The Pacific

Relief Cook:
[Seeing maggot in the food he's just served to a marine] Look at it as meat.

PFC Robert Leckie:
Wanna know why we're here?

PFC Lew 'Chuckler' Juergens:
Mm-hmm.

PFC Robert Leckie:
[thinking for a while] Without a sign, his sword the brave man draws. And asks no omen but his country's cause.

PFC Robert Leckie:
[Writing a letter to Vera Keller] Dear Vera, it seems a lifetime since we met outside Saint Mary's. This great undertaking for God and country has landed us in a tropical paradise, somewhere in what Jack London refers to as "those terrible Solomons." It is a garden of Eden. The jungle holds both beauty and terror in its depths, most terrible of which is man. We have met the enemy and have learned nothing more about him. I have, however, learned some things about myself. There are things men can do to one another that are sobering to the soul. It is one thing to reconcile these things with God, but another to square it with yourself.

PFC Robert Leckie:
[reading a letter from home] "P.S., your mother would like to know if you want us to send you your dress blue uniform." [they all laugh] Must think we get a lot of fancy dress balls around here.

PFC Wilbur 'Runner' Conley:
Hey, if we have one, can I be your date?

PFC Robert Leckie:
*You* are ugly. I want Hoosier.

PFC Bill 'Hoosier' Smith:
[casually] Take a number.

R.V. Burgin:
[at Burgie's stop, he looks out the window at his family] There's my little brother. No sign of Florence.

Merriell Shelton:
[reassuringly] Melbourne's a hell of a long way, Burgie. It'll take Florence a while to get from Australia to here. [Burgie turns to go, Snafu speaks hesitantly] Thanks. [he turns back] For doin' all you did to keep us from gettin' our fool heads shot off.

R.V. Burgin:
You're good marines. [they smile at each other and he leaves]

Tom Smee:
[at the newspaper office] You made quite an entrance, Bob. The whole room is buzzing.

Robert Leckie:
Hope they meet their deadlines.

Tom Smee:
We're all mighty proud of you. Proud of all you soldiers.

Robert Leckie:
[with a slight smile] I was a marine.

Tom Smee:
Proud of all of you. [pause] So, now you're back. I'm guessing you're here for a job.

Robert Leckie:
[confidently] That's why they made you the editor. I'll take my former position.

Tom Smee:
You still want to cover local sports?

Robert Leckie:
Yep. To start with. [Smee raises his eyebrows] Here's why: that guy you got writing the column right now... he's got no snap, no style. The prose just lays there like spilled ink on newsprint. You need to send him to obits and give me his desk.

Tom Smee:
I do?

Robert Leckie:
For the sake of the paper.

Tom Smee:
[humoring him somewhat] And when did you see me demoting him and hiring you?

Robert Leckie:
Today's good.

Tom Smee:
Today?

Robert Leckie:
Urban Catholic plays Dombosco Prep this afternoon. Kick-off is at three, so... [picks up a pad and pen from the desk] I'd better get goin'. [gets up and goes to the door]

Tom Smee:
Shouldn't we talk about salary?

Robert Leckie:
Ten dollar a week raise'll do it.

Tom Smee:
I will give you seven.

Robert Leckie:
[cockily] I'd have taken five. [he leaves]

PFC Sidney Phillips:
[driving Eugene home from the train station] What d'you remember about Mary Huston?

Eugene B. Sledge:
Mary Huston?

PFC Sidney Phillips:
Yeah.

Eugene B. Sledge:
*The* Mary Huston? Well, like everybody else in Mobile, I was in love with Mary Huston

PFC Sidney Phillips:
Well, that's too bad for you, 'cause she's marryin' me.

Eugene B. Sledge:
[sarcastically] Yeah, sure she will. The minute she goes blind.

PFC Sidney Phillips:
Well, I asked her. She said yes. So you're just gonna have to deal with it, brother.

Eugene B. Sledge:
You're saying that Mary Huston is gonna be Mary Huston Phillips?

PFC Sidney Phillips:
[happily] In the eyes of God and the law.

Eugene B. Sledge:
Well, what am I gonna hear next, that Martians landed downtown, are settin' up a hotel?

PFC Sidney Phillips:
I want you to be my best man.

Eugene B. Sledge:
If you think that I'm gonna stand at the altar and lose Mary Huston to the likes of you... [Sidney starts laughing] well, hell yes! [he honks the horn excitedly]

Edward Sledge:
[on a hunting trip with Eugene] Been lookin' forward to this morning for a long time. Just the two of us and a grand morning. [Eugene begins to hyperventilate and sits on the ground] Eugene?

Eugene B. Sledge:
[he begins to sob] I'm sorry. I can't.

Edward Sledge:
[embracing him] It's all right. You don't have to apologize to me, Eugene. I reckon the dove population's gonna be mighty happy this morning. [Eugene gives a small laugh]

Merriell Shelton:
[Leering to a pretty girl on the train] How about I take you to the back of the train and show me your caboose? [She slaps his face]

Merriell Shelton:
Are my eyes yellow?

Sgt. Stone:
Are my eyes yellow?

Sgt. John Basilone:
You wanna live? Get off the beach!

[as Basilone rouses the platoon for an early-morning training exercise]

PFC 'Steve' Evanson:
How come we're the only ones runnin' like this every damn morning?

PFC Charles Tatum:
Make us the best.

PFC 'Steve' Evanson:
Shut up. I'm so sick of this sh*t. I just want to get out there and slap a Jap. [Basilone overhears this and walks down the line to Evanson]

Sgt. John Basilone:
What did you say?

PFC 'Steve' Evanson:
I said I wanna slap a Jap, Gunny. [the platoon chuckles; Basilone pauses for a bit]

Sgt. John Basilone:
"Slap a Jap." Well, how 'bout it, boys? I bet you all wanna do more than "slap a Jap."

Marines:
Yes, Gunny!

Sgt. John Basilone:
"Slap a Jap"... that's what the enemy is to you, huh? A f***ing buck-toothed cartoon dreamed up by some a**hole on Madison Avenue to sell soap! [he roams up and down the line of Marines] Well, let me tell you somethin': the Jap I know, the Japanese soldier, he has been at war since you were in f***ing DIAPERS! He's a combat veteran, an expert with his weapon. He can live off of maggoty rice and muddy water for weeks and endure misery you couldn't dream up in your worst nightmare! The Japanese soldier doesn't care if he gets hurt or killed, as long as he kills you. [he returns to Evanson] Now, you can call 'em whatever you want, but never, ever fail to respect their desire to put you and your buddies into an early grave. IS THAT CLEAR?

Marines:
YES, GUNNY!

Sgt. John Basilone:
Why aren't you in your full packs? Gear up!

PFC Robert Leckie:
[strolling around drunk, he sees Stella getting onto a tram] Hey, beautiful! [she smiles at him and the tram pulls away, and he runs after it]

PFC Sidney Phillips:
Oh, what the hell's he doing? Where's that tram go?

Girl in Bar:
That's the Preston line, he'll end up in Perth!

PFC Sidney Phillips:
Oh, hey, hey Leckie, c'mon!

PFC Lew 'Chuckler' Juergens:
Leckie, what the hell! [they chase after him]

PFC Robert Leckie:
[on the tram, pushing his way between people] Excuse me, sir, ma'am, I apologize. Excuse me. [he sees Stella and grins]

PFC Sidney Phillips:
Hey, Leckie! [Leckie turns quickly and falls at Stella's feet]

PFC Lew 'Chuckler' Juergens:
Whoa! Attaboy, Leckie!

Stella:
Proposing already, Yank?

PFC Robert Leckie:
[flirting] I'm proposing that you take a walk with me, you never know what the future may bring.

Stella:
You know what 'take a walk' means?

PFC Robert Leckie:
Oh... [chuckles awkwardly] ma'am, ma'am, ma'am - miss, miss, I'm a foreigner on your shores, forgive my ignorance of your customs, but... my invitation remains an offer.

Stella:
[considers, then smiles] You're a bold one sotted, let's see you in the light of day. [she writes down her address and gives it to him. Chuckler and Sid watch from the doorway] Collect me at home. Being sober would be a plus. [she gets up to leave the tram] I'm Stella, in case you were wondering what to call me. [Leckie grins and bows proudly to his friends]

PFC Sidney Phillips:
Well, you've got guts, Leckie. You'd better laminate that piece of paper.

PFC Lew 'Chuckler' Juergens:
Thank you very much! That made my night. That made my night!

Merriell Shelton:
[sees Eugene reading a letter and looking troubled] Eugene? [he doesn't answer] Gene?

Eugene B. Sledge:
[distantly] My dog died.

Merriell Shelton:
[sits beside him] I'm sorry.

Eugene B. Sledge:
He was a good dog.

Merriell Shelton:
How old was he?

Eugene B. Sledge:
Got him as a pup 'bout nine years ago, maybe ten.

Merriell Shelton:
[studying Eugene's face] They say dogs live, what, seven years to every one of ours? [Eugene doesn't say anything, and Snafu leans against his shoulder]

Pvt. Hamm:
[also with a letter] My brother was on the Bunker Hill.

Merriell Shelton:
[sarcastically] Wow.

Pvt. Hamm:
[angry] Ship got hit by two kamikazes. Five hundred guys died, a**hole. [Snafu looks abashed] How the f*** can they do that? Fly themselves into a ship?

Merriell Shelton:
[with irony] Emperor is God. Duty to God.

Pvt. Hamm:
They can't f***in' surrender?

Eugene B. Sledge:
I hope they don't. [Hamm and Snafu look surprised] I hope we get to kill every last one of 'em.

[Eugene and the others have been firing on an approaching group of enemies soldiers; he guns down a lone man after being told to cease fire]

2nd Lt. Mac:
I told you to cease fire, what are you doing?

Eugene B. Sledge:
[coldly] Killing Japs.

2nd Lt. Mac:
You just gave away our goddamn position!

Eugene B. Sledge:
I think they got a pretty good idea of where we are.

2nd Lt. Mac:
I told you to cease fire, you're supposed to be observing - I see you with a goddamn sidearm!

Eugene B. Sledge:
[yelling furiously] We're all sent here to kill Japs, weren't we? So what the hell difference does it make what weapon we use? [gets close to Mac's face; through gritted teeth] I'd use my goddamn hands if I had to.

Merriell Shelton:
The only thing that matters up here is killing Japs.

Merriell Shelton:
Drafted? What kind of Marine is drafted?

[after the Marines have just been accidentally shelled by their own artillery]

Merriell Shelton:
This is f***ing bullshit! I ever find the f***ing F.O. that called that arty, I'll shoot him!

Eugene B. Sledge:
Sons of b*tches'll just do it again.

Pvt. Hamm:
Why did they shell us?

Eugene B. Sledge:
Because some a**hole officer read a map wrong, and nobody gives a sh*t about us. There IS no goddamn reason!

Merriell Shelton:
Saw you readin' last night.

Eugene B. Sledge:
My Bible?

Merriell Shelton:
Writin', too. Ain't supposed to write sh*t down, you know. Gives the Japs valuable intel if they find it.

Eugene B. Sledge:
Guess I won't show it to 'em, then.

Merriell Shelton:
[he grins] Got a smoke? [Eugene hands him two cigarettes] Thanks, Sledgehammer.

Cpl. R.V. Burgin:
"Sledgehammer." I like that.

PFC Bill Leyden:
[in mild disgust] Jesus Christ.

Merriell Shelton:
Don't worry, we got a nickname for you too, Bill Leyden. We call you Ball-Peen Hammer. Like a little hammer, for a little man.

PFC Bill Leyden:
All right, "Snafu." Sh*t... 'n' ass... f***-up.

Merriell Shelton:
Little joke from the little man. [they all smile]

Capt. Andrew Haldane:
History is full of wars that were fought for a hundred different reasons. But this war. Our war. I have to believe that it's all worthwhile, because our cause is just.

Capt. Andrew Haldane:
History is full of wars that are fought for a hundred different reasons. But this war, our war... I have to believe that every step across that airfield, every man that is wounded, every man I lose... and it is all worthwhile, because our cause is just.

PFC Sidney Phillips:
[sees Eugene, who has just landed on the island, wandering around. He grins] I don't believe it. [he runs over and tackles Eugene] Something's wrong! Something's very wrong if you made it through boot camp!

Eugene B. Sledge:
Gimme a break, you old greaser, come on! [they wrestle]

Capt. Andrew Haldane:
[approaches with another officer] Get up off my deck.

Eugene B. Sledge:
[the boys jump to their feet and stand at attention] Captain Haldane.

PFC Sidney Phillips:
Sir.

Capt. Andrew Haldane:
What's this about, marine? Some rite of greeting new to the corps?

PFC Sidney Phillips:
[nervously] Yes, sir. I mean, no, sir.

Capt. Andrew Haldane:
[to Eugene] Who are you?

Eugene B. Sledge:
Private Eugene Sledge, sir.

Capt. Andrew Haldane:
You fellas know each other, or is this some kinda conflict resolution?

Eugene B. Sledge:
Old friends, sir. From Mobile, Alabama, sir.

Capt. Andrew Haldane:
Mobile?

PFC Sidney Phillips:
Yes, sir.

Capt. Andrew Haldane:
[amused] Old friends, huh?

Second Marine:
That explains it.

Capt. Andrew Haldane:
As you were. But try not to dislocate a shoulder or break an arm. We need both you men healthy.

Eugene B. Sledge, PFC Sidney Phillips:
Yes, sir.

Eugene B. Sledge:
Sid... what's it like?

PFC Sidney Phillips:
[after a pause] I slept with a woman in Melbourne. I'm not braggin', but that's at one end, right? [points down the beach] And then way down there, as far as you can go, that's what it's like. And that... that you can never imagine.

Eugene B. Sledge:
Okay.

PFC Merriell 'Snafu' Shelton:
[sitting and watching the other men scrubbing out drums] You a**holes are gonna miss cleanin' out oil barrels pretty soon. You gonna be humpin' up some f***in' hill... [he lights a cigarette, despite being beside a 'no smoking' sign]... or across a beach, Japs pourin' sh*t for fire, pissin' your pants, cryin' boo-hoo, wishin' you were back here with nothin' asked of you but to scrub oil outta drums.

Bill Leyden:
[angrily] Why don't you grab a brush and give us a hand?

PFC Merriell 'Snafu' Shelton:
F*** that sh*t, I scrub drums for no man.

Eugene B. Sledge:
Can we take a break?

PFC Merriell 'Snafu' Shelton:
Do whatever you want, this ain't my detail. [the others look at each other incredulously] I was supposed to dump y'all off here and report back to the C.P.

PFC Robert Oswalt:
Then why're you still here?

PFC Merriell 'Snafu' Shelton:
[smirking] I like to watch the new guys sweat.

PFC Robert Leckie:
[in Leckie's 'library,' he sees Sledge picking up a Bible and chuckles] Now that explains it. You're a believer.

Eugene B. Sledge:
Yes.

PFC Robert Leckie:
OK, question: God created everything, right? The heavens, seven seas, Marine Corps... [gestures to the sleeping Runner] Sleeping Beauty there...

Eugene B. Sledge:
[chuckles] Even him.

PFC Robert Leckie:
Land crabs, rats, mosquitoes...

Eugene B. Sledge:
Mosquito's a little tough to understand, I guess.

PFC Robert Leckie:
God created Japs too, right? [Eugene's smile fades] Yellow slants who've tried to kill me on many occasions. Japs come from the garden of Eden too?

Eugene B. Sledge:
Well, what we do is up to us. He gives us a choice.

PFC Robert Leckie:
Free will, right. 'Cept he's God, of course, so he knows what we're gonna do before we do it.

Eugene B. Sledge:
Predestination.

PFC Robert Leckie:
So the whole game is fixed by the will of Gramps on his throne while we're down here for what? His entertainment? That makes us chumps, or God's a sadist and either way, I got no use for him.

Eugene B. Sledge:
So what do you believe in?

PFC Robert Leckie:
I believe in ammunition. [Eugene chuckles] Tell you what, though - since I'm not on speaking terms anymore, next time you're havin' a chat with the old geezer, can you ask him to sink a few Jap transports and have 'em all fall on their bayonets so I can get the f*** out of here and go home? Sure would appreciate it. [Eugene turns to leave and puts the Bible back] You go ahead and keep it. Don't know what I have it in the first place.

Eugene B. Sledge:
No thanks. [goes to the mouth of the tent] Got my own. [holds it up and leaves]