Court-Martial Captain Quotes in Flight of the Intruder (1991)

Court-Martial Captain: You took an oath, Mr. Cole. You, too, Mr. Grafton. You took an oath to defend the constitution and obey the orders of the officers appointed over you. It's the same oath that every officer in the navy has taken for damn near 200 years. And during all that time, the military has obeyed the civilian elected government. Now, they might not have always been right, or wise... or even smart, but they were elected. Any other way and the United States would be nothing more than another two-bit military dictatorship.

Admiral: Why did you do this, Cole? An officer with your fine record? Did you think you were going to win the war?

Cole: Frankly, sir, I think we're going to lose this one. But I do love the work.

Court-Martial Captain: Mr. Cole, you may find that amusing, but we don't. Gentlemen, this is our country you're messing with. Well, Mr. Grafton, you have an attentive audience here. Perhaps you can explain to us why you thought a one-plane war was the way to go.

Lt. Jake Grafton: Well, sir, we bomb worthless targets night after night - I mean, three tents under a tree... sampan repair yards that have been hit ten times already. Sir, you know the list better than I do. My first bombardier and 50,000 other Americans are dead and... can anyone tell me why? I realize that I'm Lieutenant Nobody. I'm... I'm not really sure about anything anymore. This war's become very confusing. Nobody... nobody wants to fight in it. Nobody seems to want to win it. Maybe it never should have happened, but people do die in it. Maybe for me, it got personal, because I do know the difference between dying for something and dying for nothing. I know that's no excuse. I... I know that. And I broke the faith, and for that, I am truly wrong. Perhaps I should hang.

Court-Martial Captain: Hanging, Mr. Grafton, is no longer a punishment much in use. But a prison term in Leavenworth is, or a dishonorable discharge if a court-martial should so decide. But whatever happens,I think it's safe to say that your career in the navy is over. The only question's how.

Admiral: What we're going to tell you Commander, may come as a surprise, but it must be held in the utmost secrecy, and its importance will become obvious. I think you'll understand.

Court-Martial Captain: All charges against your boys have been dropped.

Cdr. Camparelli: Sir?

Court-Martial Captain: They're gone, dropped, never happened.

Cdr. Camparelli: What do you want me to do, Captain?

Court-Martial Captain: Cover it up, sweep it under the rug. Take your men back to your carrier first thing in the morning, keep their mouths shut. Beyond that, you can do what you want to with them, but this affair's over.

Cdr. Camparelli: May I ask the captain, why?

Admiral: Because the President of the United States, Richard M. Nixon is quite irritated at the opposition for leaving the peace table. He has just ordered Operation Linebacker II; the unrestricted bombing of all military targets in North Vietnam.

Court-Martial Captain: We'd look like real idiots if we court-martialed an A-6 crew for doing what the President of the United States just told us to do. If even a rumor got back to the press, you can understand the ramifications.

Cdr. Camparelli: Yes. Yes, sir.