Duty Honor Country
Active member
quotes from The Lost Battalion 2001 A & E
Lt. Leak: Morning Sir.
Maj. Whittlesey: We don't salut up here Lieutenant.
Lt. Leak: I'm sorry Sir.
Maj. Whittlesey: My officers of men shave everyday.
Lt. Leak: Oh, I'm sorry Sir.
Maj. Whittlesey: You're sorry about a lot of things.
Lt. Leak: Well, we got up here kinda late yesterday and...
Maj. Whittlesey: Is that and excuse or an explanation? I'm not interested in either on. I want you and your platoon squared away, make sure your men have full rations, plenty of ammo. And wear that uniform properly. Put on dry socks if you have them and straighten your helmet. Oh and Lt. Leak, welcome to the 308th.
Krotoshinsky: Where's the Cowboy going?
Lipasti: He must know something.
Krotoshinsky: You think so?
Lipasti: He's from Roadville, he grew up around trees. You've ever been around trees?
Krotoshinsky: They got trees in Union Square.
Lipasti: Those don't count.
Maj. Prinz: You Americans, you always have so much of everything. No matter. Eventually you have to surrender.
Lt. Leak: I don't think so.
Maj. Prinz: Are you officers so callous? You're surrounded. You have no chance of relief. Every night you send out patrols, and every night we kill them. We can hear the cries of your wounded Lieutenant. There is no dishonor in surrender.
Lt. Leak: Maybe for you, but my guys are different.
Maj. Prinz: What do you mean?
Lt. Leak: What you're up against Major, is a bunch of Mick, Pollack, Dago, and Jew boy gangsters from New York City. They'll never surrender. Never.
Cooking soup
Cepheglia: It's done.
Rosen: It's not done. Anyhow, why should I share this with you?
Cepheglia: Because I killed the guy you took it off.
Rosen: Minor detail.
Maj. Whittlesey: Lieutenant Leak, fine officer, from Texas...
Capt. McMurtry: We lost over 60 men to our own fire today. We heave less then 200 able troops left. I don't know how they keep doing it.
Maj. Whittlesey: Don't sell them short, Captain. Two days ago we had a Chinese working our field-phone,an American-Indian for a runner; they're both dead now but that's not the point. These Italians, Irish, Jews, and Pols, they'd never hire me as an attorney; we wouldn't be seen at the same events. But we will never, in our lives, enjoy the company of finer soldiers or better men then we do tonight.
Capt. McMurtry: Major, I was with Teddy Roosevelt's Rough Riders. And I have never served with a finer officer then you. Do you know that your men would do anything, go anywhere for you?
Maj. Whittlesey: Thank you, George.
Gen. Robert Alexander: Major Whittlesey, there's going to be promotions and commondations for everybody! No wonder our airplanes couldn't find this place.
Lipasti: Well your artillery certainly found it, General.
to Whittlesey
Whittlesee hands the General the collection of dog-tags
pulls Whittlesey aside
Maj. Whittlesey: Not to me sir.
Gen. Robert Alexander: I understand your feelings fo your men.
Maj. Whittlesey: You said our flanks were supported and you ordered my men to attack. You said supply would catch up to us which it did not. Is that acceptable to you?
Gen. Robert Alexander: Yes, that's acceptable to me. We were able to break through the German line because you held on here... because you held on here like a thorn in their belly. Major, you did an incredible job out here, but you had 600 men to worry about and I had 20,000 sent into action. I have to live with that...
Gen. Robert Alexander: I sent for trucks to bring your men back. They've been through hell.
Maj. Whittlesey: You'll never know what they've been through, or what they can and can't do. They're better then you, General. They're better then me, they always are.
Gen. Robert Alexander: Let me take you and your officers back in my staff car.
Maj. Whittlesey: That's not acceptable, Sir. I'll stay with my men.
Gen. Robert Alexander: I understand.
the General salutes and Whittlesey just turns away
Lt. Leak: Morning Sir.
Maj. Whittlesey: We don't salut up here Lieutenant.
Lt. Leak: I'm sorry Sir.
Maj. Whittlesey: My officers of men shave everyday.
Lt. Leak: Oh, I'm sorry Sir.
Maj. Whittlesey: You're sorry about a lot of things.
Lt. Leak: Well, we got up here kinda late yesterday and...
Maj. Whittlesey: Is that and excuse or an explanation? I'm not interested in either on. I want you and your platoon squared away, make sure your men have full rations, plenty of ammo. And wear that uniform properly. Put on dry socks if you have them and straighten your helmet. Oh and Lt. Leak, welcome to the 308th.
Krotoshinsky: Where's the Cowboy going?
Lipasti: He must know something.
Krotoshinsky: You think so?
Lipasti: He's from Roadville, he grew up around trees. You've ever been around trees?
Krotoshinsky: They got trees in Union Square.
Lipasti: Those don't count.
Maj. Prinz: You Americans, you always have so much of everything. No matter. Eventually you have to surrender.
Lt. Leak: I don't think so.
Maj. Prinz: Are you officers so callous? You're surrounded. You have no chance of relief. Every night you send out patrols, and every night we kill them. We can hear the cries of your wounded Lieutenant. There is no dishonor in surrender.
Lt. Leak: Maybe for you, but my guys are different.
Maj. Prinz: What do you mean?
Lt. Leak: What you're up against Major, is a bunch of Mick, Pollack, Dago, and Jew boy gangsters from New York City. They'll never surrender. Never.
Cooking soup
Cepheglia: It's done.
Rosen: It's not done. Anyhow, why should I share this with you?
Cepheglia: Because I killed the guy you took it off.
Rosen: Minor detail.
Maj. Whittlesey: Lieutenant Leak, fine officer, from Texas...
Capt. McMurtry: We lost over 60 men to our own fire today. We heave less then 200 able troops left. I don't know how they keep doing it.
Maj. Whittlesey: Don't sell them short, Captain. Two days ago we had a Chinese working our field-phone,an American-Indian for a runner; they're both dead now but that's not the point. These Italians, Irish, Jews, and Pols, they'd never hire me as an attorney; we wouldn't be seen at the same events. But we will never, in our lives, enjoy the company of finer soldiers or better men then we do tonight.
Capt. McMurtry: Major, I was with Teddy Roosevelt's Rough Riders. And I have never served with a finer officer then you. Do you know that your men would do anything, go anywhere for you?
Maj. Whittlesey: Thank you, George.
Gen. Robert Alexander: Major Whittlesey, there's going to be promotions and commondations for everybody! No wonder our airplanes couldn't find this place.
Lipasti: Well your artillery certainly found it, General.
to Whittlesey
Whittlesee hands the General the collection of dog-tags
pulls Whittlesey aside
Maj. Whittlesey: Not to me sir.
Gen. Robert Alexander: I understand your feelings fo your men.
Maj. Whittlesey: You said our flanks were supported and you ordered my men to attack. You said supply would catch up to us which it did not. Is that acceptable to you?
Gen. Robert Alexander: Yes, that's acceptable to me. We were able to break through the German line because you held on here... because you held on here like a thorn in their belly. Major, you did an incredible job out here, but you had 600 men to worry about and I had 20,000 sent into action. I have to live with that...
Gen. Robert Alexander: I sent for trucks to bring your men back. They've been through hell.
Maj. Whittlesey: You'll never know what they've been through, or what they can and can't do. They're better then you, General. They're better then me, they always are.
Gen. Robert Alexander: Let me take you and your officers back in my staff car.
Maj. Whittlesey: That's not acceptable, Sir. I'll stay with my men.
Gen. Robert Alexander: I understand.
the General salutes and Whittlesey just turns away