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Billy Sunday: The Navy Diver is not a fighting man, he is a salvage expert. If it is lost underwater, he finds it. If it's sunk, he brings it up. If it's in the way, he moves it. If he's lucky, he will die young, 200 feet beneath the waves, for that is the closest he'll ever get to being a hero.
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Billy Sunday: Think you deserve to be here, don't ya? Fraternizing among navy men? Think you're as good as they are? How 'bout me, cookie? You better than me?
Carl Brashear: You're damn right I am!
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Jo: Don't you see? I'm not like you. The things I want...
[Jo sighs and takes Carl's hand]
Jo: The things I want are smaller. If I just work hard and keep my head down...
Carl Brashear: Your whole life will pass you by.
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[Sunday regards a picture of Carl's late father]
Billy Sunday: What the hell did he ever say to make you try so hard?
Carl Brashear: Be the best.
Billy Sunday: Well, you are.
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Billy Sunday: My name is Master Chief Billy Sunday. There was a preacher by the same name who cleaned up Chicago of all the whoring spics, drunken wops and motherfucking niggers that was making that place unfit for decent white folks to live. The only difference between me and that old preacher is that he worked for God, and I *am* God!
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[Student standing in underwear and banging on empty pot with spoon]
Diving Student: I stole a pie! I stole a pie! I stole a pie!
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[Sunday blasts Snowhill with the water-hose]
Billy Sunday: Snowhill, get your Wisconsin ass back in the barracks.
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Jo: Why do you want this so bad?
Carl Brashear: Because they said I couldn't have it.
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Billy Sunday: Goddammit Cookie, move your ass, I want my TWELVE!
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Carl Brashear: Forgive me sir, but to me, the Navy isn't a business. It's an organization of people who represent the finest aspects of our nation. We have many traditions. In my career, I have encountered most of them. Some are good, some not so good. I would, however not be here today were it not for our greatest tradition of all.
Captain Hanks: And what would that be, Chief Brashear?"
Carl Brashear: " Honor, sir"
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Billy Sunday: You know what the Chinese say, cookie? Beware what you wish for.
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Carl Brashear: Why are you doing all this?
Billy Sunday: To piss people off.
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Carl Brashear: Sir, you may not remember me but we served together in the South Pacific.
Billy Sunday: Oh Yeah, I remember you now... So What's for Chow Cookie?
Carl Brashear: Sir I am reporting here for diving school!
Billy Sunday: I sure hope your food is better than the last cook's. Last cook's food could kill a man's dog.
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Mac Brashear: You get in there and fight, Carl. Don't take promises. Bust their rules if you have to. And when it gets hard, and it will, don't quit on me, ever.
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Billy Sunday: A Chief Petty Officer shall not drink. However, if he should drink he shall not get drunk. If he should get drunk, he shall not stagger. And if he should stagger, he shall not fall. And if he should fall, he will fall in such a manner as to cover up his rank so that passerbyers will think he is an officer.
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Mr. Pappy: [in his flat, Sunday just walked in] Did you know that ordinary house dust is composed primarily ofhuman skin ?
Billy Sunday: No sir, I didn't know that.
Mr. Pappy: [chuckles] Makes you think twice about who you invite into your home.
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Billy Sunday: Son, step aside, or I will crack you right in the jaw.
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Billy Sunday: Boatswain's mate second class Carl Brashear. Nine hours, thirty one minutes, perfect assembly.
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Mr. Pappy: Two tablespoons of machine oil can contaminate an entire ship's fresh water supply.
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Carl Brashear: Captain Hanks, I have spent most of my life in the Navy trying only to succeed. However, my quest has come at a great personal loss to those who love me. They too have made sacrifices. They too have endured great pains to support me. If I walk these twelve steps today, reinstate me to active duty. Give me my career back, let me finish it and go home in peace.
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Billy Sunday: Nine! The Navy Diver is not a fighting man, he is a salvage expert. Ten! If it is lost underwater, he finds it. If it's sunk, he brings it up. If it's in the way, he moves it. Eleven! If he's lucky, he will die young, 200 feet beneath the waves, for that is the closest he'll ever get to being a hero. Hell, I don't know why anybody would want to be a Navy Diver. Now you report to this line, Cookie!
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Billy Sunday: [Addressing the cadet divers] gentlemen, this is weekend liberty, remember one night stands maybe over in the morning but Syphilis lasts a lifetime.
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[LAST TITLE CARD]: In 1968, Carl Brashear became the first amputee in the U.S. Navy to return to full active duty. Two years later, he became the first African American to become a Master Diver. He did not retire from the Navy for another 9 years.
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Billy Sunday: [Carl Brashear is skipping rope. After missing a jump he is laying on the floor. While swearing in walks Billy Sunday] Cookie. God damn it! It looks like I missed one helluva party.
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Billy Sunday: [Billy douses Carl with water wile he's sleeping] Rise and shine, cookie. Time for trainin'.
[Carl spits out water, he next is seen running out of the cabin but Billy sprays him with a water hose]
Billy Sunday: Are you familiar with the principle of Boyle's Law?
Carl Brashear: [on the ground all wet] The what?
[Billy sprays him again]
Billy Sunday: I didn't hear you're answer.
[he sprays Carl again]
Billy Sunday: Come on, cookie. Get up.
[he picks up Carl and drags him over to a barrel filled with water]
Billy Sunday: Boyle's Law states that, at a constant temperature, the volume of a confined ideal gas varies inversely with it's pressure!
[he dunks Carls head in]
Billy Sunday: Now why is this law important in divin'?
Carl Brashear: I don't know, Chief!
Billy Sunday: [continues to dunk his head as he speaks] You don't know and you ain't ever gonna know, 'cause you're just some dumb dirt nigger from Podunk! I know you. Your sweet smell hung in every bunk and Goddamn shack I ever lived in. Your nigger face stared at me every time we had to leave 'cause your daddy could farm it cheaper then mine. Mine drank himself into a $7 casket, but that ain't ever gonna happen to me because I'm a master diver! And maybe you'll remember that next time you imply we got *anything* in common! You read me, cookie?
[Carl coughs up water]
Men of Honor Quotes
Extended Reading
