Lt. Pete Emmett Quotes in U-571 (2000)

Lt. Hirsch: Last night at 0300 hours a British destroyer reported depth charging and sinking a German U-boat. However, sometime thereafter, Allied direction finding station triangulated a coded enemy radio signal to this position here near the chop line.

[indicates position on map]

Lt. Hirsch: We believe the U-boat was disabled, not sunk, and is drifting eastward on a four-knot current. Now, French resistance reported a resupply submarine sailed from the Lorient U-boat pens yesterday afternoon with engine parts and mechanics. Now, we believe it's gonna rendezvous with the disabled U-boat. On board that U-boat is this.

[picture of typewriter Enigma]

Ens. Keith Larson, Chief Torpedoman: A typewriter?

Lt. Hirsch: An Enigma code machine. It allows the German navy to communicate with it's submarines in secret, and our inability to decipher their messages is costing us this war. Mr. Coonan?

Marine Maj. Coonan: All right. This is basically a Trojan Horse operation. The S-33 will rendezvous with the U-boat, posing as the German resupply sub. I will lead a boarding party dressed in Kriegsmarine uniforms to the enemy submarine. We will take it by force and secure the Enigma. Any German survivors will be transferred to the S-33 and the U-boat will be scuttled.

Lt. Hirsch: The German resupply submarine will arrive at the rendezvous and will assume that the U-boat succumbed to its wounds and sank. The Germans must never suspect we have the Enigma. That is vital.

Lt. Pete Emmett: So it's a race?

Lt. Hirsch: Yes, effectively.

Lieutenant Andrew Tyler: Who's the boarding party?

Marine Maj. Coonan: Well, since you're the X.O., you sir. Mr. Emmett, Mr. Larson, Mr. Hirsch and nine of your ship's company. The captain, of course, will remain onboard the S-33.

Lieutenant Andrew Tyler: Mr. Coonan, our boys are submarine sailors, not combat marines.

Marine Maj. Coonan: The boys onboard that U-boat are sailors too. Your men'll be ready, Lieutenant. I'll train them myself.

Lt. Commander Mike Dahlgren: You've come to the right boat.