Transcript (en)

All right, Harry, let's face a few facts. As you know, I flew with this man-striker during the war. What you don't know is, it doesn't make my job any easier here tonight. Frankly, I think you'd be a lot better off if you got somebody else who doesn't know him at all. I don't think that has anything to do with it. It has everything to do with it. In the first place, I think it's a mistake if he knows that I'm the man who's talking to men. He'll have a million things in his mind without being reminded of those days when, well, when things weren't so good. Right now, things aren't so good. and why we're talking, there are 38 lives waiting on us for a decision. Let me tell you something. Ted Stryker was a cracked flight leader up to a point, but he was one of those men who, well, let's just say he felt too much inside. Maybe you know the kind. Ate his heart out over every name on a casualty list. Well, what's wrong with that? I'll tell you what's the matter with that. He went all to pieces on one particular mission. I've never felt there was the slightest excuse for it. The upshot of it all was that everything turned sour, he left some mighty fine men behind him. Now, I may be wrong. I hope I am. But my feeling is that when the going gets really rough upstairs tonight, Ted Stryker's going to fold up. That's all I can tell you. Look, Martin, I want you to get on the horn and talk this guy down, no matter what you think. Now, you're going to have to let him get the feel of this airplane on the way. You'll have to give him a landing check. You'll have to talk him on to the approach. And so, help me, you'll have to talk him right down to the ground. All right, Burdick, I just want you to know what we have to contend with. Very well, it's settled. Who's got the cigarettes? Here. Thanks. Yeah. Looks like I picked the wrong week to quit smoking. All right, let's get started.