Men of Honor

Thirty six hours ago, an American B-52 bomber crashed into the Mediterranean Sea.

Moments before impact, the bomber's crew

jettisoned a 50-megaton nuclear warhead.

The bomb, capable of leveling a major city, has been lost at sea.

Underway at this hour is the greatest naval search in human history.

What do you think, Sunday? It should be you out there, huh?

Why not? I'm the best goddamn diver in the whole U.S. Navy.

Well, you ain't in the Navy. You are a damn deserter.

Well, you ain't in the Navy. You are a damn deserter.

AWOL, AWOL.

Twenty years ago, a man'd go on a bender like that,

they'd pin a medal on his chest and take him down town for a blow job.

Instead, you got your ass kicked by a couple of Marines.

-On little sleep and in freezing water. -Ornery son of a bitch.

These unsung heroes of the deep don

unwieldy 250-pound suits. -Friend of yours?

Well, it looks like Chief here is a goddamn nigger lover.

All right, asshole. Now you're gonna start addressing me as Master Chief...

or I'm gonna snap your goddamn wrist, do you read me?

You ain't a Master Chief no more.

You triflin' me, motherfucker? You triflin' me, motherfucker?

-Sorry, Master Chief! -Thank you!

Plumbing the most hostile and unforgiving environment on earth...

-Carl. ... is all in a day's work.

And yet, even as Navy ships...

Come on, Carl.

Turn off Daddy's radio and get ready for school.

Whoa, John.

Come on there. Get a hold, John.

Get a hold, John.

Come on. Come on. Get up there, Jane.

Come on. Come on. Good girl.

Whoa, John.

Come here, Jane.

Come here.

Best come in now.

I told Doc Maddox I'd be done by Friday, and I will.

-Daddy, you actin' like... -This was my farm?

No, son. No matter how hard I work, I ain't ever gonna own this land.

I heard you and Mama talkin'.

You gonna lose the farm if this wheat ain't in on time.

Doc Maddox is gonna bring in another family, where the kids work too.

Ho!

My kids go to school.

Now, go on 'fore you're late.

I'm not going to school, Daddy. Not today.

Not till this field is done.

This field ain't ever gonna be done.

Daddy.

Today is Friday.

Come on, Tye. Come on, Jill. There you go.

Come on. Good boy, good girl.

There you go. There you go.

-Make me a promise. -Sir?

Don't end up like me.

All right.

We best get movin'.

Rain comin' in.

We best get movin'. Ready Jane, John.

Get up there! Come on!

Stay low, John. Get the hoe, John.

-Get the hoe! Come on. Get up there! -Get that hoe.

-Get the hoe, John. -Yeah, get that hoe, Jane.

Get that hoe, Jane.

Ha! Get that hoe, Jane!

Gee, Jane! Rah! Get up there!

Rah! Getup there! Come on!

Get up there! Ha! Get up there! Ha!

Ha! Getup there!

Come on, Carl. You'll miss the bus.

Ho! Ho!

Let's go, son. Your father's waitin'on us.

U.S. Navy's a big opportunity for a young man.

You got the hot showers. You got the three squares a day.

And unlike the Army...

All about the Navy. It's right here in this book.

And this is mine. I can keep this. They're just giving it to me.

-No fox holes in the Navy. -I wish I knew what I was gonna be.

Knowing you, it's gonna be something big.

It don't stop there.

He ain't said one word since we met the recruiter.

He's just real scared for you.

-Coloreds now. -First uniform is paid for by Uncle Sam.

-I love you, Mama. -I love you.

You'll be all right, son.

You got a $75 pay check just waiting for you.

Recruiter say first leave come in September.

I wouldn't believe everything that recruiter says.

Put it away for a rainy day or send it home to Mom and Pop.

I'll come back, help mow the hay.

Don't. Don't ever come back here.

You get in there and fight, Carl.

Don't take promises.

Bust their old rules if you have to.

And when it gets hard...

and it will...

don't quit on me.

Ever.

Now, go on.

Don't come back here.

Not for a long time.

Charge it when you get where you're going.

"A.S.N.F."

What's that supposed to mean?

Mm, mm, mm.

Come on, boy.

You got a big future...

in the U.S. Navy.

A big future!

Look here. I advise the next time you see this Navy recruiter,

tell him to take whatever crystal ball he's lookin' through...

and shove it directly up his ass.

I just got back from fightin'a war,

makin' the whole world free for democracy.

They still got me standin' here, slavin' over a hot grill next to you.

There's only three choices a colored man's got in the U.S. Navy.

What's that, Chief? Be in a cook?

Officer's valet.. -Are you listen' Carl?

... or gettin' the fuck out of the Navy.

Big future.

-Big future, I'll be doggoned. -It'll be all right, Carl.

That's it. That's it.

Ooh, hot, hot, hot.

Hell ain't got nothin' on the South Pacific.

Damn!

Whoo!

Geronimo!

Hold that.

Carl, what the hell are you doing?

Reckon I'm gonna take a swim.

Nigger, you crazy. Tuesday is colored swim call on this boat.

Well, I'm hot on Friday.

Carl, crackers see that nappy they...

What are they gonna do, make me wash more dishes?

Wait a minute now. Someone's all confused.

Better get your ass off this deck!

It is not Tuesday, son.

What the hell are you doing, boy?

-You can't do that, boy! -You're in some deep shit!

Wrong day, asshole!

All right. Make way!

Captain wants your ass back on the boat right now.

-He'll beat you! -Go, Carl!

Keep goin'! Go, Carl!

Let's go, Carl!

Beat him by a mile!

-Whoo! -Oh!

Okay.

You got anything to say for yourself?

Your response is noted.

You ever hear of the Search and Rescue swimmers? You know...,

sailor falls overboard, these men...

Dive in and save 'em. Yes, sir.

You just became one. I'm transferring you to their unit.

You're the fastest damn swimmer on this ship,

and you have got the balls to back it up.

Thank you, sir. I'll pack up and report to the deck department...

You're just there to swim. Nothing else.

Stay with the stewards.

Let him out.

Hey, Carl. You know, the only reason your ass ain't in the brig...

is 'cause you high yellow, boy.

-Damn! -Search and Rescue Squad.

Boy, you in good with Captain Pullman now.

Put in a good word for me, they might let me drive the boat.

"You're never gonna believe it, but yesterday...

I made Seaman, which is Navy for a glorified deck hand.

I'm still not sure what I'm gonna be, but I'll make you proud of me yet.

Anyway, Dad, sounds like the mail chopper's here, so I better get topside.

Give Mom a big hug for me. Your loving son, Carl. "

Good afternoon, Chief.

What the...

Mail chopper clipped a radio mast! He's down! He's down!

Splash a diver, now! Men on that chopper. I want 'em up alive.

Diver's coming up.

Bring it up. Bring it up!

Come on! Faster! Pull him up! Come on, Vince. Pull him up!

-Come on! Faster, faster! -Brashear, get on that steadying line.

Keep it up! Lay back into that! Keep it steady!

Keep it steady! Keep it steady!

Bring him in! Coming down!

Bring him down!

Sailors, get him up! On the hatch. Ready?

Come on.

Face down!

-No. -Goddamn!

If I'd just been a couple of minutes earlier, he'd be breathin'now!

You did your best, Chief Sunday. Lieutenant Hanks.

Sir.

-Complete the diving operation. -Yes, sir.

All right gentlemen, the copilot is still in the water.

Caughlin, it's your turn over the side. Bring that man home. Hat him.

Take Chief Sunday to the chamber for decompression.

Lay back on him. On the side!

Diver comin'up and over!

-Chief? -Drop the goddamn weight!

Drop the weight!

-Man overboard! -Stand by divers, you're in!

What the hell's going on?

Master Chief, we just lost Caughlin, sir.