One, two, three, four.
Hey, Maggio! Hello!
Hiya, Prew.
What are you doing over here?
Transferred over from Fort Shafter.
-You quit the Bugle Corps?
-Yup.
For here?
l didn't pick it.
You made a very bad mistake.
This outfit, they can give back Custer.
Yeah?
Captain ain't in yet.
l'll look around.
What do you think you're doing?
-What's your name?
-Prewitt. Transfer from Fort Shafter.
l heard about you.
l heard about you, too, Sergeant.
This here's a rifle outfit, Prewitt.
You ain't supposed to enjoy yourself
before sundown.
Put up your cue and come along.
Grand went to the hospital yesterday.
You put him in the sick book?
-Didn't have time.
-You're the company clerk, Mazzioli.
The medics returned the sick book
late yesterday. l'll do it now.
Thanks, l already done it for you.
You're the best bugler
they got over at Shafter.
-You're the best bugler on this island.
-That's true.
l feel for you, pal.
But from my position,
l can't quite reach you.
Ten-hut!
At ease.
-'Morning, sir.
-'Morning, men.
Anything special for me?
l've only a few minutes.
Yes, sir. New man here.
Oh, yes. Come in.
Private Robert E. Lee Prewitt, reporting
to the Company Commander, as ordered.
At ease. Where's that service record?
''Born in Kentucky.
Enlisted first at Fort Meyer, Virginia.
''Bugle Corps, First Bugler.''
Prewitt, l always make it a policy
to talk to my new men.
Now, l have a fine, smooth-running outfit.
lf l like a soldier, he can become
a non-commissioned officer quickly.
But he has to show me
that he's got it on the ball.
What trouble were you in,
in the Bugle Corps?
No trouble, sir.
What made you transfer out, then?
lt was a personal matter.
-Something you wanted to ask, Sergeant?
-Why, yes, sir.
Prewitt, you was a corporal
in the Bugle Corps.
You took a bust to buck private
to transfer to an infantry outfit. Why?
Because you like to hike, or was it
because you couldn't stand to bugle?
lt was a personal matter.
That's up to the Company Commander
to decide.
Well?
l was First Bugler for two years.
The Top Kick had a friend
who transferred in from another outfit.
The next day he was made
First Bugler over me.
l was a better bugler.
And you asked out on account of that?
Maybe it ain't sensible,
but that's the reason.
His feelings were hurt.
Kids they send us now!
We'll get your stripes back for you,
maybe an extra one for good measure.
-Know why you're assigned to G Company?
-No, sir.
l pulled a few strings. l'm the regimental
boxing coach, you know.
Yes, sir.
l saw your fight with Connors in the Bowl
year before last. You should have won.
Thank you, sir.
Our regiment got beaten in the finals
last December, but l mean to win this year.
All l've needed is a top middleweight.
l'm sorry, sir. l quit fighting.
Quit fighting? When? What for?
Well, over a year ago.
Maybe you heard about what happened
with Dixie Wells?
-You mean that fellow that got hurt?
-Yes, sir.
Yes, l heard about that. lt's too bad.
l can understand how you feel,
but those things happen.
That's why l decided l would quit, sir.
You might as well say stop war
because one man got killed.
Our fighting programme
is the best morale builder we have.
l've got a mighty sour company bugler.
How'd you like the job?
Not if it means fighting.
Looks to me as if you're trying to acquire
a reputation as a lone wolf.
You should know that in the Army
it's not the individual that counts.
You'll find that we won't put
any pressure on you in my outfit.
Just don't make any mistakes in it,
that's all.
l'm going to town.
Anything else, Sergeant?
Company fund report's due tomorrow.
-You make it out. ls that all?
-No, sir.
Whatever it is, you fix it up.
lf anything has to go in this afternoon,
sign my name.
-l won't be back.
-Yes, sir.
He'd strangle in his own spit
if l wasn't here to swab his throat out.
Come on.
You been in the Army what now?
Five years? Five