about it.

Yes, sir.

Thank you, sir.

Admiral,
you have a visitor.

Thank you, Tiner.

Chaplain Turner.

Admiral, I hope
you don't mind

my resting these old bones.

They've been hibernating
all winter.

Not at all.

Good to see you.

To what do I owe
this pleasure?

Well...

I got a call
this morning

from an old friend

who may need
some legal advice.

You're familiar with a World War
II disaster at Port Chicago?

As a matter of fact,
I am.

1944, an explosion
at a Navy base near Oakland.

Killed 320 men.

Yes, most of
the seamen

African Americans.

Well, afterwards,
some of the sailors

refused to go back to work.

Said it was unsafe.

Navy convicted 50 of mutiny.

Well, one of
the men--

a sailor that I knew
at Great Lakes

back in, uh, '48,
Aubrey McBride--

has petitioned for
a new day in court.

Just got word of it
this morning.

(knocking)

Enter.

Sorry, sir.

Tiner stepped away.

Dad.

Sturgis, came
by your office

looking for you.

You were out.

I was hoping
you'd join us.

Have a seat,
Commander.

Your father and I
were just discussing

Port Chicago.

One of the convicted men--

an old sailor friend
of your father's--

requested a new court-martial.

I thought the
Port Chicago 50

were all discharged
from the Navy.

Oh, but McBride
petitioned to stay in.

Did his 30 years, made chief
and retired with benefits.

I'll be honest, A.J.,

I'm not sure a
new court-martial
is a good idea.

Chief McBride has a tendency
to push too hard sometimes.

You want somebody
to talk to him?

I'd appreciate it.

I just want to make sure

he doesn't shoot himself
in the foot.

I'll see to it.

Thank you, Admiral.

We still on for
dinner Sunday?

If you're not cooking.

We'll go to the "O" Club.

I'll be in touch, A.J.

Chief McBride retires
at full benefits.

Why's he going after
the Navy now, sir?

Well, that's what
you're going to find out.

This my dad's
idea, sir?

My idea.

Commander Rabb and Colonel
McKenzie busy, sir?

This is a sensitive matter.

The Navy would like
to have it settled,

and I need a level head.

Yes, sir.

That will be all.

Let me help you
with that, ma'am.

Thank you, Tiner.

Is this your lunch,
Lieutenant?

No, it's a chicken,
three shrimp stir-fry,

two pounds of raw chuck,
and a rump roast.

Interested?

I've had a complete
breakfast, ma'am.

Would you stow these
in the freezer for me?

No problem, Lieutenant.

Thank you.

Morning, sir.

My refrigerator's
broken again, sir.

Oh, call your landlord.

Oh, he's U.A.

And the repairman can't
come for three days.

Bud used to take care
of this stuff for me.

You know, I'm not
doing anything tonight.

I'll pop by.

That'd be great, sir.

Have you ever fixed a
refrigerator before?

How hard can it be?

It's a closed system.

The compressors
are sealed.

RABB:
When did you
become an expert

on refrigerators?

I'm not.

I've just learned to steer clear
of home repairs

when my freezer's on the blink.

When was the last time
you fixed anything?

Well, my 'Vette's
working pretty good.

It'll be all right.

I wish I could
believe that, sir.

Not about the
refrigerator

but about everything.

My apartment's too small,
it's noisy,

the traffic is terrible.

If A.J. gets sick,
I'm an hour away.

It's just going to take
some getting used to--

Bud being gone.

If you need anything,
just ask, all right?

Help me buy a new house, sir?

The JAG send you,
or your father?

I'm here on official
business, sir.

Your dad tells me
you're good, Commander.

He's biased, Chief.

A JAG lawyer and a submariner.

Navy sure has
changed a lot, sir.

Yes, it has

which is actually
the reason I'm here.

The Navy wants me
to keep my trap shut?

I'm just here
to listen, Chief,

but I do have to ask
what good you think

can come from
reopening this case.

You sure you're Chaplain
Turner's son, Commander?

I'm not going
to lie to you, Chief,

the Navy would like to see
if this matter can be resolved

without going
to court-martial.

My buddy Randall Winston and I
enlisted in the Navy at 16

after Pearl Harbor.

We read some newspaper stories
about Dori Miller--

a black mess attendant
who manned a gun

and shot down a bunch
of Japanese planes.

When we got our orders
to Port Chicago,

Randall says, "See,

"all they figure
a black man can do

is guard the White Sox dugout."

And I said, "No, Randall,

"we're going to Port
Chicago, California.

They sending us to fight
in the Pacific."

Turns out Randall was right.

You boys hear what Sixth
Division loaded yesterday?

160 tons.

You boys load 165 by 1500,
you get liberty.

If not, you don't.

While I was at Port Chicago

I learned Dori Miller
was lost at sea.

I saw a newsreel
of Jesse Owens

running against a horse

and I knew they weren't
going to let us fight.

I appreciate your anger...

You can't appreciate
a damn thing, Commander.

You're so accepted by the
system, you've become it.

A mouthpiece
for the Secretary of the Navy.

Excuse me,

but I speak for all
of the Navy and my country

and I'm not sure
dredging up

this divisive incident
from the past

serves either interest,
especially now

when we should all
be pulling together.

(chuckles)

Well, you've got
some vinegar after all.

Could've used you in '44.

Oh, those munitions ships
were a powder keg.

To go back to work under the
same conditions was suicide.

(loud bang)

Ow.

Is everything
okay, sir?

Yeah, yeah, it's
coming pretty good.

Are you done, sir?

It just needs
a little fine-tuning.

Do you have any duct tape?

Ow.

Uh, I don't know.

Let me ask Bud.

It's in a shoe box
in the closet.

He says we have some
in the closet.

Oh.

See why we need
a bigger place?
(chuckles)

Plus, Bud and I are thinking
about having another child.

Really?

That's great, Harriet.

Difficult though
with Bud gone

for six months at a time.

Yeah.

E-mail only goes so far.

Maybe I could start looking.

Good morning,
Lieutenant.

Good morning.

We'll talk more about it later.

Don't work too hard, sweetie.

Anything I can do
for you, sir?

No, thank you, sweetie.

Uh... Peetie...

Petty Officer.

Thank you.

Don't worry, sweetie.

My Legalman is great.

E-mail home, sir?

Uh, yeah.

How are things?

Bud's doing great, sir.

Sir, do you know anything
about buying a house?

(chuckles)

Not unless I get married.

Unless or until, sir?

How's the fridge
doing, sir?

Duct tape didn't work.

You'll think of something, sir.

Yeah.

McBRIDE:
So, Commander,

SECNAV wants to know
why an old man's

causing so much trouble
after all these years?

He's not alone.

At my age, sir...

alone gets to be a way of life.

More so every day.

Randall Winston and I
were there that night.

We saw the fireball.

Heard the screams.

He was one of the 50
convicted of mutiny.

I recognize the name.

He told me, one day
he was going to set
the record straight.

And I told him I'd have
his back when he did.

You want to know why I'm
doing this, Commander?

I've got
a promise to keep.

CHEGWIDDEN:
He really wants to go
to court-martial.

Yes, he does, sir.

And I'd like to represent him.

He asked you?

I volunteered, sir.

He's waiving his rights, statute
of limitations, double jeopardy.

What part of "the Navy
wants to settle this"

didn't you understand?

I believe the man
has a case, sir.

Based on one conversation?

Based on history, sir.

I did ask for a level head here.

Well, if we're not
looking at a settlement

and this has to go
to court-martial,

can I count on you?

Yes, sir.

RABB:
Harriet.

Uh, I'm just on break, sir.

Did you hear from
the appliance store yet?

Oh, I picked up a part
on the way in.

Life would be a whole lot easier

if I lived closer
to work.

Nice place.
It's a little pricey.

MacKENZIE:
What's a little pricey?

Take a look.

Wow. You and Bud
thinking about...

Just daydreaming, ma'am.

Nice dream.

(whistles)

Sir, thank you very much
for your help.

Yeah, sure.

You and Bud planning

on buying a house.
Not just yet.

I'd hate to worry

about mortgage payments
with my husband at sea.

Lieutenant Singer,
walk with me, please.
Yes, sir.

I have an assignment
for you.
Thank you, sir.

I'd like for you
to prosecute the
McBride case.

Isn't he the old man
being court-martialed, sir?

Do you have an issue
with prosecuting

an "old man," Lieutenant?

No, sir. No issue.

Look, I realize this may not be
the most appealing case...

I have no problem, sir.

The man defied an order
and engaged in mutinous acts

no matter what
the justification.

And I'm going
to nail his butt to the yardarm.

Well, that'll be all.

Sir... about Roberts' office?

Right. I'll have Lieutenant Sims
remove his personal effects.

The office is yours for now,

Lieutenant.
Thank you, sir.

STURGIS:
Look here, Chief,

I just want to go over
some of these facts with you.

No problem, Commander.

You know, your
dad called me.

Said to make sure you
gave me a good rate.

I promise I'm worth
every penny.
(chuckles)

How'd you and my dad
meet, anyway?

Oh, the Chaplain used
to eat with us

in the mess
at Great Lakes.

Negro officers
weren't allowed

in the "O" club back then,
Commander.

I knew that.

I just... forget.

My dad doesn't talk much
about those things.

Well, I'm sure
there are lots of things

he didn't talk much about.

About this mutiny charge.

Oh, I never could
understand that, Commander.

We just said we wasn't
going back to work.

That's our defense, Chief.

This mutiny charge
doesn't hold up.

You never had
the required intent

to usurp or override
lawful military authority.

Do you know what Thurgood
Marshall said, Commander?

Sir?
He said, "I can't understand

"why whenever more than one
Negro disobeys an order

it's mutiny."

He was right--
I'd have charged you
with disobeying orders.

Hey, whose side
are you on?

(chuckles softly)

You sure you wouldn't rather
do this at your house?

Sold my house, Commander.

Live in an apartment
upstairs now.

I've had some
financial setbacks.

There's more company
here, anyway.

SINGER:
Great news, sir.

What's that, Lieutenant?
I just located a witness--

an officer who was
at Port Chicago

who can testify that McBride led
the conspiracy to refuse orders.

Well, congratulations.

The old man's toast, sir.

Excuse me, Lieutenant.

Colonel, a minute, please?

Problem, sir?

Singer.

You're talking about
the McBride case, Admiral?

Help me out here,
Colonel.

I think she's gone
off the deep end.

Do you want me
to take over?

I want you to sit
second chair.

I'd prefer
the electric chair, sir.

I realize that, Colonel,
but I need someone to
keep an eye on her.

Uh... (sighs)

Sir, if I may, um...
I never thought

Lieutenant Singer
was the right person

for this job.

This case requires
a light touch.

You may be right, Colonel,
and that's why I need you.

Understood, sir.

And, as you can see,
spacious but cozy

and with these
ceilings, very light.

Why don't you
have a cookie?
No, thanks.

Cookie, Commander?

Uh, no, thank you.
Excuse me.

Oh.
Rabb.

Let me show you the porch.

RABB:
Uh-huh.

Your husband's quite a hunk.

Yes, he is... but
he's not my husband.

Really? You seem like
the perfect couple.

You think so?

My husband's overseas

and Commander Rabb's just
helping me while he's away.

How do you
like the house?

It's, uh, very nice.

(cell phone rings)
Oh. Excuse me.

Harriet, this is, uh,
none of my business...

No, sir, I asked
for your help.

Can you and Bud
really afford this place?

I think we can
swing it, sir.

Bud doesn't mind
going out on a limb?

There are some things that
we still need to talk about.

Well, any decisions?

I think we're interested.

Great. Uh, listen,
I'm not one to pressure

but I've gotten calls
from other Realtors

who have clients ready
to make an offer

and I don't want you to
miss an opportunity here.

What do we need to do?

CHEGWIDDEN:
Chief, thank you
for coming in today.

As you know,
the SECNAV has taken

a keen interest
in this case.

He has authorized this office
to make you an offer

he hopes will bring this matter
to a resolution.

Well, Admiral,
you convened
this tea party.

Lieutenant Singer?

Chief McBride...

SECNAV's prepared
to issue a public apology

to you and the 49 other men
who were convicted of mutiny.

It will acknowledge
that racial prejudice

influenced work assignments
at the base

and that conditions were
hazardous and discriminatory.

Well, I don't hear anything

about overturning
convictions, ma'am.

No, but SECNAV has
entered into discussions
with the White House

regarding a blanket
presidential pardon
for all 50 men.

SECNAV's also informed
us that he's submitting
proposed legislation

for an act of Congress
granting exoneration.

I'm sorry, but I can't accept.

No apologies,
no pardons

and no deals.
MacKENZIE:
Chief McBride

a pardon and an act
of Congress

would mean full recognition
of this injustice.

My buddy Randall Winston
used to say

"After what's happened,
pardons don't cut it."

Randall deserved
a military funeral.

He just got put
in a hole in the ground.

And I want my
day in court.

Well, then, Chief, I think
it's my responsibility

to inform you that
I intend to proffer

additional charges
of insubordination
and disobeying orders.

MacKENZIE:
We haven't discussed
recommending

any additional charges.

I'm lead counsel--

I'm leading this discussion,
Colonel.

Sir, the original charge
was mutiny.

New trial, new charges.

STURGIS:
Admiral, surely the Lieutenant
doesn't intend to widen

the scope of these proceedings.

As lead counsel,
she is within her rights

and I will not interfere.

Thank you, sir.

Sir, I... I'd like a word
with my client.

That's an excellent idea.

CHEGWIDDEN:
Colonel, Lieutenant.

What are you doing,
Lieutenant?
My job, ma'am.

You endorse this, Admiral?

I don't engage in undue
command influence, Colonel.

What did I do wrong, ma'am?

Our job is to uphold

the original conviction,
not freelance new charges.

I am not interested
in some musty mutiny
charge, ma'am.

This man refused an order.

Race may have played a role
in his conviction 60 years ago

but I am not about to let it
play a role again.

I plan to walk
into a color-blind court

and present the facts
as they were in 1944.

Orders were given,
and orders were disobeyed.

Be very careful, Lieutenant--
you're playing with fire.

No, sir. With all due respect,
I'm playing to win.

McBRIDE:
I thought you were liking
our chances, Commander Turner.

Chief, I was confident
we could overturn the
mutiny convictions

but with these new charges,
it's, uh, 50-50 at best.

Not very good odds, Commander.

And even worse
when you consider

if we lose, you might be
punitively discharged

and lose your
veterans' benefits--

your pension, health,
everything.

You've told me already,
your financial situation
has looked better.

58 years ago, the Navy
wouldn't let me fight.

I'll be damned if they're
going to buy me off now.

There's a simple solution
here, Commander.

You've got to win.

SINGER:
Captain Shaw,

you teach class at Annapolis
on World War II Naval history.

Is that right?

That is correct.

And you're familiar
with the munitions
explosion

at Port Chicago
in 1944?

I've worked extensively
on the legal history

here at the Naval
Historical Center
in Washington.

Can you tell us
what happened, sir?

No, and no one can.

Any evidence
was obliterated
by the blast.

SINGER:
What about the Court
of Inquiry findings?

The most likely
contributing factor

was rough handling
of the ammunition by the seamen.

SINGER:
And the rumors of
unsafe conditions?

SHAW:
Remain just that--
verbal accounts

but there is no
definitive proof.

SINGER:
Do you believe
that the sailors

who refused to return to work
were disobeying orders, Captain?

Yes, I do.
And do you believe

that, based on evidence,
that this was a case of mutiny?

I think it meets the standard.

SINGER:
Thank you, sir.

Captain, the accused didn't try
to take over a ship

or seize power,
yet you consider this mutiny?

Well, there was evidence
of a conspiracy at the time.

Marine guards observed a meeting

at the temporary brig
where the men were held.

Huh. They observed.

I see.

You also refer to verbal
accounts of unsafe conditions

but no concrete proof.

Are you aware
that the Court Director

delivered a warning to the Navy
months before the incident?

"Conditions are bad up there.

"If you're not careful,
something's going to happen

and you'll be held responsible
for it."

That is in the
court record.

It's one man's
opinion, Commander.

Well, isn't it true that
the majority of the mutineers

including Mr. McBride,
were willing to return

as soon as safety concerns
were addressed?

That is what they said.

By strict definition, sir, is
that refusal to obey an order?

Not when you put it
like that, no.

Thank you, Captain.

Hey-hey,
haven't seen you

with this much
head of steam
since the Jagathon.

Don't ask.

Team Singer
not going well?

I can't stand it, Harm.

Take it easy.

I'm trying,

but it's hard
to sit and watch

while Singer presides

over a train wreck
in the courtroom.

Sir, about that house
that we saw the other day?

Yeah?

I think I've figured out
a way we can swing it.

Really?

I've asked my
dad for a loan.

And Bud's okay
with that?

He will be okay with it, sir

when he sees how perfect
the house is.

Oh, he'll just forget
all about the male-ego thing

of wanting to make it on
his own, look after his family?

I'll make him
forget about it, sir.

(chuckles)

Bad idea.

I know, sir,

but I also know
that I really want

to try and buy this house

and I need someone
who knows the law

who knows what he's doing...

Bud gave me general
power of attorney.

It doesn't feel right, Harriet.

What if I make

a terrible mistake, sir?

How will you feel about it then?

Wow.

You been hanging out
with Lieutenant Singer?

No, sir.

Sir, it's just because I really,
really want this.

(sighs)

All right, Harriet.

I'm going to help you
but on one condition--

that you tell Bud.

Yes, sir.

I promise, sir.

Thank you, sir.

All right.

STURGIS:
So how's your book coming?

I start out writing
the memoirs of
a Navy chaplain,

find myself penning a
history of the service.

Where's that
girlfriend of yours?

She's on the campaign trail,
and we're just friends, Dad.

Don't wait
too long, son.

Thanks for showing up in court
to support Chief McBride.

He's not the only one
I was supporting.

The Chief told me
how you two met.

I'd forgotten you were excluded

from the "O" Club
even after the war.

Mm-hmm.

You and I have
never really talked

about back then, Dad.

That's because it
was back then.

What else don't I know?

Well, times
were different.

We had to swallow our pride.

In '48, they sent me
to Great Lakes.

First day, instead of putting me
in the Chaplain's Office,

they put me in the
steward's barracks.

"Negro chaplains are for Negro
sailors," an officer told me.

Great Lakes is where you
met Mom, though, huh?

Yeah.

She said, "If I marry you,

"tell me I won't be
boxing up CARE packages

to send to the Indian Ocean."

I told her, "Black sailors
don't go to sea."

Next thing you know,
you're on a ship in the Med.

(chuckling)

When I got back, my first
assignment was Pendleton.

I remember a Marine Colonel
wrote in my Fitrep

"He's a remarkable preacher.

What's more, he's a Negro."

S-So hard to hear.

Your generation's
been through things

my generation's
only read about, Dad.

Things have changed, Sturgis.

You've got a tough case.

A man defied orders.

Looking at the facts, color-
blind, and out of that context

could be that all a court-
martial sees is a guilty man.

MacKENZIE:
Mr. Platt,
you oversaw the loading

of ammunitions
at Port Chicago?

Yes, I was
a Lieutenant

in the 4th Division--

Seaman McBride's unit.

What happened on the day
of August 9, 1944?

Well, that was
about three weeks

after the explosion.

Uh, we were reassigned
to loading ammo

at Mare Island.

I, um, marched the men

down to the water.

Was Seaman McBride there?

Yes, McBride was
calling cadence.

We came to the juncture
in the road.

On the right was
the parade ground.

On the left was the ferry,
which was waiting to take us

to the ammunition
loading pier.

What happened then?

PLATT:
Forward... march.

Left, left, left, right, left.

Left, left,
left, right, left.

Column left.

I said, "Column left."

Are you men
hard of hearing?

I said, "Forward march.
Column left."

Seaman McBride,
front and center.

Yes, sir.

You got a problem, seaman?

I'm not loading
ammunition, sir.

You care to
tell me why?

I'm afraid, sir.

It's not safe.

If McBride's not going,
I'm going either, sir.

I'm afraid, too,
Lieutenant.

MacKENZIE:
Were you afraid, Mr. Platt?

A lot of officers
and friends died.

I'd be lying if I said I wasn't.

Yet, you chose to go back.

Well, I... That is we...
we had a job to do.

There were...

There was a
war going on

and, uh, men
were dying

on islands all over the Pacific,
thousands of them.

Did you consider
that the conditions

loading ammunitions,
were unsafe?

Well, when you're talking
about explosives,

there's a risk,
but...

there were many more-hazardous
assignments in the Navy in '44.

Thank you, Mr. Platt.

Mr. Platt, on what basis did you
calculate your risk assessment?

Assurances by my superiors.

Who told you there were
no fuses in those bombs.

That's right.

That wasn't true
of all ordnance?

Well, there were
exceptions-- incendiary
bombs, some mines.

Generally, they received
special handling.

"Generally"?

The pace was so frenetic, it
was hard to control everything.

Why a frenetic pace
with explosives, sir?

We were trying to load those
ships as fast as possible.

Were you aware that there was
betting among the officers

to see whose men
could load the most tons

in the shortest time?

Objection.
Relevance?

STURGIS:
I'm getting there,
Your Honor.

I'll allow it.

There was betting.

That's true.

It was in the spirit
of competition.

Weren't you concerned
that this competition

might sacrifice safety
for speed, sir?

PLATT:
It didn't occur
to me at the time.

TURNER:
Isn't it true that
a Coast Guard detail

was withdrawn from the port

due to what they deemed
"unsafe conditions"?

Yes, that happened.

We know that the seamen
were accused

of rough handling
after the blast.

Were the men given

any new training
or instruction?

Not that I know of, no.

Were any changes implemented

after the explosion,
Mr. Platt?

The men were
issued... gloves.

STURGIS:
Thank you, Mr. Platt.

Redirect, Your Honor.

Go ahead,
Lieutenant.

If competition resulted

in getting munitions
to our fighting men faster

wouldn't you say competition
was a healthy thing?

Healthy for the war effort,
yes...

...but, in retrospect,
it wasn't healthy

for the 320 men,
both black and white,

who died at Port Chicago.

MacKENZIE:
Good lesson this morning,
Lieutenant.

Never ask a question
unless you know the answer.

I knew the answer, ma'am.

I just didn't expect
our witness to turn
into such a wimp.

Lieutenant, the request you sent
to the Naval Historical Center.

You got something, ma'am.

What is it,
Lieutenant?

Just drew a
new card, ma'am.

Mr. Gant

you were a non-commissioned
officer at Port Chicago?

Assigned to the
4th Division.

Did you have any dealings
with Seaman McBride?

GANT:
A month before the blast,
I received a petition

signed by him and several
of the other men.

I forwarded it to the Base C.O.

Your Honor, this is
a copy of that petition.

The Naval Historical
Center found it in
a search yesterday.

Mr. Gant, please read the
highlighted portions for us.

"The undersigned do hereby
protest conditions

"at Port Chicago.

"We ask the Navy to review
unfair labor practices

"and the unjust treatment
of Negro seamen.

"To quote Mr. Roosevelt

"'We, the Negro sailors
of Port Chicago

are waiting
for a New Deal.'"

Thank you.

Was this the only time
that Seaman McBride

expressed his dissatisfaction
to you?

He griped to me after the blast.

I was guarding him
and the other men in the brig.

You may be
on that side, boss,

but we're all
on the same side.

How do you figure
that, Seaman?

The Navy's racist.

They look at you and me
as mules for hauling.

The world's not
perfect, sailor

but it would be
a lot worse

if the Germans or
Japanese won this war.

Hitler and Tojo
never called me "boy."

Those are treasonous words,
seaman.

Just words.

I tell you this much--

no matter what the Navy
threatens us with

we're not going back.

And that's mutiny.

Mr. Gant, why did you
come here to testify

after all these years?

I didn't agree with
what McBride and
the others did.

SINGER:
And why was that?

I didn't like
segregation any
more than them,

but we were at war.

My country, right or wrong.

Thank you, Mr. Gant.

Your Honor,
the government rests.

Your witness, Commander.

I have no questions,
Your Honor.

ANNOUNCER (on video):
Port Chicago--

where the worst stateside
accident of the present war

wreaked destruction.

In the bay is the wreckage

of the munitions ships
that blew up.

Nothing left,
save twisted steel.

The pier is a scene of ruin
caused by the awesome blast

that broke windows
50 miles away.

Here, a steel fragment of
one ship was hurled two miles

and driven into the pavement...
Watching movies
at the office, huh?

You know that
an Army Air Corps plane

flying over the blast
at the time

witnessed white-hot
chunks of metal

the size of a garage
flying by them

and they were at
9,000 feet.

Still the history buff,
huh, Sturgis?

You're in a good mood.

I'm buying a house.

What?

I'll tell you later.
It's a long story.

How's the case going?

Prosecution's
last witness

just branded my client

a militant traitor
to his country.

Other than that,
I'm doing great.

You want to discuss it?

My father warned me,
if you remove the context,

you got a man guilty of
disobeying orders.

I might even lose on mutiny.

Singer's played it smart,
sticking to the facts.

You can't let Singer choose
the field of play, Sturgis.

I let my heart
lead my head
this time, man.

I should have told McBride to
just take the SECNAV's offer.

You know, emotions

aren't always such a bad thing.

Sometimes you should
listen to them.

What's your heart telling you?

That an old man who wanted
to serve his country

got a raw deal.

Injustice.

That's right.
Why?

Racism.

There's your argument.

Racism.

You need to make Singer
deal with it.

It's not a legal argument.

Make it
a legal argument.
How?

Singer brought in an historian.

You need to bring in someone
who can paint a picture

of how life was
for the black man in 1944.

Now, you must know
someone who can do that.

STURGIS:
Chaplain Turner...

you entered the Navy in 1944?

After I got out
of the seminary.

What was the situation

for African-Americans
in the Navy?

It was separate and unequal.

At that time, there were
150,000 black sailors,

all trained,

ready to fight,

but aside from
a few rare exceptions,

the Navy wouldn't let them.

You knew the accused
when he was in the Navy,
is that right?

Yes, we met in '48.

Seaman McBride had returned
to Great Lakes

to go to gunnery school.

How did you find
the seaman?

Headstrong,
but a good young man.

Given the context of the times,

would you consider
the Chief's refusal

to go back to loading munitions
at Port Chicago justified?

The Navy's struggle
with civil rights

has mirrored that
of our country.

The Navy took a lead in
desegregation after the war

because of protest by men
like Aubrey McBride.

The Chief was only
asking to be treated
like everyone else--

no more, no less.

Yes, I think he was justified

in asking for the same
opportunity to serve

and, if necessary...
die for his country.

Thank you, Chaplain Turner.

Lieutenant.

Your Honor,
I have no more...

One question, Your Honor.

Go ahead, Colonel.

Chaplain,
if you had been there

that day at Port Chicago,
as a superior officer,

what would you have told
Seaman McBride to do?

I'd have told him
to go back to work.

Why, sir?

Because it was an order.

Thank you,
Chaplain Turner.

RABB:
Everything seems in order,
Harriet.

It's pretty
straightforward.

Maybe to you, sir.

To me, it's Greek.

I can't thank you enough.

MACKENZIE:
Finally get
that fridge fixed?

I'm working on it.

I need to ask you both
a question.

If you murder cocounsel
in the courtroom,

can you cop an insanity plea?

Absolutely.
Yes.

I thought so.

You and Bud bought
that house?

Set to close
in 30 days, ma'am.

Bud must be
so psyched.

What did he say?

He does know,
doesn't he?

Harriet?

I may have been
a little unspecific.

About buying a house?

And you helped.

What were you thinking?

That his approval went
with his power of attorney.

I'm so sorry, sir.

I-I should
have told him.

I was gonna...

Uh, sir, uh,

if you don't want to continue
giving me legal advice...

I have advice for you, Harriet.

It's just not legal.

What are you doing
with Bud's stuff?

Getting it
out of my office.

Your office?

The Admiral gave it to me.
Didn't he tell you?

No.
I'm sure he'll
get around to it.

In the meantime, what do you
want me to do with this junk?

Chief, when you
volunteered for the Navy,

what were your
expectations?

The recruiter said, "White boys
are dying in the Pacific.

They're going to let
you colored boys fight."

Now, I didn't like
the idea of anybody dying

but I wanted to fight.

And when you got
to Port Chicago?

I thought, "I'm not
going to get killed
in the Pacific.

I'm going to get blown up
in California."

You witnessed
the explosion, Chief?

And I was there the next day.

We were searching for bodies.

It was awful--

just parts, unrecognizable,
white or black.

Looking at that, you realize
we're all the same.

Why didn't you go back to work?

It wasn't safe, sir.

Why?

We were moving too fast.

Men were learning on the job.

I was a winch operator

hoisting bombs
onto the ships.

One day a sailor on deck
shouted up to me

that there was something wrong
with the rig.

Was there a problem, Chief?

The officer on duty
said the rig looked
okay to him, but...

Come on! We're 30 tons
behind, seamen!

Keep it moving!

Let's go!

Look out! It's coming down!

Look out! The bridle broke!

It's going to blow!

Cool it! Calm down!

It's not hot!

God, don't you know
anything?

McBRIDE:
Well, that's just it.

We didn't know anything.

The officers told us
the bombs weren't dangerous

but a lot of them took off
running with the rest of us.

In the brig, you said
you thought the Navy was racist.

Why?

Look at the hand
the Navy dealt us, Commander.

They gave us the menial jobs,
the hazardous jobs.

The Navy based
its mutiny case

on observation of
a meeting held in the brig.

Was this meeting about
planning a mutiny?

No, sir.

It was about obeying orders.

Fights were breaking out

and a bunch of us
told the boys to cool it--

obey the guards.

So you're saying it was
a conspiracy to obey orders?

Objection.
Withdrawn.

Chief, that day that you
refused to return to duty,

did you believe
you were disobeying orders?

We didn't refuse to go back.

We refused to return to
the same conditions

that caused the blast.

We wanted answers
so it wouldn't happen again...

and they gave us gloves.

Thank you, Chief.

Chief, would you have us believe

that there was no talk
in the brig of work stoppage?

I'd be lying if I told you

there were no words
uttered in anger.

And do you acknowledge
that orders were given
to return to work?

Yes, ma'am.

And yet you chose
not to follow them.

That's right, Lieutenant.

Tell me, then, how can we come
to any other conclusion

except that you were
willfully disobeying orders?

Back then, the Navy
didn't see us as fighting men.

It saw the color of our skin

and it saw cheap,
expendable labor.

Discrimination is unlawful.

To me, Lieutenant,
that makes the orders unlawful.

This was 1944, Chief.

The law was different.

The values of the Navy
were still the same.

Same as they are today.

I don't think
we're here

to put the values of the Navy
on trial.

In fact,
I think, Chief,
Lieutenant...

you're here to shame
this institution

into an admission of guilt.

Objection, Your Honor.

Sustained.

Do you have a question,
Lieutenant?

I have an answer,
Your Honor.

JUDGE:
Okay.

Go ahead, Chief McBride.

I'm not here
to shame the Navy.

I served her for 30 years.

I have a grandson
in the Arabian Sea right now

and I'm proud of him.

I love the Navy.

I love my country.

But that doesn't change
the fact that

what happened to me
and 49 other men was wrong.

The Navy teaches responsibility,
and this is one time

the Navy needs to take
that lesson to heart.

The accused and counsel
will rise.

You may publish
your findings.

Chief Petty Officer
Aubrey McBride

United States Navy,
retired,

on the charge and
specification of mutiny,

this court finds you not guilty.

On the charges
and specifications
of insubordination

and disobeying orders

this court finds you
not guilty.

JUDGE:
This court is dismissed.

(gavel pounds)

Thank you, Commander.

Thank you.
You are welcome, Chief.

Congratulations, Chief.

You were right.
He's good.

Chief McBride,
I think this is a verdict

we're happy
to live with.

Congratulations, Chief.

You fought the good fight.

You too, Lieutenant.

Chaplain, I owe you

but I have one more
favor to ask.

Name it.

...and Lord

may the soul of Randall,
our comrade in arms,

and the souls of all
the faithfully departed,

rest in peace. Amen.

Amen.

Thank you, Chaplain,

for helping me to honor
an old friend.

Don't mention it.

Randall told me
when his kids

used to ask him
what he did in the war,

he'd lie.

Told them he worked
in a factory.

The way things were
at Port Chicago

wasn't that far
from the truth.

I'm sure there are others
who did the same, Chief.

I had my day in court,
Commander.

I'm grateful to you.

There are 49 others
still waiting.

You're talking about
an uphill battle, Chief:

going to Congress.

What's on your schedule
tomorrow, Commander?

I suspect I'll be
getting a call

bright and early, 0800.

Make that 0900.

I'm mellowing in my old age.

(all chuckling)