Original subtitles

Sir, that puts you within three victories of Major Cannon.

The ace that comes through this thing number one is gonna walk away with it all.

He may be a big hero and a flying ace, but I don't like him.

You're the kind of girl that knows when a guy is really in love with her.

I'm coming out of this war number one and anybody

who doesn't believe that is gonna get hurt.

Major Cannon, seek on your tail!

Where is he? I was flying.

Yeah, I'm not supposed to know where he is.

I mean, he's not back here.

I'm hit!

Drew, Drew, Drew!

He better be all right.

Jeff's going in!

We are poor little lambs who have lost our way.

Known as the Gibraltar of the Pacific,

the Japanese-controlled port of Rabaul is the key to victory in the Solomons.

Strategically positioned on the northern coast of New Britain,

Rabaul's natural harbor and many airfields provide an island fortress

from which the enemy can launch his ships and

planes against our newly won towhold in the south.

But not with impunity.

Thanks to the Valiant efforts of our soldiers, sailors and marines,

the Japanese have been fought to a bloody standstill.

And now the Army Air Corps has joined the show.

Rabaul itself is reeling under the weight of American bombs.

This team effort makes it only a matter of time

until Rabaul becomes just one more stepping stone on the path to final victory.

For once that guy narrating the newsreels was right.

The name of the gang that December over Rabaul was teamwork.

And the black sheep were masters at it.

Stay with him, Harry. I've got you covered.

Why my tail?

Break it off! Scissors! Scissors!

In case he could have stayed on that seat and probably got him.

But not without jeopardizing his wingmen.

So he broke it off.

He's gone!

Two more after the bonus at seven o'clock. Let's go.

Black sheep leader, this is Little Beaver.

The bombs are gone, black sheep one. We're heading home.

Thanks, Peppy. We owe you guys a beer.

The sheep's pen's open 24 hours.

You can dump that barn door you're flying.

Come on in.

I might get it in, but I'd never get it out.

Ha ha ha ha.

P-Flight!

Last one to the sheep's pen bars a beer.

Well, I got three to one on me.

That ain't all you got on you, Boyle.

You're covered, Boyle.

Somebody said team efforts win ballgames.

I believe them.

In two escort missions, we're the heaviest defended port this side of Tokyo.

We had downed 12 enemy planes and hadn't gotten a scratch.

Hey, Larry.

Thanks, pal. Another couple of seconds. Old Rock would need a new manager.

That's another beer, yo.

Oh, I really appreciate it.

Where is the rock? I don't know.

I don't know.

Well, I don't believe it. I just don't believe it.

Believe it? Will you believe it?

Not one of these birds got a hole in it.

When you're hot, you're hot.

Ha ha! Just make sure you keep it that way.

Why did you learn how to fly, Amy? That makes 22.

Sir, that puts you within three victories of Major Cannon.

Me? Yes, sir.

Three victories? I didn't know that, sir.

Hey, Pappy, I got 50 bucks that says you can do it in a week.

Ha ha ha!

You'll do it in a couple days.

You may make major!

Congratulations.

Where? Right about here, south of Harbor.

I think one of the bombers got a piece of them.

No, no, no. Jeb got it. Jeb got it.

Yeah, but they were firing all around.

Are you kidding? Those army guys couldn't hit the broad side.

What I'm saying is that they're bombers.

They're not fighters, they're bombers, and they're good at that.

Bum the hell out of anything I ever saw.

Go take a shower and take a shake.

I'd serve with hot squadrons before,

but never with one as close as the black sheep.

There was no other word for it.

We were a family, and it felt good.

I haven't seen all since I left the state.

That's army flyboy stuff.

Figure they're lost?

How would I know?

Bishop, you still with me?

Right on your tail, sir.

We gonna put on a show?

Shows if a kid's out of flight school.

The only show I want to see is how well we can do this together.

Yes, sir.

Five bucks says they show off.

They'll try a roll or something.

Are you kidding?

The only thing those army guys know how to roll out of...

Zach.

I don't know.

They're looking pretty tight.

Jeb, why don't you go to the tower and find out, huh? Sure.

Break.

Oh, that's pretty.

But you guys glad you didn't take that back?

That wasn't bad.

This wasn't bad.

Come on.

Tachies.

You never guessed who's in those birds.

Pilots.

Not just pilots, but major bird Cannon.

Major Cannon? Cannon? Yeah.

What are you doing here? I don't know.

I don't know.

Bert.

And this is my wing man.

Would you say your name was Kid? Tommy.

Tommy Bishop.

How you doing, Tommy? Major Cannon.

Captain Nichols.

Real pleasure, sir.

Captain Nichols.

I read your report on the rebel raid.

Say, are you guys really that good or do you pay him to write that stuff?

What do you think? You pay him.

Come on.

I'm buying.

That's a fine-looking airplane.

Larry, give me a beer, please.

Yes, sir.

Hey, Frank, give me a beer, will you?

I'm sorry about dropping in unannounced.

I'm not permitted to call the head.

Pentagon orders.

Those brass heads afraid the Japanese might be monitoring our channels.

Make a big deal out of getting me.

How was your mission today? Not bad.

You want a drink?

Yeah, I'll have a beer.

Well, the B-25's plastered the harbor.

And nobody but the farm.

How'd you do?

You got two, sir. It gives him much money.

One, two.

That's great.

Black sheet.

Hotest squadron in the Pacific.

Ho-ho!

Hey, look at that.

If it did take a little help from the aircraft.

Hey, Bert.

I got to tell you.

I have never seen orders like these.

That's because it's the first time it's ever been done.

Hey, I wouldn't blame you if you were so browned

off for kicking my butt right out of here.

That's what I do.

If I was in your place.

I still may.

You see, the air car wants me to run up a score.

So they cut those orders to attach me to your squadron.

That's not what it says here.

It says you can float.

You can attach yourself to any squadron in the South Pacific.

Well, why us?

Greg, I'm a guy just like you.

I got a job to do.

Now, it may seem that a big part of that job has overtones of propaganda still.

It's my job.

I read the reports on Rabaul.

You guys are hot.

Shooting things out of the sky, left and right.

What can it hurt if I get in on a little of that?

It could hurt a lot.

The Black Sheep Squadron is a smooth running organization.

Now, I'm not going to jeopardize that so you can add to your score.

You don't have to.

I'll play team ball.

You're the captain.

Let me just stick around a little bit and take a

shot at whatever I can get and I'll be on my way.

What do you say?

According to this, I don't have any choice.

Hey, it's not the way I want to do it.

Yeah, maybe I'm coming down here just because you do want to do your job.

We got a low-level sweep tomorrow.

And I usually brief a half hour before we take off.

Oh, yeah, I made you.

Ha ha.

Off we go into the wild blue yonder,

climbing high in the sun.

Here they come, swimming to meet our thunder.

A tan hut! At ease.

What's going on?

Major Cannon, sir. He's just throwing a party, sir.

Those lightning, sir, they're terrific.

You know, they can hold two cases of scotch in the boomtail, sir.

It's all right.

I said at ease. You know what that means?

At ease? That's it.

This bar is closed.

Oh, you're more dangerous.

I said the bar.

One more drink. There's one more.

I'll give you a drink, boy.

What's the drink?

What's the drink?

Send the bars closed.

Get out of here.

Where's Brock? Brock! Brock! Major.

My fault.

That's my fault.

I will be ready.

Yeah. Go on, sir. We like it.

Sure.

Gosh, Greg, something really bothers me about that guy.

Oh, I don't know.

Brock!

He may drink a bit too much.

Party's over.

Break it up.

Tommy.

A little bit.

A little flying morning.

What about you, sir?

I'm gonna get some air.

I'm good.

Good night.

Dad?

Yes, sir?

Whatever you do, don't hit the oil sump pump.

Oil sump pump. Right, Sarge.

Stan!

How's you? I disappear.

To the next war!

I'm on my way, Sarge.

Get back in there, you idiot! Right, Sarge.

Anything you say.

What are you doing on my airplane?

Locking the controls.

Most parties don't appreciate how hard it is on a plane

to leave the controls unlocked on the ground.

Now, that's what I've been telling them college boys,

but they got wax in their ears or something.

You must be Major Cannon.

You must be Sergeant Micklin.

I've heard of you.

Me?

Word gets around.

In fact, you're one of the main reasons I'm here.

I am?

What I heard, Sergeant,

there isn't an air core mechanic worth lighting your cigar.

Some of those kids we got might be pretty good

at super nothing cheap when it comes to a P-38.

Hey, you got it.

Is that a fact? Yeah.

Oh, man. What a sweet-looking bird that is.

He'd be a lot sweeter if you could tune her up.

I know I got no right to ask,

but if you could take a little time, just a little, I'd sure appreciate it.

Well, why not? It might be interesting.

Good. Listen, anything you need, I'll fly it in for you.

24 hours, anything.

Anything? Name it.

A box of these cigars.

Uh...

I don't know, Sergeant.

That might take about ten seconds.

Go ahead.

Oh-ho-ho-ho-ho.

That's what's been missing around here, a little inter-service cooperation.

Hmm? Yeah.

Oh, man.

Look at that.

These recon photos show that the bombers nailed the tanker and damaged the dock.

They didn't even scratch the DEs.

They went up the slot last night,

and they shelled every beachhead in New Georgia.

Now, they can't go up for another 24 hours.

The army's down. They want us to take a low-level sweep into Rabaul Harbor.

Now, I figure it this way.

Come in from the sea.

Now, if we take them by surprise,

I figure that we can probably make two sweeps before the Zeke's get up.

What about the air-kick and the armor?

Yeah, and the ships.

Captain Casey will take B-flight.

I'll take A-flight. We go after the destroyers only.

Anything heavier?

Anything heavier, we won't even put a dent in.

Would you repeat that, Lieutenant French?

We'd go only after the destroyers.

Anything heavier, we won't even put a dent in it.

Would you repeat that, French?

One of these days. One of these days, French.

Not today.

A major Cannon.

He'll fly high cover in case there are any Zeke's

already up, but that's all right with you, Major.

Aye, aye, Major.

And I'll mount up you guys and take some oxygen.

It'll help you sober up.

One of these days.

One of these days.

Well, if you ever knows how loud Jeb runs,

the first guy that backfires a jug's really gonna catch him.

Oh, that's right. We gotta be starting up him loud and slow.

Don't feel bad. How do you think Major Cannon feels?

He's got to start up two of them. I'm sick.

Come on, this guy's a yuck, isn't he?

I watched Cannon and his wingman climb to their assigned altitude.

Those light beams could climb faster than anything I'd ever seen, including a zero.

After last night's blast, I was having second thoughts about Cannon.

Still, it felt good to have some high cover.

40 minutes out, there was Rabaul.

And remember, D.E.'s only.

Two passes, and home.

I'm hit.

Losing fuel. Door pressure's low. Injured and smooth.

I think I can make it home.

Don, take him home.

Roger. Break it off. Take it home, Jeb.

Black sheep lead a top cover. One Wheeler scored a little brother home. Over.

Roger. You got him.

French join up with me.

Let's get another run before the Zeke's get here.

Sir, appreciate that escort, Major.

Don't worry, son. We got you covered.

Bishop.

Here, sir.

I don't want to alarm that kid, but that smoke's

gonna attract zeros like blood attract sharks.

Switch back to channel one and stay off the radio.

Use hand signals if you spot him.

Remember, I don't want to panic that kid into losing it.

Let's get some altitude.

When they come, we'll have the edge.

Cylinder had tips in the yellow. She's starting to buck.

I think the plugs are fouling.

Major Cannon. He's there.

Major! Relax, kid. We just decided to get a little out of the two.

We're above and behind. Got you in sight.

Let's turn into a real cocktail shaker.

Can you make it to La Cala?

If it doesn't get any worse.

Minas uno, America jinga.

Unso! How's your oil pressure?

Still doping slightly.

Manifold.

Twenty-eight inches.

5 P.M. Steady and surging.

It's a slight surge.

I'll be calling S.C. Rescue. I've got a splash of coordinates.

0-7-1.

Dumbo on his way. ETA, 15 minutes.

Plenty of oil, Sarge.

This way. This way.

Well, I got two. Thanks to you, I swear. She's ten knots faster.

Why'd you wait? Why didn't you warn me?

I told you to keep radio silence. I told you to use hand signals.

Hey, that kid is dead. It's because of you.

You saw me blow that first seat with one burst. I was set.

All I had to do was kick Ray Rutter and that second seat was gonna go the same way.

Look at you. I had to yell.

The kid does.

Zeke went after him and butted my shot.

Like I said.

The kid is dead. It's because of you.

I didn't know.

Tell that to Lieutenant Pruitt.

Get out, Larry.

The booze. They're pouring it down by rote.

What's wrong? Nothing.

It's all so confusing. Just finding that out, huh?

We've been here a week.

A week? How'd you get to the Cannon's wingman?

Just lucky, I guess.

Casey's your guy, huh? Larry's mine, all right.

You're a good looking guy.

Sure.

Smart, too. I can see that. Yeah, real time.

Yeah.

Casey's your guy. It could have happened anywhere.

Uh, what could have happened anywhere?

You two fallen in love.

Um, what do you mean?

Well, some people fall in love under one set of circumstances.

They would never fall in love under another, you know.

The war would be together on an island. Stuff like that.

Circumstances.

The other kind of girl knows when that guy is really in love with her

and not just caught up in the set of circumstances.

So to speak.

If you guys want to learn something, listen up.

What we got here is a 12-cylinder, 1,225 horsepower engine.

The beard radiator is sandwiched between the

intercooler air intake and the old radiator intake.

Remember, these are liquid-cooled engines.

You gotta check your cooling levels,

otherwise the major and his wingman will end up in a drink.

If I'm not around when the major takes off, I want you to check it.

Licklin, what the hell are you doing?

Just a little familiarization course.

You men better familiarize yourself with 214 aircraft.

Now get going.

Stand.

This is my cockpit.

Where's Jeff's plane?

Oh, he didn't need a serial this morning, so I took it away from him.

How the hell am I supposed to know where he is?

I mean, he's not backing you?

No.

Where's Cannon?

The chief's been out there.

Where's Jeff?

He's probably flying.

Probably.

Something happened to Jeff? Yeah.

Dumbo picked him up. He'll be in the Spritos in about 10 minutes.

Why didn't you say something?

Because we can't find anything out until Air Rescue gets him to the Spritos.

Do I shake you girls up? Casey.

I know.

I know. On the radio.

He better be all right.

He will.

Major Boynton is not his fault. It's mine.

My job, to get the guy home, I take full responsibility.

But Major... No buts about it.

He is the leader.

And it is his responsibility.

Never gonna learn to keep your mouth shut.

Are ya? Greg.

I said Colonel Lott is checking on Lieutenant Pruitt's condition.

As soon as I hear something, I'll let you know.

But can we get back to the mission? Yes, sir.

We hit all five DEs in the harbor.

I don't know if we sunk any.

Well, did you damage them?

Sir, we hit them, but I don't know if we damaged them.

Greg, I'm on a recon mission over a ball before dark.

Today, sir? Yes, today.

I need it.

I have to know if those DEs are capable of running this lot tonight.

Yes, sir.

How'd you guys do? We got blessed.

Had we got two.

Twenty-four.

Did you have any trouble with Zeke's? Not coming in.

Going out, it was like a hornet's nest, sir.

Stand by, Greg.

Pruitt? Yes, sir.

Come on over here.

Hey.

How old are you?

Nineteen and a half, sir.

Sir, can't you call the infirmary?

I mean, with no due respect, Colonel Larder isn't exactly Speedy Gonzalez.

You weren't worried about me, were you, Major?

No, I'm not worried, Pruitt.

I just wanted to know if I need a replacement pilot.

That's all? Oh, yeah? I know what you mean.

Hey, thank Major Cannon and Tommy for hanging around till I got picked up.

Yeah, sure could. I'll thank you.

A replacement pilot, huh?

Sure am glad you could swim.

Gentlemen, this call's for a drink.

Yoo-hoo! Two pan.

See you later, Greg.

See you later.

Very pretty late.

Yeah.

I want to thank you for flying cap for Jeb after he went down.

Forget it.

Greg, how about letting me fly that recon mission? I'm flying it.

It's gonna be pretty hard over Rabelle, right? Probably.

Highest you can get is around 35, right? Mm-hmm.

My lightning's gonna get up to 45.

Zeke's gonna reach you if he can't reach me.

That's if you fly at 45.

What's that mean?

That means that I think it'll dive on the first Zeke you see.

It means that I think it'll blow this mission out of your score.

And that means that I'm flying it.

Micklin!

Get away from that fork-tailed bird and get a recon camera in my ship.

I was about as high as my charger could take me,

mushing through the thin air at over 35,000.

The view was spectacular.

It made me almost forget the war.

I was about 80 miles out when New Britain broke on the horizon.

That meant that the Japanese would be picking me up on radar.

I was counting on one lone Marine at 35,000,

not being worth coming after.

I was wrong.

It looked like I'd be able to make my run over

Rabelle and break for home before they reached me.

It takes a long time to climb that high, even for a zero.

That's why trying to intercept me didn't make much sense.

Then as I finished the run and banked for home,

I saw her, the biggest, fattest battle wagon I had ever seen.

She made the cruisers and destroyers around her look like canoes.

The Zeke still had 5,000 feet to go,

so I did another 360 to get a better look.

After all, it isn't every day you see a sight like this.

I decided to head straight for Expritos.

If General Moore was worried about those destroyer escorts,

he'd have a heart attack over this battle wagon.

Beautiful.

Beautiful?

It's the tornaga, sir.

No doubt about it.

And she's still leaking oil.

Do you guys mind telling me what this is about?

Sir.

One of our subs put a torpedo in her about a week ago off the marshals.

It wasn't enough to badly damage her, but she's leaking fuel.

We hoped she would put into a ball for repairs

and refueling before she returned to Japan.

Excuse me, General, but this morning,

you're worried about a couple of destroyer escorts.

When this mama's sign gets repaired,

it's gonna sashay down the slot and blow

everything out of the water, including the islands.

Not if we get her first.

How are we gonna do that? Simple.

You just take three steps back,

bend over and into the wall,

and then stand up.

That has got to be the dumbest trick I ever saw.

Yeah? Oh, yeah? Let's see you guys do it.

Are you kidding?

No, I'm not kidding.

Hey, anybody could do that.

Sam can do it, Nancy can do it, and I can do it.

But I bet you can't.

I'll take the bet.

Hey, son of a bet. Put your money away.

What?

A woman has built it from a man.

A woman's weight was all below her waist.

A man's is all above.

Simple for her, almost impossible for us.

Thanks. I owe you one.

What's a wingman for?

Yeah, it's right.

Hey, give this guy a drink and put it on my tab.

Thanks again.

Come on, French. You could do better than that.

Hey, man, do you need a light?

How long are you a flying lead man?

I don't fly lead. Casey does. I'm his wingman.

You were flying lead today?

No, no, that was Casey. Do you believe this?

Well, then you switch off every now and then.

What for?

Oh, nothing important.

I'll let my wingman fly lead every third or fourth mission.

It gives him some lead time, and it reminds me

of how rough that position is to fly, right? Yeah, right.

See you around.

Yeah, I'll see you, Major. Thanks.

Mary, do you love me?

Of course I love you.

If we were in, say, Toledo and there wasn't a war,

would you still love me?

I've never been to Toledo.

I'm serious.

Well, so am I. What kind of question is that? Toledo.

An important one. Are we doing what we're doing

because of the war or because you really love me?

Because I really love you.

Really? Yes, I'm sure.

I'm not.

I want to know if you love me because you love me

or if you love me because of the circumstances.

What?

Larry, I want to know if you would love me in Toledo.

What's all this stuff about Toledo?

Yes. Yes.

I would love you in Toledo.

We're going to talk about this.

Say we're in Toledo, and there's a dance,

and there are all these girls, and... Larry, what do you think?

Now, there's a couple of girls. Are you a daddy?

What are those fools doing?

Oh, they're losing a bet.

Hey, listen, I've been thinking.

How long has it been since you flew away?

What?

How long has it been since you flew away? I don't know.

I guess I've been thinking.

A year.

A year?

Well, listen, what if you fly away on the next mission and let me fly away?

Bobby, I have to speak B-flight later.

Hey, to me, how I can leave B-flight flying your wing?

Well, if we ask Pappy, he'll probably say it so.

No! I said no!

Why not?

Well, can't you understand the English language, huh? I said no.

Let's ask Pappy.

I said no!

Oh! I like that.

Thanks.

Thanks.

Who started it?

I started it!

When am I gonna finish it?

I'm flying tomorrow at 0600.

Oh, yes, sir. Tomorrow morning, 0600.

I'll inform the men, sir.

We're flying tomorrow morning at 0600.

What caused that? What caused that?

I think one major bird Cannon.

Look, I may be way off base, Greg,

but I know he's been feeding Ellie a lot of bullion.

Five minutes before this fight started, I saw him bending Bobby's ear.

Look, he may be a big hero and a flying ace, but I don't like him.

You sent for me, sir?

Major in flight school, they told us...

I can't hear what they told you in flight school.

How many of those stateside wife stealers are aces?

I don't know, sir.

How many of them are 27 kills? None, sir.

Right!

Out here is where you learn how to score, not shooting some rag target over Nellis.

Huh?

You're a very lucky kid.

You know that?

You know why?

Right? Yes, sir.

You still want to be my wingman? Yes, sir.

Okay.

I do the talking.

Yes, sir.

I do the leading.

Yes, sir.

I do the shooting.

Yes, sir.

Who does the talking? You, sir.

Who does the leading? You, sir.

Who does the shooting? You, sir.

I mean.

..

Why don't you get some fresh air?

Excuse me if I'm there.

You're dismissed.

Talk to the major.

You intercepted? Yeah.

Did you get any?

No.

You got blitzed.

Yeah, I guess according to your standard.

I got blitzed, but you know this isn't a contest.

Nobody gives any prizes.

Don't be naive.

It's exactly what it is.

The ace that comes through this thing, number one, is going to walk away with it all.

That's going to be me.

Or maybe.

But not on this rock.

Tomorrow, you're out of here.

Major, you're forgetting my orders.

I don't give a damn about your orders.

And I don't give you the number one aces back in the States.

In the 48 hours you've been here,

my executive officer and my wingman have gotten in a fight,

my hottest pilot's been shot down,

and my chief mechanic has a sore elbow from polishing your aircraft.

I want you out of here tomorrow morning.

Okay, just remember one thing.

I'm coming out of this war, number one,

and anybody who doesn't believe that is going to get hurt.

Keep pointing that .45 at me.

I'm going to play that somewhere where a surgeon's going to have to remove it.

Tomorrow, out.

Gentlemen, we know that the Japanese will send anything

up with wings to try and intercept our bombers.

During the night, the Navy moved the Lexington to here.

Torpedoes and dive bombers will come up from her deck,

come in under radar,

and when everything is up to intercept the bombers,

they should blow the tornaga right out of the water.

The bombers requested 214 fly escort.

When the carrier planes have made their attack,

bombers will break for home.

With a little bit of luck, you guys ought to have a field day.

Good luck, and fellas, good hunting.

On the flight line when we took off to rendezvous with the bombers,

but I knew Bert Cannon would show off somewhere along the line.

It was too big a show, not too.

Twenty minutes out of her ball,

I forgot all about Major Bert Cannon.

Looks like a plan's working.

Does it have to work that good?

Okay, see, take B flight and hit him.

I'll hold A flight here to catch what breaks through.

Remember our jobs to keep him off the bombers, men.

Amen, little brother, amen.

B flight break.

We weren't trying to score.

Just keep the Zeaks off the 25s.

Later, looks like the Navy got through.

Bob Baver's taking his Indians home.

Good luck and thanks.

Roger, armor's a glinger.

Now let's see if these rice balls want to hang around and play.

We were having a field day with Zeaks.

We got the Zeaks and the Navy got the Tanaka.

Coming to you, Craig.

That ties with Major Cannon.

I'm coming out of this war, number one,

and anybody who doesn't believe me is gonna get hurt.

His orders to me are no excuse, Major.

I was his wingman.

No matter what he said, I really knew better.

You tried to warn him.

Yeah, when it was too late.

Tommy, you didn't fly a P-38 into two zeroes.

Now, there haven't been too many guys that have

done that stunt and lived to talk about it.

You didn't kill them.

Whatever was driving them happened long before you two met.

I want you to remember that, son.

Yes, sir.

And thanks.

I won't forget you or the black sheep.

We won't forget you either.

See you around, kid.

Watch your holes in your tail, and it did come from no zero.

Huh?

Or a course there, either.

He's patching for me, huh, Andy? Hi, guys.

Hey, good to see you, Jeb.

He didn't say he was wounded.

Who did?

Jeb.

Jeb who?