The Pacific

November, 1944-

Peleliu was an American victory,

But it came at great cost.

The 1st marine division lost more than 1/3 of their men,

Suffering over 6,500 casualties.

On Peleliu we... we were...

What I would call a bunch of raggedy-ass marines when that battle was over.

Ultimately general MacArthur

would not use Peleliu in retaking the Philippines.

Nor was the island ever used for any future operations.

Few would hear of the fierce battle fought on Peleliu.

Peleliu was a forgotten battle.

And I want it to be known that there was a battle there

And it was an S.O.B.

For every marine that was on there.

By February of 1945,

U.S. Forces were converging on a tiny island

Only 660 miles from the Japanese mainland.

Iwo Jima-

Eight square miles of volcanic rock and Ash.

But it held an airfield vital

To the planned invasion of mainland Japan.

We knew as marines if we landed on that island

That if we didn't get killed we could win that war.

But I was scared, yes.

To be perfectly honest about it, everybody was.

I don't know anybody that could claim they weren't scared.

30,000 marines landed on the beaches of Iwo Jima.

It was the only battle in the war

where American casualties outnumbered the Japanese.

A lot of good marines got killed there.

I think I was blessed by getting wounded

cause I probably wouldn't be here today

If I had stayed on.

cause there aren't many of us that got out.

It's a hell of a lot easier to raise money when there's a face behind it

And a heroic story attached to it like yours.

I don't feel like a hero, sir.

What kind of man would risk his life

Running much needed ammunition

Back and forth to his buddies on the front line?

John. - A fighting man like no other.

Sergeant John Basilone.

You have no idea what's coming at you.

Better keep your head down.

You can't dwell on it.

You can't dwell on any of it.

Sniper got the Skipper.

Captain Haldane? - Ack-ack... Ack-ack's dead.

You've gotta take more salt than this.

You're just depleting yourself, all right?

Are my eyes yellow?

Why would your eyes be yellow?

Come on, your old man's a doctor.

Look at my eyes.

Give it a rest, snafu.

Seriously.

I'm getting that yellow jaundice

That's been going around. I know it.

The heebie-jeebies.

It's hepatitis and you don't have it.

I'll catch a fever then turn inside out

Through my asshole like Carson in love company.

Come on, look at my eyes.

I'm dying, sledge. - Hey.

Hey.

Check out my eyes, Jay.

They look yellow?

I just got transferred out of king.

What?

Where?

Headquarters company.

It'll be all right, Jay.

Shit. You're just down the road.

Yeah, I'm just down the road.

Least I can do is buy you guys a drink at the slop shoot.

This is NBC,

The national broadcasting company.

Carlo works at a camouflage factory

And Angelo is a fireman at an army depot

In their home of Raritan, New Jersey.

Well, you brothers have a lot to talk over.

What do you say, Carlo?

Well, for one thing, I'd like to be out there fighting with Johnny,

Instead of making camouflage paint.

That's where you're wrong, Carlo.

Some guys have to fight, sure,

But some guys have to give us the stuff to fight with.

I'll never forget that day you left for overseas.

Johnny, remember?

All of us kids at mom's house,

And after putting away all that grub.

Ha-ha, that's right. You got up to go

And all you said was, 'goodbye, folks.

Be seeing you in the funnies.

And that's just what happened. - Yeah, sure sure.

Go ahead, Johnny. Tell us about the night you killed all those Japs.

Remember? You were out in the jungle, standing guard from 8:00 till midnight.

It was raining. - It had stopped raining.

My guns began throwing a lot of stuff

And plenty of stuff was coming back.

I was in charge of two sections of heavy machine guns.

While the enemy was hammering out our defensive positions,

We fought valiantly to check the savage and determined assault.

The fierce frontal attack-

Oh, this is good. - That's right.

Can I have some more?

Yeah, dad, I was so nervous.

I've never been more nervous. Let me tell you.

Hey, sweetheart, I was good though.

I sounded like a movie star, right?

I don't know. I was shaking like a leaf.

Of course, pa. Of course.

Moses said I sounded like a movie star. That's me, right?

I sound like that too, pa- the voice of an angel.

Oh, Johnny, we're so proud of you.

Ma, all I do is dress up and say what they tell me.

Well, everyone in America knows the family name

Because of you, Johnny. That's right.

I don't want everyone to know me.

But they do,

Because you're so special.

Hey, I get free drinks because of my hero brother.

How about that, huh? - That's right.

I love that, Johnny. - Yeah, me too.

This looks great, ma. What's the matter?

It smells good, ma. Thanks, ma.

What did I say? - Mom, he just needs some time.

That's all.

What can I do for you?

Sir, I joined the corps

Because I knew the marines were gonna be the ones

Who went in first and the hardest,

And that's how it worked out.

But I've been back more than a year, sir.

I've done what the corps asked me to do.

Well, that you have, John.

Well, I see your enlistment's up in six months.

I'll tell you what- I'll push through your discharge,

Let you go home now. - No, sir, that's not what I mean.

My home is the corps.

I just can't push pencils anymore.

Please, let me go back and train the new kids,

Let me help them the way I know how.

Sergeant Basilone,

You make me proud to be a ma.

Thank you, sir.

Sergeant Basilone.

They brought you back after Guadalcanal?

Yes, sir.

I was at Tarawa.

No war bond drive for me though.

I guess it's good to have another combat veteran training.

Where's the rest of the company?

I'm told they're coming in three days- a week.

What would you like to do until then, Captain?

Take it easy. Put your feet up.

Whatever you want.

Company. Fall in on your racks.

Shit.

Names. - Tatum, Charles. Private first class.

Evanson, Steve. Private first class.

Well, Tatum, Evanson,

Why do I find you in your racks in the middle of the day?

We've had no orders, sergeant.

So you've been doing what you've been told to do-

Nothing. - Aye, sergeant.

As of now you are the first machine-gun squad

In b company's weapons platoon.

Fall in for p. T., five-mile run.

Three minutes. - Aye, sergeant.

That's John Basilone.

Who the hell is John Basilone?

Jesus. Do you live in a cave?

The guy killed like 1,000 Japs on the canal.

The president gave him a medal. He's a hero.

Let's go. Let's go. Move. Move your ass.

You've got to go faster than that. The Japs are killing your buddies.

Get up that net. Move.

1500 marines waiting to follow you down that net.

The sea is pitching and rolling. It's not steady like this.

Now we're doing the range at 1400.

Go draw your weapons and stand by to move.

Aye, gunny.

The Jap banzai charge is right there.

They're coming, damn it. Hurry.

You drop that gun, I'll make you carry it

For one solid month.

Teamwork is the key to the marine corps machine-gun squad.

Set that pin on the tripod. - Shit.

Get that gun out of the dirt.

Sorry, gunny.

You drop your rifle in a firefight, you die, Tatum.

Drop that machine gun, fumble with a belt,

Your buddies die. Do you understand?

Aye, gunny.

You cannot fuck this up, ever.

Lives depend on it.

Is that clear? - Aye, gunny.

Break it down. Do it again.