 It's favorite to him. I never did get around to give him that first lesson. Like every member of his corps, Captain O'Keefe started his training at the school for chaplains at Harvard University. To become a soldier, the chaplain must first be a rookie. Every muscle in my body is fighting with its neighbor. Hope the enemy suffers as much. Good evening. My name's Tom Manning. I understand I'm supposed to bunk here. Come right in. There's plenty of space. At least four or five inches to spare. Well, uh, make yourself at home. I'm Arnold Miller. How do you do? This is Bart Richards. Glad to have you with us. And this, make a note of it, is Michael Keith. Almost all American, Loyola, 37. No, my dear, he's out in the sun too long. Oh, yes, I remember. Quarterback ran, uh, ran 97 yards against St. Mary's, 36. He's got quite a memory. You and I are going to get along fine. Come on, let's get your bag unpacked. Make yourself at home. Thanks. You've got a tough schedule ahead of you, Manning. It's okay with me. I hope you're physically fit. Gentlemen, one must have unusual intelligence to be honored with a rare trinket like this. Five-eight a cap, uh, not bad. Hey, wait a minute. Manning. Not Tom Manning. Any 35? Olympic Team 36? Yeah, I did some boxing. Gentlemen, Mr. Manning deserves a place of honor. Uh, lower three. Oh, no, I don't want to deprive any of you fellas. I don't want to sleep in an opera. Oh, go ahead. Take it. Take it. Well, thanks. No, no, no. It takes me right back to my hazing days at college. Uh-oh, that's Knight of Sandleyville. He's a special lecturer. You coming with us? Uh, no, you students run along. I don't assume my duty is until tomorrow. Rigid training, hard work, working together. In this way, the chaplain was prepared for the difficult role ahead. He would be a soldier, yet not a soldier. All right, men, enough of that. Rest. Glad that's over, and I thought I was in condition. Attention! Okay, gentlemen, try studies. Dismit! There were a thousand details. Special schooling, map reading, military courtesy, all new to the chaplain's mind. But on the Sabbath, here, as always, his is the province of the spirit of life everlasting. Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings, the sourdane strength. Because of line enemies, the Talmud is still the enemy and the avenger. Oh, siso, hol malachtecho, bium ha shevidi, shabbos ladonori elohechot, los arse, hol malachot. Oh, this David, our master, secret ethnos dimitibus, Davidoribus nostrus hednanos and intentasio. Four weeks of strenuous training, they are ready for graduation. In graduating from this school, you have come to understand your essential function as unit chaplains with our armed forces. When you pass through these portals, you will take on the obligation of staying with your men through changing circumstances. In the army camps, none of them is to be neglected. And as soldiers who may not bear arms, you will be at the side of the fallen soldier to offer aid and comfort. Let us pray. Heavenly Father, we pray for thy guidance, humble people. Let us be humble in spirit, but strong in the conviction of the right. Steadfast to endure sacrifice and brave to achieve a victory of liberty and a lasting peace. Amen. The men are now ready for assignment in the field and the field might be anywhere. Thank you. Congratulations. Thank you, sir. Congratulations. Thank you. Thank you, sir. I'm Georgia. Me, a Republican. See, did you see this here of unregistered special assignment in Washington? Yeah. I already said goodbye to him. The funniest thing is you fellas being assigned to my home town in Vermont. Quite a break. Sadie, you suppose you could get to see my folks? Sure. Oh, it'd be wonderful if you could. They know all about you. It's E.J. Manning there in the phone book. We'll find it. Wonderful. Carrying leaves in half an hour, fellas. I never did like goodbyes. Neither did I. That's the way I feel about it. Happy landing. Thanks. What? Keep her in the road. Godspeed. Fixed it so the next guy'd sleep all right. Well, guy. Four-chapon Tom Manning marched down to Georgia. He found the quickest way to make friends was to beat one. Give me one. Give me one. Give me one. Give me one. Give me one. Give me one. Give me one. Give me one. Wow. If your sermon carries the same wall of your punches, we'll all be in church Sunday. Okay, then be in church Sunday. I thought so. He played as hard as he worked. He was every word once. Have you got it this morning, chaplain? You bet I've got it, Joe. There you are. Mystery of the mind. Tony, new deck of cards for your solitaire. How about a racing form, Padre? Oh, I'm sorry. We're fresh out of racing forms this morning. Here, try this for your higher education. Fred, how do you feel? Well. Good. There's no one for you. Thanks. Tim, here's the cash for your ration check-alongs. And your wife's allotment came through. Oh, thanks, chaplain. That really takes a load off my mind. She sends her love, too. Thanks a lot. What'd you run into? Busted my leg in my first parachute jump. I bet you landed stiff-legged. I guess so. I knew better, but I forgot. I was luckier on my first jump. I only sprained both my ankles. Say, did you? Yeah, forgot my lesson. Landed like a stick. Plain dumb. Excuse me, chaplain. Yes. But, uh, private Fleming in that corner bit. He's due for an emergency operation. The poor kid's scared stiff about it. Perhaps if you could talk to him. Yeah, yeah, I understand. Thanks. Keep going, soldier. Well, what do you know? He mucked his first parachute jump, too. Sprained both his ankles. Hello, soldier. How's it going? All right. Not so hot. I don't know, sir. I've been asking for Father McNeil. But he hasn't come. I'm sorry. Father McNeil was called away from camp this morning. Now you feel, and I'd like to help you. I'm not a Catholic priest, but I know how Father McNeil would pray for you if you were here. Would you like me to say a prayer with you? I'd appreciate it, sir. My God, I am heartily sorry for having offended thee. Relying on my infinite goodness and promises, I hope to obtain the pardon of all my sins. My heart is ready, Lord. My heart is ready. Oh, Lord, my God, how wonderful is thy name in the whole world. Up in Vermont, during this same period, Chaplain Miller and Chaplain O'Keefe are also becoming seasoned officers and soldiers. They were... Hiya, Mike. Hello, Arnold. Say, did you find that man for me? Yeah, I got a swell Irish lyric tenor for you. Good for you. Uh, what's his name? Sally Rosenfeld. Oh, Captain. I didn't see Danny Brewer at service this morning. I'm sorry, Chaplain. He's in the guardhouse again. What is it this time? The usual thing. Started around the mess hall. I'm afraid Brewer is hopeless for the army. There's nothing left for us to do. Excuse me, Captain. I know Danny seems hopeless. But I still think he can be restored to useful service. I've been looking into his background. I don't know, but... Well, maybe I found a key to his better nature. Good luck. Thanks, sir. While a chaplain soon learns that all men are pretty much alike, his greatest duty is to those who are, well, not alike. That is, soldier. It looks like that last session we had didn't do much good. Hey, Danny, still trying to lick the world single-handed? Nobody's going to push me around. You know, Danny, you're on a team now. You don't play by the rules. Someone might get hurt. If not you, somebody else. So what? I don't like the guys on my team anyway. Oh, wait a minute. These days, when a fellow fights against his own team, it's a break for the other side. Actually, he's on the other side. I'd ever said that. Nobody can... Can what? What's the use? I give up. That's not the rhythm, and besides your tone deaf... Just trying to learn to play my favorite tune, oh, Susanna. In fact, you're just what the doctor ordered. I got a job for you. A camp show, top spot. You can stay out of the guardhouse. I don't know how bright you are, Danny, but if you can think like you can play, I'll see you at rehearsals. Chaplain, okay. You forgot something. What are you using that after hearing you play? Well, thanks. Drop around sometime and I'll give you a couple of lessons. You think I won't? Unified by service in the same chapel. Three men. Each united in devotion to God. Dominus will bisque him. It comes spirit to tool. He de mis a est. They'll gratius. And it he cut both some nepotence deus. Out of a filious fervent scientist. O Lord our God, when we lie down and raise up, we will meditate on thy statue. Yea, we will rejoice in the words of thy law and in thy commandments forever. For they are our life and the length of our days. And we will meditate on them day and night. Shema yisroel adonoy eloheno adonoy elhad. Blessed is the man that walketh not in the council of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor siteth in the seat of the scornful. But his delight is in the law of the Lord. And in his law doth he meditate day and night. And it shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, and bringeth forth his fruit in his season. And I'll let us pray. Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name, thy kingdom come, thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread, give us our trespasses, we forgive those who trespass against us. Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. The line is the kingdom, the power, and the glory forever. Come in. Out on the Pacific, a troop-laden convoy moves west. Without impromptu entertainment of some sort, the days would be interminably long. So here, chaplains O'Keefe and Miller meet and cope with still another problem. Keeping up the spirits of the men. I was swell, Saul. You'd better get ready for your number. Hey, Rosenthal, how about when I reshires a smiley? Make time. Make time. Okay, man, give you five minutes to look over this chorus lyric and we'll begin the rehearsal. Don't let the Hawaiian Chamber of Commerce see you. Pardon me, sir. I had much of a hand at writing them. I'd be much obliged if you'd write a letter and be more on Tennessee telling about this play act that we're in. Sure. How do you want to start? Well, I once received a mighty knife sweater one time. I figured I'd start this one about the same way. Uh, greetings. Greetings? Greetings. Greetings. Chaplain O'Keefe and Danny Brewell play the number for you and I want to hear you sing and give. That's a bloody solid chaplain. I thought all you guys knew was how to preach. A lot of ways to preach, soldier. On the other side of the globe, the stage is set. The plane's already. The bomb rack's filled. The bomb rack's filled. The bomb rack's filled. The bomb rack's filled. The bomb rack's filled. The bomb rack's filled. The bomb rack's filled. The bomb rack's filled. Men are only men after all. And wherever the need was greatest, there Chaplin Manning found his place. I don't think I really get scared, Chaplin. Maybe it's nourished, but I get real worried about ever letting my buddies down just a few minutes before we jump. I think it was about my fifth jump before I figured out what was the matter with me, what was scaring me. You were scared? Sure. Who isn't? Only I found out I was afraid of being afraid, just like you are. Look, son, you go right on being scared. The difference between being a coward and being afraid is that the coward welches on his job. Everybody's afraid at some time or another in this man's war. Only most of them keep right on doing their jobs. And from what I've seen, they do a pretty good job, huh? Have you thought about it that way, Chaplin? Yes, maybe I'll do all right. I'm not worried about you, soldier. Offer equipment check. Okay. Okay. Number four okay. Number three okay. Number two okay. Number one okay. Stand at the door. In the jungles of New Guinea, Miller and O'Keefe faced the duties of a chaplain on the battle line. Boy, it's hot. So's the water. That's wet, ain't it? I don't offer my supplies. Our only chance is to make a break for it. There'll be casualties. We're short of doctors and nurses. We'll need everyone's help. But I know we can count on you chaplains. While the men wait for orders, the chaplains in their tent get together for a few small comforts and emergency medical supplies and knapsacks will hold. You look like the old fuller breast man. I'll need some of his nerve. I licked a well-singled hand in it. Now my knees are trying to look... So we're mine. I feel like I've got down a gray down. I'm gonna serve us in this hole tomorrow. I guess you're right. We're tasting a two-way squeeze. I got a spare here you might want to use. The little men close in on us tonight, Padre. Guns are out for chaplains. Thanks. I guess they'll start closing in when it gets dark. Coming on dark pretty quick. Like much of a Christmas. Three-quarters of a pack of battered-up cigarettes we can't smoke. As far as a chocolate we can eat. This begins to feel like Christmas. I like a big spoon or a beer. Ice cold. Or some of that plum pudding Ma used to make for us at home. Where is Homeskinny? Minnesota. Little town nobody ever heard of. We atonk. We atonk. Sounds Indian. Yeah. Means whipping the wind. Cold up there this time of year, huh? Splitting cold. Winded north through your skin like a fox bite. A lot of snow. Clean snow. Soft as a wool blanket. Stars seem to snap with a frost. If it looks a little down you feel you could almost reach up and touch it. Where in God's name? That's my boss you're talking about. I feel like a little prayer to help me a lot. I'm getting scared, are ya chaplain? Afraid of missed opportunities. Afraid of all the good I could have done. Chaplain? But prayer. I'd like in on it. Heavy on it for me too, chaplain. Lead the way, Padre. O God our heavenly Father. Grant us in this hour of peril the fullness of thy mercy. Forgive us who have sinned against thy holy name. Protect us from the dangers around us. And if it be thy will that we should die, bring us, O Lord, to the shelter of thy heavenly throne. There's the signal to advance. One at a time. Don't give too much of a target. Kenny's okay, over you go, Skinny. Skinny's hit. Wait a minute, that's my job. Hey, Skinny, your assistance is our army, chaplain. A soldier. You will find the millers, the mannings, the o'keeps, in the army camps, in the hospitals, on the high seas and strange roads, in the sky and in the foxholes. A soldier, unarmed, not unarmed. For what better weapons may a man carry with him into battle than those of courage, of unswerving devotion to his faith than to his fellow man?