Quotes

Other

[referring to Gen. Savage's complete collapse in a state of shock] Did you ever see how bright a light bulb is just before the filament burns out? I think they call it maximum effort.

Dialogue

General Pritchard: I guess I don't have to tell you what's coming, Frank. I'm promising you nothing except a job no man should have to do who's already had more than his share of combat. I've gotta ask you to take nice kids and fly them until they can't take any more, and then put 'em back in and fly 'em some more. We've got to try to find out just what a maximum effort is. How much a man can take and get it all. [sighs] I don't even know if any man can do it. That's what cracked Keith. [pause] What time do you think you can get down there tomorrow? General Savage: Early, I guess. General Pritchard: No squawks? General Savage: Pretty hard to have one the way you put it.

Dialogue

Maj. Stovall: Major Stovall, sir. Group Adjutant. Brig. Gen. Savage: Yes, I remember you, Major. You the only one around? Maj. Stovall: Probably, sir. I presume you've come down to take over the Group. Brig. Gen. Savage: That's right. Have you been drinking, Major? Maj. Stovall: I have. It's the first time I've been drunk in 20 years. But it may not be the last. Brig. Gen. Savage: Where's the Air Exec? Maj. Stovall: I don't know, sir. It's only an opinion, but it's possible he may be drunk too, sir. Brig. Gen. Savage: I'll take straight answers, Major. Is he off the station? Maj. Stovall: Yes, sir. Brig. Gen. Savage: Where? Maj. Stovall: I don't know that, sir. Brig. Gen. Savage: Send the MP's out and find him, and bring him to me under arrest. Maj. Stovall: Does the General mean under actual arrest? Brig. Gen. Savage: Exactly. Two: Cancel all leaves and passes, and make sure all squadron commanders are back here by tonight. Three: Bring me the personnel files, the 66-1's on Gately and

Dialogue

Lt. Col. Ben Gately: May I ask the General why I've been placed under arrest? Brig. Gen. Savage: No. Stand at attention. You're the son of Lieutenant General Tom Gately, aren't you? Lt. Col. Gately: I believe that's my standard identification, sir. Brig. Gen. Savage: What do you think of him as an officer? Lt. Col. Gately: None better, sir. Brig. Gen. Savage: That's right. You're the son of one fine officer and the grandson of another. You're a graduate of West Point with nine years' service. Your file shows that you have more four-engine time than any other man in the group. For those reasons you could've done more than anybody to take the load off Colonel Davenport. But your file shows you've flown only three missions since you've been here. Lt. Col. Gately: If you don't count twice I turned back, sir. Brig. Gen. Savage: I take it you don't even care about the part you had in breaking one of the best men you'll ever know. Add to it as Air Exec you were automatically in command here t

Dialogue

General Savage: [on stalling the transfer paperwork] There can be trouble in this. Major Stovall: I don't think so, sir. I never heard of a jury convicting the lawyer.

Dialogue

General Savage: [to a crewman who disobeyed orders] So for the sake of your roommate you violated group integrity. Every gun on a B-17 is designed to give the group maximum defensive firepower - that's what I mean by group integrity. When you pull a B-17 out of a formation you reduce the defensive power of the group by ten guns. A crippled aeroplane has to be expendable. The one thing which is never expendable is your obligation to this group. This group... this group - that has to be your loyalty; your only reason for being. Gately! Lt. Col. Ben Gately: Yes sir? General Savage: [referring to Gately's "Leper Colony"] Here's another one for you!

Dialogue

General Savage: No, Sir. I didn't hear a thing. It must have been radio malfunction. General Pritchard: Do you mean you're going to stick to that fairy tale? General Savage: Yes, sir. There's one more thing you might as well know, sir. The 918th got through today, and bombed the target when nobody else did. And if Providence ever drops into my lap, another chance like that to give this group the pride it ought to have in itself, I may have radio malfunction again, sir.

Dialogue

General Savage: How'd you happen to get into paperwork? Major Stovall: They didn't give me any choice. See, I'm a... I'm a retread. I had my shot at combat first war. I kinda wanted to get into this one, but I guess they figured I was too old for anything but a desk. Maybe they were right.