:07:04
l know how that must have hurt, Doug.
:07:06
And then l looked down from our bridge
and saw our captain's palm tree.
:07:11
Our trophy for superior achievement!
:07:15
The Admiral John J. Finchley Award
for delivering...
:07:19
...more toothpaste than toilet paper...
:07:21
...than any other navy cargo ship
in the safe area of the Pacific!
:07:28
-Read this, Doc. See how it sounds.
-What is it?
:07:31
My application for transfer.
l've been rewriting it since l got off watch.
:07:34
-Another?
-This one's different.
:07:35
l'm trying something new.
A stronger wording. Read it carefully.
:07:41
''From Lieutenant J.G. Douglas Roberts
to Bureau of Naval Personnel.
:07:44
''April 16, 1945.
:07:47
''Subject: Change of duty request form.''
:07:49
-Boy, this is sheer poetry!
-Go on, Doc.
:07:53
''For two years and four months
l've served on this vessel as cargo officer.
:07:57
''l feel my continued service aboard can
only reduce my usefulness to the Navy...
:08:02
''...and increase disharmony
aboard this ship.''
:08:05
How about that?
:08:08
''lt is therefore urgently requested...
:08:09
''...that l be ordered to combat duty,
preferably aboard a destroyer.''
:08:13
l've got a chance, haven't l?
:08:17
Listen, Doug....
:08:19
You've been sending in a letter
every week for goodness knows how long.
:08:22
Every week, the Captain screams
like a stuck pig...
:08:25
...''disapproves'' your letter and forwards it.
:08:27
That's just my point, Doc.
He does forward it--
:08:31
The captain of a Navy ship is the most
absolute monarch left in this world.
:08:35
l know that.
:08:36
lf he endorsed any letters ''approved,''
your orders would come through like that.
:08:40
But ''disapproved,'' you haven't a prayer.
:08:44
You're stuck on this old bucket. Face it.
:08:47
lt's still a chance, Doc. lt's still a chance.
:08:52
l'm sorry you ever saw that task force.
:08:59
l've got to go down to my hypochondriacs.