JAG (1995–2005): Season 8, Episode 14 - Each of Us Angels - full transcript

This is a sincere tribute to those who have served during war and peace in the Nurse Corps of the US Navy, especially during WW2. It consists of a romantic, emotional, melodramatic war story set aboard USS Goodwill, a fictional hospital ship of the USN, just offshore during the Battle for Iwo Jima. An elderly man meets a young woman on the grounds of the national cemetery in Arlington, Virginia, then he tells about his experiences aboard that ship. The regular JAG characters transition into other roles, including the admiral as a chaplain, Harm as an injured Marine officer, Bud as a Navy medical officer, Sturgis as an orderly, and Mac, Harriet, and Meredith as nurses.

You know you're sitting
on the grave of a hero?

What?

A woman who wasn't
much older than you
when she died.

Sorry.

I didn't realize.

The young never do.

Not their fault.

It happened long ago.

Vietnam?

Hmm. World War II.

I never realized
women were buried here



or that any of
them were heroes.

They were all heroes.

Especially the nurses.

She was a nurse?

Navy nurse in the Pacific.

And you knew her?

Mm-hmm.

Want to see
her picture?

Sure.

Which one was she?

That was a
long time ago.

That it was.

The Fourth and Fifth Marine
Divisions were preparing

for the opening assault
on Iwo Jima.



You could see a Navy
Hospital ship just offshore.

She stayed with the fleet...

right where she was needed.

Oh, I hope the fleet won't have
to keep this up all night.

Japs must be
dug in deep.

Looks like the Fourth
of July out there.

I don't think it's anything
like the Fourth of July, Joni.

I suppose not.

I can't even look at it.

You're going to have
to get used to it, Jane.

Let her look away,
if she wants.

She'll have plenty
to get used to tomorrow

when the Marines land.

Well, I hope
you girls aren't
light sleepers.

Cigarette?

No, thanks.

Joni, you miscounted
the bandage rolls.

Would you please
start again

and do it right
this time?

Yes, ma'am.

How bad's it going to be?

It's not the Northern Lights
you're looking at, honey.

Worst injury I
ever saw was old
Mr. Jenkins--

run over by
his own tractor.

I haven't even seen that much.

I just finished
my Cadet Corps training.

If you didn't think
you could stomach it,

you should have stayed home.

One mistake
from you, honey,

and it makes
the rest of us look bad.

She's just a
kid, Lieutenant.

Why such a
hard case?

She's the same age as some
of those Marines out there.

Well, maybe some of
them are nervous, too.

Did you ever think
about that, Lieutenant?

They'll rise
to the occasion
when called on,

and Ensign Connors
will do the same.

She'd better.

You understand,
Jane?

Yes, ma'am.

( gunfire, bombs falling )

( man yelling )

♪ ♪

( groaning )

I need him downstairs
in Thoracic.

Prep him for surgery
immediately.

Yes, sir.

Okay, take him
to Thoracic,
and prep him.

Seaman Thomas!

Yes, sir.

Get him to
the morgue.

I got him, sir.

Hey, buddy.

I need this man
debride right now.

Yes, sir.

Sorry.

Everyone who's conscious
up against the aft bulkhead.

I need some room
to move around here!

Yes, Commander.

You heard
the doctor, ladies.

Move anyone
who's ambulatory

or stabilized.
Nurse.

Is there anything
I can do

to make you more comfortable?

You can get
that doctor

to get Corporal
Tanner into a bath

or a Bunyan-Stannard
envelope.

Lukewarm, weak saline,
salvasan solution.

How do you...?

Oh, you're-you're
a Corpsman.

You can't let the
infection set in.

The doctor's
seeing to him now.

Guess he'd be
the better pick

to look after the Corporal.

You know, two
eyes and all.

Please don't talk
that way.

I'm going to lose my eye,
sure as the day is long.

Want to put a little
wager on it?

A sawbuck?

What do you say,
angel puss?

I was nearsighted
in that one anyway.

THOMAS:
And that's why

I always ask for gravy.

Price is the same, but it sticks
to your ribs, right?

What's that?

I ain't never heard nothing
like that before.

What you say?

( laughing )

Jane, if you're not
going to be working

then don't be here, please!

Yes, sir.

I'm sorry.

Are you lost, Jane?

No, sir.
I'll be fine.

Thank you, sir.

I've never seen a "C"
for Catholic

on a Finkelstein before.

Converted, sir?

Possible
clerical error.

Through this holy anointing
and His most tender mercy

may the Lord pardon what
sins you have committed.

And for good
measure--

Yeetgadal v'yeetkadash
sh'mey rabbah.

( sobbing )

How's the pain, Marine?

Nothing I can't handle, ma'am.

Please call me Joni.

My name is James.

James Tanner.

Commander?

Commander?!

Send him to the ward.

Albumin and morphine
every two hours.

Well, just albumin
and morphine, sir?

Quickly.

What about a course
of penicillin?

We're running short
on penicillin.

We are running
short on everything.

I know, but, sir...

Ensign, this
is triage.

If you don't know
what that means,

I suggest you
ask someone!

Stanley Thomas,
you are Gary Cooper.

What would Gary
Cooper be doing here?

Just acting his behind off
is all, sir.

A place like this can drive you
crazy, huh, Thomas?

You think I got
a screw loose
upstairs, sir?

Talking to the dead
like they was living?

It's for them
out there.

Those men don't need to know
their buddies are on the way

to the morgue...

Very charitable
of you, son.

I'm not a doctor, sir.

It's the most I can do for them.

MAN:
Don't do it
right now!

Beverly, is he...?

Ma'am?

I'm not getting
anything.

Don't you worry, ma'am.

I'll take it from here.

He's still warm.

There's no pulse.

He's dead.

Move on.

Can we clear
an aisle here?

( bombs exploding )

It's hard for you to
talk about the war.

Just 'cause
something's hard to do

doesn't mean
you shouldn't do it.

Let me tell you,
those Navy nurses were tops.

Good as doctors,
some of them.

But we needed them
for something more than that.

They were girls.

They brought a bit
of home with them.

They made us feel normal,
in spite of ourselves.

Oh!

That's just jake.

I don't even know why
we have to wear stockings.

You think the native
Hawaiian girls wear stockings?

We're practically
in the same part
of the world.

I think we should wear
grass skirts

and brassieres
made of seashells.

You and your Hawaii.

You've never even been.

( bell clanging )

What is going on
out there?

( horn blaring )

( men shouting )

They took Suribachi.

This damn war
can't last

much longer now.

I'm on shift in ten.

You just can't stay away

from that Lazarus
Marine of yours.

His name is
Lieutenant
Ron Graham,

and he's hardly risen
from the dead.

I'd stay away from
Lieutenant Graham,

if I were you.

A concussion like that
is unpredictable.

You almost sent
the man to the
morgue after all.

I've seen it before.

A pretty nurse falls
for a wounded man.

In the end,

all she can do
is watch him die.

JANE:
You shouldn't be trying

to help me, Petty Officer.

Corpsman or not,
you need your rest.

Okay, Ensign Connors,
okay.

But I'm going to keep
an eye on you.

( chuckles )

What's the matter?

I'm nursing Groucho Marx.

MAN:
Saw action
all over there...

Excuse me, sir, do
you have a minute?

What's on your mind?

Actually, sir, Corporal Tanner.

He's been on my mind
quite a lot, frankly.

Sir, we're not doing
anything for him.

Even the Corpsman
that brought him in

said he needed
an antibiotic bath.

Do you suppose
that this corpsman

that you're speaking of

has spent any time
in medical school?

We nurses train the corpsmen,
and you know that, sir.

Ensign, listen.

He's a 22-year-old man

with third-degree burns
over 80% of his body.

You know the formula,
don't you?

Yes, sir.

Age plus burn area
equals likelihood of death.

Corporal Tanner's total
is 102%.

The boy doesn't have
a chance in the world.

All that we can hope to do

is keep him comfortable
and wait.

No, sir, that's not
all we can do.

This man is going
to die.

It is your job
to fluff his pillows

and tell him
he is going to be fine.

Do you think
you can manage that?

Why the long face?

It's the Corporal over there.

Dr. Rayburn says he's
not going to make it.

( sighs )

I'm sorry, Joni.

( man coughing )

Don't fight it,
Lieutenant.

It's okay.

Wake up, Lieutenant.

Come on, now.

It's okay.

That man can't hear you.

His recovery's a matter

of intracranial
pressure reduction,

not your sweet talk.

Oh, and by the way,
we're out of fluffs

and five and
ten glucose,

so maybe your time would be
better spent in Supplies.

( man coughing )

You can hear me.

You know you can.

Come on.

Wake up now.

Nurse...

Beverly.

Where, where are my men?

They're here.

They're here with us.

You brought them this far.

You've done your job.

( explosions )

As you were, people.

The fleet's just keeping
the pressure on.

Best thing you can do
for the war effort

is your jobs.

WOMAN ON FILM:
Good night, Joe.

MAN ON FILM:
Good night, honey.

I won't see you for breakfast.

I'm starting out real early.

JANE:
He makes me
nervous, Beverly.

We should all have
such problems, Jane.

A patient who's
actually in a good mood?

This one's
in too good a mood.

Petty Officer Rowe
lost an eye,

and all he does
is joke about it.

Hmm.

Speak of the devil.

Excuse me.

I hope you don't mind
me, uh, crowding in.

I'm only half watching
the movie anyways.

MAN IN FILM:
What?

Who? Who? Higgins?

And there's no mistake.

How's your platoon leader,
sailor?

Doing well, ma'am.

No small part
thanks to you.

It's Dr. Rayburn
you have to thank.

No, ma'am.

I know my way around
the human condition

and what you did
for Lieutenant
Graham, ma'am...

Well, let's just
say it's something

you can't learn
out of a book.

Is the Lieutenant awake now?

I think so, ma'am.

Excuse me.

MAN:
I'll get that.

WOMAN:
How are you going to get
in the store?

Don't worry how I get...

See that fellow there?

I used to look
just like him.

♪ I brought home a memory ♪

♪ And it won't stop
haunting me ♪

♪ That Hawaiian melody. ♪

Thank you, Joni.

Are you okay, Jimmy?

A little tired.

I'll let you rest.

No.

Please don't.

I'm... going to die...

aren't I...

Joni?

Now, you listen to me.

Nobody knows
what's around the next corner.

And I figured,
if I ever found myself

in the Pacific Ocean
with an attractive man,

it would be
on my honeymoon cruise.

Jimmy, don't you dare
underestimate the power of hope.

My mama says that all the time.

Well, your mama's swell
in my book.

GRAHAM:
Nurse?

Nurse?

How's Corporal Tanner?

Well, just you rest, Marine.

Okay?

Look, there was...

there was another nurse
here earlier.

Where-where is she?

I... Yes, I know who you mean,
and she's off right now.

I'm the head nurse.

Is there something
I can get for you?

Yeah. You can get me my boots,
and help me get back out there.

Put that out right now!

Marianne!

We are working
with oxygen here.

You're going
to light the whole ward up

like a bonfire.
Smoke 'em on the deck.

It's all right.
It's best to do
that outside.

Doctor, please understand.
They don't know any better.

Will you explain
to them that O2
is flammable?

Lieutenant Graham...

you've made
a miraculous recovery.

The other nurse said
you were off tonight.

Well, I don't think
they'll fire me

for putting in
a little overtime.

I, uh...

I remember seeing your face.

I...

I don't remember
much else.

Well, don't worry.

You were quite
the gentleman.

How are my men?

Why don't we go for a walk?

You know, the nurses
aren't supposed to talk

about the reality
of the medical cases.

Not even to
platoon leaders.

( whistle blowing )

Yeah, I know.

Keep smiling.
That's the rule.

It's lying is what it is.

I saw Corporal Tanner
after it happened.

He rolled down a hill.

I know it's not good.

Doctor said he
had burns over
most of his body.

What else
did the doctors tell you?

You ever hear of
the Fighting Irish

of McMurphy
High School?

( laughs )

Should I have?

Only if you follow high
school football, I guess.

We were the top
team in the league...

four years in a row.

Let me guess.

It was the four years
you were on the team?

Yeah. Me and
a quarterback
named Joe Tanner.

( laughs )

Guy threw an
incredible spiral.

Any relation?

He's Corporal
Tanner's big brother.

I made him a promise
that I would bring

his little brother
back in one piece.

Not going to be able to
keep that promise, am I?

No, Ron.

( sighs )

So, why did you break
the rules for me?

Why did you tell me?

'Cause for some strange reason,
I feel like I can trust you.

I know you from somewhere.

Well, let me guess.

I remind you of the
guy back home, right?

That's not what I was
going to say.

There's no guy back home.

You know, uh...

Beverly, uh...

that day you sat down
beside me in bed...

You were talking to me. I...

I couldn't make out
what you were saying.

But it made me want
to open my eyes

and find out who was
doing the talking.

You gave me a
second chance

to make things
right, Bev.

To show my men that
we're still a team.

We're still Marines.

Maybe sometimes it's okay...

not to be a Marine.

To be just... a man.

WOMAN:
So, did he kiss her?

I don't believe
he did on that occasion.

Well, why not?

Nurses made us feel safe.

They stepped in

where mothers and sisters,

wives and sweethearts
couldn't be.

And they hid their own fear
so well that...

they seemed invincible.

And no man wanted
to ruin that.

Not even for a kiss.

Hmm.

Thanks, Padre.

I see you're doing some
writing, Lieutenant.

Ah, yeah, Padre.

I'm a mustang, you know.

I was ten years enlisted
before my unit went to Guam.

I was the last man standing,
so they made me an officer.

I'm not used to having
to write home

to tell folks
that I got their sons killed.

( bombs exploding )

Well, you know,
Lieutenant,

I've always believed
in the-the hand of God

as the controlling
force in this world.

Don't I feel like an ass
to find out it's a Marine?

How the hell am I going to tell
Corporal Tanner's family?

How am I going to break
it to them, Father?

When the time comes,
you'll know.

"Blessed are they that mourn,
for they shall be comforted."

Matthew 5:4.

"For every man shall bear
his own burden."

Galatians 6:5.

THOMAS:
"If any man's
work abide

"which he hath
built thereupon,

he shall receive a reward."

First Corinthians 3:14.

Well, Seaman, I
didn't take you
as a churchgoer.

A Baptist?

No, sir. Catholic.

I read from the same
good Book you do.

Thank you, Padre.

Say, Seaman?

Sir?

Will you deliver
a note for me?

It's for Nurse Beverly.

Since you asked nice like.

You know, you're all right,
sir, for an officer.

You take a real
interest in your men.

DR. RAYBURN:
Would you please

sharpen these needles
and put them in the autoclave?

And for the love of God,

will somebody bring out
some more drip stands?

I mean,
seriously,
Marianne,

it is bedlam
in here.

MARIANNE:
Nancy, more
drip stands now.

I have the misfortune
to serve under Dr. Bluebeard.

You're a lot smarter
than you let on, Seaman.

You're a rare one
for noticing, sir.

I'll get this note
to your lady friend.

( man coughing )

Ooh!
( metal clanging )

Sorry,
ma'am.
I'm so sorry.

It's fine.

Hey. Hey, Jane, take a seat.

No.

Oh, come on.
Please, Jane,
take a seat.

You know, my first case
in battle was this Marine.

Got hit in the neck.

Felt like I was going to faint.

Got easier the next time,
and the time after that.

It'll be the same
for you.

I'm supposed to be
cheering you up,

not the other way around.

There's nothing
you could have said

that I haven't said
to a dozen guys just like me.

You wonder how I joke at this.

I laugh because
the alternative is something

I was raised to believe
a man doesn't do.

GRAHAM:
Where's that ukulele-playing

friend of yours, Jimmy?

I'm not the
only patient

she has,
Lieutenant.

Just the
best-looking.

We're going to have you up
and dancing in a day or two.

Don't worry.

I'll be jitterbugging
in no time, sir.

Yeah, you will.

You will, partner.

Get some rest, okay?

We all knew we were going
to take Iwo Jima eventually.

We also knew that
more Marines were
going to have to die

to make that possible.

That must have been hard.

We had our moments
of normalcy.

Uncle Sam was very
good about sending
us records and...

and playing cards.

Nurses.

Nurses.

( big band music playing,
laughter )

Joni said we could be
heading to Hawaii right now.

Joni has Hawaii
on the brain.

Have any sevens?

Mm. Go fish.

What's the first thing
you'd do in Hawaii, Bev?

Me?

I'd eat a meal
that wasn't beans and franks.

Sleep in a bed
that didn't make me seasick.

I'd go to Pearl Harbor,
see what they did to us.

( hands clapping )

Shift change, ladies.

You win, Jane.

Lieutenant?

I just wanted to say I'm sorry
for what happened to you.

The nurse who fell in love
and watched her patient die--

that nurse was you,
wasn't it?

I forgive you
your bitterness, Marianne.

You came by it honestly.

Hmm.

You think I give
a moment's thought

to earning your absolution
for what you say I am?

For your information,
the nurse in that
story wasn't me.

She was just a
stupid young girl.

By the way, Ensign...

regular Navy or not,
I subscribe to the theory

that a senior officer
is to be respected.

Yes, ma'am.

( sighs )

( man speaking indistinctly
over P.A. system )

Dr. Rayburn?

What are you doing
in here?

I want all those needles
carefully dulled

and for the love of God,

would somebody put the
bedpans in the freezer?

Seriously, it's bedlam
around here.

Whoa-ho! She responds
to my touch.

If Rayburn finds you
in here,

he'll put you
in four-point restraints.

Oh, yeah? Let him try.

Oh, tough guy.

Patient came into
my office last week.

I said, "Sir, I'm
sorry to say, but
you've got a tumor,

and what's more,
you're showing
signs of dementia."

He said, "Thank God,
I thought I had a tumor."

( laughs )

Oh, I feel guilty laughing
when there's so much going on.

Well, we owe it to the
ones who may not make it

through this war to
go on with our lives.

That's what this fighting's
all about, isn't it?

Ron?

Shh. Shh.

Breathe for me.

I can't.

( gasps softly )

Your heart is racing.

Nerves, I guess.

I-I don't...

You're a stranger to me,

despite what I said
on deck last night.

What you said on
the deck last night

is the reason I'm here.

You're not alone
in believing we
met for a reason.

Hold me.

But I'm not done with
my examination yet.

I don't want
to play doctor anymore.

Fine, I'll be the
country gentleman, then,

you be the
blushing debutante.
Is that what you want?

Or we live what we have
here now without apology.

But no amount of
Red Cross ditty bags

will make this feel
like home, Beverly.

I'd be lying to you
if I didn't say

I wonder what you'd look
like in a pretty dress.

MAN:
Lieutenant Graham, it's, uh,

Corporal Tanner, sir.

You remember?

We're fourth and goal.
We're down 14-10.

Lasryville thought they had us.

Ball snaps, Joe takes it.

I block.

He runs into
the backfield,

he's zigzagging
like a sidewinder.

In the end zone
right on the horn.

You remember?

( weakly ):
It's time... Ronnie.

You... tell... Joe

I died brave...

like a Marine.

No, you're going
to tell him yourself, Jimmy.

You're going to tell him
how you pulled through.

All right? You're
not going anywhere.

All right?

( soft exhaling )

Jimmy.

Jim.

Clear the area.

You are a heartless bastard,
you know that?

You don't think that I
want to help these men?

I took an oath
to save lives.

And look around--

I have to pick and choose

who's worthy of...
supplies... time.

( explosions and gunfire
in distance )

It's not your fault, Commander.

None of this is your fault.

( gunfire continues )

Why are they so close?

Fleet's under attack.

( alarm blaring )

You go take care
of the ones you can.

I just couldn't
be there, Bev.

I couldn't watch that boy...

This isn't safe--
let's get out of here!

Joni?

Joni!

GRAHAM:
Medic! Get me a medic!

ELDERLY MAN:
We didn't know
if Joni would make it.

All we could do was hope.

So she was hit by us.

Friendly fire--
isn't that what they call it?

I think you need this
more than I do.

Thanks.

There was no safe harbor
to be had in all that chaos.

The Goodwill stayed off
of Iwo Jima the whole time.

Right in the line of fire.

In a way, those nurses
were as brave

as any of the men on land.

Ron, I'm sorry
about Corporal Tanner.

Yeah, well, we're
all sorry, Beverly.

It doesn't change
a damn thing.

I wasn't finished.

I'm sorry about him
and every man like him

who passes through here.

Stop.

We take care
of these men.

We hurt when one of
them doesn't make it.

You don't have a monopoly
on pain, you know.

Whatever happened to
our owing the dead?

To our needing to go on

so that their sacrifices
would mean something?

You convinced me that
it was okay to be human,

that I didn't have
to stop living

just because I was
surrounded by death.

I can't be there
for you, Beverly.
Don't say that.

I got to take care
of what I already have.

There's no room in there
for you.

For anybody.

You were so right,
Marianne.

The Lieutenant didn't die
on me-- he didn't have to.

He's gone just the same.

( crying softly )

Your ability
to love is a gift.

M... My what?

Love. It's a gift.

It was you, wasn't it?

This is your patient.

He was a Marine,
just like Ron.

And he died in
my hospital ward,

just like Corporal Tanner.

Sometimes I think I
gave him every ounce
I had, you know?

Every bit of what made me
like... like you are now.

And then he was gone,

and he... took
all that with him.

And I promised myself
that I would never...

give that much again.

Your Marine is still here,
Beverly.

Go to him.

She's right, you know.

( gasps )

Oh...

Dr. Rayburn said that you
wouldn't regain consciousness,

that you lost too much blood.

You didn't think I
was going to let him
be right about me?

I'm up and about just
to spite the good doctor.

You were going to
go get yourself a
Marine lieutenant.

I was, wasn't I?

( both laugh )

The Marines just
took Motoyama.

I heard.

We'll be leaving soon.

Our sister ship
will take over.

You'll be able to go home,
if that's what you want.

I'm not going home.

I'm going back out there...
as soon as I'm cleared.

It won't make the guilt
go away, Ron.

Whether you stay here

or you go back
to face Joe Tanner.

This isn't about Joe Tanner.

I lost someone I
swore to protect.

I didn't keep my word...

to a family,
to a whole town.

You don't understand.

If I start to care
about you...

D-Do you think I need
protection?

I can't let
anybody else down.

I don't need you to carry me.

I can walk with you.

Do you think my family
was happy

to see me join up
and go off to war?

That's just not something
a girl is supposed to do.

But here I am,

and I've done a pretty good job
of protecting myself.

You know, I read somewhere

that we are each of us angels
with one wing,

and we can only fly
by embracing each other.

And I believe that.

( airplane approaching )

( gunfire )

( people yelling )

I have patients
in oxygen tents.

( people shouting )

MAN:
Come on, folks. It's time to go!

Jane! Jane!
Are you all right?

Help me! Please!

Hang on!
I'll be right back.

Hold it.

Cut it. Cut it.

MAN:
Go! Go!

( people coughing )

Everything's going to be okay.

We'll get you out of here.

( gas hissing )

( gas hissing )

Doctor...
is Beverly up ahead?

I don't know.

I haven't seen her,
Lieutenant.

( man coughing )

Just head towards the door.

Someone will find you
and help you out.

( gas continues hissing )

JONI:
Get to the starboard deck

and wait
for the abandon ship Klaxon!

Let's go! Let's go!

Where's Beverly?

She went to turn off
the tanks of O2.

( explosion )
Get the hell
out of here.

No, not on your life,
Lieutenant.

This is why I joined
the Navy.

Let's go!

Come on, let's clear
this corridor!

Beverly! Beverly!

( coughing )

Beverly...

( grunting )

( yells )

( Beverly coughs )

( grunting )

( coughing )

( coughing )

JONI:
Beverly?

She'd done it, though.

She turned off the oxygen.

She saved a lot of lives
that day, mine among them.

If Beverly...

had been a man...

she would have been
given the Silver Star
for what she did.

It was you.

You were the Marine
that Beverly fell in love with.

And today's... February 28,

the day she died.

A lot of people
died that day.

And the one
that's buried here...

( sniffles )

she reminds me...

never to take a single
moment for granted.

After the war,
I, uh, I married

one of those nurses.

We went to... Kauai
on our honeymoon.

Hey, Grandpa.
I'm sorry I'm late.

Lieutenant Graham
here is...

the latest Navy nurse
in the family,

and she looks a lot
like her grandma.

Hi.
Hi.