Away All Boats

Commander Quigley:
Get this wardroom cleaned up right away, will you? This is most unappetizing.

Mess Attendant:
[sole spoken line by an African-American in entire film] Aye, aye, Sir.

Capt. Jebediah S. Hawks:
[after a poor gunnery exercise] Now hear this. This is the Captain speaking. You are to get down on your knees. Down on your knees, I say, and give thanks that that was only a 30-foot piece of canvas instead of an enemy bomber. I've seen ten-year-old kids shoot better with slingshots!

Lieut. Dave MacDougall:
Well, Sir, it took some doing, but we finally got our boats away.

Capt. Jebediah S. Hawks:
Yes, you got them away in exactly one hour and forty three minutes.

[pause]

Capt. Jebediah S. Hawks:
What are you waiting around for, MacDougall, a 'Well Done'?

Capt. Jebediah S. Hawks:
[to his officers on the bridge] Rehearsals from now on will be with troops. Please do not drown them. They are needed for future commitments to battle.

Capt. Jebediah S. Hawks:
Thirty-three minutes to hoist out all boats.

Lieut. Dave MacDougall:
It's better time than I thought we'd make on our first combat.

Capt. Jebediah S. Hawks:
I will not tolerate complacency on my ship.

Lieut. Dave MacDougall:
We have to stow the tank lighters on Number 5 hatch, Sir. They'll always be the controlling factor...

Capt. Jebediah S. Hawks:
I am the controlling factor aboard the Belinda. My ship's going to set speed records every time she goes into action. The Belinda's going to be the most efficient APA in the Pacific Fleet. Is that clear, Mr MacDougall?

Lieut. Dave MacDougall:
Yes, Sir.

Lieut. Dave MacDougall:
Command's one of the loneliest jobs in the world. Eating alone most of the time. Living from the bridge, to the chartroom, to an empty cabin.

Ensign Kruger:
He wouldn't be so lonesome if he were a little more sociable.

Lieut. Dave MacDougall:
He can't be sociable. Not aboard his own ship. No captain can. If he becomes too friendly, he may start relying on friendship instead of his own judgement. At that moment, he's no longer a good captain.

Capt. Jebediah S. Hawks:
[at a Kamikaze about to crash into the Belinda] Get away from my ship! GET YOUR FILTHY PLANE AWAY FROM MY SHIP!

Capt. Jebediah S. Hawks:
The singular duty of this ship is to carry a combat-loaded battallion landing team of some 1400 officers & men and land them together with all necessary equipment right in the laps of the enemy. You are going to learn how to accomplish this. Easily, I hope. Or, if you prefer, as painfully as you wish.

Lieut. Fraser:
[in reference to Captain Hawks] Old shipmate told me about him. He was skipper of a destroyer that was sunk in the Battle of Santa Cruz Islands when the Japs were trying to take Guadalcanal back. He kept that can's guns firing when she went under the water. He didn't get that Navy Cross sittin' on his bucket in Washington.

Ensign Twitchell:
Boski, where were you going? Why didn't you report directly to me? What are you doing aboard?

Boski:
I come after some batteries for the beach party transmitter.

Ensign Twitchell:
But that's a job for a radioman! You're supposed to remain on the beach to receive my signals! You deserted your post! Now exactly why did you come aboard?

Boski:
Mr. Twitchell, Sir, Mr. O'Bannion ordered me to get them batteries. Mr. O'Bannion is in command of the beach party. I'm in the beach party and do what Mr. O'Bannion tells me to do, Sir.

Ensign Twitchell:
But I'm the signal officer! I'm the signal officer!

[Boski turns and walks away]

Ensign Twitchell:
Boski! You come back here! How dare you walk away from me like that. Why did you do it? Answer me!

Boski:
Mr. Twitchell, Sir. If I stayed here when you talk to me like that, I'd just have to clobber you. So to keep from doing it, I walked away.

Ensign Twitchell:
But I'm an officer! I'm your superior officer! You disregarded me!

Boski:
You order me to stay and I'll stay here as long as you tell me to stay here, Mr. Twitchell. Sir.

Capt. Jebediah S. Hawks:
I assumed you, of all the officers aboard, would most understand my motives for having this sailboat constructed. I was mistaken, Mr. Fraser.

[exits]

Lieut. Fraser:
What's that supposed to mean?

Lieut. Dave MacDougall:
You're no veteran, not really. You've just put in a lot of time in this Navy.

Lieut. Fraser:
Now look, MacDougall!

Lieut. Dave MacDougall:
You look! You're closer to the crew than any other officer aboard, yet you're blind to what's been happening to them. The men have been coming unglued from too many months at sea. They'd lost their combat efficiency. They needed something to fix their hate on so that they'd stop fighting among themselves. The captain gave it to them. Himself, and this sailboat. You were worried about the boats being ready. They'll be ready, Mister. But more important, the crew will be ready.