The Fighting 69th

Left, hut.

Left, march.

Left, hut. March.

One. Come on, number 47.

Detail, halt.

One, two, three, four. One...

Eyes left, boys.

One, two, three, four.

Left.

Detail, halt.

One, two, three, four...

Right, face.

Recruit detail to be sworn in, sir.

Major Donovan. Recruit detail to be sworn in, sir.

You are about to take the oath of allegiance to your country

and to a regiment that in hard battle on many fields

has earned the nickname, "The Fighting 69th."

No man has ever let the regiment down. Don't forget that.

Now raise your right hands and uncover. And repeat after me.

Take your hat off!

- I... - I...

Say your names.

...do solemnly swear... ...do solemnly swear...

...to bear true faith and allegiance... ...to bear true faith and allegiance...

...to the United States of America. ...to the United States of America.

That I will serve them honestly and faithfully...

That I will serve them honestly and faithfully...

...against all their enemies whomsoever.

...against all their enemies whomsoever.

- That I'll obey the orders... - That I will obey the orders...

...of the President of the United States...

...of the President of the United States...

...and of the officers appointed over me...

...and of the officers appointed over me...

...according to the rules and articles of war.

...according to the rules and articles of war.

- So help me, God. - So help me, God.

All right, Corporal.

Right face.

Forward hut.

One, two, three, four.

Column right.

Can you read that?

I say, can you read that?

Only the letters. I don't know what it means.

Go on, read the letters.

"B" is for Brooklyn, "Y" is for Yonkers, "Q" for Queens, "H" for Harlem

and "X" marks the Bronx.

Come on. Get moving.

- Open that shirt. Over there. - Thanks.

That's a funny crack, ain't it?

Breathe deeply.

Hey, you, I been all through this before over in the Armory. What's the big idea?

- Oh, really? What's your name? - Plunkett. What's yours?

Put Private Plunkett on report. "Addressing medical officer as

"Hey, you." Insubordination. "What's the big idea?"

- Yes, Major. - Major?

You're in the army now. Stand up. Breathe.

I'm sorry.

Roll your sleeves up, way up!

Ouch!

Fine bunch of soldiers, can't even take a little pin prick.

It ain't that. It's the serum that makes you keel over.

What are you trying to hand me?

All right, keep moving, fellows.

Keep still, will you?

Just a little bayonet practice, buddy.

What? No backbone?

Get off that table!

- Does it hurt much, Doc? - Not much.

Oh, Mr. Doctor, please don't hurt me. Please.

Sir, I've already had these here shots.

Fine. You'll be twice as healthy.

Oh, I never saw such a mob in all my life.

Go ahead, Admiral. Shoot the works.

Thanks.

Four union suits, wool, long.

Union suits, wool, long.

Two shirts, OD, 16.

- Say, I wear only 14. - They'll shrink.

Britches, OD, 42.

- What do you mean, 42? - One hat.

What's the matter with you? I can't wear these pants.

- They're four sizes too big. - Next.

Hey, wait a minute, you.

Come on, here. Keep moving. Don't hold up the war.

But these pants are too big. They'll fall down.

That's your problem. Get going.

You big, thick donkey.

- What'd you say? - I said it was nice and cool out.

Come on, you fellows! Get out of it! Come on!

Rise and shine!

Come on! Get it together!

Roust out of there, dope heads! Rise and shine.

Come on, Cleopatra, vacate that couch!

So the lady says, "Can I help it if my son worries?"

Come on, shake a leg. Snap out of it.

Well, well, well, who's this darling little sleepyhead?

Beg pardon, but as a personal favor to Pershing,

- would you mind dragging out of here? - Go on, beat it.

Listen, are you gonna come quiet like or do I gotta...

Oh, it must be a nightmare. Go away, will you?

- Tell me. Do you know what that tune is? - Yeah, I know.

It's 15 minutes to reveille and I don't like it.

I don't like you, either. Now, go on, tell the Colonel he wants you.

Why, you big, Irish, no-good heel, you...

Smart guy.

One, two, three, four.

One, two, three, four. One, two, three, four.

One, two, three, four.

What's the matter, Plunkett? You got two left feet?

One, two, three, four.

One, two...

Come on up there, Wynn.

Squads, left about! Hey!

Close up there.

Squads right, hut.

Oh, that's beautiful.

A lot of baboons on roller skates couldn't do better.

One, two, three, four.

Bayonet exercise. Guard!

That elbow down, Wynn.

Ready. Thrust!

Ready. Thrust!

Ready. Lunge!

No, no, no, no.

What do you guys think you're doing? Tickling your grandmas?

Them's bayonets, not bodkin needles. Give me that rifle.

When you lunge, lunge.

Get him or he'll get you.

Stick him in the throat or in his chest, or in the belly.

Don't waste your steel, see?

And when you lunge, six inches is enough.

And if your bayonet gets stuck, don't put your foot on his chest.

Pull the trigger and shoot it out. Now, you got that, lame brain?

Come, on, snap into it.

Make believe that dummy's the guy you hate the most.

Ready. Lunge!

That's for you, Mike. How do you like it?

Inspection. Arms!

Order. Arms!

Wake up, Wynn.

As you were.

What's your name, lug?

Sure, me name's Mike Murphy, Sergeant Your Honor.

Well, stand fast till you get the orders to move.

Right.

- Did you say your name was Murphy? - I did, Your Worship, saving your presence.

- What were you born? - Sure, I was born a boy.

Pipe down.

- What name were you born with? - Mischa Moskowitz.

- Where'd you get the Murphy? - I took it.

You see, sir, I wanted to go over with the Fighting 69th.

Okay?

Okay, Mike. Oh, look at young Wynn. With a chest like a sparrow.

- Suck it in! Stick it out! - Hey, cut it out, will you, Mike?

It's Sergeant Wynn to you, and like it. I'll make a soldier out of you yet.

Now, one more thing.

Don't you fellows go wandering too far away after chow.

I've got good news for you.

Major Donovan's taking the battalion out on night tactics, with full packs.

Pipe down. Or you'll never get dismissed.

I'm sick and...

Fasten that collar! Suck in that gut! Try and look like a soldier! And you, too.

You're no privileged character. Heave those shoulders back!

Dismissed!

- What are you so tired about? - I don't know. Maybe you make me tired.

What's that?

I joined this outfit to go over there and fight,

not to stay around here doing "squads, east" for six months.

- Is that so? - Yeah. And another thing.

I ain't used to getting up at 5:30 in the morning

to take 25-mile hike and get pushed around by you.

And you don't like it, huh?

There's a lot of things in this man's army I don't like.

Well, now, that's really tough.

But I think I know what you need. A little diversionment.

Now, there's a great big pile of potatoes that needs peeling.

And you're gonna peel them and keep on peeling them

until we leave Camp Mills. Button up that collar!

Night tactics in this weather. Well, that fixes us.

Give me a cigarette, will you, soldier?

Look, Crepe Hanger, don't you ever buy any of your own?

For what? I'll take that match.

Do you know how many guys have died of pneumonia

on night tactics in the last 10 years?

What's the use of going out at night, anyway?

You can't see the enemy in the dark.

Quit your crabbing. It's all part of the game.

Yeah, some game.

Get shoved around by that Wild Bill Donovan

and that big, thick mick of a tough Sergeant.

Hey, listen, you. Lay off of that "thick mick" stuff.

Listen, flannel-mouth, I'll say what I please.

- And if you don't like it, I'II... - Hey, Wynn.

Keep away from that loud-mouth Plunkett.

He's a wrong soldier and he'll get you into trouble. Savvy?

All right. What are you sore about?

I might as well be in the cavalry. Yes, and a horse at that.

All I get is riding from you.