The Pacific (TV Mini Series)

Okinawa (2010)

Joseph Mazzello: PFC Eugene Sledge

Photos 

Quotes 

• Merriell Shelton : [sees Eugene reading a letter and looking troubled]  Eugene?

  [he doesn't answer] 

  Merriell Shelton : Gene?

  Eugene B. Sledge : [distantly]  My dog died.

  Merriell Shelton : [sits beside him]  I'm sorry.

  Eugene B. Sledge : He was a good dog.

  Merriell Shelton : How old was he?

  Eugene B. Sledge : Got him as a pup 'bout nine years ago, maybe ten.

  Merriell Shelton : [studying Eugene's face]  They say dogs live, what, seven years to every one of ours?

  [Eugene doesn't say anything, and Snafu leans against his shoulder] 

  Pvt. Hamm : [also with a letter]  My brother was on the Bunker Hill.

  Merriell Shelton : [sarcastically]  Wow.

  Pvt. Hamm : [angry]  Ship got hit by two kamikazes. Five hundred guys died, asshole.

  [Snafu looks abashed] 

  Pvt. Hamm : How the fuck can they do that? Fly themselves into a ship?

  Merriell Shelton : [with irony]  Emperor is God. Duty to God.

  Pvt. Hamm : They can't fuckin' surrender?

  Eugene B. Sledge : I hope they don't.

  [Hamm and Snafu look surprised] 

  Eugene B. Sledge : I hope we get to kill every last one of 'em.

• [after the Marines have just been accidentally shelled by their own artillery] 

  Merriell Shelton : This is fucking bullshit! I ever find the fucking F.O. that called that arty, I'll shoot him!

  Eugene B. Sledge : Sons of bitches'll just do it again.

  Pvt. Hamm : Why did they shell us?

  Eugene B. Sledge : Because some asshole officer read a map wrong, and nobody gives a shit about us. There IS no goddamn reason!

• [Eugene and the others have been firing on an approaching group of enemies soldiers; he guns down a lone man after being told to cease fire] 

  2nd Lt. Mac : I told you to cease fire, what are you doing?

  Eugene B. Sledge : [coldly]  Killing Japs.

  2nd Lt. Mac : You just gave away our goddamn position!

  Eugene B. Sledge : I think they got a pretty good idea of where we are.

  2nd Lt. Mac : I told you to cease fire, you're supposed to be observing - I see you with a goddamn sidearm!

  Eugene B. Sledge : [yelling furiously]  We're all sent here to kill Japs, weren't we? So what the hell difference does it make what weapon we use?

  [gets close to Mac's face; through gritted teeth] 

  Eugene B. Sledge : I'd use my goddamn hands if I had to.