All language subtitles for Hellcats of the Navy (1957) - HFDX -

In 1944, when Japan's island empire
was still an impregnable fortress...

...I approved plans, as commander
in chief of the Pacific Fleet...

...for one of the most daring
and formidable operations...

...in the history of naval warfare.

The problem was how to get past
the heavily-mined entrances...

...into the Sea of Japan.

How to sever the link of supply between
Japan and the Asiatic mainland...

...thereby breaking his will to fight
and ensuring his destruction.

My faith in this daring operation
was placed in men...

...like Vice Adm. Charles A. Lockwood...

...commander of Submarine Force,
Pacific Fleet.

And his faith was placed in men
like Cmdr. Casey Abbott...

...captain of the submarine Starfish.

This is the story
of the life-and-death struggle...

...fought not only beneath
the surface of the sea...

...but within the minds and hearts
of a valiant group of men...

...the Hellcats of the Navy.

My favorite kind.

Hey, Freddy,
I made these special for you.

Thanks.

Cookie, sir?

We should be sitting
right off the Honshu coast.

- See if those frogmen are ready.
- Aye, aye, sir.

We close enough to pick up
a couple of geisha girls, Mr. Landon?

Yeah. Nice, fat ones
with horns on them.

Horns?

He means mines, dope!

They're right on the edge of the
minefield, according to the DRT.

- No sonar contact, Mr. Landon.
- Huh?

Where's the minefield?

It's there, all right.

What do you see, captain?

Nothing but fog.

- All ahead, one-third.
- All ahead, one-third.

We're right on the edge
of the Japanese shipping lanes.

Better take those frogmen out
through the escape trunk.

Where's Mr. Barton?

He moved into your bunk this morning
to get some sleep.

Too much acey-deucy, I guess.

- All right. See you at forward.
- Aye, aye.

Let's go, fellas.

Come on, Wes.
Come on, lover-boy.

The dream sequence is over.

You're on. You're the head man
in this act, so get into your gear.

What time is it?

Time for you to go out and get
a couple of those Japanese mines.

- Ain't I the lucky one?
- Yeah.

You're lucky it's me waking you up
and not Capt. Abbott.

- You think he's sore?
- No, no. He likes it.

His girl's going out with another
guy, especially a jg.

Was it my fault? She practically sat
down in my lap and demanded attention.

Yeah. I hear she's just that type.

Don't let the quiet ones fool you.
I've been telling you...

...you gotta open the oyster
to find the pearl.

Forget the oysters this trip, will you?
Just bring back two Japanese mines.

We gotta have them to make
this new sonar work.

The next thing you'll want is a TV
so you can see where you're going.

I wish I could see
where you were going.

The girl again?
Look, what's the big deal, Don?

Wes, I've seen you playing the field
ever since the academy.

This girl is different. She wouldn't
fit into a notch on your belt.

Don, may I never live
to borrow your Skivvies again...

...if I'm telling a lie,
but I didn't break up this romance.

No, I got her on the rebound
from Abbott. Are you satisfied?

Where does it say
in Navy regulations...?

Come on, they're waiting
for you out there.

A few days from now,
we'll be sitting around Wing Joe's...

...listening to Wes Barton telling us
all about how he won the war.

Single-handed.

Hey, tell us about it,
will you, Wes?

- Come on!
- Come on, Wes, tell us about it.

All right, listen.

There I was, right in the middle
of the Sea of Japan...

...surrounded by the entire
Japanese navy.

And all I had
was a pair of flippers.

- Pair of flippers, huh?
- Will you tell us how you did it?

Hey, Cinderella,
here's your magic slippers.

You men all ready?

We're all set, sir.

- How about time?
- Twenty minutes out, 20 minutes back.

No longer.
We'll surface in 40 minutes.

What's so special
about these particular mines?

The Japanese have done something
to them so our sonar won't pick them up.

We have to find out what it is.

We lost the Needle Fin
trying to get through these straits.

All right, let's make it.

Wes, you'd better hurry back.
You got a pair of my shoes.

I'm getting a new pair of heels
put on them.

You know how it is,
being dragged out of bars.

- Just the thing for water polo, huh?
- You're not kidding.

- What happened to him?
- Too much, too long.

Get him below.

Where's Barton?

He was with Cordice and Smith.
Cordice, isn't Barton with you guys?

I thought he was with you.

Hey, Barton!
Wes!

That guy couldn't drown.

We'll go back after him.

Barton!

- Lines secured, sir.
- Very well.

Radar contact on the starboard bow.
Bearing 0-2-5.

- How far?
- About 3000 yards.

Range closing fast.
Could be a destroyer.

- Hey, Barton?
- Landon!

We'll have to dive.

If you cut your engines,
they'll never find us in this fog.

They may have us
on their radar already.

We've got to bring him in!

What's the position
on that radar report now?

Twenty-five hundred yards.
Range closing fast!

Wes!

- Clear the deck.
- Captain, I see Wes!

- Where?
- About 100 yards out!

I see him, sir!

- I think.
- You, get below.

Barton! Wes!

Clear the bridge.
Lookouts below.

- What about Wes Barton?
- Two thousand yards!

We can't do anything for him now.

Hatch shut! Take her down fast,
5-7 feet.

Ready all tubes.
Stand by, forward and aft.

- Left, full rudder.
- Left, full rudder.

Green board, pressure in the boat,
main induction shut and locked.

She's heard our sounds.

Close the board.

- Battle stations, torpedo.
- Battle stations, torpedo.

Man battle stations, torpedo.
Man battle stations, torpedo.

Range opening.

Bearing.

Mark.

Bearing 2-5-0.

Final bearing and shoot.

Stand by, aft.

Tubes aft ready and standing by, sir.

Bearing.

Mark.

Bearing 2-5-0.

Fire seven.

- Seven fired electrically, sir.
- Fire eight.

Eight fired electrically, sir.

Got them!

High, fast cruise
coming in on us, captain.

- Stand by, forward.
- Stand by, forward.

Final bearing and shoot.

All tubes ready, sir.

Bearing.

- Mark.
- Bearing 3-5-8.

Fire one.

- One fired electrically, sir.
- Fire two.

Two fired electrically, sir.

- Missed them.
- Scope down.

Flood negative.
Take her down.

They're over us now, sir.

Rig for depth charge.

All compartments, rig ship
for depth charge.

- Fire in the forward engine room.
- Lay aft, Don. Check on the fire.

We've lost main control, sir.
Screws have stopped turning.

Take over, Paul,
I'm going to Control.

- What's our depth?
- Two hundred feet.

What's it look like?
Have we lost them?

Can't even hear them now, sir.
Sonar power's off.

Ask Maneuvering
about those shafts.

Maneuvering, Control.
What's the condition of those shafts?

Fire's out in the engine room.

Full power restored
in the maneuvering room.

About Barton...

...there was nothing else to do.

Thanks, honey.
You pulled me through again.

How's that?

That's Mabel. It's my girl.
She brings me luck.

If she pulled you through,
she pulled me through.

She pulled us all through.
We all ought to kiss her.

Mon ch�rie, you are so beautiful.

I must kiss you.

At least if you kissed her
on the cheek...

Come on, Freddy, give her a kiss.
She won't bite you.

- Sure, Freddy.
- Come on.

- Never mind. You're my boyfriend.
- Hey!

Look out!

Come on, now.
Cookie, give me the picture.

- Oh, baby!
- Oh, come...

Give me the picture, Cook!

Okay, Landon. Let's talk.

What I've got to say to you
can't be said to a commanding officer.

Spit it out.

You have my permission.

You haven't served with me before.

Do you think I enjoy
letting men drown?

No, captain.

But by now, I suppose
you've got yourself convinced...

...that this hurts you
more than it did him.

I don't happen to think
you had to let him die.

Someday, you may have
a command of your own.

If you wanna take a chance
and risk an entire crew...

...a ship and a mission
for one man...

...that'll be your decision to make.

This one was mine.

If you'd cut your engines,
then they might not have found us.

Maybe not.

We'll never know, will we?

There was no time
to figure the odds.

I had to rely on experience
and instinct.

Right or wrong...

...I decided to play it safe
for the 85 men on this sub.

Tell me...

...what did your instinct
tell you about this?

In that split second,
did instinct remind you that Barton...

...might be waltzing your girl
around the base?

I've had time to consider my decision.
I still think it was right.

If you were wrong,
could you admit it?

Even to yourself?

If you think I made a personal decision
that cost Barton's life...

...you have my permission to report it
to the squadron commander.

I can't do anything about it,
and you know it.

I can't prove a thing.

- About this girl...
- Leave her out of this.

I gave you permission
to speak, Mr. Landon...

...so I intend to forget
this conversation.

Come on, Freddy. Let's go.
Cut the cake.

- I said, leave me alone.
- Blow out the candles.

- I said, leave me alone.
- Blow out the candles.

- Go on, blow them out.
- I told you, leave me alone!

It was an accident, sir.
We planned a little party for Freddy.

He's 19 today,
and it's his first time out.

I had the cake already, sir.

We figured to go ahead
and try to cheer him up.

Only I didn't wanna
be cheered up, sir!

I figure that after
what happened today...

...we shouldn't have a birthday party.

We should have a wake.
Back where I come from, that's...

He's kind of broken up, sir!

He was on deck, and he claims
he saw Lt. Barton just before we...

I did see him!

You probably did.

Port back, full.
Left, full rudder.

All stop.

I can only say that I feel the loss of
Lt. Barton as keenly as you both do.

But according to your report, Casey...

...you did the only thing possible.

Well, let's hope the mine
you brought back...

...will give us a real clue to getting
through the Tsushima Straits.

We're covering a few dozen
dummy mines...

...with the same rubber and acetate
coating on the Japanese mine.

When we get the report
from the lab...

...we'll try to fix our sonar
to pick them up.

There's another way to do it, sir.

Japanese freighters are going
through those straits every day.

We could follow one and chart
a mine-free channel for ourselves.

We lost the Needle Fin trying that.

We're not sure how we lost
the Needle Fin, are we, sir?

Let's try it my way for now, Casey.
We'll see how the sonar tests go.

Aye, aye, sir.

Anything else?

I'd like to talk about my officer-personnel
situation, if I may, admiral?

Yes, sir.

Cmdr. Abbott.

Case!

I was afraid you wouldn't come.

- You've heard about Wes?
- Yes.

I talked to Landon.

Somehow, I feel it's all my fault.

Everything's such a mess, and I...

Let's get out of here.
I'll sign out.

I've got a jeep.

Take over for me,
will you, Frankie?

You knew I was fresh out
of a bad marriage when we met.

I wanted to be sure this time,
so I played it safe...

...until I knew
that you were Mr. Right.

But then you gave me that line
about wartime marriages.

I wanted a wife and kids,
not a widow and orphans.

Sure.

Then I began to think maybe you were
playing the South Sea circuit.

- You knew better.
- How could I know?

Did you give me a postdated check?

So I got sore.

What really happened...

...is that I got scared, unsure.

I had to prove to myself
I could still circulate.

You proved it with Wes Barton.

Well, he was the guy
all the girls whistled at...

...and just about the nicest guy
I ever knew.

But it wasn't love.

Not for him, or for me.
We both knew that.

I should have known it.

I should have come and found out
while I could do something about it.

That's what I'm trying to say.

What happened out there
had nothing to do with you and me.

It's Landon, isn't it?

He didn't come right out and say so,
but I knew what he thought.

It's crazy, Case.

Don't you see? He doesn't know you.
Don't you see how crazy it is?

He's right about one thing.

I can't take up
where Wes Barton left off.

I'd never feel right.

And if I forgot, there'd be
people and faces to remind me.

You? What about me?
What about us?

I don't care about people.

You have to live with people.

You have to work with them,
fight beside them.

It does matter.

I guess you'd better
take me back, Casey.

Take in two and three.

Take in four.

Leave her around. Easy on one.

All back, two-thirds.

How much longer are we gonna play tag
with these dummy mines, sir?

Until we get the bugs
out of that sonar gear.

- The Army may be in Tokyo by then.
- Try telling the admiral that.

Clear the bridge!

Can you interpret that hash?

No, sir.

Would you say
there were mines out there?

No, sir.

Well, there are.

It looks more like fish
or seaweed to me, sir.

Does that sound like seaweed?

- No, sir.
- All stop.

All stop.

Let's hope we're not hung up again.

- All back, full.
- All back, full.

- All stop.
- All stop.

- All ahead, one-third.
- All ahead, one-third.

- Right, full rudder.
- Right, full rudder.

- It's working, sir. It's working.
- What did you do to it?

I just remembered. I cut in
the new circuit the lab gave us.

If it keeps on working like this,
we've really got something.

Looks like a mine coming up,
starboard side.

- Rudder amidships.
- Rudder amidships.

- Steady as she goes.
- Steady as she goes.

Take over, Landon, and run the field.

Aye, aye, sir.

- Matches.
- He made it again.

- I'm telling you, he shaved the dice!
- Stop him, somebody!

- I bet you five more it comes out.
- Come on, dice!

- Use the cup, Carroll.
- Come on. Blow.

What do you mean, "blow"?
Come on.

I got a six. How are we doing
on sixes, Freddy boy?

- Just a minute. I have to figure it.
- What's with this pencil-and-paper bit?

What do you mean,
"how are we doing on sixes"?

It's simple mathematics. It's...

- What do you call it, kid?
- Combinations and permutations.

What's with this
"combinations and permutations"?

Look, Freddy keeps tabs
on the numbers. We know the odds.

If it ain't come up much,
it's due to show.

Otherwise, it's a sucker bet. See?
Combinations and permutations.

I don't understand
combinations and permutations.

You're okay on sixes.

- How come he knows so much?
- Never mind. Carroll, shoot the dice.

He knows all about science too:
Radar, electronics, sonar.

He knows more about these sonar
tests than all you put together.

He was explaining
about these mines...

Look, either you shoot the dice
or get off...

All right. Come on.
Fade me. Fade me.

All right, shoot already.

- Bets.
- Bets.

Six it is.

After we clean out the Japs, Freddy and I
are gonna take our system to Las Vegas.

- Ain't we, Freddy boy?
- Sure.

- Shoot the dice.
- Fade me.

- You got it.
- Here we go.

Five more, it comes.

Is that floating crap game
still going on?

Afraid it's chronic, sir.

- Who's winning?
- Carroll.

He claims he's using science.

Well, I have to break it up,
but I don't have to catch them at it.

I'm going forward, Charlie.

- Forward room.
- Yes, sir, captain.

Suppose we're going
through an enemy minefield...

...like into Tokyo Bay.

What's this?
A kind of crap game?

No, sir.

Freddy was just explaining to us
about the sonar tests.

Well, go on, Freddy.
I want to hear this too.

These nickels, dimes and quarters,
they're the mines in the bay.

But a clear channel has been left...

...so a Japanese harbor pilot,
having a chart...

...can guide friendly shipping through
without running into the mines.

Only we don't have a chart,
so if we try to get through...

...we run into the mines.
Then we all get killed.

Go on.

That's all, sir.

One thing...

...if this is supposed
to be one of our ships...

...you turned up snake eyes.

Snake eyes are supposed
to be bad luck.

Isn't that right, Carroll?

If you say so, sir.

I'm glad to see you're all up on your
sonar lessons, but don't overdo it.

Commence reload drill.
That'll relax your minds.

Feels like we're riding up
on another cable.

Secure that fish!

- All stop.
- All stop.

Push it back, fellas!

Doc! Doc! Somebody!

Doc! Come on.

The skull is badly fractured.
There's no chance...

...unless we get him
right back to base.

Ring the conning tower.

Paul?

Sonar and radar still out?

They will be for two or three hours.

What's our visibility?

What's visibility?

Tropical storm coming up.
Visibility less than 100 yards.

I'm coming up.

The boy can't live unless
we get him to base hospital.

Prepare to surface two main engines.

If we surface, we risk
a collision in this squall.

If we lay until that gear is fixed,
he'll be dead.

But there are four other destroyers,
three subs...

...a minesweeper
and five PT boats up there.

It's a big ocean.

- What would you do, let the boy die?
- No, sir. I wouldn't.

I'd take a chance to save a life.

I think you made the right decision.
This time.

Ready to surface below.

Surface.

- How's that boy doing?
- Still in a coma, sir.

Casey, your dummy-mine tests
have helped us a lot...

...but I'm taking you off them
for a special mission.

You'll have sealed orders
aboard the Starfish in an hour.

Yes, admiral.

About my exec, Lt. Cmdr. Landon?

- You say he is a good officer?
- Yes, sir.

Any reason why he shouldn't
go out with you?

No, sir.

Good.

Then hop to it,
and lots of good luck, Casey.

Thank you, sir.

The captain would like to see you
in the wardroom, sir. Right away.

Steering course 2-5-0. Going ahead
on standard, on four engines.

- You have the Con.
- Aye, aye, sir.

We're on a special nine-day assignment,
proceeding to the island of Saishu-to.

Let's see, that's almost 60 miles
southeast of Tsushima Strait.

That's right. We're to knock out
the island so it can't be used as a base...

...when we make our breakthrough
into the Sea of Japan.

Arrange a small landing party,
one officer.

I'll take the party, captain.

I don't think that's a good idea.

As second-in-command,
it's right that I should lead the party.

In the event of trouble,
I might have to abandon...

...the raiding party
in order to save this boat.

Yes, sir.

It's a question of your confidence
in my judgment.

I understand exactly
what you mean, sir. But it's my job.

I don't think I should
ask anyone else to take over.

Very well. Pick your men.

- No other orders.
- Yes, sir.

- Prepare to surface on battery.
- Prepare to surface on the battery.

- How does things look up there?
- No Japs, plenty of installation.

- Ready to surface below.
- Surface.

We'll surface for you at 2230.

Good luck.

Those explosions are going off
ahead of schedule.

Prepare to surface on the battery.

- One man's missing.
- They got Carroll.

There they are, captain.
Close aboard, starboard.

Clear the bridge!

- Air shut! Take her down, 6-0 feet!
- Aye, aye, sir.

They've got us zeroed in.

We can't stay down here any longer.

Landon says the pumps
can't keep up with the water.

No sonar, no radar.

And only five miles from
the Sea of Japan and those minefields.

We'll just have
to take her up on guts.

Let's have a quick look around first.

Paul, have a look at this.

Landon, there's a Japanese
merchantman heading into the straits.

- Quite a temptation.
- We were supposed to avoid contact.

I'm not sinking her,
just following her through.

But our orders, captain.

My orders don't say anything
about a situation like this.

And we can't radio for new ones.

Here's our chance to log every inch...

...of that channel,
right into the Sea of Japan.

Didn't Prentice tell you that there
was no suction in the bilges...

... and the pump's burnt-out?
We can't get any speed...

...because the battery's too low.

This tub I'm watching can only do
about 7 knots. We'll limp along behind.

Clear the torpedo room.
Leave a volunteer there...

... to keep the leak stoppers in place.

Put on any air pressure you need
to keep the plugs in.

Aye, aye, sir.

We'll follow this baby all the way in.

- All ahead, two-thirds.
- All ahead, two-thirds.

Clear the torpedo room!

It gets rough in the straits.
You're needed up in the conning tower.

You mean it gets rough in here
if those plugs pop.

- I can handle that job.
- But I want you outside.

I'm gonna close this hatch.
Keep up the air pressure.

I'm going to need plenty of it.

Mark the time, Paul.

One hour, 14 minutes
since we started our transit.

- Another 15 minutes, we should be at...
- Captain.

Forward reducer just let go, captain.
Shut that valve!

All stations, put Mr. Landon on.

All stations, put Mr. Landon on.

This is Landon in the forward room.
The room's under pressure.

Landon, when I want you to volunteer,
I'll tell you. How are the plugs holding?

I can keep them in if Control
gives me back the air pressure.

One plug just let go!

Charlie, how are you coming
with the air?

We're working on it, but I can't hold it
at periscope depth much longer...

...with that torpedo room flooding.
- How much further, Paul?

According to DRT, two minutes
and we're through, with no gravy.

Landon, you've got to hold on
for two more minutes.

Con, Forward Battery.
Forward torpedo room flooding fast.

We're losing the bubble, captain.

We'd better quit with what we've got.

Prepare to surface, four main engines.

- Ready to surface, four main engines.
- Surface.

We're out of the straits.
Here's the chart.

Talk about bringing home the bacon.

A clear channel
into the Sea of Japan.

Could change the whole course
of the war.

Right, full rudder. All ahead, flank!
Battle stations, gun action!

Abandon ship! Open all deck hatches!

Over here! Come on!

Somebody give us a hand.
Bring that boat!

Hunter Seven,
calling Red Dog Two...

...spotted life raft, picking up survivors.
Have ambulance ready. Over.

- I'll take over, Frankie.
- All right.

You have to get some rest.

I don't want to sleep,
dream or wake up.

Sixty men trapped below
with the sea rushing in.

And the lucky ones that escaped,
burning in the oil, riddled by bullets.

Oh, Case.

Those weren't just casualties.
I knew them.

I knew about their families,
their plans.

- Do you know what I feel?
- Yes, I do know, Case.

When you were overdue,
and I thought you weren't coming back...

...I imagined every awful minute of it.
Don't you think I know?

How are the others?
Charlie, Landon, Chick?

They'll be all right.

You have a slight concussion.
You have to stay a little bit longer.

I have a slight concussion,
and 60 men are killed.

That ought to earn me a Purple Heart
with 60 clusters.

- An investigation, sir?
- An inquiry into the loss of the Starfish.

Naturally, I had to report that the captain
carried out the action against my advice.

- I understand, sir.
- But the charts you brought back...

...is a mighty welcome form
of insurance.

The hearing is set
for 10:00 tomorrow.

The doctor says Abbott should be
on his feet by then.

Adm. Lockwood,
I understood when I first shipped out...

...as Cmdr. Abbott's exec,
that it was a temporary assignment...

...that I was in line
for a command of my own.

In fact, I thought when the Sea Ray
returned from the China Sea...

Your last commanding officer
turned in a report...

...which makes it impossible for me
to recommend your assignment.

My last...?

Do you mean Capt. Abbott, sir?

But what was the nature
of the report?

Is the report subject to review, sir?

I'd prefer it, Landon, if you discuss
the matter with Capt. Abbott first.

Yes, sir.

Well, sir,
the admiral made it quite clear...

...your report stands in the way
of my command.

Yes, I'm sorry, Landon.

Yes, sir. I was hoping
you'd tell me about it.

- Don't you know?
- No, sir, I don't.

If it's because of the way I talked to you
after Lt. Barton's death...

...I'll admit it was improper.

But you asked me to "spit it out. "
I recall your words.

My criticism had nothing
to do with that.

I reported that you
were an excellent executive officer.

- Courageous, alert, skillful and efficient.
- Yes, sir?

I also remarked you
were not equipped for command...

...because you seemed
incapable of making...

...the sometimes painful decisions
required in an emergency.

Now I understand, captain.

I doubt that, Mr. Landon.

I think you're a man who is ruled
by personal emotion...

...and you attribute that behavior
to everyone around you.

Until you overcome that, you'll be unfit
for the responsibility of command.

Yes, sir.

Since you seem determined
to be proper today...

...I might as well say the rest of it.

I know what you think
of the Wes Barton episode.

You think that out of remorse
and sentimentality...

...I risked the Starfish and crew
in order to save Freddy Warren.

And now you think that for reasons
of personal ambition...

...I risked the passage of the straits...

...and lost my boat and men.

You said it, captain. I didn't.

But it's what you think, Landon.
And that's what I mean by your inability...

...to interpret the decision of command
in anything but personal terms.

And until you grow up...

There's an inquiry into the sinking
of the Starfish tomorrow morning.

If you still think
you have a case against me...

- I'm sorry.
- What is it?

Freddy Warren. He's conscious
and asking for you. He's very weak.

I'll see you tomorrow, captain,
at the inquiry.

Hi, Freddy.

I wondered where the fellas were.

Carroll and Jug...

...Benny.

Well, we've been out
on a mission, Freddy.

But you're back now.

They'll come now?

Yeah. They'll be coming to see you.

I wanted to tell you
something, sir. It's...

It's about Lt. Barton.

That day, my birthday...

...what I thought about you...

I wanted to tell you, sir,
I was wrong.

It's been on my mind a long time.

- I understand, Freddy.
- No, sir. I have to tell you.

I know what you did for me.
Risking the ship just for me.

That's how I know
I was wrong about you.

It's been on my mind.

It's very important...

Important...

Come on, Case.

- It's funny, in a way.
- How do you mean?

He said it.

I took a chance to save him.
I wouldn't take a chance to save Wes.

He didn't say that.
You're twisting it.

It's what Landon's
been believing all this time.

It's not the same.
When the boy was hurt...

...you didn't have the whole
Japanese navy bearing down on you.

Of course you took a chance
to save him. Anybody would have.

I don't know anymore.

I don't know how I'll ever know.

Previous testimony has established
that you were without radar or sonar.

And at this time,
you sighted a Japanese merchantman.

Are these facts correct, captain?

Capt. Abbott?

They are, sir.

Captain, your operation orders
said nothing...

...about a mission through the straits.
- No, sir. Nor did they preclude it.

You are aware Adm. Lockwood
advised against any such attempt?

Yes, sir, but that advice
was based on other circumstances.

Tell us, then, what were
the circumstances that prompted...

...your transit of the strait,
in the wake of this merchantman?

Yes, sir. Knowing that we planned
to invade the Sea of Japan...

...and appreciating the value
of a chart through the minefield...

...I decided that the weather,
the time of day...

...and the evident lack of Japanese
surveillance all justified the attempt.

I considered it a target
of opportunity...

...and within my discretion
as a commanding officer.

Did you take into consideration
that your vessel was already damaged?

I concluded the damage
was not so extensive...

...as to interfere with the mission.

As to the air-pressure failure...

...that didn't enter the picture
until I was fully committed.

- Is there anything else, captain?
- I should point out that I lost my boat...

...after maneuvering successfully
out of the strait, into the open sea.

I had no radar as a result of damage
on my original mission to Saishu-to.

It was just bad luck.

- Is that all, captain?
- No, sir.

I request it be entered
into the record...

...that I was successful in bringing back
a chart of the minefield.

- Any other questions?
- No.

Thank you, captain.

Mr. Landon,
this is an informal inquiry...

...but anything you say
will be entered into the record...

...and may become, subsequently,
a foundation for a charge...

...against Capt. Abbott.
- Yes, sir.

Did Capt. Abbott consult you,
as his executive officer...

...before undertaking this foray?

I was in charge of damage control
at the time, sir.

The captain merely announced
his decision to me.

Did you express an opinion?

- Yes, sir. I tried to protest.
- On what grounds, Mr. Landon?

On the grounds
that a transit of the strait...

...seemed to exceed the permissible
scope of our assignment.

But you are aware now
that Adm. Lockwood...

...never expressly prohibited
such a mission...

...and that Capt. Abbot
was unable to radio for instructions?

Yes, sir. I'm aware of that.

Mr. Landon, I know
this may be distasteful to you...

...but as next ranking officer,
I must ask you...

...do you have any reason
to believe that Capt. Abbott...

...was guilty of any negligence
or dereliction of duty?

Sir, that's a conclusion...

...that you're asking of me,
not facts.

You may express a conclusion,
but I must ask you to be candid.

I'm sorry, sir. I cannot answer that.

Do you wish to bring forward any facts
which will assist this board...

...in reaching a conclusion
about Capt. Abbott's action?

Facts?

No, sir.

No other facts.

You know, Casey,
in conditions of war...

...the line between initiative
and heroism on the one hand...

...and recklessness
and dereliction on the other...

...is sometimes hard to draw.

There's the report of the Board of
Investigation in the loss of the Starfish.

They concluded
that your actions were justified...

...and they've recommended
no further proceedings.

I'm glad, Casey.

I want you to know
that I agree with their conclusion.

Thank you, sir.

You don't seem very pleased.

I understand the final briefing
for the Sea of Japan takeoff...

...is scheduled
for sometime this afternoon.

Yes, and I want you to be there.

I have no command, sir.

Well, the Sea Ray is back
from the China Sea.

Yes, sir?

It was Adm. Nimitz's suggestion
that you take over its command.

The Sea Ray. That's the boat
Landon expected to get.

I'll have a talk with him.

You be at the briefing this afternoon.
If Landon is there, he's your exec.

Aye, aye, sir.

Gentlemen, the admirals are here.
Attention on deck.

Good evening, gentlemen. Carry on.

All right, Bill, go ahead.

You Hellcats are shoving off at dawn
in three groups, gentlemen:

Hepcats, Polecats and Bobcats.

Now, we have calculated your time
of departure to permit an ETA...

...at Tsushima Strait at zero hour,
based on a speed of 13 knots.

Rely on your new sonar.

In case of mechanical failure,
you have Capt. Abbott's chart...

...on a clear channel
through the minefield.

Once in the Sea of Japan...

...all Hellcats
are to reconnoiter their areas.

How have these areas
been assigned, Lockwood?

Bobcats will lay off Honshu...

...the Polecats off Korea,
and the Hepcats off Hokkaido.

You are to remain unseen
until sunset of June 9.

Is that clear, gentlemen?

That will be the hour
for commence firing.

You mean from here on, admiral,
it's every cat for himself?

You're to torpedo or gun
everything in sight:

Freighters, trawlers, even sampans.

Why the wait until we start
popping them, admiral?

Intelligence figures the Japanese
know something is brewing.

We don't want any single unit
to be spotted...

...until you're all in position
to go into action simultaneously.

You are to rendezvous on June 23...

...west of La P�rouse Strait
and make your exit.

Any questions, gentlemen?

Now Adm. Nimitz would like
to say a few words.

With the help of the men in this room,
we have beaten the Japanese back...

...from the very shores
of Hawaii and Australia.

From Guadalcanal,
from the Philippines, New Guinea...

...the Gilberts, Solomons,
Carolines and the Marianas.

We have retrieved the vast empire
they sought to plunder.

But we cannot achieve victory...

...until we isolate the home island
from their main source...

...of coal, iron and food
on the continent of Asia.

It is your mission, gentlemen, to
demonstrate to the Japanese people...

...that even their
warlord's private lake...

...is fair fishing for the American Navy.

So make it a big show.
And remember...

...this time, we're reaching for victory.

Good hunting and Godspeed.

Well, sir, this is it.

- Hi, Helen.
- Hi.

- How's young Freddy doing?
- Well, he's doing much better, I think.

Case, how about
buying me a cigarette?

- Sure. I'll see you onboard.
- Aye, aye, sir.

- Hey, what about me?
- Well, take your pick.

- It must be a big push this time.
- The admiral told me not to tell.

The admiral should have
told me not to worry.

I thought we settled all that,
about you and me.

It won't stay settled, Case, not until
you tell me you've stopped caring.

Still beating your chest about Wes?

Well, I guess I didn't have
much to say after all.

What are you going to do
after the war, Case?

I've told you a hundred times.

I want to hear it once more.

I'm going into the surplus business.

I'm gonna buy up all the old mines
and sell them to the man in the moon.

There's no water on the moon.

How do you know so much
about the moon?

I know a lot about it.

I spend all my time
looking at it when you're away.

That's how it still is with me, Case.

It's time for me to go now.

It looked like the fountains
at a French palace.

We couldn't have picked a better place
to surface. It looked like we were in...

Did I interrupt something?

I was just telling them how we
lost the Starfish on your last patrol.

If you're done with your coffee
and done telling war stories...

...would you mind
making up a position report?

Aye, aye, sir.

Mr. Landon probably didn't tell you
about his own part in that last patrol.

He preformed a great bravery.
He's a fine officer.

We're ready for
the transit of Tsushima, captain.

Can you give me a fix? What do we
hear from the other boats, Foley?

All communications are shut off
till H-Hour, June 9, sir.

Keiki-do bearing, mark!

Peak bearing, mark!

Charlie.

We'll make our transit by the chart.
Depth 1-2-0.

1-2-0 feet, captain.

We're at the halfway mark, captain.

Mines ahead, sir.

I thought this was too easy.
No mines or surface vessels. How far?

I can't tell, captain.
Blips are coming in all over the place.

- They must be packed solid.
- Rig for depth charge.

All compartments, rig ship
for depth charge.

- All stop.
- All stop.

- All back, two-thirds.
- All back, two-thirds.

- Rudder amidship.
- Rudder amidship, sir.

Mine cable scraping down the
portside of the after battery, captain.

- Left, full rudder. Port stop.
- Left, full rudder. Port stop, sir.

We're clear, sir.

The Japanese must have shifted
their minefield pattern.

- I hope the rest of our subs caught it.
- Destroyer screws coming in fast.

How deep can I go
under those mines?

Two hundred and fifty feet.

Rig for silent running.
Rig for depth charge.

Rig for silent running
and depth charge.

- 200 feet, Charlie.
- 200 feet.

Put her on the bottom.

When are they gonna give up?

I think they're gone, sir.
Can't be sure, sonar's out.

How long to fix it?

I don't know.
I don't know what's the matter yet.

No sonar, an unreliable chart,
and they know we're down here.

How long can we run at 200 feet?

All the way.

Take her up to 200 feet. Maybe
we can sneak in under that minefield.

Charlie, take her up,
200 feet.

Captain.

According to the DRT chart,
we're through.

Well, I'd better check it with AVICs.

- Bring her up smartly. All ahead, full.
- All ahead, full.

We're through, all right.

The pond's lousy with them!

I'd sure like to get one of them now.

When the time comes,
we'll get them all.

Down scope.

Japanese freighter
off the port bow heading north.

And it's sunset, June 9.

Now man battle stations, torpedo.
Man battle station, torpedo.

Range, mark.

1-2-0-0 yards.

- Gyro matched and ready.
- Heave!

Final bearing and shoot.

Fire one.

- One fired electrically.
- Fire two.

Two fired electrically.

- Bonsai!
- Up their kilt!

Final bearing and shoot.

- Bearing, mark.
- Bearing 1-0-4.

Fire four.

- Range, mark.
- 900 yards.

- Angle on the bow, zero.
- Down-the-throat shot.

Final bearing and shoot.
Bearing, mark!

1-3-5.

Fire seven.

- Seven fired electrically.
- Fire eight.

Eight fired electrically.

Got them.

Sounds like another can astern
of us, captain. Coming in fast.

- Range, mark.
- 700 yards.

Final bearing and shoot.

- Bearing, mark.
- Bearing 1-8-2.

Fire nine.

- Nine fired electrically.
- Fire 10.

Ten fired electrically.

Missed. Take her down deep.
All ahead, full.

All ahead, full, sir.

She's above us now, captain.

- Fire in the IC board.
- What's our depth?

Approaching 250 feet, captain.

All ahead, one-third.

- Go below and secure everything.
- Aye, aye, sir.

- Course 0-1-0.
- Course 0-1-0, sir.

Charlie.

We're gonna hug the coast at
8000 yards and cut sonar detection.

Aye, aye, sir.

- Foley, go see how they're doing.
- Aye, aye, sir.

They'll do all right, captain.

Oh, brother. I'm so tired
I'm breathing from memory.

- What did we catch, Bob?
- About 15,000 tons.

- Five AKs. Two destroyers.
- Not bad for a few days' work.

Mr. Altman to the conning tower.
Mr. Altman to the conning tower.

Pardon me, captain. I broke these
dispatches from the other boats, sir.

Sea Tiger got three AKs, one
1500-ton destroyer and three luggers.

The rest bagged 22 vessels
and one submarine. 70,000 tons.

Captain.

Very well.

Landon's got something on the sonar.
He wants me to come up.

- No word from the Sandfish yet?
- No, sir. I'm afraid they got her...

...otherwise, she would've
come up on the circuit.

What do you make of this?

Our charts don't show any
nets at La P�rouse.

Could be. If it is, it looks like there's
a beautiful hole 0-1-5 relative.

- Right, full rudder. All ahead, two-thirds.
- Right, full rudder. All ahead, two-thirds.

Looks like a bull's-eye, captain.

Con, Maneuvering. Something just
hit the starboard prop.

- All stop.
- All stop.

Stern planes is jammed.

Stern plane's jammed
and out of commission, captain.

- All back, two-thirds.
- All back, two-thirds.

Diving officer says we can't
hover here any longer, captain.

We'll have to surface to fix it.

That destroyer is still up there
looking for us.

- Prepare to surface, on battery.
- Prepare to surface, on the battery.

Well, there are only three of us
onboard to do the job.

You two are out. Send the diving gear
with the phone to my stateroom.

- Landon, take over.
- Aye, aye, sir.

Ready to surface below.

Surface.

Any luck, sir?

How long have I been down?

Twenty minutes.

Can't get it.

What was that, sir?

I'm caught in the wire.

Captain.

May I send a man down to help you?

No, I think I'm getting it.

Japanese destroyer coming in
from bearing 0-7-0.

Distance, 4000 yards.

Captain, destroyer. 4000 yards.

Take her down. I'm stuck.
I can't get loose.

No! Fulton, get into your gear.

Aye, aye, sir.

- I'm ordering you. Take her down!
- No, sir!

Destroyer now at 2000 yards.

There are 81 men onboard this sub.
They're your responsibility.

Clear the deck!

Run!

- Hatch secured.
- 6-0 feet.

- Man battle stations, torpedo.
- Man battle stations, torpedo.

Stand by, forward.
Stand by, one and two.

Tubes full at Con. Stand by, forward.
Stand by, one and two.

One and two ready
and standing by, sir.

Final bearing and shoot.

Bearing, mark.

- Down scope.
- 3-0-0.

- All tubes ready, sir.
- Fire one.

One fired electrically.

- Fire two.
- Two fired electrically.

If he got free of the cable,
there should be a chance.

Aft to torpedo room, Con.

Aft to torpedo room, aye.

Any sound from the clearing cables?

No, sir, the cables are clear.

Up scope.

Wait a minute!

There he is.

- Prepare to surface on the battery.
- Prepare to surface on the battery.

- It's Abbott. He's out there.
- Ready to surface below, sir.

Surface.

Landon.

Are we through La P�rouse yet?

Yes, captain, we're through.

All boats accounted for
except the Sandfish.

Course 0-9-0.
We're headed home.

- About this morning...
- I'm just glad you surfaced.

- It was a long swim back to Guam.
- I think there's more to say than that...

...about myself.

I've been wrong about a lot of things.

- We've both been wrong.
- No, sir, I want to say it.

Suddenly, I saw things
a lot differently...

...when I had to take over.

You'll make
a good commander, Don.

Thank you, sir.

If you take command of the Sea Ray,
I'll need a new boat and a new exec.

Of course, I'm gonna need
a best man too.

That's a pretty personal thing, Don.

That's the way I'd like it, Case.

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