Studio One (1948–1958): Season 6, Episode 38 - The Strike - full transcript
Major Gaylord recounts an experience during World War II when he was obliged to fire on an American soldier in the dead of night on a Pacific island.
Westinghouse...
"Westinghouse Studio One."
Westinghouse... The
name that means sureness.
Whether it's on America's
most popular clothes dryer
or atomic submarines
for our defense,
whether it's a product for
your home or your business
or your farm or your factory...
Razor Blue C.P.
Razor Red, this
is Razor Blue C.P.
How do you hear me? Over.
Razor Red, Razor Red, this is
Razor Blue C.P., Razor Blue C.P.
Come in, please.
Come in, please, Razor Red.
Razor Red, this
is Razor Blue C.P.
Razor Blue C.P.
calling Razor Red.
Roger, easy, dog... "red."
Razor Red, come in, please.
What do you think?
How about you, Franks?
Don't ask me, Major.
One minute I got a
company out on attack.
The next minute... The
next minute I got 13 men
designated at the
rear guard to a division.
What happened?
What we call a fluid situation.
Fluid situation.
Razor Red...
That's any battle you're losing
when you don't want to admit it.
A couple hours in combat,
we lose a regimental staff,
not to mention a regiment.
Well, what's the
plan now, Major?
We're to hold this riverbank
until we get the
order to move back.
That's some plan.
I want to know where
every company's dug in.
I want to know how
many effectives we've got,
and that includes
walking wounded.
I want somebody to handle S4.
That would be Captain
Mitchell. He's supply.
Captain Mitchell's dead.
You handle it, Peters.
Franks, you check the perimeter.
You two stay close to this house
where I can get ahold of you.
That was a nice bridge
you put up, Chick.
We aim to please.
Yeah, it was a nice bridge.
What's with you?
What's with you?!
Is this a break?!
It don't do no good, sir.
I've been trying to make
contact for the past hour.
- Nothing.
- Keep trying.
Yes, sir.
What's the matter...
Your fingers cold?
- Yes, sir, like ice.
- What's that?
I'm not complaining. You asked
me if my fingers were cold...
All right, all right.
Razor Red, this is Razor
Blue C.P., Razor Blue C.P.
Come in, please.
It's a crazy war.
We spent three days
trying to span that river,
three days standing
in our hips up to ice.
Three days building, and
three minutes to blow it up.
The army.
When I get back to the States,
I'm not gonna give
them five cents in taxes.
Sure, we should
have left it standing
with a big sign
in red Chinese...
"This way to the 29th
regiment... artistic engineers."
All I meant, we went to...
And all I meant was
for you to knock it off!
Still no answer?
No, sir.
Seems kind of silly to...
What's that?
Well, Hanify and
me been on this radio
since yesterday morning, sir.
We're kind of beat.
Why, you poor boys.
My heart bleeds.
Do you know who you're
trying to make contact with?
- The platoon of "A" company.
- Platoon of "A" company.
That's right. 20
men on a patrol.
And if you were out
there across the river,
wouldn't you be doing
a little fancy praying
that somebody would
talk you back home?
- How right am I?
- Yes, sir.
Razor Red, this
is Razor Blue C.P.
Razor Red, this
is Razor Blue C.P.
Over.
I'm sorry, Gay. I didn't mean
anything about the bridge...
I know you didn't!
Nobody means
anything by anything.
All I know is that in two weeks,
a stinkin', lousy
major is in command
of a 500-man,
half-frozen rump outfit
that's supposed
to be a regiment,
and out there are
probably 10 square divisions
of hopped-up bugle blowers
who could ram through
us like iron through lace.
Chick, I got 500 men
running up my back,
all looking straight at
me to tell them what to do.
And I got a patrol
of 20 men out,
probably all feet up by
now because I sent them out.
Major Gaylord.
What do you have?
Captain Sloane wants to know
about evacuating the wounded.
We got 93 men
ought to go back, sir.
What you think I got, a
travel bureau in here?!
If I had transportation,
we wouldn't be sitting here!
I got a real
fantastic staff here!
I got...
I'll go with you.
Chick, stick here, will you?
Razor Red, this
is Razor Blue C.P.
Razor Red, this
is Razor Blue C.P.
Over.
Razor Red, this
is Razor Blue C.P.,
Razor Blue C.P.
Come in, please. Come
in, please, Razor Red...
My name is Richard Goulder.
I live at 116 Lathram
Street, Denton, New York.
My name is Richard Goulder.
I live at 116 Lathram
Street, Denton, New York.
My name is Richard Goulder.
I live at 116 Lathram
Street, Denton, New York.
My name is Richard Goulder.
I live at 116 Lathram
Street, Denton, New York.
My name is Richard Goulder.
Sloane?
Yes, sir, I've got men here
who need to be evacuated.
I can't help you.
New York.
My name is Richard Goulder.
I live at 116 Lathram
Street, Denton, New York.
My name is Richard Goulder.
I live at 116 Lathram
Street, Denton, New York.
Can he hold out?
I need 10 crates of bandage.
I need another
100 pints of plasma,
a couple of cases
of sulfathiazole,
and whole quartermaster
full of dry clothing,
not to mention morphine,
either, distilled water.
I live at 116 Lathram
Street, Denton, New York.
My name is Richard Goulder.
I live at 116 Lathram
Street, Denton...
Arm's all mashed.
What he needs is about
three hours on the table...
limb clean, tendon and muscle
tissue reduced 2/3 normal, both,
bone set... It's
broken in three places.
My name is Richard Goulder.
Then about three
strips of skin off his belly
to graft onto the arm.
Then we'd put it in a cast.
That's what he
really needs for that.
You can't do it?
What can you do?
The only thing I can do
here... Cut his arm off.
My name is Richard Goulder.
I live at 116 Lathram
Street, Denton, New York.
My name is Richard Goulder.
I live at 116 Lathram
Street, Denton, New York.
My name is Richard Goulder.
Hold out as long
as you can, Doc.
I'll be here if you want me.
My name is Richard Goulder.
- I live at 116 Lathram Street...
- Son.
- Son, can you hear me?
- Denton, New York.
- You're okay now, soldier.
- My name is Richard Goulder.
- I live at 116 Lathram Street...
- You're okay.
Denton, New York.
My name is Richard Goulder.
I live at 116...
- No word, Major?
- From who?
Anybody?
Maybe by tomorrow.
Ammo's low.
20, 30 rounds a man.
And that's it.
Got three machine guns left.
Nothing heavier.
No food.
No communication
with any main body.
That perimeter's thin, Major.
You could drive a train
through those gaps,
and there are plenty of gaps.
Anybody in the room
got a pleasant word?
Cleveland.
Cleveland, Ohio... That's
a very pleasant word.
Major, I got something.
It's on a key.
It's for us, all right...
"Razor Blue command."
"Commanding officer
of Razor Blue force,
hold present position
until 0600 tomorrow,
then attempt move
forces southward.
Marine unit to your left
affect junction with you
at grid 6, coordinate 9."
- That's six miles south.
- That's good.
At least somebody
knows where we are.
I feel like an orphan
that's just been adopted.
Peters, you and Hanson go down
the line and give them the word.
Password from now until
then is, uh, "lily-white." Got it?
Lily-white, check.
Let's go, Andy.
Every 15 minutes,
try to get that patrol.
Yes, sir, I've been
trying. Nothing yet.
Still out there, huh?
Still out there someplace.
Trucks across the river.
A lot of them.
Sounds like artillery.
What do you make of it, Gay?
- Buildup?
- Probably.
I've been trying to figure
why they wanted this long.
Just static, Major Gaylord.
Try the patrol again.
Yes, sir.
Razor Red, this
is Razor Blue C.P.
Razor Red, this
is Razor Blue C.P.
Come in, Razor Red. Come in.
Major Gaylord, I'm
Jones, sir, "A" company.
So?
Well, a platoon of my company
was sent out yesterday afternoon
on a patrol.
We're trying to
make contact now.
You haven't heard
from them, then?
Not yet.
May I ask the
purpose of that patrol?
You're out of line, Lieutenant.
It should be quite obvious
why a patrol is sent out
in a situation like ours.
To ascertain the strength
and location of the enemy?
You mean you don't know, sir?
You're concerned about
them, are you, Jones?
They're 20 of my men.
I didn't know that. Your
brand wasn't on them.
Had I known, I'd have
sent out three ROKs
and a platoon of army nurses.
Major Gaylord, those
men don't stand a chance
across that river,
and I want to know
whose decision it was
to send them across.
My decision. You satisfied?
How about another
patrol to hunt for them?
- Negative.
- Just a couple men and myself.
Negative. I can't spare
a couple of men now.
You could spare 20
yesterday afternoon.
That was yesterday afternoon.
- Begging your pardon, sir...
- Don't beg my pardon, Jones!
Speak your peace and
get back to your company.
My company's 5
effectives, 40 litter cases.
The rest are flat on their face
for three miles up the road.
What do you want, Jones...
Taps and an invocation?
At 0600, we're moving
back, straight back.
When we pull back, do
we leave them out there?
That'll do it!
Yes, sir.
Franks, tell the medics
we're moving back.
See what they need in
the way of litter bearers,
and we'll try to supply.
Yes, sir.
Well?!
Nothing, sir.
Oh, brother, wait
until he makes colonel.
There's only one thing
worse than a bad command.
That's admitting it.
You called the shots
as you saw them.
I think they'll make it back.
And if they don't?
Check off 20.
That simple, huh?
Like balancing a budget?
Look, Gay, I'm an engineer.
I don't know anything
about the niceties
of a commander's conscience.
I'm up on bridges,
and that's it.
But you did a nice job, rallying
those 500 guys across the river,
helping them save their necks.
I don't see the point in
getting your guts all worked out
just because one single patrol
happened to have bad luck.
I sent them out.
Who sent you out?
And who sent the guy
out who sent you out?
What's the matter?
Didn't you give an order
before that cost a man's life?
That's the difference
between being in the army
and running a laundry.
Once before, there
was something like this...
Leyte Island in the Philippines.
I was a platoon sergeant.
We left a guy as a
rear guard for a column.
He disappeared in the jungle.
Go on.
That night, we set up
a perimeter close by.
Well, go on.
This guy, the one
we left out there,
he comes out of the jungle,
and he starts walking
straight toward us.
We could see him.
We could even see his face.
Somebody yelled, "Password.
Give us the password."
He just kept coming toward us.
Pretty soon, every man in
the hole is just standing up,
screaming for this guy to give
us the password or something.
There was a platoon
lieutenant with me.
I was on the B.A.R.
The lieu... He
waited and waited.
And then, when this guy was,
oh, maybe 10 yards from us,
he tells me...
He tells me, "Spray him."
And I did. I sprayed him.
Go on.
That was it...
until next morning, when
we went out to get him.
His hands were
tied behind his back.
There were three Jap
bodies behind him, all dead.
He didn't give the password.
He wanted us to shoot so the
Japs couldn't come in with him.
Every time after that,
when I'd remember this guy
walking toward
me in the moonlight,
and I'd get
this... sick feeling,
I'd think to myself,
"It was an order.
You just followed an order."
Now it isn't one
guy in the moonlight.
It's 20.
Only this time, I
can't point any fingers.
When I get sick...
I stay sick...
because it was my own order.
Major Gaylord, I
think I've got the patrol.
Razor Blue C.P.
Razor Blue C.P., this
is Razor Red patrol.
This is Razor Red patrol.
Repeat. This is
Razor Red patrol.
Over.
Now that you've seen
part one of "The Strike,"
let's turn to our Westinghouse
program and Betty Furness.
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We return now to
"Westinghouse Studio One"
and "The Strike."
Go ahead, Razor Red.
Go ahead.
What's the matter?
They can transmit, sir,
but they don't receive.
They're not hearing us.
Razor Blue C.P., this
is Razor Red patrol.
Do you hear us at all?
Over.
Razor Red, this is
Razor Blue C.P. Over.
Equipment may be bad.
Repeat. Our
equipment may be bad.
So we'll continue to send, just
in case we're coming through.
We're going to wait till dawn,
try to head downstream
and cross over to you.
In case you can hear us,
I'm stating position now.
Repeat. I'm
stating our position.
Grid 9, coordinate 7.
Repeat. Grid 9, coordinate 7.
There's a million
commies all around us,
so we won't try to make contact
again until we make our move.
Over and out.
Razor Red, Razor Red,
this is Razor Blue C.P.
Do you hear us at all? Over.
Aw, that's it, Major.
No need trying anymore.
Okay, in about a half-hour,
begin to try the army.
Right, sir.
What about the wounded, Franks?
Captain Sloane says 30 cases
shouldn't be
moved at all on foot,
and 15 of those
are suicides if we try.
Mention that if
you make contact.
Ask if we can get
helicopters in here.
Yes, sir, helicopters.
Major, there's some people
outside the
perimeter on the left.
Don't know the password,
claim they're English.
Let them through one by one.
Yes, sir.
Grid 9, coordinate 7.
That puts the patrol about
here, right in the middle of them.
At least they're alive.
Major Gaylord,
Lieutenant Chaxfield.
How do you do, Major?
Thank you very much
for letting our chaps in.
We've been wandering about
out there since this morning.
How many men do
you have, Lieutenant?
Nine, all told. Our
unit's the 10th Fusiliers.
We were under test duty
with your 31st regiment.
It's the same old story.
We're here. God knows
where the rest are.
Oh, I'm sorry.
This is Chaplain Walker.
We met him hitchhiking
up the road a bit.
How are you, Major?
You people have anything to eat?
If this is an
invitation, Major...
I can give you some
used and re-used coffee.
We're moving out at 0600.
We're not being
supplied up here at all.
Well, we can pull
up a bit, I suppose.
Did you mention coffee?
Better take it at a gulp.
- Thanks very much.
- Thank you.
Well, let's see now.
What shall we drink a toast to?
How about to all the discretion
that's been the better part of
valor these past few weeks?
That's a bad joke, I'm afraid.
Sorry.
How about to the victory?
How about that?
To the victory.
Cheers.
You know, sir,
I told you we should have
headed for a Brazilian outfit.
I was certain we'd
get decent coffee there.
Ha!
Right. Funny, stinking
war... No mistake.
They didn't teach this
brand at Sandhurst, did they?
No.
As a matter of fact,
they taught us that a good
offense is the best defense.
You chaps have had a
rough go, haven't you?
You're taking a poll, are you?
Well, Britain always loses
every battle except the last one.
We could ride along on
that, I suppose, for awhile.
Where do you want us put, Major?
Peters, put them
where they're needed.
Yes, sir.
Laughing boy and his
nine Fusiliers... big deal.
- Coming, Franks?
- Where are we going?
We're gonna plug
up a couple of gaps.
Oh ho ho, baby,
it's cold outside.
Well, call us if
we're needed, Major.
Carl.
I'm, uh... I'm
afraid I'm sort of
added dead weight around
here now, aren't I, Major?
We're not planning any
services, if that's what you mean.
How about the wounded?
I could probably help them.
The aid station is
100 yards to the rear.
But, uh, you better stay in
here and warm up a little more.
Thanks.
I'll try and not
get in your way.
Been out here long, Chaplain?
One month.
One month to the day.
I was on my way to Incheon
when the Chinese came down.
Since then, it's been,
well, sort of a grandstand
seat at a calamity.
A chaplain should be able
to be with men who are dying
to comfort them.
It seems they die too quickly,
too many numbers in
too many diverse places.
I'll bet your Good Book
is being used principally for
sandbagging gun emplacements.
You have a faith, Major?
It's around here someplace,
momentarily mislaid.
Why?
Why?
I suppose it's because order
suddenly turned upside down.
We find ourselves
without any base.
Things we thought were
true aren't true anymore,
things we believed in.
Ourselves, for example.
Are you afraid?
I haven't had time to be afraid.
Check over here, chap.
Ask me.
As I said before, Chaplain,
you'll find your aid station
100 yards to the rear.
I'm sorry I posed the
unforgivable question.
You never mention fear in
front of enlisted men, do you?
I mean, letting them know that
an officer might be afraid, too.
Chaplains have carte
blanche in that respect.
You can ask anything you want.
You're the army's chosen people.
Then, as a point of interest,
Major, are you afraid?
What are you hunting for,
Chaplain... reassurance?
I'm fresh out of reassurance.
You see out there?
That's our escape route,
the only one available.
I've got to lead
these men through it
in less than three hours.
And across the river,
the Chinese are
setting up artillery,
setting it up someplace to look
right smack down our throats,
just waiting for our withdrawal.
Then they'll let us have it.
Major, I'd like to
be able to help you
take some of the weight off.
Ask God to deliver a patrol of
20 men I sent across that river,
deliver them safe and sound.
Your aid station's
over here, Chaplain.
Tell Captain Sloane I sent you.
You're at his disposal,
everything from
bandaging to last rites.
This came in, sir.
Hey, Gay!
Here's the next best
thing to an armistice...
A bottle of South Korean joy
juice guaranteed 20 days old.
That'll warm the
cockles of your heart.
It'll probably eat
away your heart.
Ninth Army just contacted us.
- No kidding. What's the picture?
- The plans change?
Air Force is sending
planes across
to observe across the river.
They're gonna try to
spot their artillery, then call
for an air strike simultaneous
with our withdrawal.
Oh, those wonderful,
sweet, charming,
loveable Air Force guys.
I love them. I really do.
They're also gonna try to send
helicopters in for our wounded.
I... I think I'll
tell Sloane that.
I'd like to see one
smiling face in this mob.
Oh, I love those guys,
love them to death!
We might get out of
here with our skins yet.
I'll be right back.
Well, be my guest.
Hey, Chick, you want a swallow?
- Chick?
- Huh?
Oh, yeah, after you.
Go ahead.
- Thanks, Captain.
- Yeah, thanks.
He's still sweating
out that patrol, isn't he?
Wouldn't you?
Sure, sure, would
and have, but...
But with him,
there's a difference.
With him, it's personal.
Look, uh, you know
him pretty good, Chick.
What... What's his problem?
That is his problem.
His job's always
been logistics...
You know, so many
men fit in this line,
so many men form this
column, so many this much,
and fire this much, and you can
get so far on so many vehicles.
Then, all of the sudden,
they put him in a situation
where men aren't just numbers.
They're flesh. They're blood.
They got identity.
When you cross them off, it
isn't just arithmetic anymore.
This boy is not what you
would call good officer material.
This boy's...
Well, he could be chief
of staff, except for a flaw.
That flaw is a big one.
Concern for your fellow man?
In times of sanity, it
might be called an attribute.
Values.
All kinds of values.
Hey, how about it, Marconi?
You put your name on that?
Lots left, sir.
I'm the only unselfish
radio operator
in the United States Army.
Stow it.
Hey, hey, Ross,
come here. Come here.
Well, what is it?
They spotted the
commie artillery.
Grid 9, coordinate 7.
We're supposed to
shoot up a blue flare
when we want the strike.
I better get the major.
Grid 9, coordinate... Captain!
Grid 9, coordinate 7.
Captain, if the major
wants to call a strike there,
it won't be only the
commie artillery that'll get hit.
That's where our
patrol is... Right there.
Better get him, Franks.
Right.
If you ask me, Captain...
Have I asked you for anything
besides the time of day?
I mean, you're the last man
alive between here and Honolulu!
Now be at ease!
Captain?
Come in.
What do you think
the major will call?
Ask the major.
Well, what if it
were your decision?
I don't know.
I don't know anything
except bridges, only bridges.
Thank God I'm not
an infantry major.
There's a message?
On the table, sir.
Grid 9, coordinate 7?
They want an air strike there.
That's where that patrol is.
That's where that "A"
company platoon is.
They want to pulverize the area.
And that's where
that... patrol is.
Holy God, what a deal.
What a miserable deal.
All right, what do we do?
Anybody got any ideas?
You're wearing the gold leaf.
That makes you number one, Gay.
I can't.
Major.
The alternative is
sending 500 men through
an artillery barrage that
an ant couldn't get through.
I don't think there's
much choice.
You don't, huh?
Look, Major, are you the
C.O. here or aren't you?
I'm...
I'm the C.O.
Well, then, how
will you have it?
A strike and all that cannon
sticking down our throats,
or stick your head in the ground
and make-believe this is
a maneuver in Louisiana?
They... They said you
contacted the patrol.
Well?
Are they all right?
Major?
Are they all right?
Is there anything we can do?
The chaplain could
prepare the service,
you can give me their names,
and I can give the order
to blow them to hell.
Cheers.
But now let's pause a moment
and turn to our Westinghouse
program and Betty Furness.
Yes, this has happened to me,
and I'll bet it's
happened to you, too.
You forget all about the
peas, the pan boils dry,
and there they are, all
stuck to the bottom of the pan,
burned and all shriveled up.
But just look at
this pan of peas.
Now, they were left on
for the same length of time,
and yet they're
not burned at all.
I'll bet you're saying,
"That's impossible."
Well, it would be if they'd
been left on an ordinary unit,
but not on this brand-new 1954
Westinghouse electric range.
And here's why.
It's the only range that's made
with the sensational
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It remembers to watch your
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So foods can't burn.
You see this little device
in the center of the unit?
Well, it's a
heat-controlled thermostat
called "the electronic eye."
It fits snugly to the
bottom of the pan.
Now, all you do
is just set the unit
to "warm," "boil,"
or "fry," and forget it.
The electronic unit
starts cooking quickly,
and it keeps your food
at a constant temperature
by automatically turning
the current on and off.
Now, that unit is so automatic
that, even if you forget your
cooking, foods can't burn.
And this beautiful
Westinghouse electric range
gives you completely
automatic cooking
in this huge
miracle-sealed oven, too.
All you do is just set
this automatic timer here
to start and stop the oven,
and your dinner's cooked
perfectly while you're away.
Yes, you really can't
imagine what a joy cooking is
until you own a new
Westinghouse electric range.
There are 10 speed electric
models for you to choose from,
including these four
budget-priced models.
You can own one for
as little as $1.58 a week,
after a small down payment.
See them at your
dealer tomorrow.
Be sure to ask for a genuine
Westinghouse electric range
because, remember...
We return now to
"Westinghouse Studio One"
and "The Strike."
Let's stay put out there!
What do you want, Franks?
Nothing, sir.
It's getting close
to that time, sir.
I got a watch, Franks.
How about transmitting
that strike signal?
When we're ready to move,
I will call for an air
strike, and not before.
Look, Major.
You asked for somebody
else to make a decision for you.
I'll recommend you
for the Silver Star!
Now get out of here!
Franks?
Yes, sir?
I'm sorry. I'm a lousy
commanding officer.
I know that.
Look, Major.
Let me give you my
philosophy on the war.
It doesn't make any difference
what level you fight it on.
It stinks on any level.
Only when you give
commands, it... it stinks worse.
The wounded are ready
to be evacuated, sir.
Any idea of when the
helicopters are due.
Anytime before
0600. That's all I know.
Thank you. I'll notify
Captain Sloane.
You, uh, want a cup of coffee?
You look dead on your feet.
Thanks. I could
use a cup of coffee.
Quiet out there, hardly a sound.
Anything new on that patrol?
We're gonna have to
cross them off, chappie.
20 for 500.
That's not a bad price.
Cheap! My God, it's cheap!
Only 20 lives?
This is bargain
day in North Korea.
I like your heart, Major,
but your logic isn't
very commendable.
Tonight you shouldn't
suffer any pains.
It's those flyers who
have to drop the bombs.
They don't know
what's down there.
By the objective, they
think it's Chinese artillery.
They don't know there's
a patrol of G.I.s there, too.
And if they knew, would they
refuse to handle the mission?
Major Gaylord, I
am a man of God.
All my life,
I've preached compassion
and love of fellow man.
But I must look you right
in your face and tell you
there are things that we must
do that are ugly and rotten,
but we must do them.
You're not moralizing.
You're rationalizing.
I don't think you know what
you're doing. I swear I don't.
What do you want, Major?
Somebody to agree with
you, to call you a butcher,
a stupid butcher who sent
20 men to their deaths?
Is that what you
want me to tell you?
I want...
somebody to deliver
a patrol of 20 men
I sent across that river...
alive.
And if they can't do that...
give me a reason why
those men have to die,
a reason I'll believe.
In short, all I
want is a miracle.
And if I can't get that,
I'd like to strip off this
conscience of mine,
strip it off like an overcoat,
inject something into my
immortal soul to make me numb,
so that I'll quit feeling,
so that I'll be a
commanding officer
instead of my brother's keeper.
Major, you'd
better get out here!
- Who is it? Who's out there?
- Lieutenant Jones.
He said he'd get that
patrol out of there!
It's too late! It's
already started across!
All right, then, I want
covering fire for him!
Machine gunners,
aim over his head!
Aim over the head of
the man swimming there!
You're wasting ammunition.
He barely got offshore.
Poor kid.
Poor, crazy kid.
Maybe he wasn't so crazy.
Maybe he's the only
sane one we had.
Chappie, do anything
you like, understand?
Sing a nice, melodic hymn!
Prostrate yourself
in the rich Korean dirt!
But don't pray! You hear me?
I don't want any prayers!
You understand?!
No prayers!
Captain Franks?
Yes, sir?
You're in command.
When we get
back, if we get back,
you can write the
whole thing up,
starting with my
sending out the patrol.
I'll witness it myself.
Helicopters!
Five of them!
See that...
See that Captain
Sloane gets the detail
to help load the
stretcher cases.
Yes, sir.
Captain Franks?
Captain Franks, it's a
blue flare. That's the signal.
The planes will come
in from the southwest.
They'll watch this
area for your signal.
They'll start their run
from directly above us
and then come
in at treetop level.
When they're finished...
The bombs and napalm.
When they're finished,
you can start moving out
without worrying
about artillery.
There shouldn't be any.
You've gone this far...
And not one stinkin',
half-inch further!
This is where I get off!
This is where the boys
separate from the men!
It's not morality.
It's not conscience altogether.
It's just...
It's just that I can't give a
command that'll kill 20 men.
Something inside
me won't let me.
One of us can give the command.
What is it but a
movement of the arm?
The arm down, flare
up. That's all it is.
- One of us can give...
- He can do it himself.
You can do it yourself, Major.
You don't need any crutches.
This is your job, Major
Gaylord... commanding.
And, by God, you're
gonna command.
Why?
Why am I?
Because nobody dies for nothing.
And if you pull out now,
it's admitting that 20 men
across the river are
dying for nothing,
and I don't think they should.
You talk about principles.
Well, your giving a
command for an air strike
is a principle with me now.
If you give it, it is a command.
If one of us has to do it, it's
just an order for an execution.
That makes sense to me, Gay.
The wounded are
all evacuated, Major.
Anytime you want to start
hiking, the doctor's ready.
There'll be an air
strike across the river
just as we start pulling back,
just to make sure a shell
doesn't take away your practice.
Good enough.
Major, a lot of the
boys being evacuated...
Well, they were full of thanks.
I took some of them by proxy,
but I figure you
rated most of them
for getting us
back in one piece.
Pretty green boys.
Even I could see that.
But you kept your nerve and...
Sounds like them.
We're all set, Major.
Corporal here will shoot up
that flare whenever you say.
Whenever I say.
The privilege of rank.
Not just the privilege...
The responsibility.
All right, the responsibility.
I'm not shirking
it. I'm analyzing it.
And I've got this to say.
These gold leaves give
me the power of God,
to give, take, and trade lives.
Tonight I'm trading.
Lives.
20 boys across the
river for all of ours.
That's a pretty fair
numerical exchange.
That's militarily sound.
That's good tactical procedure.
20 for 500.
But deep inside my gut, I'm
gonna ache from this second on.
And this is an ache
no medic's gonna cure.
These are the
responsibilities of command
you don't read in a
West Point manual.
These have got
first and last names.
20 of each.
You had your job.
They had theirs.
Yours was to make decisions.
Theirs was to spot
artillery and report back.
Is there actually any
honest-to-God justification
for the death of
20 human beings?
Yes.
When you can save 500 of them.
One of the pilots of
those helicopters said
it was a ground-to-air
message from a patrol out there
that told them where
the artillery was.
If it hadn't been
for that message,
they might never
have spotted it.
That's another thing we owe
you for... sending that patrol out.
Like the man says, I
might have lost my practice.
All right, everybody.
Let's move out.
You people on the
left, follow this end out!
Intervals of 20 yards
between companies!
All right? Come
on! Let's move out!
"A" company, move out!
You too, Franks. Everybody out.
"B" company, move out!
Ready, Corporal?
Ready, sir.
On my signal.
How goes the war, chappie?
Do you have a nice,
apt, forceful quotation
from the Good Book to
cover a situation like this?
"He giveth, and He taketh away."
And does He give us that power?
I think He does, Major.
Sometimes I think He does.
All right, Corporal.
Let her go.
God rest their souls.
And, God...
forgive me.
He'll do both, Major.
I'm sure He'll do both.
Now here's Betty Furness
to tell you about the
good old summertime.
Well, whoever
invented the phrase
"in the good old summertime"
certainly forgot how hot
it gets in July and August.
That is, unless, of course,
you have this beautiful new
Westinghouse
room air conditioner.
It keeps you cool in summer,
freshens the air all year-round,
and warms in winter, too.
And the Westinghouse
is draft-free, too.
You see, when the
grills are this way,
the air blows out this way,
and then, if you turn the grill,
just by turning it, the
air will blow up this way.
And that means that
you control the flow of air.
The Westinghouse gives
you 10 different comfort zones,
and all you have to do is
just push a single button
on this comfort-control panel,
and you'll change the weather.
And the Westinghouse
is chill-free, too.
You just turn this
adjustable thermostat
to control the coolness.
So look for this sign.
See your certified dealer.
You can own a Westinghouse
room air conditioner
for as little as $3.25 a week,
after a small down payment.
And remember...
But the amazing new
Westinghouse electric dehumidifier
will stop this.
It takes dampness out of the
air and puts it in a container.
See your dealer
for a free home trial
on the new
Westinghouse dehumidifier.
"Westinghouse Studio One."
Westinghouse... The
name that means sureness.
Whether it's on America's
most popular clothes dryer
or atomic submarines
for our defense,
whether it's a product for
your home or your business
or your farm or your factory...
Razor Blue C.P.
Razor Red, this
is Razor Blue C.P.
How do you hear me? Over.
Razor Red, Razor Red, this is
Razor Blue C.P., Razor Blue C.P.
Come in, please.
Come in, please, Razor Red.
Razor Red, this
is Razor Blue C.P.
Razor Blue C.P.
calling Razor Red.
Roger, easy, dog... "red."
Razor Red, come in, please.
What do you think?
How about you, Franks?
Don't ask me, Major.
One minute I got a
company out on attack.
The next minute... The
next minute I got 13 men
designated at the
rear guard to a division.
What happened?
What we call a fluid situation.
Fluid situation.
Razor Red...
That's any battle you're losing
when you don't want to admit it.
A couple hours in combat,
we lose a regimental staff,
not to mention a regiment.
Well, what's the
plan now, Major?
We're to hold this riverbank
until we get the
order to move back.
That's some plan.
I want to know where
every company's dug in.
I want to know how
many effectives we've got,
and that includes
walking wounded.
I want somebody to handle S4.
That would be Captain
Mitchell. He's supply.
Captain Mitchell's dead.
You handle it, Peters.
Franks, you check the perimeter.
You two stay close to this house
where I can get ahold of you.
That was a nice bridge
you put up, Chick.
We aim to please.
Yeah, it was a nice bridge.
What's with you?
What's with you?!
Is this a break?!
It don't do no good, sir.
I've been trying to make
contact for the past hour.
- Nothing.
- Keep trying.
Yes, sir.
What's the matter...
Your fingers cold?
- Yes, sir, like ice.
- What's that?
I'm not complaining. You asked
me if my fingers were cold...
All right, all right.
Razor Red, this is Razor
Blue C.P., Razor Blue C.P.
Come in, please.
It's a crazy war.
We spent three days
trying to span that river,
three days standing
in our hips up to ice.
Three days building, and
three minutes to blow it up.
The army.
When I get back to the States,
I'm not gonna give
them five cents in taxes.
Sure, we should
have left it standing
with a big sign
in red Chinese...
"This way to the 29th
regiment... artistic engineers."
All I meant, we went to...
And all I meant was
for you to knock it off!
Still no answer?
No, sir.
Seems kind of silly to...
What's that?
Well, Hanify and
me been on this radio
since yesterday morning, sir.
We're kind of beat.
Why, you poor boys.
My heart bleeds.
Do you know who you're
trying to make contact with?
- The platoon of "A" company.
- Platoon of "A" company.
That's right. 20
men on a patrol.
And if you were out
there across the river,
wouldn't you be doing
a little fancy praying
that somebody would
talk you back home?
- How right am I?
- Yes, sir.
Razor Red, this
is Razor Blue C.P.
Razor Red, this
is Razor Blue C.P.
Over.
I'm sorry, Gay. I didn't mean
anything about the bridge...
I know you didn't!
Nobody means
anything by anything.
All I know is that in two weeks,
a stinkin', lousy
major is in command
of a 500-man,
half-frozen rump outfit
that's supposed
to be a regiment,
and out there are
probably 10 square divisions
of hopped-up bugle blowers
who could ram through
us like iron through lace.
Chick, I got 500 men
running up my back,
all looking straight at
me to tell them what to do.
And I got a patrol
of 20 men out,
probably all feet up by
now because I sent them out.
Major Gaylord.
What do you have?
Captain Sloane wants to know
about evacuating the wounded.
We got 93 men
ought to go back, sir.
What you think I got, a
travel bureau in here?!
If I had transportation,
we wouldn't be sitting here!
I got a real
fantastic staff here!
I got...
I'll go with you.
Chick, stick here, will you?
Razor Red, this
is Razor Blue C.P.
Razor Red, this
is Razor Blue C.P.
Over.
Razor Red, this
is Razor Blue C.P.,
Razor Blue C.P.
Come in, please. Come
in, please, Razor Red...
My name is Richard Goulder.
I live at 116 Lathram
Street, Denton, New York.
My name is Richard Goulder.
I live at 116 Lathram
Street, Denton, New York.
My name is Richard Goulder.
I live at 116 Lathram
Street, Denton, New York.
My name is Richard Goulder.
I live at 116 Lathram
Street, Denton, New York.
My name is Richard Goulder.
Sloane?
Yes, sir, I've got men here
who need to be evacuated.
I can't help you.
New York.
My name is Richard Goulder.
I live at 116 Lathram
Street, Denton, New York.
My name is Richard Goulder.
I live at 116 Lathram
Street, Denton, New York.
Can he hold out?
I need 10 crates of bandage.
I need another
100 pints of plasma,
a couple of cases
of sulfathiazole,
and whole quartermaster
full of dry clothing,
not to mention morphine,
either, distilled water.
I live at 116 Lathram
Street, Denton, New York.
My name is Richard Goulder.
I live at 116 Lathram
Street, Denton...
Arm's all mashed.
What he needs is about
three hours on the table...
limb clean, tendon and muscle
tissue reduced 2/3 normal, both,
bone set... It's
broken in three places.
My name is Richard Goulder.
Then about three
strips of skin off his belly
to graft onto the arm.
Then we'd put it in a cast.
That's what he
really needs for that.
You can't do it?
What can you do?
The only thing I can do
here... Cut his arm off.
My name is Richard Goulder.
I live at 116 Lathram
Street, Denton, New York.
My name is Richard Goulder.
I live at 116 Lathram
Street, Denton, New York.
My name is Richard Goulder.
Hold out as long
as you can, Doc.
I'll be here if you want me.
My name is Richard Goulder.
- I live at 116 Lathram Street...
- Son.
- Son, can you hear me?
- Denton, New York.
- You're okay now, soldier.
- My name is Richard Goulder.
- I live at 116 Lathram Street...
- You're okay.
Denton, New York.
My name is Richard Goulder.
I live at 116...
- No word, Major?
- From who?
Anybody?
Maybe by tomorrow.
Ammo's low.
20, 30 rounds a man.
And that's it.
Got three machine guns left.
Nothing heavier.
No food.
No communication
with any main body.
That perimeter's thin, Major.
You could drive a train
through those gaps,
and there are plenty of gaps.
Anybody in the room
got a pleasant word?
Cleveland.
Cleveland, Ohio... That's
a very pleasant word.
Major, I got something.
It's on a key.
It's for us, all right...
"Razor Blue command."
"Commanding officer
of Razor Blue force,
hold present position
until 0600 tomorrow,
then attempt move
forces southward.
Marine unit to your left
affect junction with you
at grid 6, coordinate 9."
- That's six miles south.
- That's good.
At least somebody
knows where we are.
I feel like an orphan
that's just been adopted.
Peters, you and Hanson go down
the line and give them the word.
Password from now until
then is, uh, "lily-white." Got it?
Lily-white, check.
Let's go, Andy.
Every 15 minutes,
try to get that patrol.
Yes, sir, I've been
trying. Nothing yet.
Still out there, huh?
Still out there someplace.
Trucks across the river.
A lot of them.
Sounds like artillery.
What do you make of it, Gay?
- Buildup?
- Probably.
I've been trying to figure
why they wanted this long.
Just static, Major Gaylord.
Try the patrol again.
Yes, sir.
Razor Red, this
is Razor Blue C.P.
Razor Red, this
is Razor Blue C.P.
Come in, Razor Red. Come in.
Major Gaylord, I'm
Jones, sir, "A" company.
So?
Well, a platoon of my company
was sent out yesterday afternoon
on a patrol.
We're trying to
make contact now.
You haven't heard
from them, then?
Not yet.
May I ask the
purpose of that patrol?
You're out of line, Lieutenant.
It should be quite obvious
why a patrol is sent out
in a situation like ours.
To ascertain the strength
and location of the enemy?
You mean you don't know, sir?
You're concerned about
them, are you, Jones?
They're 20 of my men.
I didn't know that. Your
brand wasn't on them.
Had I known, I'd have
sent out three ROKs
and a platoon of army nurses.
Major Gaylord, those
men don't stand a chance
across that river,
and I want to know
whose decision it was
to send them across.
My decision. You satisfied?
How about another
patrol to hunt for them?
- Negative.
- Just a couple men and myself.
Negative. I can't spare
a couple of men now.
You could spare 20
yesterday afternoon.
That was yesterday afternoon.
- Begging your pardon, sir...
- Don't beg my pardon, Jones!
Speak your peace and
get back to your company.
My company's 5
effectives, 40 litter cases.
The rest are flat on their face
for three miles up the road.
What do you want, Jones...
Taps and an invocation?
At 0600, we're moving
back, straight back.
When we pull back, do
we leave them out there?
That'll do it!
Yes, sir.
Franks, tell the medics
we're moving back.
See what they need in
the way of litter bearers,
and we'll try to supply.
Yes, sir.
Well?!
Nothing, sir.
Oh, brother, wait
until he makes colonel.
There's only one thing
worse than a bad command.
That's admitting it.
You called the shots
as you saw them.
I think they'll make it back.
And if they don't?
Check off 20.
That simple, huh?
Like balancing a budget?
Look, Gay, I'm an engineer.
I don't know anything
about the niceties
of a commander's conscience.
I'm up on bridges,
and that's it.
But you did a nice job, rallying
those 500 guys across the river,
helping them save their necks.
I don't see the point in
getting your guts all worked out
just because one single patrol
happened to have bad luck.
I sent them out.
Who sent you out?
And who sent the guy
out who sent you out?
What's the matter?
Didn't you give an order
before that cost a man's life?
That's the difference
between being in the army
and running a laundry.
Once before, there
was something like this...
Leyte Island in the Philippines.
I was a platoon sergeant.
We left a guy as a
rear guard for a column.
He disappeared in the jungle.
Go on.
That night, we set up
a perimeter close by.
Well, go on.
This guy, the one
we left out there,
he comes out of the jungle,
and he starts walking
straight toward us.
We could see him.
We could even see his face.
Somebody yelled, "Password.
Give us the password."
He just kept coming toward us.
Pretty soon, every man in
the hole is just standing up,
screaming for this guy to give
us the password or something.
There was a platoon
lieutenant with me.
I was on the B.A.R.
The lieu... He
waited and waited.
And then, when this guy was,
oh, maybe 10 yards from us,
he tells me...
He tells me, "Spray him."
And I did. I sprayed him.
Go on.
That was it...
until next morning, when
we went out to get him.
His hands were
tied behind his back.
There were three Jap
bodies behind him, all dead.
He didn't give the password.
He wanted us to shoot so the
Japs couldn't come in with him.
Every time after that,
when I'd remember this guy
walking toward
me in the moonlight,
and I'd get
this... sick feeling,
I'd think to myself,
"It was an order.
You just followed an order."
Now it isn't one
guy in the moonlight.
It's 20.
Only this time, I
can't point any fingers.
When I get sick...
I stay sick...
because it was my own order.
Major Gaylord, I
think I've got the patrol.
Razor Blue C.P.
Razor Blue C.P., this
is Razor Red patrol.
This is Razor Red patrol.
Repeat. This is
Razor Red patrol.
Over.
Now that you've seen
part one of "The Strike,"
let's turn to our Westinghouse
program and Betty Furness.
Anybody want a lukewarm Coke?
I'll bet you'd
prefer it ice-cold.
But some refrigerators
just don't have enough room
to store plenty
of Cokes like this
and keep them perfectly
chilled in the hot weather.
But you can file over a dozen
Cokes or other beverages
in this special Westinghouse
beverage keeper.
Located right under the
freezer, the right degree of cold
keeps it perfectly chilled
even in the very hottest kitchen.
Yes, this exciting new
Westinghouse Food
File Refrigerator
gives you the right cold
for every single kind of food.
Now, only the
Westinghouse is engineered
to give you the
different kinds of cold
that you need for
different kinds of food.
Well, take fresh
meats, for instance.
Now, in this exclusive
Westinghouse meat keeper,
a special circulating cold
keeps meats fresh days longer.
And then up here,
in this big freezer,
of course your frozen
foods are kept safely frozen.
And then look.
Down here, these
shelves roll out,
and just the right cold is
there for general storage.
And you know how lettuce gets
so wilted in some refrigerators?
Well, just see how dewy fresh
these Westinghouse
humidrawers...
And there are two of them...
Keep lettuce and
other vegetables.
Now, the perfect place for
eggs is in the top of the door,
right over here.
There are four
separate egg keepers.
They tilt like that,
or you can lift them
right out, if you like.
And this you'll love, too.
Here's a special cheese
file and a snack file,
where you can keep, oh,
leftover picnic sandwiches,
for instance, fresh for days.
No other refrigerator gives
your food such perfect protection.
And of course this Food
File Refrigerator is frost-free.
And that means no
defrosting in the freezer
and no defrosting
in the refrigerator.
Be sure that you get a genuine
Westinghouse refrigerator.
There's a size for every kitchen
and a price for every
pocketbook... as low as $191.
And remember...
We return now to
"Westinghouse Studio One"
and "The Strike."
Go ahead, Razor Red.
Go ahead.
What's the matter?
They can transmit, sir,
but they don't receive.
They're not hearing us.
Razor Blue C.P., this
is Razor Red patrol.
Do you hear us at all?
Over.
Razor Red, this is
Razor Blue C.P. Over.
Equipment may be bad.
Repeat. Our
equipment may be bad.
So we'll continue to send, just
in case we're coming through.
We're going to wait till dawn,
try to head downstream
and cross over to you.
In case you can hear us,
I'm stating position now.
Repeat. I'm
stating our position.
Grid 9, coordinate 7.
Repeat. Grid 9, coordinate 7.
There's a million
commies all around us,
so we won't try to make contact
again until we make our move.
Over and out.
Razor Red, Razor Red,
this is Razor Blue C.P.
Do you hear us at all? Over.
Aw, that's it, Major.
No need trying anymore.
Okay, in about a half-hour,
begin to try the army.
Right, sir.
What about the wounded, Franks?
Captain Sloane says 30 cases
shouldn't be
moved at all on foot,
and 15 of those
are suicides if we try.
Mention that if
you make contact.
Ask if we can get
helicopters in here.
Yes, sir, helicopters.
Major, there's some people
outside the
perimeter on the left.
Don't know the password,
claim they're English.
Let them through one by one.
Yes, sir.
Grid 9, coordinate 7.
That puts the patrol about
here, right in the middle of them.
At least they're alive.
Major Gaylord,
Lieutenant Chaxfield.
How do you do, Major?
Thank you very much
for letting our chaps in.
We've been wandering about
out there since this morning.
How many men do
you have, Lieutenant?
Nine, all told. Our
unit's the 10th Fusiliers.
We were under test duty
with your 31st regiment.
It's the same old story.
We're here. God knows
where the rest are.
Oh, I'm sorry.
This is Chaplain Walker.
We met him hitchhiking
up the road a bit.
How are you, Major?
You people have anything to eat?
If this is an
invitation, Major...
I can give you some
used and re-used coffee.
We're moving out at 0600.
We're not being
supplied up here at all.
Well, we can pull
up a bit, I suppose.
Did you mention coffee?
Better take it at a gulp.
- Thanks very much.
- Thank you.
Well, let's see now.
What shall we drink a toast to?
How about to all the discretion
that's been the better part of
valor these past few weeks?
That's a bad joke, I'm afraid.
Sorry.
How about to the victory?
How about that?
To the victory.
Cheers.
You know, sir,
I told you we should have
headed for a Brazilian outfit.
I was certain we'd
get decent coffee there.
Ha!
Right. Funny, stinking
war... No mistake.
They didn't teach this
brand at Sandhurst, did they?
No.
As a matter of fact,
they taught us that a good
offense is the best defense.
You chaps have had a
rough go, haven't you?
You're taking a poll, are you?
Well, Britain always loses
every battle except the last one.
We could ride along on
that, I suppose, for awhile.
Where do you want us put, Major?
Peters, put them
where they're needed.
Yes, sir.
Laughing boy and his
nine Fusiliers... big deal.
- Coming, Franks?
- Where are we going?
We're gonna plug
up a couple of gaps.
Oh ho ho, baby,
it's cold outside.
Well, call us if
we're needed, Major.
Carl.
I'm, uh... I'm
afraid I'm sort of
added dead weight around
here now, aren't I, Major?
We're not planning any
services, if that's what you mean.
How about the wounded?
I could probably help them.
The aid station is
100 yards to the rear.
But, uh, you better stay in
here and warm up a little more.
Thanks.
I'll try and not
get in your way.
Been out here long, Chaplain?
One month.
One month to the day.
I was on my way to Incheon
when the Chinese came down.
Since then, it's been,
well, sort of a grandstand
seat at a calamity.
A chaplain should be able
to be with men who are dying
to comfort them.
It seems they die too quickly,
too many numbers in
too many diverse places.
I'll bet your Good Book
is being used principally for
sandbagging gun emplacements.
You have a faith, Major?
It's around here someplace,
momentarily mislaid.
Why?
Why?
I suppose it's because order
suddenly turned upside down.
We find ourselves
without any base.
Things we thought were
true aren't true anymore,
things we believed in.
Ourselves, for example.
Are you afraid?
I haven't had time to be afraid.
Check over here, chap.
Ask me.
As I said before, Chaplain,
you'll find your aid station
100 yards to the rear.
I'm sorry I posed the
unforgivable question.
You never mention fear in
front of enlisted men, do you?
I mean, letting them know that
an officer might be afraid, too.
Chaplains have carte
blanche in that respect.
You can ask anything you want.
You're the army's chosen people.
Then, as a point of interest,
Major, are you afraid?
What are you hunting for,
Chaplain... reassurance?
I'm fresh out of reassurance.
You see out there?
That's our escape route,
the only one available.
I've got to lead
these men through it
in less than three hours.
And across the river,
the Chinese are
setting up artillery,
setting it up someplace to look
right smack down our throats,
just waiting for our withdrawal.
Then they'll let us have it.
Major, I'd like to
be able to help you
take some of the weight off.
Ask God to deliver a patrol of
20 men I sent across that river,
deliver them safe and sound.
Your aid station's
over here, Chaplain.
Tell Captain Sloane I sent you.
You're at his disposal,
everything from
bandaging to last rites.
This came in, sir.
Hey, Gay!
Here's the next best
thing to an armistice...
A bottle of South Korean joy
juice guaranteed 20 days old.
That'll warm the
cockles of your heart.
It'll probably eat
away your heart.
Ninth Army just contacted us.
- No kidding. What's the picture?
- The plans change?
Air Force is sending
planes across
to observe across the river.
They're gonna try to
spot their artillery, then call
for an air strike simultaneous
with our withdrawal.
Oh, those wonderful,
sweet, charming,
loveable Air Force guys.
I love them. I really do.
They're also gonna try to send
helicopters in for our wounded.
I... I think I'll
tell Sloane that.
I'd like to see one
smiling face in this mob.
Oh, I love those guys,
love them to death!
We might get out of
here with our skins yet.
I'll be right back.
Well, be my guest.
Hey, Chick, you want a swallow?
- Chick?
- Huh?
Oh, yeah, after you.
Go ahead.
- Thanks, Captain.
- Yeah, thanks.
He's still sweating
out that patrol, isn't he?
Wouldn't you?
Sure, sure, would
and have, but...
But with him,
there's a difference.
With him, it's personal.
Look, uh, you know
him pretty good, Chick.
What... What's his problem?
That is his problem.
His job's always
been logistics...
You know, so many
men fit in this line,
so many men form this
column, so many this much,
and fire this much, and you can
get so far on so many vehicles.
Then, all of the sudden,
they put him in a situation
where men aren't just numbers.
They're flesh. They're blood.
They got identity.
When you cross them off, it
isn't just arithmetic anymore.
This boy is not what you
would call good officer material.
This boy's...
Well, he could be chief
of staff, except for a flaw.
That flaw is a big one.
Concern for your fellow man?
In times of sanity, it
might be called an attribute.
Values.
All kinds of values.
Hey, how about it, Marconi?
You put your name on that?
Lots left, sir.
I'm the only unselfish
radio operator
in the United States Army.
Stow it.
Hey, hey, Ross,
come here. Come here.
Well, what is it?
They spotted the
commie artillery.
Grid 9, coordinate 7.
We're supposed to
shoot up a blue flare
when we want the strike.
I better get the major.
Grid 9, coordinate... Captain!
Grid 9, coordinate 7.
Captain, if the major
wants to call a strike there,
it won't be only the
commie artillery that'll get hit.
That's where our
patrol is... Right there.
Better get him, Franks.
Right.
If you ask me, Captain...
Have I asked you for anything
besides the time of day?
I mean, you're the last man
alive between here and Honolulu!
Now be at ease!
Captain?
Come in.
What do you think
the major will call?
Ask the major.
Well, what if it
were your decision?
I don't know.
I don't know anything
except bridges, only bridges.
Thank God I'm not
an infantry major.
There's a message?
On the table, sir.
Grid 9, coordinate 7?
They want an air strike there.
That's where that patrol is.
That's where that "A"
company platoon is.
They want to pulverize the area.
And that's where
that... patrol is.
Holy God, what a deal.
What a miserable deal.
All right, what do we do?
Anybody got any ideas?
You're wearing the gold leaf.
That makes you number one, Gay.
I can't.
Major.
The alternative is
sending 500 men through
an artillery barrage that
an ant couldn't get through.
I don't think there's
much choice.
You don't, huh?
Look, Major, are you the
C.O. here or aren't you?
I'm...
I'm the C.O.
Well, then, how
will you have it?
A strike and all that cannon
sticking down our throats,
or stick your head in the ground
and make-believe this is
a maneuver in Louisiana?
They... They said you
contacted the patrol.
Well?
Are they all right?
Major?
Are they all right?
Is there anything we can do?
The chaplain could
prepare the service,
you can give me their names,
and I can give the order
to blow them to hell.
Cheers.
But now let's pause a moment
and turn to our Westinghouse
program and Betty Furness.
Yes, this has happened to me,
and I'll bet it's
happened to you, too.
You forget all about the
peas, the pan boils dry,
and there they are, all
stuck to the bottom of the pan,
burned and all shriveled up.
But just look at
this pan of peas.
Now, they were left on
for the same length of time,
and yet they're
not burned at all.
I'll bet you're saying,
"That's impossible."
Well, it would be if they'd
been left on an ordinary unit,
but not on this brand-new 1954
Westinghouse electric range.
And here's why.
It's the only range that's made
with the sensational
electronic unit.
It remembers to watch your
cooking, even if you forget.
So foods can't burn.
You see this little device
in the center of the unit?
Well, it's a
heat-controlled thermostat
called "the electronic eye."
It fits snugly to the
bottom of the pan.
Now, all you do
is just set the unit
to "warm," "boil,"
or "fry," and forget it.
The electronic unit
starts cooking quickly,
and it keeps your food
at a constant temperature
by automatically turning
the current on and off.
Now, that unit is so automatic
that, even if you forget your
cooking, foods can't burn.
And this beautiful
Westinghouse electric range
gives you completely
automatic cooking
in this huge
miracle-sealed oven, too.
All you do is just set
this automatic timer here
to start and stop the oven,
and your dinner's cooked
perfectly while you're away.
Yes, you really can't
imagine what a joy cooking is
until you own a new
Westinghouse electric range.
There are 10 speed electric
models for you to choose from,
including these four
budget-priced models.
You can own one for
as little as $1.58 a week,
after a small down payment.
See them at your
dealer tomorrow.
Be sure to ask for a genuine
Westinghouse electric range
because, remember...
We return now to
"Westinghouse Studio One"
and "The Strike."
Let's stay put out there!
What do you want, Franks?
Nothing, sir.
It's getting close
to that time, sir.
I got a watch, Franks.
How about transmitting
that strike signal?
When we're ready to move,
I will call for an air
strike, and not before.
Look, Major.
You asked for somebody
else to make a decision for you.
I'll recommend you
for the Silver Star!
Now get out of here!
Franks?
Yes, sir?
I'm sorry. I'm a lousy
commanding officer.
I know that.
Look, Major.
Let me give you my
philosophy on the war.
It doesn't make any difference
what level you fight it on.
It stinks on any level.
Only when you give
commands, it... it stinks worse.
The wounded are ready
to be evacuated, sir.
Any idea of when the
helicopters are due.
Anytime before
0600. That's all I know.
Thank you. I'll notify
Captain Sloane.
You, uh, want a cup of coffee?
You look dead on your feet.
Thanks. I could
use a cup of coffee.
Quiet out there, hardly a sound.
Anything new on that patrol?
We're gonna have to
cross them off, chappie.
20 for 500.
That's not a bad price.
Cheap! My God, it's cheap!
Only 20 lives?
This is bargain
day in North Korea.
I like your heart, Major,
but your logic isn't
very commendable.
Tonight you shouldn't
suffer any pains.
It's those flyers who
have to drop the bombs.
They don't know
what's down there.
By the objective, they
think it's Chinese artillery.
They don't know there's
a patrol of G.I.s there, too.
And if they knew, would they
refuse to handle the mission?
Major Gaylord, I
am a man of God.
All my life,
I've preached compassion
and love of fellow man.
But I must look you right
in your face and tell you
there are things that we must
do that are ugly and rotten,
but we must do them.
You're not moralizing.
You're rationalizing.
I don't think you know what
you're doing. I swear I don't.
What do you want, Major?
Somebody to agree with
you, to call you a butcher,
a stupid butcher who sent
20 men to their deaths?
Is that what you
want me to tell you?
I want...
somebody to deliver
a patrol of 20 men
I sent across that river...
alive.
And if they can't do that...
give me a reason why
those men have to die,
a reason I'll believe.
In short, all I
want is a miracle.
And if I can't get that,
I'd like to strip off this
conscience of mine,
strip it off like an overcoat,
inject something into my
immortal soul to make me numb,
so that I'll quit feeling,
so that I'll be a
commanding officer
instead of my brother's keeper.
Major, you'd
better get out here!
- Who is it? Who's out there?
- Lieutenant Jones.
He said he'd get that
patrol out of there!
It's too late! It's
already started across!
All right, then, I want
covering fire for him!
Machine gunners,
aim over his head!
Aim over the head of
the man swimming there!
You're wasting ammunition.
He barely got offshore.
Poor kid.
Poor, crazy kid.
Maybe he wasn't so crazy.
Maybe he's the only
sane one we had.
Chappie, do anything
you like, understand?
Sing a nice, melodic hymn!
Prostrate yourself
in the rich Korean dirt!
But don't pray! You hear me?
I don't want any prayers!
You understand?!
No prayers!
Captain Franks?
Yes, sir?
You're in command.
When we get
back, if we get back,
you can write the
whole thing up,
starting with my
sending out the patrol.
I'll witness it myself.
Helicopters!
Five of them!
See that...
See that Captain
Sloane gets the detail
to help load the
stretcher cases.
Yes, sir.
Captain Franks?
Captain Franks, it's a
blue flare. That's the signal.
The planes will come
in from the southwest.
They'll watch this
area for your signal.
They'll start their run
from directly above us
and then come
in at treetop level.
When they're finished...
The bombs and napalm.
When they're finished,
you can start moving out
without worrying
about artillery.
There shouldn't be any.
You've gone this far...
And not one stinkin',
half-inch further!
This is where I get off!
This is where the boys
separate from the men!
It's not morality.
It's not conscience altogether.
It's just...
It's just that I can't give a
command that'll kill 20 men.
Something inside
me won't let me.
One of us can give the command.
What is it but a
movement of the arm?
The arm down, flare
up. That's all it is.
- One of us can give...
- He can do it himself.
You can do it yourself, Major.
You don't need any crutches.
This is your job, Major
Gaylord... commanding.
And, by God, you're
gonna command.
Why?
Why am I?
Because nobody dies for nothing.
And if you pull out now,
it's admitting that 20 men
across the river are
dying for nothing,
and I don't think they should.
You talk about principles.
Well, your giving a
command for an air strike
is a principle with me now.
If you give it, it is a command.
If one of us has to do it, it's
just an order for an execution.
That makes sense to me, Gay.
The wounded are
all evacuated, Major.
Anytime you want to start
hiking, the doctor's ready.
There'll be an air
strike across the river
just as we start pulling back,
just to make sure a shell
doesn't take away your practice.
Good enough.
Major, a lot of the
boys being evacuated...
Well, they were full of thanks.
I took some of them by proxy,
but I figure you
rated most of them
for getting us
back in one piece.
Pretty green boys.
Even I could see that.
But you kept your nerve and...
Sounds like them.
We're all set, Major.
Corporal here will shoot up
that flare whenever you say.
Whenever I say.
The privilege of rank.
Not just the privilege...
The responsibility.
All right, the responsibility.
I'm not shirking
it. I'm analyzing it.
And I've got this to say.
These gold leaves give
me the power of God,
to give, take, and trade lives.
Tonight I'm trading.
Lives.
20 boys across the
river for all of ours.
That's a pretty fair
numerical exchange.
That's militarily sound.
That's good tactical procedure.
20 for 500.
But deep inside my gut, I'm
gonna ache from this second on.
And this is an ache
no medic's gonna cure.
These are the
responsibilities of command
you don't read in a
West Point manual.
These have got
first and last names.
20 of each.
You had your job.
They had theirs.
Yours was to make decisions.
Theirs was to spot
artillery and report back.
Is there actually any
honest-to-God justification
for the death of
20 human beings?
Yes.
When you can save 500 of them.
One of the pilots of
those helicopters said
it was a ground-to-air
message from a patrol out there
that told them where
the artillery was.
If it hadn't been
for that message,
they might never
have spotted it.
That's another thing we owe
you for... sending that patrol out.
Like the man says, I
might have lost my practice.
All right, everybody.
Let's move out.
You people on the
left, follow this end out!
Intervals of 20 yards
between companies!
All right? Come
on! Let's move out!
"A" company, move out!
You too, Franks. Everybody out.
"B" company, move out!
Ready, Corporal?
Ready, sir.
On my signal.
How goes the war, chappie?
Do you have a nice,
apt, forceful quotation
from the Good Book to
cover a situation like this?
"He giveth, and He taketh away."
And does He give us that power?
I think He does, Major.
Sometimes I think He does.
All right, Corporal.
Let her go.
God rest their souls.
And, God...
forgive me.
He'll do both, Major.
I'm sure He'll do both.
Now here's Betty Furness
to tell you about the
good old summertime.
Well, whoever
invented the phrase
"in the good old summertime"
certainly forgot how hot
it gets in July and August.
That is, unless, of course,
you have this beautiful new
Westinghouse
room air conditioner.
It keeps you cool in summer,
freshens the air all year-round,
and warms in winter, too.
And the Westinghouse
is draft-free, too.
You see, when the
grills are this way,
the air blows out this way,
and then, if you turn the grill,
just by turning it, the
air will blow up this way.
And that means that
you control the flow of air.
The Westinghouse gives
you 10 different comfort zones,
and all you have to do is
just push a single button
on this comfort-control panel,
and you'll change the weather.
And the Westinghouse
is chill-free, too.
You just turn this
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to control the coolness.
So look for this sign.
See your certified dealer.
You can own a Westinghouse
room air conditioner
for as little as $3.25 a week,
after a small down payment.
And remember...
But the amazing new
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will stop this.
It takes dampness out of the
air and puts it in a container.
See your dealer
for a free home trial
on the new
Westinghouse dehumidifier.