Greyhound

Twice in a single generation,

the catastrophe of world war has fallen upon us.

Twice in our lifetime has the long arm of fate

reached out across the oceans

to bring the United States into the forefront of the battle.

Our American merchant ships must be free

to carry our American goods into the harbors of our friends.

And our American merchant ships must be protected by our American Navy.

The brunt of the war has fallen upon the sailormen,

and we have lost nearly 3,000 lives

in a hard, unrelenting struggle,

which goes on night and day

and is going on now without a moment's respite.

The goods will be delivered by this nation,

whose navy believes in the tradition

of "damn the torpedoes, full speed ahead."

"Dear Lord, let your holy angel be with me,

that the evil foe may have no power over me. Amen."

Merry Christmas.

Merry Christmas.

Cigars?

"Yesterday, today and forever."

That's beautiful. I'll put it on my tree.

All right. Your turn. Come on.

All right.

Monogrammed.

What's this?

Congratulations.

Your first command. At last.

Aw.

After all those years of being fitted and retained, a Fletcher-class destroyer.

You deserve it.

I knew after Pearl Harbor they would be needing men like you.

I report to Norfolk right after the first of the year.

Norfolk? Not Treasure Island?

That's the navy in a nutshell, isn't it?

Yeah.

Then the Caribbean for training and tactics.

Jamaica, the Bahamas, Cuba. Rum and Coca-Cola.

- Mm. - Then active duty.

Come with me.

I mean it.

So I can ask you to marry me on a tropical beach.

Oh, I'd like that, but we can't.

The world has gone crazy, Ernie.

Let's wait until we can be together.

I will always be looking for you, Evie.

No matter where I am.

Even if I'm a thousand miles away,

I will be hoping I'll see you come around the corner.

Because when you do, it's... It's the greatest feeling in the world.

- Morning. - Morning, Captain.

Charlie, how are the overnights?

Convoy's three days into the Pit.

No contacts, no incidents, except on your ship, sir.

Two bored sailors with time on their hands, which became fists.

Who? Shannon and Flusser.

- Crew's getting nervous, Ernie. - Sleep well, sir?

I've never had the gift for sleeping on board.

Hmm. And I can't sleep anywhere else, sir.

- Amen. - Amen.

Sea's a bit high to serve hot food.

I could manage a ham steak and eggs for you, sir.

- This will do. Thank you, Cleveland. - Aye, aye, Captain.

Report to the commanding officer. Clear the room.

Uncover.

Explain yourselves.

Flusser.

I regret the incident, sir.

Shannon.

I too regret the incident.

I will tolerate no more fisticuffs on my ship.

So...

"restore the relationships you have damaged and fill me with peace."

Sir?

Captain requested, bridge, sir. Captain requested, bridge.

Repetition will bring hell down from on high.

Back to your duties.

Count your blessings.

Captain on the bridge.

Aye.

Sir, good morning.

Escorts Eagle and Harry are out of position, six miles from convoy.

They've been off on their own, sir, for roughly two hours.

Eagle skipper announced, "Starting the day with a good hunt," sir,

and then Harry joined in.

Message from the commodore, sir.

Read it out.

"Comconvoy to Comescort. H-U-F-F D-U-F-F"...

"Huff Duff." High-frequency direction finding. Continue, please.

"Huff Duff reports a German transmission bearing 087 degrees.

Range 15 to 20 miles."

Commodore says a likely U-boat, sir.

"Comescort to Comconvoy. Will run it down."

"Comescort to Comconvoy. Will run it down."

Wait, wait. "Will run it down. Thank you."

"Will run it down. Thank you." Aye, aye, sir.

- Mister Carling, I have the conn. - Captain has the conn.

All ahead full. Make turns for 36 knots.

All ahead full. Make turns for 36 knots. Aye, sir.

Right standard rudder, 079.

Right standard rudder to 079. Aye, aye, sir.

All escorts, Greyhound. Return to your stations immediately.

We have enemy contact bearing 087, range 15 to 20 miles.

- Aye, sir. - Aye, aye, sir.

Aye, Greyhound. Dicky, Greyhound.

- Dicky, sir. - Modify your station to assist the convoy

on the starboard side.

Stragglers are mistiming the course change.

Keep your sonar on that starboard flank.

Aye, sir. Sonar, starboard flank.

Right full rudder, 087.

Right full rudder to 087. Aye, aye, sir.

- Bring us up to general quarters. - Boatswain, sound general quarters.

General quarters, general quarters...

Move. Let's go. All hands, man your battle stations.

We are running down a possible U-boat contact.

Let's hammer those sons of bitches.

Keep 'em coming, Cleveland.

Eagle, Greyhound. Take my position at the front of the convoy.

We're pursuing the target.

Dicky, Greyhound. Cover the right flank.

Front of convoy. Aye, aye, sir.

Aye, sir. Covering right flank.

Eagle, Harry, Greyhound.

What is your ETA for resuming new stations?

Greyhound, Eagle. We can be at our station in 20 minutes.

Harry, sir. We're now four miles to port of the convoy.

Yes, I know, Harry. Return to your station at best speed.

Sir, I relieved Mister Carling. Have the deck and the conn.

Mister Watson, we have a target bearing 087, range 15 to 20 miles.

- I have the conn. - Aye, aye, sir. Captain has the conn.

Messenger. Sir.

Go to my cabin and bring me my sheepskin coat. You'll find it.

Aye, aye, sir.

Combat, Conn. Charlie.

We're running down a likely sub bearing 087, range 15 to 20 miles.

I'm hoping it shows up on your surface radar.

Conn, Combat. Aye, aye, sir.

Now hear this, now hear this.

This is the captain.

We are running down the target.

Let us attend our duties well. This is what we've trained for.

- Martin, what you got? - Nothing yet, sir.

Got him.

Conn, Combat. Target bearing 092, range 15 miles.

Charlie, what do you make of this target?

Most likely a U-boat, sir.

Up for air and a battery charge. Gettin' ready to come at us, Captain.

Steady on 092, sir.

Very well.

Conn, Combat. Target bearing steady at 094, range 12 miles.

Weapons, pass the word, do not open fire without orders from me.

Range 11 miles, bearing steady on 094.

Range 11 miles, bearing steady on 094.

Stop that noise.

Range 9.5 miles, bearing steady on 094.

Close enough for the five-inch, sir.

Heavy seas, Mister Watson, with only a radar bearing.

Let's have our eyes on him.

Aye, aye, sir.

Target's disappeared, sir. Fell off the radar about six miles out.

What's this, Charlie?

Looks like he's dived, sir, by the way the pips faded out.

He must've seen us, sir. Got his air and dove.

Pips had him on course for us and the convoy, sir.

Can you plot a search radius?

I could, sir, but in ten minutes, the radius would be three square miles.

Give me a course to intercept

if the target maintains this course at six knots.

Aye, aye, sir.

Conn, Combat. Course to intercept is 096.

Warn me two miles out from this intercept.

Aye, aye, sir.

Right handsomely, 096.

Right handsomely to 096. Aye, aye, sir.

Combat reports two miles from intercept, sir.

Mister Watson, we need to slow down for sonar. Make turns for 22 knots.

Make turns for 22 knots, aye, aye, sir.

All ahead standard. Make turns at 22 knots.

Here we go, boys.

We're at sonar speed.

Contact bearing 091, range indefinite.

Put that on the radiator.

Sir, message from the Admiralty.

Contact bearing 091, range unknown, sir.

What do you hear?

Contact bearing steady at 091.

He's turned. Looks like he's running from us, sir.

Any screw noises?

Contact dead ahead, range one mile. Still no propeller noise.

Come left to 091.

Come left to 091. Aye, aye, sir.

Contact lost.

Sonar reports contact lost, sir.

Sonar, search ahead 30 degrees port and starboard.

30 degrees port and starboard.

Sonar. Searching ahead 30 degrees port and starboard.

Steady on 091, sir. Very well.

Contact bearing...