They Were Expendable (1945)

Jon Gilbreath: 'Snuffy' Submarine Commander

Quotes 

• Lt. John Brickley : Oh, Snuffy... how about getting some torpedoes from you?

  Submarine commander : For those cracker boxes of yours? No telling when we'll see a mother ship again.

  Lt. John Brickley : How long have you been on patrol?

  Submarine commander : Since the day the war started.

  Lt. 'Rusty' Ryan : What did you get?

  Submarine commander : Two small freighters. We had hard luck.

  Lt. John Brickley : Well, while you've been cruising around the Pacific, those 'cracker boxes' have sunk two converted cruisers, an auxiliary aircraft carrier, a 10,000-ton tanker, a large freighter, a flock of barges and numerous sons of Nippon!

  Lt. 'Rusty' Ryan : And also in our brief career, we've carried more messages than Western Union!

  Submarine commander : Well, look, I'd love to help you out, fellas. But you know, I got orders...

  Lt. John Brickley : Snuffy... who played the leading lady in "Tess of the D'Urbervilles" in 1932 at the Academy?

  Lt. 'Rusty' Ryan : And does your crew know about it?

  Submarine commander : [after a long pause]  How many do you want?

  Lt. John Brickley : You've got sixteen?

  Lt. 'Rusty' Ryan : We'll take eight.

  Lt. John Brickley : And we'll try and put 'em where they belong.

  Submarine commander : Thanks.

  [walks away slowly]