C.M.A.C. - Saga of a Saigon Warrior
Episode 5 – The Fatted Calf
Written by
James J. Finnegan
Based on the novel
C.M.A.C., A Vietnam Era Trilogy
by the same author
© 2007 James Finnegan - All rights reserved
SCENE 1. int. – c.m.a.c. Signal Office - morning
Lt. Callaghan quickly enters Lt. Col. Grimes office.
Lt. Callaghan:
Is there a problem Sir?
Lt. Col. Grimes:
Damn right there’s a problem and we’re right in the middle of it. The phone line to the bookie at the Phu To Race track is down.
Lt. Callaghan:
Excuse me from mentioning it Sir but that’s a phone company problem not ours.
Lt. Col. Grimes:
It is our problem, Lieutenant, since we installed it, today is race day and the General wants to place a bet. I need you to get over to Phu To and get that fixed now. Major, get Lieutenant Callaghan a jeep.
Maj. Dingby:
Corporal Rosenburg is already out front and waiting.
Lt. Col. Grimes:
Well Lieutenant, what are you waiting for?
SCENE 2. EXT. Road to Phu To race Track:
Heavy traffic
Cpl. Rosenburg:
You’re going to have to get that phone fixed quick Sir because I have to get back so I can take the Colonel and Major Dingby to the races this afternoon.
Lt. CALLAGHAN:
So that’s where they have been disappearing to on Sunday afternoons.
cpl. rosenburg:
We’re actually going to the 134th ARVN. They’re the unit that was put in the middle of the race track when it was retaken during TET ’68. A lot of people think they were put there to protect the horses and the bookie. How quickly they forget.
Lt. callaghan:
Is there a reason the phone line is not working?
Cpl. rosenburg:
Word has it that the bookie’s tent was hit by a sapper who was hired by her biggest competitor – a sort of ‘turf war’. She wasn’t there and everything and was destroyed.
Lt. callaghan:
I suppose it’s a stupid question but how could something like that happen in the middle of a guarded military compound.
cpl. Rosenburg:
You’re right, that is a stupid question Sir. By the way, Major Dingby told me to tell you to check the Emergency Response Network radio as well. He wants to know why no one called in the sapper incident.
Lt. Callaghan:
Anything else I should know?
cpl. Rosenburg:
You probably have guessed that the bookie is not pleased about the situation. Ordinarily she is beast but word has it that now she just bites your head off if you get within six feet of her.
The jeep screeches up in front of a new tent. Screaming in Vietnamese coming from inside the tent.
She’s all yours Sir.
Lt. Callaghan:
Thanks Corporal.
SCENE 3. int. – phu to, bookie’s tent - morning:
Lt. Callaghan enters the tent and bookie immediately starts screaming at him. Lt. callaghan tries to get a word in
Lt. Callaghan:
I’m Lieutenant Callaghan from C.M.A.C. I’m here to fix your phone.
Bookie:
I don’t care who you are. If you’re here to fix the phone than fix it and get out. I have a race to prepare for and I don’t want to be tripping over someone else in this tent. What good are all these armies if they can’t even stop one sapper from blowing up my tent. I’ll get my own protection in the future if this doesn’t get any better. Well, don’t just stand there, fix the phone!
Lt. Callaghan started looking around the edge of the tent and found the telephone wire. Attaches the phone and starts checking the circuit.
Get on with it, stop screwing around. I’m losing a lot of money every minute to the bastard Houng.
Lt. Callaghan:
Who is Houng?
Bookie:
He’s my competition. He’s the bastard that had my tent blown up. He wants all my customers. Well, he’s not going to get them. Now get that phone fixed!
Lt. Callaghan finally get through to an operator. Puts phone down. It immediately starts ringing, Bookie grabs it and waves Lt. Callaghan out of the tent. Lt. Callaghan motions to Cpl. rosenburg to follow him
cpl. rosenburg:
That’s what we enlistedmen like to see in officers Sir, that command presence that completely overwhelms a situation. She was like putty in your hands.
Lt. callaghan:
All right Corporal, enough of the crap. Let’s get back to C.M.A.C.
SCENE 4. int. – c.m.a.c. Signal Office – Mid day:
Lt. callaghan enters.
Capt. Dennison:
Glad hear the phone is fixed and you are back in one piece Lieutenant. That bookie is a piece of work. Did you inspect the ERN radio?
Lt. callaghan:
No, I completely forgot so I had the Radio Room contact them. They responded so it must be that sapper was from the competition.
Capt. Dennison:
Colonel Grimes and Major Dingby left as soon as they heard the phone connection was okay. I’m the Signal Duty Officer and you are to take Rosenburg and head for the 199th Light Infantry Brigade. The command is becoming high profile in the General’s eyes and the Colonel wants you need to check it out. We’re turning into a ‘no surprises’ Signal Section.
Lt. Callaghan:
I suppose Corporal Rosenburg is waiting for me and I should skip lunch.
Capt. Dennison:
Yes, Corporal Rosenburg is waiting for you.
SCENE 5. int. c.m.a.c. Signal Office - afternoon
Lt. Callaghan enters Lt. Col. Grimes office
Lt. Col. Grimes:
How did the 199th trip go yesterday Lieutenant?
Lt. callaghan:
They seem to be okay Sir. There is a new Radio Officer being assigned sometime soon. The trouble is the current one has already rotated back to the States so the Signal people will be hanging loose for a while.
Lt. Col. Grimes:
Then have your people make more than the usual communication checks with them just to ensure communications doesn’t go down. Remember, any outage over three minutes and the General has to be informed. I’m not going to be the one giving the presentation if we have a serious outage. That reminds me, you haven’t had your weekly briefings introduction yet. Captain Dennison will be presenting today but you will give future presentations. It will be good training for you. This week’s briefing will start in about a half an hour. Let’s take a walk over there and I show you around.
SCENE 6. int. c.m.a.c. Command Briefing Room – 1530 hours:
Lt. Col. Grimes and Lt. Callaghan enter through two, floor to ceiling, MAHOGANY doors into a large briefing room in the Capital Military District Headquarters building.
Lt. Col Grimes:
The place will start filling in a couple of minutes so I’ll make this brief. The maps on the wall behind the stage have been updated with the latest troop concentrations, manoeuvres, etc. Above the maps are the official Saigon, Greenwich Mean and Washington DC time clocks. There is always some joke about how correct they are but that is not our problem. The General staff sit at the table, with the silver tea and china set, in front of the stage and all the chairs from there back have been assigned to a commanding or staff officer. The assignment was made so the General would see any empty seats and would then know who was missing. He also uses the assignment to know which direction to turn when he wants to make a comment to an individual. The easel on the left is for update charts. That is were we display ours. We had better sit down since most people are here. You stand next to me by the wall.
Last seat is filled
Col. Sharp:
Attention!
All stand and BG Gottard enters
BG. Gottard:
At ease.
All sit and the General staff pass the tea and biscuits to each other. General nods
Presenting Captain:
Sir, the official time is 1600 hours and this is a review of the previous week’s activities that have taken place within the command. First, the incident report…
BG. Gottard:
That’s not the time I have on my watch Captain.
Presenting Captain:
Sir, I’m only responsible for the official time not the correct time.
BG. Gottard resets his watch
BG. Gottard:
Oh is that so Captain, well we’ll see about that.
Lt. Col. Grimes motions to Lt. Callaghan and speaks softly. Other presenters are presenting
Lt. Col. Grimes:
Captain Dennison will be on after this guy, the Navy briefer. This guy is a real piece of work. How he manages to escape the General’s wrath is beyond me. He generally starts with a joke at the Army’s expense, which incidentally gets a decent laugh from the crowd.
Lt. Col. Grimes starts to parrot Lt. Burns, the Navy briefer
‘There’s a RAG boat here, and another one over here and three up here…’ and on and on through about forty boats and then he always ends with ‘…and the 38th RAG is in reserve’. His presentation tends to put you to sleep.
Now watch Captain Dennison closely as you’ll be expected to perform the same duty. Signal outages are one of the General’s hot buttons and set the tone for the meeting. He has an excitable nature so it’s incumbent upon us to see that outages are kept to a minimum. Problem is there was a twelve-minute outage last night and Captain Dennison is about ready to receive some shit.
Capt. Dennison:
Sir, I am Captain Dennison and these are the Signal Section communication outages for the period. Last night we had a twelve minute signal outage. The reason for that outage…
BG. Gottard:
I don’t give a damn what it was due to Captain, It shouldn’t have happened in the first place.
Turns towards Lt. Col. Grimes
Lieutenant Colonel Grimes, what the hell are you going to do about this?
Lt. Col. Grimes:
Sir, we are taking steps to ensure that it doesn’t happen again.
BG. Gottard:
If it happens again Colonel, you’ll be taking steps north.
Waves away Capt. Dennison
That’s all Captain, you’re dismissed.
Lt. Col. Grimes:
Lieutenant Callaghan you had better leave and tell Major Dingby what just happened.
SCENE 7. Int. – c.m.a.c. Signal Office – late afternoon:
Lt. Callaghan enters
Maj. Dingby:
Well Lieutenant, what’s the news from the front?
Lt. callaghan:
Captain Dennison reported the twelve minute outage and all hell broke loose. Then General Gottard threatened to send Lieutenant Colonel Grimes up north if it happens again. It sounds pretty serious to me.
Maj. Dingby:
In some ways that could very well happen if you push the General too far. He’s like one of those balloons that you blow up and let go. It flies around the room and is difficult to deal with until it finally runs out of air and lies helplessly on the ground.
Lt. Callaghan:
The General didn’t seem to helpless to me Sir.
Maj. Dingby:
The trouble with most commanders and staff is they try to argue with him when he’s flying off the handle and get sent up country. Most of the Signal Officers only last three months. The ones that rotate the quickest are Artillery, they only average a month. Pretty indicative of the turmoil that surrounds us. We’ll see how you fare when you have your turn as the fatted calf.
lT. Callaghan:
I’m not looking forward to it Sir.
Maj. Dingby:
We’re off the presentation hook for another week so I want you and Captain Dennison to get out to the districts and check the ERN radios at their headquarters. The festive season will be starting soon and we’ll need to make sure they are operational. I would imagine that you would visit Gia Dinh first, since it is Captain Dennison’s favourite haunt.
Lt. Callaghan:
I’d better get back to the Radio Room Sir and check on the troops.
Maj. Dingby:
Under the circumstances Lieutenant that would be a good idea.
SCENE 8. int. c.m.a.c. Radio Room – late afternoon:
Lt. Callaghan enters
SFC. Holstein:
Sir, you just missed a call from a Bill Fisher. He says he wants you to call him back at this number.
Lt. Callaghan:
Thank you Sergeant. Everything okay? No outages, problems?
SFC. Holstein:
Everything is fine Sir, well except for the command briefing. Colonel Sharp stopped by a few minutes ago asking the same questions. Is there a problem Sir?
Lt. Callaghan:
That’s all I need. The Signal Officer is checking on me, The Chief of Staff is checking on me. A guy could get paranoid. I need a little pick me up from somewhere.
Picks up the phone and dials
Bill, this is Callaghan, what’s up? (pause) That’s great! I’ll see you in the foyer at 2000 hours.
SFC. Holstein:
Did you receive you pick me up Sir?
Lt. Callaghan:
Receive one? I’ve been invited to dinner at the International House.
SPEC5 Dudley:
I couldn’t help but overhear Sir. Will you be needing a servant to accompany you?
Lt. Callaghan:
Sorry Dudley, It’s only me. They can only have one guest per member.
SPEC5 Dudley:
Well, when you become a member Sir then you can invite me.
Lt. Callaghan:
Member, who said anything about membership. I’m lucky to be invited! I must be on my way. I have to wear a proper uniform, if I can find one. See you all tomorrow.
SCENE 9. int. – International House, Ground floor - Evening:
Lt. Callaghan waits for Bill Fisher to arrive.
Bill Fisher:
Callaghan, how’s tricks?
Two others join them
This is George Miller and this gentleman we refer to as RAT. Ralph Augustus Tridwell is his real name. No one can remember that so we just call him RAT. Besides, he looks like one so it’s easy to remember.
Lt. Callaghan:
Good to see you again Bill and I am pleased to meet both of you.
George Miller:
I don’t know whether Bill told you or not but we have all fallen for one or another of Babe’s tricks. He really knows how to play them when you are coming in from out of town. He’s renowned for pulling them on the Secret Service.
Lt. callaghan:
Make sure that next time you speak with him you say Hello for me.
Bill Fisher:
One of us has to volunteer to stand in line or it will be too long and we won’t be able to get in. (pause) RAT, why don’t you do it this time while I give Callaghan a tour of the place.
RAT leaves mumbling
RAT:
Why do I always have to get line detail?
Bill fisher calls after him
Bill Fisher:
Because you never complain!
Waves around the very large room
This, obviously, is the casino and over there is the beer and sandwich bar. It’s reputed to have at least three of any known beer in the world flown in on the embassy flight at the expense of the taxpayers.
There’s RAT waving, we had better get in line
SCENE 10. int. – International House, Main Dining room - evening:
They enter and are ushered to a seat, drinks are ordered. Callaghan looks around in wonderment
Lt. Callaghan:
What a place, plush red booths tiered up from a performing stage. We could be in Las Vegas. Any chance of me getting a membership?
RAT:
All you had to do was ask.
A word in the Maitre D’s ear and he asks Callaghan to write some details on a sheet of paper
Give him $200. That should cover the dues and his expenses.
Lt. Callaghan:
This is great. I owe you guys a big favour.
Looks around
Does it get this packed every night?
Bill Fisher:
It opens for lunch and closes at curfew and it’s always packed. People are always lined up to get in. It’s heavily subsidized and since Government employees don’t make a lot of money it compensates for the terrible strain placed on us by our surroundings.
They ate and watched the floor show. maitre d’ returns with Lt. Callaghan’s membership card
Lt. Callaghan:
I can’t believe this place. What a difference a three quarter inch bullet-proof entrance door makes.
Bill Fisher:
Another thing you won’t believe is the time. Curfew is upon us. We’ll drop you off on the way back.
Lt. Callaghan:
I can’t thank you guys enough.
Bill Fisher:
Than you pay for dinner next time.
SCENE 11. int. – c.m.a.c. Signal office - morning:
Lt. Callaghan reports to Lt. Col. Grimes
Lt. Callaghan:
Sir, the menagerie has just gotten bigger. General Minh’s cook has added turkeys to the flock. According to Captain Dennison they are in preparation for a Vietnamese sort of Thanksgiving. I don’t suppose the General will be happy.
Lt. Col. Grimes:
I don’t suppose the General has any choice. Just keep me posted. By the way, how is the monkey doing?
Lt. Callaghan:
He seems to be faring okay.
Lt. Col. Grimes:
Well you may not be ‘faring okay’ when I tell you what else is coming your way.
Gets up and walks to the balcony
See those buildings by the fence. They used to be the French Foreign Legion Officers quarters. They are pretty run down but the General has managed to get enough money to rebuild them as on site housing for the senior staff. He says that he needs to make room for more of his senior officers to live on post so he can find them when he wants them.
returns to his desk
In reality he doesn’t want them eating out and wandering around having a good time when they could be having a ‘good time’ here with him. In other words, that’s going to be the new C.M.A.C. Officers Mess and general officers living quarters. You will be pleased to know that he specifically asked for your assistance in the installation of telephone, radio and stereo systems.
Lt. Callaghan:
I feel honoured Sir, when will all this start?
Lt. Col. Grimes:
Don’t be a wise ass Lieutenant. A contractor will be here about 1000 hours today. Give him all the support he needs and stay here until he comes. I have to go now but I want a full report of your meeting on my desk tomorrow.
Lt. Callaghan:
Yes Sir, I’ll stick around until he arrives.
Lt. Col. Grimes leaves
(V.O.) This officers mess will be cute. I bet no one under the rank of full colonel will be able to get in. Anyway, I had better not screw this one up or I will be sent up country.
Lt. callaghan flops into one of the sofas and waits. Soon Harris swishes into the signal office, passes Lt. Callaghan and goes directly into Lt. Col. Grimes office
Randy Harris: (O.O.V)
All this is just becoming too much for me.
Harris gets up and starts looking at drawings
However, we can’t let these trivial matters get us down, it all has to do with attitude so let’s change ours!
LT. Callaghan looks around partition
Can I help you Sir?
Randy Harris:
I’m Randy Harris, the decorator and contractor. I primarily do decorating but your sweet little Chief of Staff asked me to do the whole thing. I’m so thrilled! Who are you?
Lt. callaghan:
I’m Lieutenant Callaghan. I am assigned to support your efforts her.
Randy Harris:
Lieutenant Callaghan, you’ve been here all this time? I must have been making a right fool of myself.
Harris Unrolls some drawings on Lt. Col. Grimes desk.
Let’s get right to it. Here are the preliminary drawings.
Lt. Callaghan: (V.O.)
This is a bloody palace!
Randy harris points to various parts of the drawing
Randy Harris:
Here is where I want all the stereo jacks installed. All the wires are to run through this cabinet. You can take this drawing for your reference. Note that no work starts until the roof is on. That will take at least a week so don’t plan on starting until earliest next Monday. Do you have any questions?
Lt. Callaghan shook his head, No.
Lt. Callaghan:
Am I to understand that all this has been approved by the General?
Randy Harris:
Of course you do. I wouldn’t be here if he hadn’t. Oh by the way, here is a little list of items I want you to acquire for me. Do you think you can handle this?
Lt. Callaghan:
I am sure we can manage Sir. Will you be here full time or just on occasion?
Randy Harris:
On occasion as I have so many other clients requiring my services. I only accepted this as a favour to your sweet little General.
Now, I’m off to the Engineering Section to get the electrical plan agreed. Could you point me in the right direction, you cute little man?
Lt. Callaghan pointed and he exits
Lt. Callaghan: (V.O.)
I am sure the General has not met this guy. I can’t wait to see what happens, he is going to go ballistic.
SCENE 12. int. C.M.A.C., Dennison’s Cave - Morning:
Lt. Callaghan enters.
Capt. Dennison:
Well, if it isn’t Lieutenant Callaghan. Where have you been and what caused you to dart out of the Radio Room so quickly last night?
Lt. Callaghan:
I was Embassy Security’s guest at the international House. The place is absolutely fantastic. You wouldn’t think we were at war, well any more so that we think we are now. Great meal, great floorshow, great after dinner drinks and a membership. What more could a poor Lieutenant ask for?
Capt. Dennison:
Membership! You have a membership? Just who the hell do you know?
Lt. Callaghan pulls out his membership card.
Lt. Callaghan:
It only happens to those who are chosen Sir. You may feast your eyes on this if you wish.
Capt. Dennison:
What did it cost you?
Lt. Callaghan:
Since I lead a chaste life I had the $200 membership fee. As soon as people find I have it I am sure I will be chased, especially since I can bring a guest.
capt. Dennison:
Tell me more.
Lt. Callaghan:
It beats the hell out of working for a living. Next to what’s available in Tu Do Street it was like being in Las Vegas. As soon as you walk through the bullet-proof plate glass doors you are in another world. Kind of like ‘Dis Nae’ land, a phrase my old grandmother used for a place that didn’t exist. All I need to do now is to figure out how I can afford it.
Capt. Dennison:
I’m on my way over to the Embassy to check out the ERN radio. Why don’t you come along and maybe some of your charm will rub off on me. I’ll get a jeep and we can stop for lunch along the way.
SCENE 13. ext. – American Embassy - Afternoon:
Capt. Dennison and Lieutenant enter Embassy grounds in a jeep.
Capt. Dennison:
I always park in the back. It’s much safer there. The VC that spy on what happens here don’t need to know who I am. People who announce themselves in this city usually get shot or otherwise blown away.
They walk through the side door
SCENE AUTONUM 14. int. American embassy, hallway - Afternoon
Capt. Dennison props open a door to a closet.
capt. Dennison:
The ERN radio is in here.
Lt. Callaghan:
How do you know your way around this place?
Capt. Dennison:
I used to come over here quite often. There used to be a real cute French Vietnamese girl that worked in the communications room next door, through that glass window. I don’t see her today. I took her out a couple of times but her family put the lid on it so I had to back off.
Lt. Callaghan looks down the hall
Lt. Callaghan:
There are Marines all over the place.
Capt. Dennison:
Those are just the ones in the hall. There are more inside.
Tries the radio
The batteries are dead again. Don‘t these guys pay any attention to these? Their life could depend on this radio. Don’t they understand that?
Replaces battery and tests the radio
There that’s better. That’s about all we can do so let’s head over to AFVN. Two inspections in one day, that’s progress!
Run into Bill Fisher
Bill Fisher:
Callaghan what the hell are you doing here?
M14 Rifle falls from LT. callaghan’s shoulder as they shake hands
Where did you get that relic?
Lt. Callaghan:
This relic as you call it is the latest in military firepower. Besides C.M.A.C. is so top heavy with officers that they run out of .45s by the time they get through the rank of Lieutenant Colonel.
Bill Fisher:
You shouldn’t be seen dead with a relic like that. At least you should carry an AK-47, it’s a hell of a lot more versatile.
He stops at an unmarked door
Well, I have to leave you now. Look, drop by the Embassy Annex and I’ll see if there is something I can do for you. See you later.
Capt. Dennison:
Who was that?
Lt. Callaghan:
Oh that was Bill Fisher, one of the guys I was out with at the International House.
Capt. Dennison:
It would have been nice if you had introduced me, Lieutenant.
Lt. Callaghan:
Sorry Sir, there didn’t seem to be any time. I’ll have to get you over to the EOD some night and you can spend some time with him.
Capt. dennison:
Come on, let’s head over to AFVN and see if we can meet up with that Good Morning guy. He’s funny as hell on the radio but I don’t know of anyone that’s actually seen him. You don’t think that they tape the broadcasts in the US and then ship them over here, do you?
Lt. Callaghan:
Maybe, we’ll find out.
SCENE 15. int. AFVN, reception - afternoon:
Capt. Dennison and Lt. callaghan enter, security is tight.
Receptionist:
May I help you?
Capt. Dennison:
We’re from C.M.A.C. and are here to check the ERN radio.
Receptionist:
He’s already gone and I don’t know anything about you’re fictitious radios but I’ll call someone who should know.
Sir, there are two officers in reception that say they need to check the ERN radio. They look to me like they are just trying to get a glimpse of the ‘Good Morning’ guy.
Oh, we do have an ERN radio. Sorry, i’ll send them in.
Sorry Sir, but we have all kinds of people try and get in here to meet the ‘Good Morning’ guy. It’s been a real pain trying to sort people out. Sorry, I guess I had you wrong.
she gets up and points
The radio is just down the hallway, second door on the left.
SCENE 16. int. – AFVN, Hallway - afternoon:
They strain to see anyone through the glassed in hallway but No go. Capt. Dennison opens the door to the radio room, no bigger than a closet.
Capt. Dennison:
This is no different to the Embassy. I don’t understand why they use closets for radio rooms.
Starts checking the radio
The nerve of her accusing us of trying to get in to see the ‘Good Morning’ guy. I’ve always had more honourable intentions than that. However, since we missed him maybe we could stop by the Secretary Pool and check out the honeys. There hast to be some compensation for our effort.
Radio’s okay, let’s went.
SCENE 17. ext. General’s mess, construction area - afternoon:
Lt. Callaghan enters General’s mess construction a week later. Makes his way through the newly framed rooms. hears creaking noises from above.
Lt. Callaghan:
Private Jones, is that you?
pFC. Jones:
It’s me Sir.
Lt. Callaghan:
How’s everything going up there?
PFC. Jones:
Okay Sir, it’s just there isn’t much room up here and every once in a while I step through the ceiling and they get real mad. It happened again this morning and the Harris guy really chewed my butt.
Steps around
Most of it’s done though. We should be done in a day or so. I’ll be glad to get back to the Radio Room. I thought this was going to be an easy break but it’s been a bitch.
Randy Harris walks up behind Lt. Callaghan and taps him on the shoulder.
Randy Harris:
Excise me! I gave specific instructions that no one, and I mean no one, was to come on this site without my specific approval. What are you doing here?
Lt. Callaghan:
Checking out my troops. They could always be doing what they were sent here for instead of spending their time climbing around up there.
Randy Harris:
Look here Lieutenant, I’m in charge here and what I say goes. I have the General’s backing and if I feel that any of you are not performing as I want then there will be hell to pay.
Looks up at PFC. Jones
You there, run those wires over here. Do it now while I am watching you so you’ll get it straight.
PFC. Jones moves through the rafters and when he is directly above Randy Harris the rafters give way and Jones falls on Harris knocking him out. Lt. callaghan rushes over.
Lt. Callaghan:
Jones, are you all right?
PFC Jones stands and dusts himself off.
PFC. Jones:
Shit, that’s the best thing that could happen to that jerk. He’s been a real pain in the butt. I hope this keeps him out of our hair until the job is done.
Lt. Callaghan kneeling over Randy harris, feels his pulse.
Lt. Callaghan:
Look Jones it’s probably a good idea to make yourself scarce, especially now that the Chief of Staff is coming. Go to the Radio Room and on your way get a Medic out here. Go! Run!
Col. Sharp:
What the hell is going on here? What happened to Harris?
Lt. Callaghan:
He’s been knocked out Sir, I just sent Private Jones to get the Medic.
Col. Sharp:
Is he breathing? Does he have a pulse?
Lt. Callaghan:
Yes Sir, it looks like he’s just knocked out.
Medic arrives
Medic:
Please get out of the way Lieutenant.
Col. Sharp:
You had better get him operational again Medic and soon. The General will be very angry is this place is not finished for his housewarming party. He sent out the invitations only yesterday.
Randy Harris finally comes to.
medic:
Unless he has some internal injury I think he will be all right. Keep him horizontal for a while until he can get up on his own. We don’t want him hurting himself again. By the way, what happened?
Col. Sharp:
Well lieutenant, what did happen?
Lt. Callaghan:
It seems Sir that the rafters gave way under Private Jones and he fell on Mister Harris.
Randy Harris gets up and keeps shaking his head
Randy Harris:
I want that son of a bitch court marshalled for attempting to kill me. Look at the state of my new yellow jacket. I want a new one on expenses. I refuse to work under these dangerous conditions. Until I get assurance from the General that things will change for the better I won’t set foot on this site. Now get me a jeep and take me to my villa before I pass out.
Col. Sharp:
You heard him Lieutenant. Get him a jeep and get him to his quarters, safely this time. Then report to me in my office.
Jeep arrives and harris is gently helped into it and leaves, brushing off his yellow jacket.
SCENE 18. Int. Colonel Sharp’s Office,
Lt. Callaghan enters and almost runs into the General coming the other way.
BG. Gottard:
Where’s my aide?
What the hell are you doing here Lieutenant?
Col. Sharp:
He almost killed Harris and now Harris won’t work here until you assure him that he will have safer working conditions.
BG. Gottard:
Every time I see you there is a calamity. Does it naturally follow you around or do you create it as you go along.
Now you’ve created a situation where I have to be nice to that asshole. That really rubs me the wrong way Lieutenant and I am not going to put up with your antics any more…
Col. Sharp:
Maybe we could have him inspect a few extra bridges to remind him of the error of his ways.
BG. Gottard:
That’ll do for a start. Have him start tonight where we are supposed be attacked. That’ll straighten him up. Now get the hell out of here before I change my mind and send you up country.
Lt. callaghan leaves.
Colonel, make sure he doesn’t blow one up. We have enough problems with the VC.
SCENE 19. Int. c.m.a.c. Radio Room – early morning
Lt. Callaghan enters
Spec5. Dudley:
How did the bridge inspection go Sir?
Lt. Callaghan:
Uneventful, the anticipated attack never came to fruition. How have things gone here?
Spec5. dudley:
Great until about midnight and the Microwave called us and told us that the line to the 199th Light Infantry Brigade had dropped and they couldn’t make contact. We tried by radio and their net was down. There was no communication on the ERN either. The TOC said there were no firefights in the area so we didn’t know what to do. They were out for twenty minutes and then they came back up.
Lt. Callaghan:
What was the problem?
Spec5. Dudley:
The guy who was tending the generators had a burst appendix and they spent most of the downtime trying to get him medivaced out. The primary ran out of diesel and the backup wouldn’t start. A classic domino effect.
Lt. callaghan:
Well there’s nothing I can do this early in the morning. I’m going to get some sleep. I’ll be in at the regular time.
SCENE 20. ext. – c.m.a.c. High Frequency radio Site - morning
Lt. Callaghan is working on an antenna platform twenty feet in the air. maj. Dingby calls from the ground, squinting into the sunlight
maj. dingby:
Lieutenant, Lieutenant Colonel Grimes wants to see you. It’s important so you had better get right up there now.
Lt. Callaghan:
I’ll be right down as soon as I get this antenna fixed Sir.
Maj. Dingby:
Lieutenant, I said you had better go to the Signal Office now!
Lt. callaghan climbs down from the platform as Maj. Dingby returns to the Signal Office. Lt. Callaghan follows.
Lt. Callaghan:
Yes Sir, I’m coming Sir, I’ll be right there Sir.
SCENE 21. int. – c.m.a.c. Signal office - morning
Lt. Callaghan enters. Lt. Col. Grimes pacing the floor
Lt. Col. Grimes:
Where the hell have you been Lieutenant?
Lt. Callaghan:
At the High Frequency site Sir fixing antennas. That’s where Major Dingby found me.
Lt. Col. Grimes:
That’s not what I meant and you know it. Why didn’t you tell me?
Lt. callaghan:
Tell you what Sir?
Lt. Col. Grimes:
You know very well Lieutenant. The twenty minute signal outage at the 199th this morning.
Lt. callaghan:
It was in the reports Sir.
Lt. Col. Grimes:
Well you’re going to have to tell the General. The Command Briefing is this afternoon and you’re going to present the signal outages for the period.
The clerk brings in the signal outage chart. A EXTENSION for the additional time had been added.
Lt. Callaghan:
Does the extension have to be so big? Couldn’t you put on a graduated extension?
Clerk:
The chart only goes up to ten minutes Sir and a graduated extension would not present the true extent of the outage.
Lt. Callaghan:
We log over 1200 network hours a day and we report outages in minutes. That isn’t a real reflection of our uptime.
Lt. Col. Grimes continues to pace
Lt. Col. Grimes:
I guess there is nothing more that can be done. I might as well start preparing to go up country.
Lt. Callaghan:
Sir, the General will understand.
Lt. Col. Grimes:
The hell he will. You’ve never seen him when he flies off into a fit.
Lt. Callaghan:
Then let’s get on with preparing for the execution Sir, I hate waiting.
Lt. Col. Grimes:
Don’t be a wise ass Lieutenant, we could all be shipped up country for this incident. I for one would like to sample more of the delight of this city before being sent to some obscure outpost. So, let’s get rehearsing as there isn’t much time.
SCENE 22. int. - c.m.a.c. radio room - afternoon
Lt. Callaghan enters and flops into his desk chair, puts his feet up and closes his eyes.
SFC. Holstein:
How’s it going Sir?
Lt. Callaghan:
They made me rehearse the signal outage presentation over and over. Then they couldn’t agree who would answer a question asked by the General. Lt. Col. Grimes didn’t want to and Maj. Dingby told him he had to. It’s easy for Major Dingby pass judgement, he’s never there.
SFC. Holstein:
Then you’re the ‘Fatted Calf’ Sir.
Lt. Callaghan:
Thanks for putting it like that Sergeant.
SFC. Holstein:
I didn’t mean it like that Sir. It’s just that it has become sort of a tradition.
Lt. Callaghan:
That’s okay Sergeant, I guess I am a little edgy. I had better get cleaned up and head for the inevitable.
SCENE 23. int. – Command Briefing Room - Afternoon
Lt. Callaghan enters a fairly empty room. A flurry of command and staff helicopters start landing on the parade field. capt. Dennison taps Lt. Callaghan on the shoulder.
Capt. Dennison:
Are you ready?
Lt. callaghan looks around
Lt. Callaghan:
As ready as I’ll ever be.
Looks like the Captain that challenged the General’s comment about the time has been replaced. That will be me next, sent up country for my transgressions, part of the thirty-five percent turnover.
Lt. Callaghan waits. Finally Lt. Col. Grimes signals to him to present. He mounts the stage.
Sir, the Signal Outages for the period.
BG. Gottard:
Lieutenant, what’s that outage
Lt. Callaghan:
That’s an outage that occurred at the 199th last night Sir.
BG. Gottard:
What the hell happened and why wasn’t I notified?
Col. Sharp:
I slipped up notifying you Sir since the problem was corrected before you could be reached.
bg. Gottard:
Grimes, can’t we go through a day without the Signal Section screwing up? What the hell is the matter with your damn organisation?
Lt. Callaghan upset by the attack waved his pointer in the General’s face.
Lt. Callaghan:
The generator watch had a burst appendix and the backup generator failed to kick in. Most of the outage was a result of getting help to the soldier. The problem was fixed in twenty minutes. There were no other outages logged for the period. That concludes my report Sir.
Lt. callaghan slammed the pointer of the easel and walked off stage to the briefing room exit.
BG. Gottard:
Colonel Sharp, I don’t want to see that Lieutenant present at my briefings again.
Col. Sharp stops Lt. Callaghan as he starts to exit the briefing room.
Col. Sharp:
You had better lay low for several days until the General cools down. Best get the hell out of town.
Lt. Callaghan:
I’m going on R&R Sir. Should I come back?