Midway (1976)
Robert Mitchum: Admiral William F. Halsey
Photos
Quotes
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Admiral Nimitz : I'd like you to recommend your own replacement.
Vice Adm. William F. 'Bull' Halsey Jr. : Ray Spruance. I know... I know, he's junior to a lot of other flag officers, and never served a day on a carrier. But Chet, he *knows* carrier tactics.
[beat]
Vice Adm. William F. 'Bull' Halsey Jr. : Well, you asked for my recommendation.
Admiral Nimitz : I can just imagine Washington's reaction if I hand over the Enterprise and the Hornet to a cruiser skipper. Especially after all the static I've been getting about going out looking for the Japanese at Midway.
Vice Adm. William F. 'Bull' Halsey Jr. : You told me once, Chet. When you're in command, command.
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RAdm. Raymond A. Spruance : [Spruance is visiting Halsey in the hospital]
RAdm. Raymond A. Spruance : I just want to thank you for recommending me to take your task force to sea. Now I have a question for you- Did that *itch* go to your *head*?
Vice Adm. William F. 'Bull' Halsey Jr. : [amused] Stop underestimating yourself, Ray. Any Skipper who could keep his cruisers and destroyers alongside of my carriers, from one end of the Pacific to the other, is *definitely* the man for the job.
RAdm. Raymond A. Spruance : You and I are uh- aw, Bill, we're kind of different! Do you think *I* can pull it off the same way *you* could have?
Vice Adm. William F. 'Bull' Halsey Jr. : [calmly] I can only tell you this Ray- You play it the way you *feel* it, not the way you think *I'd* play it. You go to sea, you find Nagumo, and *chew his ass*! Now, that's all there is to it.