LACK EAGLES|* A Drama by Leslie Lee & Samuel French, Inc.‘CHARACTERS ELDER CLARKIE, Back Eagle nhs mid 05 FELDER NOLAN, Black Eagle ia is mi-508 [ELDER LEON, Black Eagle ins mis (GENERAL LUCAS, White Officer in his eat 0 mid SO ‘CLARKIE, Black ag in is mit 208 "ROSCOE, Black Eagle in his mide NOLAN, Black agen is mi-205 ‘BUDDY, Blick Eagle i it id-208 LEON, Black Eagle in is mid20s (OTHEL, Black Eaple nhs mid-205 PIA allan in ber i208 DAVE WHITSON White Office inhi mid-20¢ [ROY TRUMAN, Whit pit in his mid205 PLACE AND TIME Washing, D.C, 1989 ‘Reanon ofthe Tuskegee Airmen aly, 1944 daring WWIE acti The stage is DARK. A DRUM CADENCE is heard. ‘LIGHTS up on ELDERS who stand DSC lost in ‘memory. Sond of AIRPLANE fing overhead. LIGHTS pon stage. MUSIC up: "TU Be Seeing You" sg by Dil Holiday. Te isthe present place is a reception for Colin Powel. CLARKIE, Every year when we get togeth vend is tage than they did the year before. Nolan, by year after next, you will have defeated the (Geena Ac Fre aby your. NOLAN. I'm uying fo tell you what happened, The truth wills you fc, bor, i yu tt. ‘CLARKIE.(Teagl) Yeah, bt lat yar, fom what 1 can recall, you sid it was your scond Jey. att Ua tight, Leon LEON. indeed youd. [NOLAN, Both of you felis need to get yourselves a ‘complete physical examination, beans me hasnt been 00d @ elter one of you. Your minds ae failing yOu, Black Eagles (Slide Projector advances) CLARKIE. Remember that? That day Eleanor ‘Roosevelt came down and lew with Chet Anderson? Remenber tat?BLACK EAGLES LEON, Hove mercy! White knuckle time! have never ‘seen so many of the wp brass so close to a nervous ‘eakdown in all my if Sor th, that colored an wa going to make Franlin Delano Roosevelt a widower, (THEY laugh) NOLAN. Hel, there wasn't anybody inthe United ‘Stats Air Caps tht Chief Anderson cool" have aught someting. (CLARKIE, What id the Pisburgh Couriers? Fest Lay ie solo with Negro Aiman Calle i, il of 4 lifetime!” [NOLAN. Calle for expansion of Tuskegee Projet. LEON. God bless her, o ele we sure woul have poten over here. (Ste Projector advance) LEON, Tha’ the one. Last year in Kansas Ciy, you sd you were going 0 send mea copy of iad 'm sll ‘wating. Told you T might want wo we it fo the jacket of iy book. Man, was a fandsome dvi, was TP The st ‘of you gy oa’ ook 5 bad ete, (NOLAN and CLARKIE gafow) NOLAN. Lie I as sng, we were sapped to sop sor of Beta and ander Might group was supped elev us, but nobody showed up, and Colne! Davis sd, BLACK EAGLES ° NOLAN. We sighted tat fomation of ME-109s and we began climbing jst as he ME-IODs sated a pala Climbing rn (HE demonstrates again) Une COL Davis ‘was’ ging w let hae cat get away, 201 gt redy fora {ood fight. We climbed w 16000 feet It fe great was ‘heist ie Jerry coun run away or ct clin me "LEON. Kile! ‘CLARKIE, Go gt him, Hap! NOLAN. We closed ina oot S00 yar, and thas when Jey desied 0 gut he eal. They sted to dive. [And were. (Demonstrating). ad fllowed tem. Tues it was bout 80 yards, gave a shot brs, ast as we broke though a lod layer, and I saw Jey sping nd buming. [pull away, adi sew ander one go down in ames. Cavin Wilson railed hin. had my tard, ond Calvin Wilson go his fourth! And thats the hoes. God truth, Andi Wilson wer alive Beal ou. 'CLARKIE, Oh man, you know we're ast paling your leg, We ow ta sory aswel as youd. ‘LEON. Everybody knows everybody's sore aswell, as they do, The oly difleeace kes ws al hour Tnger ach year shot the eis down, (THEY laugh) CCLARKIE. Well, we beter get moving. The reepion wb sing soo, LEON. (Sul est he moment Recling) “In machines of eld grey meu ‘That line nthe sun ‘That roured and growled an whined and cane let micles a hey were.”0 BLACK EAGLES CCLARKIE, (As CLARKIE and NOLAN observ Leon, ith some concern) Lec? LEON, Cari, we changed somethings, dnt we? CCLARKIE. Yeah Lon, wedi Come oa 20m. LTEON. Back thn in 1947! never thought ee hi ay. A rcepon honing he fs back mah oer seve ‘5 Chairman ofthe Joint Chiefs of Saf ofthe Armed. Fores of the United Sas of America, Colin Powell ‘ack man. Do you undead wha Im ying? "NOLAN. ear you, (MUSIC begins andthe sound of MARCHING FEET.) ‘CLARKIE. How did we do i, hub? Hak? Somebody saline, NOLAN. Byte ace of God. LEON, Yeah, that and being teny-awo. We werent tii of iving oo ying! (CADENCE and MARCH begins) CCLARKIE, We were immoral. We were young and strong and we Anew we were going io ive forever! LEON. People wee talking aboot dying and going 10 bel wll it ‘em gow el the Black ages were ing © ‘New Yorker the war and march mack tape pra! aly 1944, CADENCE MUSIC play, YOUNG BLACK ‘EAGLES march in and stand at attention. Enter (GENERAL LUCAS. GENERAL LUCAS 1s facing the AUDIENCE 10 whom HE speas directs, ELDERS position themselves near ther younger celver and BLACK EAGLES wach he scene) (OTHEL. Tobe ight nk, march, Company bal, (EAGLES a parade res) LUCAS. Gendemen. On some missions, we've stat ‘eat went ive bombers o enemy ie! Two tude and fiy ent Aan ten’ have Twn have tal pay poker with an admiral before 0. Caring qc 10 the tudience) An You wast © know why we sing 0 mary bombers? Because white pls are more meres Inshoting down Geman fights sats their own egos than in defending the boners. Farabotas! Bastards! ‘They spot German planes, ad hey go hatin ving the tober unprotected. No goddamn discipline. When you ‘sear tomers, you sty po. You don't go chasing unless you ae ordered to chase The bombers don't each the target, my asi on he ie go wo Sas, 1 Wan the, and prima donas are going to op me from geting them. And that is why Tealled you in here. (Facing Eagles) I want you colored pilots to fly esc. I don't ‘want yout let those bombers ot of your sight. Now, ‘here's only one hick: Bombing missions ae own at high sles. I's extremely cold wp there. And from what ve heard, you colored troops have a preference for hot weather, Well the PST i a comfotable aircraft and 1 ‘hink i wil work Tm ping mysef on he ine so don't ‘ere op! Good lick, geemen, (SoudDRUM ROLL; EAGLES snap to atenon. The LIGHTS fade out. LIGHTS ap on EAGLES on @cuireme STATIC and then ANTI- AIRCRAFT FIRE and the noise of EXPLODING SHRAPNEL are heard. CLARKIE'S voice emerges ‘rough tac suden) taking the bg boye al he way i. Kep he formation tight and show ‘em how i's done. So pes, "OTHEL, The man sitPres on!” ROSCOE. Let's doit e's ot BUDDY. Toth ret! LEON. Right he arg Jesus Christman bastards lowe the! Mean! ‘OTHEL. Flak, a, go away, come asin nother day! CCLARKIE. This is Blue leader. Te bombers have most completed their run. Ten seconds 10 rendezvous. Standby wo pick up the big boys. "ROSCOE. This Blue Five. One sccouned for and ‘wo slowpokes jst completing hi ron.1“ BLACK EAGLES CCLARKIE. Blue Five, immediately rejoin the main group. You know the procedure: svagpers re on thei "ROSCOE. Tey jus eed twenty scons. (CLARKE. Negative Blue Five, at's negative! (Large EXPLOSION) ROSCOE. Jesus Chit! (ROSCOE ts shaten violently and slumps inhi sat, ‘anatase. The sound of ¢PLANE, ding is heard) COTHEL, Ble Five! Ble Five! Comein, Blue Five! ‘CLARKE, Pll up, Blue Five, pull up ‘BUDDY. Rostoo, et out of there, man! Bailout (ROSCOE sont regains consciousness and ook dazed ‘round. HE grabs the controls and comes ou of the ive) (OTHEL. He's plling up. He pling op LEON and NOLAN. Hey, whats going on? You all igh, Bagh You okay? 'ROSCOE. (Shan) 'm al igh. I'm okay. Lets keep "CLARKIE. You Berd what he man idles fy BUDDY. All the way! All the way! Here come the Eagles! Here we come! NOLAN. Let, ley (FLAK sound begins sbside) BLACK EAGLES 1s CCLARKIE. (Hiding his anit.) Good job, Eagles. Good job. Now e's get tes oys tack hom way we ‘ung em, (The LIGHTS fade out, and then rise inthe barracks ‘ROSCOE ewer, tired. bit shaken HE som the ct ‘isan fora moment reflective then pick p Suis) STULIUS. Rough ne, ai ROSCOE. Yeah, prety close, Wasn't sue Twas ping ‘omaeit us (HE shudders, thoughiful. JULIUS watches him, compassion) -ROSCOR. | was sewed. (Beat) JULIUS. ate sy t— ROSCOE, $0" JULIUS. —T know how you're feting, tt cou ve told ous. ROSCOE, Hey, you ought to be glad I brought you ‘ih me, you ite grat JULIUS, Oh thanks, thanks 9 lou! Did you ask me whather Iwate vo come over bee? Hell no, you sued ‘eit your dffet bag ih he re of your moldy sear, fd tha al here wast it How'd yu ks wo ide es Shousnd mies wih your fice stick in my jockey sbors? 1 ‘ano go home.6 BLACK EAGLES ROSCOE, We can't, lg? I gt lite tomes sometime bat etre ag TULIUS Wha’ ths Swe a Masked Man? You aloo mae me an cnnpd pe nae youd {now t Taig me pon ha spd mise Geng ne sat Ble whiz al ond me ia o my oh Aa on my et akon fm ak wreak Best fat snot ok fy now. pe 4a anos took off my er. Aner amt pty ae sot, mye, ADT htt elon what he sea ec alma tn fe Lace le i Face Sk nossa hi he pe a ae "ROSCOE, Oh come on, ais, ont you wan 1 ‘home a hero? 2 ULI. He. tos, Raping oT m aoe nota fh ROSCOE, Think ofall the war sores you can tll Locille when you get ack JULIUS. Irate makeup my own, hank you —wit ‘0 fet onthe grand. Let's gt oe thing stig hot ‘ady o bean cephan ye So you wach ourself op hee le you're going ave Tl te Temble o dest ‘ROSCOE. Yea, Pl hat tothe eres, (OTHEL, LEOW, CLARKIE, AND NOLAN emer. THEY ttre nd foigued ROSCOE abr sp tang ‘0 Julius, s0 the others can't hear.) a CCLARKIE, Where were yous do riefing. man? ROSCOE. .kippal it Twas bea BLACK EAGLES ” CCLARKIE, You can't do that Roscoe. The rest of ws arc beat oo, You have tbe thik everyone ls. Y0u ox? 'ROSCOE. mall ight. CCLARKIE. You sure, Roscoe? You need 1 see the oxi? "ROSCOE. No. I'm OK. (OTHEL. All can sy is Prise God! Tank you, Jess, for bringing us out of he valley ofthe shadow of dea ‘That was aig assed vale today! LEON. Hey, Roscoe, don't dota gun, man, scaring stato deat CCLARKIE, And we not going to have it righ fs? NOLAN, Roscoe was ging the ob di ellow Eagles. I dda say, geting It done, Tad he was geting theo di Now you know he o's been done. ‘OTHEL. Thanks wo you, Eagle, we sill havent last a bebe. 'CLARKIE, Yeah, bt we almost lost couple today, sa him oo. [NOLAN. You're not uying ofellme tht he screwed spray? (CLARKE, We're supposed to sty in formation. NOLAN. The man was doing what we're supposed w be doing. We're escorting he hell ot of the bomber NNotody can ouch em. (CLARKIE, We're supposed follow eres, Ni. NOLAN. He was following ors, danmit—tringing 2 couple of sagles home. Before lang, we won't be able to tke a heath witout somebody wlig us when and ow todoit. ROSCOE. He's righ, Nollie serowed up. I should6 BLACK EAGLES ave tye infomation, That's what counts NOLAN, Wha'l count for something is doing what ‘wee tite to dove bombing, sing, hang td asin Jers: What will cout for something sein ‘sme kl ike the white boys. Thats how the top bass the polieians and everyone back home deemines who's ‘eo over here. Like hat guy ar the Great War, aio ‘Rickenbacker. the scalps yo tring back home. Now ‘ha’ wha couts, okay? LEON, Do you realy hink they ae going oe any of 1s Pckanianis ride down Broadway in New York ity ser this wa, with cone Hating dova, bands plying, folks screaming ad holrng and whi chicks bowing us ‘ses 1 tea cols dyin el betee they Tt at spp, ROSCOE. Somebody tell me pleas, what the fll I'm ein over hr, then, ‘CLARKIE, You ke w ly, How abou a? ROSCOE. ell, can ly back hae in peace and quiet. NOLAN. You can hk? How many tis ae you going o beable to ake ofan land on, bi? How many sills di Chief Andeson got run of ecause he was ¢ ‘ole maa? Hel is nts war we'e all abut for the history books io record thst Negros ea ya Hck, Now ta’ your never. CLARKIE, Well I don't car what you guys ay, we on‘ havea damn thing o be ashamed of We're dongs ‘ll of jb over hr, and 'm saying, 'm prod NOLAN. And I'm saying. want io fight Team over ‘eet bate the Jes, Ju lik the whi Boys, motto Be Some sting duck, who can't pall th rigger on his ove nin. BLACK EAGLES » ae ee os aera me cere Sprain oar aera see ane Cie irterents Re Se es a an Or oes rma sites Sasa Seater ara ne eres See Tear are seer (OTHEL pets wp Leon's wnatended dary and sats ‘ead LEON makes a grab for) LEON. Cone on Oe ht spose COTE Leo, he's nating pena ovr hr. iu Ege cig) ihe tp cio tun tenons, Yong ty date yn ey (he ocers agree. LEOM is embarrased. HE grabs the dhary bck) COTHEL. 1 wish I oul wre ke ta. You fella wane vo earth only poem Lever woe?20 BLACK EAGLES CCLARKIE & OTHERS. Not aly (OTHEL. (Overy dramatic) "Roses ar red bed bugs ar blck abn, {ve you, sob, oobi doce dot” (he OTHERS laugh) LEON, Man, you ae ot four mint JULIUS. Gre poety. Coot sul ely moval, OTHEL, Thats igh, g ahead and lag Bat remember the sight [whispered tat sweet pcm iat ‘Devita Leonard's sweet ear, a NOLAN, And ey wp (THEY tasgh) OTHEL. (snoring them.) We were inher basemen, tne igs were down low, and Iwas tying fo make my ‘move on er, but she was essing had i oat of ck, stacey and options. was ty wie end, What os ad spent dys and weeks on my atgy Wet his prized ‘example of feminine puleetade 4 succumb to my ‘vances —- (he OTHERS laugh, hot, and efow) OTHEL. Allo suerte words wer thee. Asitby fac, it by magi, hey came, bly emblazoned in my mind, And T they theo geal ino est prio ca “Roves ar red, bedbugs ae Black and bli. Tove you, shoobi, dob, dobie do!” BLACK EAGLES a (the OTHERS crac ap) COTHIEL. And within sconds of those tender words being utered—I mean, seconds Devta Leonard was mine! Mission accomplished. Kil time! You see what apps when you sick © your program, Eagles? 'NOLAN. I wonder what sponge ie, ou gy ‘hat tl ‘OTHEL. Tear some guys hive erections ad come ia hie pas. SULIUS. Now tha’ what 1 want. ing om that fist il andthe the second andthe he hed ROSCOE. Shut wp, Julius, you're embarassing me, 'NOLAN, 1° writ home and tell my da. They won't ‘beable to stand him atthe Bete! Bapist Chace be ‘rang 0 mach. And he's the preacher. ‘OTHEL. They'd probably have a parade in my ‘hometown. Right down the man sue Waving thie Maps, singing pao songs, majreuss showing their prety Iie legs ROSCOE. My dad would break out the copra. He loves the suf. He bought back couple of bots fran the Great War. Hel, opea one up, pou litle bitin crerytody's sir, nd hen cork Bat oy bck wp, snd ‘wat fr me to come ack. Aad then wel do the hole aman tot in, And he'd bes proud ‘CLARKIE. We're not ding 100 bad for @ bunch of aries who're supposed tobe an experiment ‘OTHEL, We'l pet our chance. Someone will gt the Sit one. And then when iran, i'l pour, Wee gt to stick together, bcaise Is abot more a you Bom2 BLACK EAGLES at Ege shot our ani, een oo, vice and mine ad every ne ssa hing change ngs ck he’s ko en ‘Seige bg Yn oa "SARK Lou ate ie Wt ar ew opoac) You ao 1 tera tt hres ced eon se th ink ey canoe age a ROSCOE oy wha” CLARE Who's ing tb cde? LEON Ashman ewe Eg en sb inhisnpumadisors chet a NOLAN Wait Cone nha {it hrm yf 0 Cran Crew sey nh SULIUR Nya n a! HEL. one yan pew fom er ne, se meet aes tf ese a Jaeger afer ‘GEARKE Wes foe ny a. We een ster TULIUS Whe i de cine of Ute Sts At comet THON, Tee oth Jai (te Tey hy cn eat can NOLAN. No way, no indeed! a re eee Nitto rie eine? tLe cand oct beat BLACK EAGLES 2 ALL, Tme 990! ‘Orvis. Ten es gti gong! The il! Yea, the st Cn on at a mecca at ea mien coat gi ee ican Pei etna niet ene Petey aos ioc fondly) BUDDY. Cio. PIA. Cian, bell, Buy, why do you stat th window? Why ae you mo alg? ‘BUDDY. don't know. My mind woul’ tur off, 30 1 otup. (eat) The mas i rey. PIA, Sometimes, he ignore, at the pizza, hey say up Jae and ink veo, an el sos abou “te old day." 1 ie bat "theo day keep everyone aa. "BUDDY. I's the same everywhere, ist ie) Where T come fom, the old men st around oa he steet camer, laying checkers, rnking cheap vino, The same thing. Chicago. < PIA Si, Chicago. Bang, bang! Chicago, have many relives who goto Chicago. ‘BUDDY. realy ether. ToEy BLACK EAGLES (Song “Belo Ciao”) IA Ctadine Hakan, ik 'm going wo clare youn cin, [BUDDY Tm exming f6 veyatin. Yu de’ ‘belong here. a PIA. Be angry thn, acu he obs ht fl fom hey enya BUDDY. Yea ang tot at dammit! Raby desener fee. "PA. Bat mange, But de. 14m ave, Gai Di. ‘BUDDY. Yeah, hank Gol fr tat Orca | ed sey hve sen Jou on at aon’ {it you. You lated beta. You loked seen en Jo Bf at an Sve fine fh wt oI mn choked hve aero en ‘flirted with me? a PIA. Oh Body, that snot te, 1 would never do voting ie at [BUDDY (Contin 0 ate) nonte bow ‘ers hve ae oa sane baer? PIA Plea Ss ewe terme," N™) oa ‘BUDDY Hey iro. meas. Pm MA Thc ms ol oe Amc efron BUDDY. Yes, your white mir. The oo wie tld ou that we cole solders hae il nd Pind Nice guy. Hey, when I leave here, he dost stating thou be ck dn dk PA. Pal awe angry) it Ta bed woman, ten yu soul als be asamed of yune fr bing nak BLACK EAGLES 2s ‘BUDDY, Hey, com on I'm sory Pia. 'm jesus (105 goe 1 her and ies wo hl hr. SHE pale ey) PIA. What right do you have to peak tome ike this? BUDDY on oy PIA He hasnt ter fuck hee for sve mons son Reis ane Tam can am ys oma in, ieee oye FSSUDDY. Hoy, come on, do’ ik ke at Ihave 4 big mot dat pt oy tim Ue rth, hr SE ple ayo i" phonograph, puts on a BESSIE SMITH record. It Togas pl SE as nner bch mater pen’) BUDDY. 1's jas that. well, you're bee than at sy. He did deserve you, But I'd never Fave you. Just appear, as though you never existed at al. WE ties once more to embrace her. SHE wns her back to hin. Frasrted, HE begins to dress and pack as SHE sand Begins to seu) BUDDY, (Listening) Rosie Smith. What ae you TA Non loo. My bands hve yt el e.My fade lo xy nome Hoorn ‘ec me oh an hing Hearne ene Sori and 0 love Bess Sih, He aos eer ing tot ese Si He ays he sa acl dao A26 BLACK EAGLES Iie fom go Ste and Cars, ty ae te best, hey ‘© angels. There iso ane in Amr ike Bese Son, isthe? BUDDY. Ofcourse not PIA. Beco, (THEY exchange sles HE pulls pa chai andi her ‘atthe aie}, BUDDY. You rely mis your fuer, on you? IA Si my fer wars good man, BUDDY. T'm sony ray PIA. Gras. (Slo a Ms sapere) Ohta beau a BUDDY. A aut 1's my dog at home —Chic, Thanks milion PIA Oi dpe. Potaps Chico mast ex go He makes beef fons at (THEY are stem a momen.) BUDDY. It just seems imposible, you know? That at se fought on nights ike tis one, You, me Besse old men ouside dking vino and singing, You can ‘se the star. T mean . ha’ the oly thing te oly thing that makes me afd someting to go up there od (Bee al hat ak, Hey, ma wild pay up thre in the ia. You shuld se me. [ean oof thgs th ship of mine that a oof pies, Black Eagles or wine 078, can't do, But sometimes. soetines tat fa sling pane, aI get aa yng, Pa, Ot yng 08 ih like done, nobody inthis weds i. Nights ike this are should te alive (The LIGHTS fade. An EXPLOSION is heard suet.) NOLAN. Tere itis Here itcomes ru soy Non. [NOLAN. I've got itin mys ‘CLARRIE. Nola, you'e breaking Formation ROSCOE. Nolan gt back ere. NOLAN, I'm going fori. Pm going fort, [OTHEL. Note, get ack informatio, (LUCAS emers siden.) CCLARKLIE, Ten ht (THEY snap 0 atenion) eee ona mt one rete eiorr pened ie that anyone of you has Kf We bomber Wo Seemann Sauer! Savane (CLARKIE and the OTHERS sit morosely and distant,2% BLACK EAGLES ‘the ten ening) SSE Sen ete a ‘ere tom Colo Wiles Mom ab ae chert a ae eg ae “The 99th air discipline has nor beew complete, sy a ge! an sans eam Sie ate scascnay eeo mae [ELDER LEON: It was an ou and-out ie. The o 930 id NOLAN, You had io see him go down, Roscoe. You ‘wereigh on my aking wing! Vi’ se anything. Tepes: 1 did't se anything. (YOUNG NOLAN watches the OTHERS in renewed YOUNG NOLAN. And ert of you ays ar ping te sth andl mou dn hn odor dy, CLARKIE. We were potcng the big 0S Ike we oo nee bigeye tke (NOLAN shakes is ead, dseiingy) YOUNG NOLAN, Sonsoticest ELDER NOLAN. I'm not saying we did't make some BLACK EAGLES » isk. 'ELDER LEON. Of cous wedi, bat al be ining ia the world can't prevent mistakes in you fist aca ‘mission Of nol TELDER NOLAN. The truth ofthe matter is, they waned us fal. TLUCAS. “The 99 nt of the caliber to display sugessivenas and doi for coma tae meen for 8 fst clas Fighting expanization" Jesus H. Crs, what ‘beheld ned allthis fr? (HE goes othe window and ares oughly out) TELDER LEON. Now bow the Bll cold we “apy ugresivenes and desir for combat,” when Gur exes ‘orders were moto go afer the Germ fighters wee, Somebody me. (LUCAS wns face Elder Leon) ELDER LEON, Our command, sir, ist es the bombers and th’ exactly what we've tying . Back home, people are automatically assuming we area't rodcing, Bocas we're colored. And yx wel ae otha ELDER NOLAN, We're damned if we do, a damoed itwedon't. "ELDER LEON. No sir, i's remaable tht hese men ‘nave Kee their mora a all Is realy ematable "ELDER LEON. Nosit I's not ai, and’ no ight LUCAS. want remind yout tere ae plan being iseussed by General Arnold to dshand the 9th as 2 Fightr unit and send it tack othe states fr roatne convoy cover, Be aware, gentlemen, Be very aware,30 BLACK EAGLES (LUCAS ets) NOLAN. I'm asking you guy if you saw he Jory 0 la. He was on fie pan a5 dy, heading forthe ground. Thithe basta gol nd neo you guys wants 0 sey my bl nk das pou shiny I you ask me 'LEON, We id's him, Nae. NOLAN: Yoo somofbicies. You feaking basa re jt jel, that'll You've lous beau I'm the fist "ROSCOE, Nobody’ jelous of anya, mn. But tell you what we are ed offabot— NOLAN. Tellme you sa the Fry go down damit Tellme, gedanmitt [OTHEL. You were chasing Jes, Noli, You know ama well what youd. "ROSCOE. (To Nolan) You left hein ou formation, Eagle, You [eat gaping hoe in our formation because youcoun keep your aking col. "NOLAN. Im taling You, was coming at me. LEON fe wa shit, Noll, be was’ even clos. You sweater im | TNOLAN. Tid what 1 as rained 19 do 1 shot Bm down shot the sonaabich down, ‘CLARRIE, Shu up Noli, jst shat th ak NOLAN. Fuck you! 'm going over tthe ofcer's cb sau celebrate wit! shot down with th whe boys. They ow wa the ll Tm king about. ‘OTHEL. We're ot lowed over ther,Nol LEON.’ off limits, You know tha CCLARKIE. Get the ell ack here, Nie. LEON, We est afford any woube. There's wo much stake, Maybe on of us should go over and tp hi, "LEON, You this he's ping 0 doi) ROSCOE. Do what? LEON, Go ove te Oiees* Chub. ROSCOE. Crist, I don't know. We all ought to be sng over thr. The white toys have cub. He probably won't. LEON. How do you know he won't? ROSCOE. doo know tat he won't [jut on ink will He's a ho bea, but be knows. He's jst lowing off team. Don't worry about. [ELDER NOLAN, Iwas doing what I bought I had 10 "ELDER CLARRIE, Tinow. (LEON goes 1 bed. The LIGHTS in he Barracks dim. BUDDY appears and prepares for bed. His rustling ‘awakens CLARKIE, who seeng him ses quel from Tis bed and grab Bim a alls 0 the dor and ‘shoves him ouside} CCLARKIE. Sth ‘BUDDY. Hey, what te Bell are yu ding? ‘CLARKIE. Shih! You'l fd out Weave tt. (THEY are ouside, CLARKIE releases Kim)2 BLACK EAGLES CCLARKIE. You do’ iv a hot wheter you get bee on tte cr no, do you? You jst do what you daa well lease don't you? ‘BUDDY. 1 don’t know what the hell you're taking stout, Cate always come tack, What's your ble, an? ‘CLARKE, Your atte, that's my problem. Otay? “Wehaveateaking ob todo over bee, min ‘BUDDY. Oh now wat a mint, wat just a mina, panne You'te not ping tell me don't o my jo, ae yout CCLARKIE. You do your job, bat is for good old Buddy, If we screw up, we sew up fr every colored ‘person back home, and the whole country o0.—We've {0 To of pie amy fly, man. And tha’ the way ‘vas bough up I we ty we're pogo do something, we sin going wo doit hal-ased, We do the best godama job ‘BUDDY. I understand that C1 did’, would’ be ere ‘CLARKIE. Youhave 0 care mare, Buy. You have to ‘are more about wand he ae, nh BUDDY. You can sop presching al gh? CCLARKIE, No, man. Not unl You get some ease ia your hick sal Do you bear wham saying, Buddy? "BUDDY. How can not help bt heat you? CCLARKIE. You sce? The way you answer? 1's your site. ‘BUDDY. Do you want me to grin when Tsay i? Otay, {Ym griming. Asie big sin. Cheese! (CLARKTE. Il teat the si cu of you, Buy. tear Badly. BUDDY, Cross my hear and hope di. (CLARKE, Body, mean i dammit BUDDY, (Mating sgn) Jess Cvs! Scou Sig of Honor then. Will you accep that? I's good in Janguage. Tea i, Clarke won't screw te Eagles wp. won't Cross my heart and hope 0 die, Scout sign of Bonar, anda gin What els do you wan? (CLARKIE. Noting. hats noagh nti? (BY rer wo arracts. BUDDY finishes preparing for ‘bed, CLARKTE pics up Jl) BUDDY. (Eyeing Jlus) Hey What he hell are you oing wih us 'CLARKIE. Practicing. Roscoe's teaching me. (As Julia) got tee leurs ram my sweethearts and fool mais ‘BUDDY. You'e aly embl, you know ta? (CLARKIE. (Aral) was going wore, [bought some oer nuclebead was eying w move inca my tt. ‘BUDDY. mean, youse really. bad! CCLARKIE. (ArJaar) At oom pet bck home, tbe Iie indy and re oig to get marie. BUDDY. Are you serous? ‘CLARKIE. Of couse Iam Lis and have been going togeter since we wer in grade school. I as given by everybody that we'd get maria. knew soc the Fist tine Tet her Sth raeBLACK EAGLES BUDDY. Came on, Clarke nobly knows it ten. (CLARKE. 'm eng you, 1, BUDDY, And you never ded ober gis? (CLARKE, Not aly. BUDDY, Wha’ nately" mean? CCLARKIE, No, Ihave’ Just isa, okay? ‘BUDDY. You nean oi me— CCLARKIE, Noell. BUDDY. I did finish. (CLARKIE, Not relly. BUDDY. You mean you nver made low anyother vt ‘CLARKIE, Noteally. BUDDY, Stop saying tha, will you? How the bell ean you “not ally” make love 0 awe i? Either you do ‘oryou do’ ‘CLARKIE. Maybe one other [BUDDY What the Bll do you ean maybe? That's as td a “not ally.” 'CLARKIE, Joanne Caldwell, bat ony nce, and I fl. ss ily a bel and Tdi tenoy it "BUDDY. Ad you don't el ike you've mised out oo myhing? "CLARKIE, Noell. ‘BUDDY. You're saying again, ‘CLARKIE, Norell [BUDDY. You si agun. Well, Chris, if you knew ‘yo were going to pe are all along why dnt you St ot arid when you were in he sth grade? You's ‘have saved alot of ine and money. (ROSCOE avatens and comes over) BLACK EAGLES. 3s ROSCOE, What the bell are you dong wih Jains? (Grabbing him away.) ‘CLARKIE, Pacing. ROSCOE. Only wien I sy 50 dammit You at don't take hm wid ating me CCLARKLIE. You were ae, and when 8m Bud, nd Jalus sated ling him about me geting mare. ROSCOE. But lus cont tel i that, e doesn't ‘even know i (CLARKE. him. ROSCOE. You can't be Julius, only I cn Be Julius ‘Youve tobe somebody ce. ‘CLARKIE, Then wy i yu letme practic with him er "ROSCOE. Just practi not ob ls. CCLARKIE. But that's Juve, dammit, I ean't be nything es han wha the spiny is. "BUDDY, Tvcally don't belive all is. ROSCOE, How abou eliving hat you ae going 10 mess wp aro here, al igh? ‘CLARKIE, To bin, BUDDY. He oul ROSCOE, People have ei eyes on ws— CCLARKIE, [oi bi, BUDDY. Hetokime ROSCOE. mean Jesus Christ, Bud don't you know ‘whats all tou? 'CLARKIE. {ld Him. And it doesnt make any sess, ‘nly you can be Js, Jia Julius, whee i's you me, or anybody else. ROSCOE. He's me! Be somebody else!6 BLACK EAGLES (CLARKE, And the tan woman is going 10 snd you and ke est fw dwn he ot, man. "BUDDY. Oh sure, of cous, if we lose the war, i's going tobe an alan woman's fault. Wel, goodnight, Fels, ice chang Wi you. (NOLAN stands tthe enrance othe barracks) ROSCOE. Just wise up. There's a greater god than lounging in bed with aia won. CCLARKIE. i im, [EEON. He old hin. ROSCOE, Wal, ing him agin. BUDDY, Well tl you Thae really been old. And ill you ples tell everybody eve Been old 0 Ton" ase ogo trough bang tld aan? ‘CLARKIE. (Follows him: to Roscoe) You can keep your tpi dummy, a, (NOLAN emers) ROSCOE, You'se damn right I wil. Julivs—Hey dummy, you do hat pain, and you reno, (ROSCOE tens. OTHEL and NOLAW enter around each ‘thers soulders TUEY tough and then quiet as THEY eter the Darracks. "ROSCOE and NOLAW exchange a glance) ROSCOE. Ota, ise al ight? OTHEL. Yeah. He's ine ROSCOE. Hey tanks, Eagle. BLACK EAGLES (THEY exchange a hands up sgn) COTHEL. (As an afterthought) He jst wanted w fy, ‘ha’ Hest wan fy — (ROSCOE doesnot respond ‘Black, PLANE sound ‘The LIGHTS rise fully on ROSCOE. who sits in the ‘brrac wih CLARKTE, NOLAW, and LEON. THEY fare morate and fatigued, sill dressed in hi ing ‘onforms) ROSCOE, He told me that he ha deeloped engine ‘woule. Thats when [sw the sik 1 1d hi 1 head ‘ack othe bas, He sid "No, T'm going finish te ru, wee sued togetier, we'e going 10 finish eter” But the nex hing TK is plane s ving, That's wen lot sight fhm, LEON. sis ship going down. NOLAN Paachat? LEON. id's. NOLAN, Me neither ROSCOE. You guys suc? |LBON. Maybe be got udontno,8 BLACK EAGLES ow much we personalize he, and give them mes and Seok them and Kiss them, and al he things we do. “Theyrejst machines. "ROSCOE. And sow Otel CCLARKIE, That was Othe’ ful He should have retmod wo the te, Stupid. The are enough Jes up there tying Wo blow ut out ofthe air, and he does Something ket Wai i Tse hat big headed rascal. ROSCOE. He's probly in Trem right no, singing ‘a dancin 'NOLAN. showing them the Jnerbag di. He can fy, you all ¥ou Histening wo me, uh? Do you hear me? “The man can My! The closes thing toa el eagle is ie ‘of hell, ma, The man can My! ‘CLARKIE, We know tht. Bute did't know his Timits 1 vas bound wo happes, Thats the problem with ‘you guy. The white man ps you a some Ut Tes, {nd you don't know how tack TNOLAN. Hey, whats wih hit “you tal ‘CLARKIE. Yeah, "you" im safe and I've alays een fe "NOLAN. Yeah, s0 we noticed, You might even cl ot baving any 48 ‘CLARKIE. Hey. Eagle, NOLAN. Ifthe Belmet fis, wear it, man. CCLARKTE, I hope you ar" sayiag Pm a coward. NOLAN, You herd what CCLARKIE. (Standing thvestening) I'm asking you something, Eagle I'm sing i yout ying ol hese epe im coward oe somethi know you nt aking about "NOLAN. Tsai what Thad 1 0. BLACK EAGLES » LEON, Come on you guys ste down (CLARRIE. Hey, we can Boop thai eght now, you 1m fying monkey-—sgh now, and wll personaly show {ow whch one of ws doesn't have any ge. "NOLAN. Tha’ exacy the eason Colonel Davis had you relieved and made Elmore Rogers Operations Ortcer—beeause you could’ hand it (CLARKIE sands and moves toward Nolan, but ROSCOE ‘ep infront of i) CCLARKIE, You afl of shi cal! ROSCOE. What are you guys, offers in the United ‘Stats Air Cops, ora banc of rectus? “CLARKIE. I's bali an be knows it They bought Rogers in because he had more experience that Idi. I hat have «dam hing do with wher I oul yo LEON, The man’s ight Nolin. CCLARKIE. The only person I'm worried about is Colona Davis Hes commanding the Eagles, and he tld ‘me, waa good ye, aT wous'tbe a Black Eagle ould ly well, You washed out at Tuskegee, if you ould’ fy. Rod you know i. And Beng safe docs uve anyhing wo oo with ting cicken I bet you one ‘hing, colored map, will tay Gt Jer Song tine ‘fore youd. "NOLAN, Keep on dean, CCLARKIE. td you know it. You know it. You nver ould shoot suaight 1 was the op aerial guaner at the ‘Eer Fijing Coeumand, and he Bid est gunn at he that Air Cons moot at Elgin Fed bea the white boy,0 BLACK EAGLES and eaters of you in here. of you, An sctmy Jen fist over here. NOLAN. So get your stupa ery ill rght? Be my est. Get i tnight, gett tmarow, gt all you damn ‘wel please. Hes lange what Tsai Oe may have ‘ake a chance, but a east he took it 'CLARKIE. He just went down, Noll. You pt i? The ‘man jst went down. (Pushes Nolan) NOLAN, Bute is gus, Do you gt tat? UE pushes Clarke back. The TWO MEN go foreach other and bein to fiht.) NOLAN. Nobody can say Othe isn't the boldest, colored man in an aiplane they ever saw. But Tl be nae seve say Bat about you! (BUDDY, LEON, ond ROSCOE breakin to stop ard separaie thon} CCLARKIE, And I'l be damned i ever te able © say that about you eit, 20 hat makes ws even. (To Leon ‘and Roscoe who are restraining him) Ge oft me! Get {yourhands off me! Let go af me Godda! WE wrenches away, then moves 10 a corner and stands. ‘BUDDY enters. The FIVE MEN stand, frosen for & moment) ‘BUDDY. He's dead, you guy. Otel (he OTHERS ook at him sued) BLACK EAGLES a BUDDY. A coupe of guys sw is ship ito water, tout ve mies rom he sore. No parce, 0 nothing, {sta tof i and wreckage, He's passed on, Eagles (ROSCOE breaks out ofthe group and goes o Ilias. The LIGHTS dim as ROSCOE moves ino Ms own ‘SPOTLIGHT, picks wp Jas, then s,) ROSCOE. Js, ae you ap? Tne wo: Remeber ‘Aunt Cl? Tas ely cay aboat ied er ber ‘of my raves Ste wa the ely one T hie fom tren ty came ovis Se ued ck me up when Twa 4 Tie i and whi en ea sbove hare and nd torn fe Be 8 ying, ld wane sp. Dent aop don't sp, Aa Cra Fy me ale way © he sum plas!” And hd ih, way down dep, a se sy, Ohm ci hs plane coming infor landing sight su Yo beable tke you own if up te oe ay” ‘Ad when pty es, br up. Shei Wan ‘i Thad w beg be rly, be wok And 8 we ko down de runway and ino the a, se stared wo ph, Hk a young gel "Tate me phigh an ger and hp, 08 Fly ‘neal he way to Heaven! She di’ want ae down, “Became iw 5 pens sie, close © Gat” Sb Ged ‘tc gfe hat Tera hance ak ep ain ‘But somes, even now, when Tim up te, Lean Beat he Inher cag al ovr oy And how ha were Take of ses up tee wating fre (HE places is hed an Jit and closes is es crs ie LIGHTS ade ot.) Endof Actact (The LIGHTS rise on YOUNG EAGLES who are in barracks, reanng {THE ELDERS enter MUSIC can be eard behind het) LLBON, We were approaching the target at Anzio, and as eal, the German Gunsers were lating away — ‘aul red and orange burs of fie and smoke. Death ‘bats beau, sending huge hunks of flak, Aoating Tazily up into the ai, a fn slow motion, so slow it ‘scemed that if you jus reached ot it would lide gently Jno your hand. But it was a delsion. A volley ofS Slammed into my ship and tore my landing gear off. 1 heard cer bang and when I looked back, my tl was ‘coming apart, That zy, Moaing, harmless Nak Kept Slamming smo me. 1 dropped down in my stat bein the amore plats o protect myself. But just he, lak ced Through the doo, tke a kaif dough soft bute and ‘encod ino my le, Jesus Cvs i burt—hur ke I've never bec hart befor. Telled Nolan an To i,“ my ship's ht” And be sid, “Hold on, parer old ‘oni I kept droping. I managed wo cleat the top of hear Nolan and Crkie over the fatercom, ‘Snuing: Singing) "Swing low, sweet chariot, coming fo to cay you be” And two guys—you two, wild czy, ‘eae daring, vemos Tol, got on tah sides of “8“ BLACK EAGLES iy ship placed te wing ps unde mie, ited me, nd flew me hme! Anda’ what beng a Blak Eagle ill sou CCLARKLIE. neve forget he ine I gotit by am ack- eck baat went ive at fou thousand fet. wid to Pall ot, batt con't consol my’ eleva. ‘The ship ‘rn lot I wd to limbo of he et sido he eck, ut te lip steam knoekod ie ack nthe plan. Then trod the right side, and 1 go halfway out, wha she ip Seam caught me and iw me away om he ship where [dangled unl the wind tamed the sip at aboot one ‘ousin fet fom the ground, shaking me loose. T mst fave reached for my riper sx times before I found the ann thing. Mychuleopeed eight away, and landed ina om paste NOLAN. (Overlapping Clarke) 1 saw Clarke's stip ‘gcthivand sun ving ecw he cont contol, nd Sted yen, "Come on, Clarke, mar tot of ters ‘Get out” And finally T saw his chute Open. He was a ‘coupe thousand fet fm the grand when pened. ‘CLARKIE. A coupe hound? What do you mea 2 couple thousand? Tmest've Bee nine hundred fet fom ‘he ground and thas big aifeeace, "NOLAN. I as Beto, Cake. saw you, You were two thon fet. ‘CLARKIE, Man, iT were at two Wowsad fet, my BLACK EAGLES 4s th orm. NOLAN, Anyway should’ have, I know i bat fotlowed him dow, aT dost know what possessed ‘oul leave torainall aod ws. “Come o, an, gt he el in Bere” He serambled into the cockpit and then T aed alg a Fampy ground back in teat, with bullets whining and ‘whizing al aoa An itwae't aboot beng ert vas about saving a flow Eagle, Now how are yo sing 'oforget tat, ho? (THEY begin eave ‘As THEY exit ough the barracks, [ELDER LEON reaches ou ouch Younger Leon) [ELDER CLARKIE, Leave that oy alone! [ELDER LEON. What ae you talking abou, am that toy He us doc shave my ate yt (ELDERS laugh and eit (LIGHTS up on YOUNG NOLAN, LEON, ROSCOE, CCLARKIE ond BUDDY who are reading, writing Teer and liening to msc) LEON. Lena Hore, mean, tee she was! Onstage, in front of ws! I mean ial nan, prety, and rel, and gorpous, and sumptions and foxy? Lena Home, you al! ‘Yeo bear me! Tam sr, ella T have et oat the war and go home o where Lena is! That's all thee is oil Don't baby? (HE moves tothe pnp poste and les[BLACK EAGLES stage. Only en fet in fof w, singing her swet ile ‘ong, Ob, ing to me, Lea, aby sng wo me! (U1 begins to sing. The OTHERS on in) [SULIUS, She sae fre under my caboose. et you tat "NOLAN, 1 weak dont think ever be alee fy ‘agin, Red Tals I don'e have the strength. And is terminal LEON, Thea God, gendemen. That woman proves, there Gost (ster WHITSON and TRUMAN.) (CLARKIE,Ten-tut [NOLAN. You pts sre you ve the ight place? CCLARKIE. Yeah, the "Officers" cla is inthe oer cto. ‘WHITSON, (Sul estan) This isthe. colored fice! barack igh ‘ROSCOE. Yeah? WHTTSON, We've goth ight place hen. BLACK EAGLES (BUDDY and he OTHERS stare ihe curiously) BUDDY. For wha? WHITSON. For wt BUDDY. Yea, ight plc for what TRUMAN. The colored officer” barracks, We just tought wa sop by. ‘BUDDY. I'm saying, for wha "TRUMAN. Js doping by BUDDY. Ob see dropping by. A soci call right? [WHHTTSON. Right, sci all. BUDDY, For whi? WHITSON. I'm Dave Whitson, 820d, an his is Roy “Truman, also 82d. "TRUMAN, Glad to meet you fess, (THEY stand awbvardiy ooking at each other, self ominously exchanging Inroducions) WHITSON. Mind if we sit dows? LEON. No, goabea Help yours. (OPHITSON and ihen TRUMAN sit {LEON andthe OTHERS stand award) ‘TRUMAN, Hey, ave a it down, (LEON and the OTHERS look at each other, and then CCLARKIE begins 1 laugh The OTHERS jotn him TRUMAN and WHITSON look at them curious, then begin to laugh witout relly knowing Why. LEON and ‘he OTHERS finaly“8 BLACK EAGLES BUDDY goes tothe phonograph and tes he needle fom ‘he record). ‘TRUMAN. Hey, you dont have 10 do that, Thos: are some hot ck "WHITSON, Yeah, ound eal jazzy. NOLAN. (Look gully athe others, ying restrain «a sark) You kon, we've been tying to ik of ord 'TRUMAN. Five, he means fve. Takeoff the zero, Five, "WHITSON. Yah five That's what I means. But ‘ussemed like ity. Right? "TRUMAN. You could ay hat. BLACK EAGLES ° WHITSON, And they're coming from al rete Six o'clock, four o'clock, one o'clock. Every damn where "TRUMAN. Like homets, just like a bunch of nasty mets out to 1 you. "WHETSON: Ando, 1 got im it wid his one ME-100. un-fucking fceuietY wanted to secamy Tas go Tekin, ‘ubaliovably tap! “TRUMAN. I id 1 screamed my goddamn fo heat lt (HE sreams}) WHITSON. don't know, it was when sored my fs. ‘rarity touchdown in hgh school You guys know that Bet ED! "NOLAN, (And she OTHERS) Yeah, yeah—the first ‘one. Touchdown! Six pints! Crossing the goal line! ‘Crossing he goa line! "TRUMAN. Yeah, when I tossed in two points a the zer and we woo the Ste Championship. went zy ncn, 1 jst woot aus, was so excited! Right? Aw telling itive, ba? You guys've Ben he rgh? BUDDY. Yeah, right. exactly. You guys want a ee? (Beat)0 BLACK EAGLES “TRUMAN rl scond hat, ROSCOE. No, a0. You know what I feel inthe mood fo? Tel in he md for some cognac. "NOLAN. Twat os eng to sugest the same hing. ROSCOE, We bring tout on special ecasions, for speci gests. Right lls? TLEON. That's the way was ought up. NOLAN. Ts hat something? I was bought up the same way. ‘CLARKIE. Me, to. Come one, let's break ou the ‘bg. You gus don't mind do you? "WHITSON. No ot at al Sounds great ‘TRUMAN il second hat. ROSCOE. (Moves vo a small cabinet and pls out out of cognac) Now thsi the real deal, gentlemen, “This gone cognac. You gens ever ase any fit "TRUMAN, Have’ had ume, We've bee in Now ‘Ati, mopping up her. ‘WHITSON: Everything you drink there tastes ike camel piss. ‘BUDDY. Joking I've never id it ROSCOE, Well thes wo camel pis inthis boule. No indeed, Hey, somebody pt he ier. ‘BUDDY. The sien? ROSCOE. Yes, Lisutenant, the siers. The cognae saiter. th ones we always se fo distinguished pes. CLARKIE, Yeah, Buddy, you know... the isinguished guests sis. 'BUDDY. Oh yeah, the snifen! Oh yeah, bow could 1 be sosupid? The sites "TRUMAN. Hey you elas don't have to gt fancy for BLACK EAGLES a WHITSON. Hell no, we'e jus as regular as everybody JUDDY, (Bowing) You wih is my every command, sire, (IE goes othe cabinet and pls ou paper eps and hols them aot In phony French accent) Voll, 28 gnc Si as! (The OTHERS ough, along with WHITSON and TRUMAN) NOLAN. Sony gents, t's shou all we can afford ia ‘his club. 'm sue hy have also! Yul eal sie at ‘he ote place, don't? “WHITSON. Hey, ppt cups ar fine. dik ot of“ autho ine. TRUMAN. Yeah, me wo, 1 don't go for ll hat Fancy an suf (ROSCOE begins powing, nd BUDDY dividing) CCLARKIE. Yeah, a guy can get oo civilized inthis wo Wea’ hive hat. LEON, (To Truman) Hey Tranan, You've nt wa to Har, a yout? "TRUMAN. The Vee Presid? LLEON, Tat one TRUMAN. Everybody asks me that. No, not that 1 now of2 [BLACK EAGLES (EVERYONE laughs. WHITSON stands.) WHITSON. You fea mind if propose ite ous. ROSCOE. Go shea, uke astb ai WHITSON. (Hesiiating thinking.) To the Black Eagles, and to the 82nd, may they fy together, nied agaist dir common enemy, he Tid Reich, and bring tly and honor to our county, the United Sates of ‘mera "TRUMAN, Hear, ear, dik 1 that (CLARKE, (Wd ets enusiasm) Chess. (ROSCOE andthe OTHERS follow ut) TRUMAN, Hey, this good sult, You fells are ight boat at Cvs ae we mer ia North Alia, dking ‘camel pss and you guy are over herein in te lp of Taxa wih copra. The War Bea's going o hear about this aughing)| NOLAN: (Faceviousy,) Well, we've got to get sting out of is war Rig, Egle? "ROSCOE. i rink toh. (CLARKE andthe OTHERS mara agreement) LWHTTSON. I've wamted wo meet you guys for 2 Fong "ROSCOE. Wha re they saying aboutus, ha? a your ile? (CLARKIE. Yeah, wha’ the word onus? ‘TRUMAN. Hey, you'e god es. BLACK EAGLES s _WHTTSON. Real god Mes. Some guys re surprisd ‘as hl and some of em sl don't wan 1 adi bat ‘hink i's bullshit Because, we all ought be fying {gether al th ine. Now tha’ what thik TNOLAN. What are you gs ets? "TRUMAN. Iapos one hue percent. There a Es inthis Air Corps who woulda want fy with you fells, ‘but we nt among her igh, Dave, ‘WHITSON. Tats rah. NOLAN, Yeah, well we ought tobe fying together, butwesin'. WHITSON. Maybe one day we will. I's goo ‘pen If you elias Kecp wp the jb you'r doing, ying sore thas to happen 'BUDDY. Hipp hooray for Hing esc LEON. Love tha yng eon! smazing. "NOLAN, Why, bacause we're a buch of jgoos? Is at wa fois eying? ‘CLARKTE. Nolan — "TRUMAN, Hey, come on I did't mean it hat wy. No, no, Lean, if you fellas were white gu, sl be amazing. That's what 'm ling about Iwas eying 10 {afr anything else. ‘WHITSON. Het, no. BUDDY. You have to pardon he Lieutenant. does'tBy BLACK EAGLES lake mach ofthis conse ge Bin sted. Happens every tine. "TRUMAN. Yeah, no offense, Lieutenant. I mean, ‘amazing is amazing, no mater whois. "WHITSON. Thats abt. NOLAN. You know, we can ly. mean, we can lly fy! You uniesund wham say? ‘WHITSON. Hey 1 put my money ont NOLAN. No, yon tenn to me. I mesa, fy! Real fy! ‘WHITSON. Yeah that's what si. BUDDY. No.0 he means Fy! You se the way ios co my ip, Fly! We cn do more than just fy escort othe ig oys up here. We ae flyers jst ike you gu. "TRUMAN. Hey 50 who's arguing? CCLARKIE. You se, you i the grou misions, ‘Au you doa pod ob. And nobody's ying ye don't. ‘LEON. No, you dal igh. CCLARKIE. But you'e the ones who get the Jers ‘You mak the il, cause we can't rea formation and so after them. You guys go back wo the States the big feos "WHITSON. Oh come on, guy, everybody's «her in shishing. "TRUMAN, Everybody's got their part to do. Righe? ak 'NOLAN. Hey, why di you guys come ito this Air Cops, i? Wry? ll you: 80 you can how bullets {nt the Jere and bast them otf the sky. You want that freaking kl that’s why you came in. And you can't tele any diferent ‘WHITSON. You gusset geting any? BLACK EAGLES 55 NOLAN. What the ell do yu think we're saying to vou. "BUDDY, Ease up Noles note fault [NOLAN Who the hel si twas? LEON. No kills, nothing. Nothing, sotbing, noting, a's what e's saying. ve’ a his Ai Cone forthe ste reson you white Tels, WIITTSON. But you have to remember something. ‘We've probably goalie mote experience than you ve. CCLARKIE. And how long did you guys go though igh vaining? (WHITSON and ROY lok at ach ther) WHITSON. Si months. ROY. Yeah six moths CCLARKIE. Us A whole year! ROSCOE. A whole yar! They got you guys oat in ix ‘ow wit the hell do wit ws. We logged more han in6 BLACK EAGLES Sight wining than of you guys have done inthe air ‘WHHFTSON. (Looking at Truman) No... ROSCOE, What aoat you, Harty? ‘TRUMAN. Roy, ss Ros. ROSCOE. I'm joking. What about you? Any fying ‘shout, you now, wit guy onthe whole flying. The ‘Wrigh Brothers, you know. We've Been up tere alot Jonge than you ave. 'CLARKIE, Hey I'm no going wo fight you about he ‘Wright Briers, you two guys have Dee up there Tes shan we have. "TRUMAN. (Feling she copna.) Yeah, but we can fy CCLARKIE. OF course you can. You're supposed 10 ‘now how to My you din, T woul el the east it sony for you. "TRUMAN. Like brs, we The birds. BUDDY. Hey, wait a minute, you're talking to Bagh, "TRUMAN. Well you're aking White Eagles! ‘ROSCOE. Terie! That's god. So we're all ages, and we both can ly, bt we should ll be doing the same ‘damn thing shoul be equal, bt isnot equa Hs no. BLACK EAGLES st ‘aqua in that feaking lousy club over there, and it's 0 ‘gual ine aie Thor's a whe econ ad a coord aie ‘aps and hatte long and the ort of. "TRUMAN, (Grab the ote of cognac and holds it out ‘to Roscoe) Here ave sone. ‘ROSCOE. 'm fllup. "TRUMAN. No, he ot, ake aswig om it. ROSCOE. Nol Hell, no you don't do that to good. cognac. You nurse it, you sv it "LEON. Hey, come o, when the bell i you become an expert on cognac? You cold’t even spelt Before you ‘ame ovr here, ‘ROSCOE. Hey, White Eagle, don't let him fo! you. Some of w do know ow to pel LEON. (Whispering) Bums cogae. (OTHERS tough) ROSCOE. My father knows aft shout conse. wd you that He taught me. You bold yur glass, like this Preind this i aie And, you Bold ke tit VE demonstrates witha paper cap) ‘BUDDY. (feminately) Oh my, fs, you hold your site his (Exaggeradng) (The OTHERS ough) ROSCOE. t doesnt have anything to do wit being a tomo, you id 1 about having ail cls, whieh, ‘might ad, yu are sorely lacking. Cognac is special W's ike a elasy woman Now tha's your problem, you don't now how toon ales lyPy BLACK EAGLES BUDDY. tase you, now the difence between a sup paper cup and woman, Rosoe "TRUMAN, Come on ke a swig. jst it one, ROSCOE, No way, White Eagle, It would be sscilegiows. ‘CLARKIE. (Grab the ote) Hel, ve always been a Te short on rego, Lemme have i. (TRUMAN hands hi the bone, HE starts to dein, ba "ROSCOE stops hin) ROSCOE. Com: on, You in. CCLARKIE. (Wrestes it away) Roscoe, somebody ‘sods woke your temperature This is a ote of ogra, to some damn woman (HE tales a swig) My, my, my ‘GaooWee! Lovett cognac! "TRUMAN. (Grabs the boule from Clarke ond takes a mig) Thar, yousse? Did you se i? "EBON. Soc what? What the ell wre we supposed to eet "TRUMAN, What ust id. LEON. Yeah, Iss what you did So what? ‘TRUMAN. I jst tok dei fom the sae bole as the Black Engen Tit wipe te owe of ke ot ‘of white people would do NOLAN. (Aplaudng facetious) Al ight al rig, “stop the presses! Read all about i! Whit Engle drinks rom sme bot a black—hisoy in he making! "TRUMAN, No, oat of white guys woul’. HE ‘ates the Bote and drinks from i again, thn shoves i ‘award Leon) “TRUMAN. Come on, ink up. BLACK EAGLES Py ROSCOE. You pys ae’ seis, ae you? You can't tb Thr plenty fee sul you can do hat but ot ‘comme. "TRUMAN. Come on drink op, Eagle. LEON. (Grabs the Botte) The mans a guest in my owe. Ihe tes mew din, rink. Tha’ he way Twas wrought up. It woud be poli was raised beter. (HE tates a bg gulp) O! Mamma mia! Arivetee, Rowal (HE hands the boat to Whison) Your tum Whi Egle. {WHITSON insnctvely makes a move 0 wipe the Boule ‘ff TRUMAN sos hin) “TRUMAN, You can't do dat, Whi, hoe ae she rks! WHITSON. 1 wat a ataralimpalte, a's all. A aural impulse. "CLARKIE. I don't know now. fda‘ know. think we righ hae ourselves aie igs in the woodpl” hee. 1s heal hats al. From anybody. My own mommy "TRUMAN, Are you going 1 drink oF not, White "WHITSON. 11 drink the sit. drink it 1 gt germs, and I'M dic, but TN arin it. (VE drinks it hen hands the Boute to Nolan) Allright, you saistied? WaWee! NOLAN. I'm only doing this because I'm a ileo BLACK EAGLES hist, asa UE takes svi, them hands to Buy, but TRUMAN (robs ond ake a uct sis then hands it Buy) “TRUMAN, We can't beak the cla. Have wo keep he tain. "BUDDY. Jesus Chris I'm hal ind aleady. ‘TRUMAN. Then you lave anther half lind ogo. Go soit Black Eagle (BUDDY takes long swig. TRUMAN again takes the ‘ott and hands to WHITSON, who “ong” now. ‘lon ith he OTHERS) WHITSON, Blck Eagles, ving inthe ap of sary, a we're dian camel je {UE drinks, TRUMAN grabs the boule and shoves i Roscoe) ROSCOE. Hello frgtitt “TRUMAN. Come on, Black Eaple, dink pt ROSCOE. Drop dead, White Eagle, you don't puzzle down copia hat way. W's ely cagsing realy 'CLARKIE. Chit, do’t we sound like a Banch of Indians? White Fal, Black Eagle 'NOLAN. Conon, Roscoe, show he man yu are’ bigot. Show him. Go aha. ROSCOE. {don't have o svi this stu down ike an imbecile jos because you ius don't have any beter sense I's ea beat woman. BLACK EAGLES (The OTHERS begin el at Roscoe wo drink) NOLAN. (Chanting) Black Eagle, Black Eagle (orHeRs jin) ALL Black Eagle, Back Eagle. ROSCOE. (Givin in.) Oh for Chris's sake (a1 grabs the bole drinks, asthe OTHERS cheer.) "TRUMAN. Al ight White and Black Eagles together! “That's what we se! NOLAN. You see, you White Eagles re the ones. You're the oes. You need 1 tll hat General Gener Locas and the rest of the tp bass about this Bote of ‘ogni is imporant to you, Bear) Ts imporan © ‘you White Eagle? “TRUMAN, You're dan rights important, Of couse is import. WHITSON. My ster tought home his ite colored lone, and my folks had compos! T mean, ey had ‘onnptions! Bat fly suppor my ss inher acon, ‘nd expresed tit opinion to my peas who pomp ‘rounded bo of w. NOLAN: (Poses a eat, then wns to Trenan) You see, you Wit Eagles have otto pitch bch You White Eagles have got Kick and seam ad cause all kind of ‘akas, antl your llow Eagles et some kl, 0 we can finally prove 1o these peopl hat we ae te real dea! Do you undersan? Some KU Are you going dit, Whitea BLACK EAGLES Eagles? Lemme her you "TRUMAN. Goana doi, Black Eagle! Gana doit WHITSON. Yeah po up in the man’s face and elt him, "Genera, you hive 1 saighen up and ight and Jet my flow Eagles get themselves smell!” CCLARKIE. That's righ, your cut-ate, boon coon, by buddy Eagles ‘TRUMAN. Cutt, bon con, buy, buy Eaglest BUDDY. White Eagle s going to shout i all over God's Heaven, et you? Aze't you? Let my people £0 snd get emseves sme kl! ‘WHITSON. Shou all over O's Heaven! LEON. (Beas vo sing raucousy) "got arbe, you gota robe al God's hin gota robe!™ (OTHERS jon in singing.) LEON. "When I get Heaven, gona sit on my throws and gonna shout allover God's Heaven, heaven, goma ‘Sou all ver Go's Heaven! ROSCOE, (As LIGHTS dim, cradles empty cognac ‘oa, You don get drunk on copnae you suid peopl ‘You nurse i you savor il Maybe you get aie igh. You seta litle bare. You gta warm glow, you get mellow. ‘But you do nx get rn, (Bear) Tea bebe it, Fea ‘sive shi (HE watches te others then grinacing, fing om of 1 joins them i the drunken ice, Mer moment, THEY begin chan sy.) BUDDY. (And she OTHERS.) Black Eagles, Black BLACK EAGLES Bagles, Black Eagle. (Chant roms intense and power becomes around ALIGHT goes up on GENERAL LUCAS, who stands ‘watching them THEY come to stand a tenon fac the audience and begin slomly marching in plac as LUCAS begin bs monologue) LUCAS. Damnit, damn itl I've received an order, sstlemen fom psa sams I've pt opal you of ‘seat duty. Youre going ino te bate fr Ano They eed every Thc pot they ean thei ands oo IT had my way. ' Keep your right where you af. 1 robebly have a uty on my hands. All he pls, bombardirs and navigators who ake ose buckets of ols wp thee fll (on thee Knees every goddamn night thanking the Good Lod you're up thee With them. They" probably name their Kids ater you. Think of lt the white Kids ain ‘with names like, Hanae, Alfonso, Luther» Spurgeon. Yeah, tae’'sobe— Spurge, (UIE begins to move among them. as THEY don fight tniforms, intense DRUM CADENCE accompanies ‘exe ations) LUCAS. Our objective i isolate the bate aca to rent enforces from binging vp reinforcements and “Supplies than could bea sucesfl counter stack. You ‘men wil support she ground tops By bombing soppy ‘depo, brides, harbors and road—and stafing enemy train and concentrated woop deployment, You wil ngage6 BLACK EAGLES "Nar fighters mae frequently and in rater murs han you've done Ming escar. Thee wil be swarms of bm, tere, uying © defend tase psiions and isallaons. ‘vam you to pay close aueton and remember something. ‘The German fghe plas amoag te bes in be wo ‘Tha's something you woa't know ual you've flowa. agains him. They are good flyers, no mate bow mach You hath arogan bastards. Ad some of you boys re {oing to get shat down, 50 op romantcling is sa. 300 Louis might have knocked oat Max Schmaing, bt your Joe Lois never had ogo up agaist a Fcke- Wala ‘Messerschmitt, It he a you'd sil be crying in your beer. There'll te great sorow in your ranks, ‘cause ach ime a pil goes down, it hurts, no mater ‘what the comic books might say Best.) So gentlemen, You are going to get your litle wish, You wanted the ‘Nas well you've got. LIGHTS change, intense, ponding MUSIC bess along with the sounds of PLANES and MACHINE GUN FIRE; LUCAS, WHITSON and TRUMAN ext EAGLES assume flight formation; ALL are in shout @ {por wll come np on EACH as HE lls story) NOLAN. I pulled up behind she Messrsehmit, you see? Ad gave him two quick bursts from my gan. it im and it made a sharp dive forthe ground. 1 flowed him. Bates Tappoached the ground, met heavy barage ‘of fire. They Bit my ship, Dat T'm sorry, 1 was hang, ‘uoale and Tameled lon, Ie saae mre fe power into him. And suddenly, he burst into flame—into a ‘elit, orange and red, engulfing flame—the most BLACK EAGLES 6 beau sight 1 had ever sonia my woe if. had my Al, Praise God, had my fis, aking Kil! el, tis ‘one's for you. Ob, man, ha’ what this aking war's ‘oat ‘OTHERS. BLACK EAGLE! (LIGHTS out on NOLAN and p on LEON, who addresses ‘the andence)}, LEON, These eres lle up under me, you se? Like this, Demonstrating.) Wel, olled over, slammed. ‘everyting forward, dove an Zrced in onan FW-I90 at about 430 miles per hour, And the, T gave him a short ‘burst offi, but was leading him oo much oT ie. ‘Sometimes you hive © wait. You can't be Wo eager You ave wo ke your tine, cat and mons, cat nd mouse, ca and mouse—and ton, be pened oot fa tm, gave hi ‘vo, long, rwo-second burs. (WE demonstrates with SOUNDS) And tis engine bars lt lane, And then, he exploded Blam! Just ike that. One big. ant, sudden ‘explosion, and he wen suaight forthe ground. Bat | got my Kl dari 1 got ny a. Shit, sa, got meal? ‘OTHERS. BLACK EAGLE! LIGHTS out om LEON, ad then up on CLARKE, who ‘adresses the auence.) CCLARKIE, I pull ut of my dive, and art climbing. ‘That's when I notice this Stuka Beading down at me, ‘blasting ava, Ieak aay rom him ins cloud but ‘came out ino the cle, he bastard i thee waling forme le makes pas, bute mises. Now Tm incon.Tet wing begin 1 snoke. Oh tay! And then I ee the rudder come Ming of—in two pices. He tail out His ‘hots Mis open, but his ship goes straight down and ‘Smashes into the Anco Beach, Oh baby! Wooconacse! Baby, Baby, Baby! T got MT got Rim! You hear me? 1 got frst ll Ohi ts about ime! Oh baby! ‘OTHERS. (Facing him) BLACK EAGLE! LIGHTS out on CLARKTE wp on ROSCOE.) [ROSCOE These German planes came at me. Closing in on me from ll duectons. twas what hey called the ‘German “Wolf Pack Tus like a pck of wolves. They ‘amg up on you. And these guys were determined 0 make ‘hell Imad a dive. (OTHERS ac front) ROSCOE. (Demontrating) And Tooke bck, Ove of hem wat sil on my al Twas headed ovaré Bein and ‘inew Tid’ want wo go that way ied to sake him. ‘quickly cat my ape. And he sooth oversee ‘And now Tm on hia He wa a range opened fe 1 [Ewe him wo long bus, sd then a couple of sh ones, nd he stared tumbling--(Demonstratng.)—tambi Tumbling to the ground. And ten he smacked nto, spewing fie and Smoke. Of man, 1 was happy. My heat ‘was rain and pounding ke adil hammer! Toul yt new then [coal fy! Ob Si, man, Toul Oy And hat BLACK EAGLES o eer before be sack ito the grand know too My iil. got my Kill Laughing) Break othe ogra, aa! And keep tout! (The LIGHTS go out on ROSCOE and then up on BUDDY.) OTHERS. BLACK EAGLE! ‘BUDDY. 1 opened fie on him at long distance. But 1 snissd hin. But an ME10® tuned in font of me got hin fn my sigh, ed I started ing aay. His tl explode lec him have a couple of more bursts, and he nosedive (emonsraing.)—and headed sraght down into the round. T wanted Wo seam, Twas 50 happy, at Td fave time. Another ME 109 tarmed in frot of me (@emonsating) Tolle on in and Fed. He began to Soke and thn he fel in a dv, toward the round and lowe right ino i! Two of tia be damaed! Two of “em, just like ta seeamed my fo! head of ok a Tide dime off from the war, and T steamed my fol head off and hea Isto Sing Olt we go ito the wild ble yon er, Climbing igh imo the sun. (OTHERS jon n) ere they come zoming o meet cur thur- Ato boy give em Be gun. ‘Down we div spouting our Mame rom ude OFF with one el of oarBLACK EAGLES Welivein fame (ro down in fame ‘Shout! Nothing can stop th Army Air Comps” (CLARKIE, LEON, NOLAN, and ROSCOE alt join BUDDY ipsage and embrace. (CHEERING and LAUGHING THEY ei atthe LIGHTS ddim to blak ‘The LIGHTS rie on PIA who is sculpting) BUDDY. (Entering her lat) Pat Pit ¥ got my Kil! Pia do you ear me? "PIA. You shot a Ser down uli? BUDDY Gin, sho two of them down! PIA.Si,bavol| (UE rises qucky and goes to he phonograph and pus on ‘arecord. MUSIC erupts) PIA. Bay, what re you doing? BUDDY. You'l sex, ou see The guys have a fit ‘they find ou i's one, ba og 8 tng i bak, they etover it ‘IA, Who ist? BUDDY. You don't know who tat is? T's Jimmy Lancet PIA Time, comes dee? ‘BUDDY. Jimmy Luncelord Hes colored nd its one ‘ofthe best bands i he word. Right wp there with Gena Mille and Tommy Dorsey, and Benny Goodman, and (Chrie aret and those guys. You bea i Tas wie ‘hey call a Big Band Sound. Ten, twelve maybe oven BLACK EAGLES @ ‘teen musicians. E begins o dance 10 he musi) Hey, signerin, come hese, let me show you how we dance “Americ, show youhow titans IA. Youre aking bout bags? BUDDY. (Going to her, paling her to her feet) 111 plain ater Come on, te show You. PIA itu? BUDDY. All ight now, lets go. Do what I do now. ‘Come, wach now! aZth: Canin Ob is cba i very mange (WE begins whirling har abou. SHE squeals i laughter and n some fear) PIA. Oh, Bude, you mus oe me fall (UE whirls and wwirls her inthe moxt extreme of ‘mover SHE laughs happy) PIA. How do dance the Fterbug? Am I goat? ‘BUDDY. Here we go agin. Watch out now, here We ‘0! (UE swings her ogtn and hr her overs back). IA. Osan cel! Mame a! (he MUSIC ens, Gasping for breath, SHE collapses on ‘the ed, rewhiess. ME dances overt the phonograph land removes the record) ‘BUDDY. So, how do you tke the jterbug,signrina? PIA. Ob, itis pericolso! Dangerous. Tha is What they” BLACK EAGLES tance in America? ‘BUDDY, Tas rgh. PIA. One must practice gimnastica, Acrobat! BUDDY. No, one mast jr ove w dance (WE sops dancing and sands watching her. SHE ook at him and then ae. clmes! shy.) PIA. Why o you Tok at me ike that? BUDDY, Bectse Iwano Jit cause Iwan to. 18 al ight? PIA Sif you want. BUDDY. God i's 50 eau he 1's Bello, bel, Mol bl "BA. Molo ell! BUDDY. olio belo! Everythings 9 emotional expressive, so permanent. 1 ike ta. Grae. A thousand ‘tank yous, signorina, IA. Perch? For wha? BUDDY. Formaking me aware of IA. Cerainly you would have nosed without me. ‘BUDDY. But I would’ have appreciated it 1 mean, it was never par of what Twas in America Twas walking fom the bs ston and Began see things ta never seen before—Antiguity.. the motif, facades, thes ‘legance and exuberance overlned me.I sod he teats sucaming down my face a if as I had seen a iiracolo dado. Vm tally thinking about saying here, Pia (SH tars 2.) BLACK EAGLES n BUDDY. Whats the mater? PIA. Ba-ec, you a ke a cavoine. A young cole Allegro, vac! [sky] You we fled ih BUDDY. Yes, es, hat’ gh (HE riser, grabbing her and hrs her abou.) Ana wh’ wrong with that? T have ound the paste, an ike tout bere! IA. Bu thre ae many pastures, Budde, and there se many tings i the pst Tal ne and you tusk ive youself une 1 eplorare. Lam new, the pase is ew the grass new, and he ky is ow. I sb tit | faasia a fatasy—adrean— ‘BUDDY. (Grabbing her and sing er down) Now tisen to me, ast ten toe. Beat) Whee I come frm, in America, tere are ot of hing colo person ant do. People don't eat us the way you o ere, We're ot ‘ual over thee. We're stl the boom ofthe der, PIA. Listen, Iwill nt be he experiment wih ou as you ae wih the Americans do not wat that If ou ate ‘seri, am nt jst you newt, iF am somone ‘whois patanent in youre then hat is good. Buy, 1 love yoo, bat you must love me, ot erase | an Bow, bat ‘weause fam me. Do you understand me, Buy? ‘BUDDY. One day lang ue 2601 realized thatthe hole damned world belonged me. Nota he sets (Of Chicag. And no oae would let me fave i But now, Te gouit Tam going say hero, nd Tm going to dink ‘ino, and ‘sing aia songs, and dance wit you Tor he resto my le, signs! Tove you, Pa (1 rises ily pling her hr fe. HE begins sing ‘an alan song and dance with hr. At THEY dance, SHE Toots away from him sadly, uncertain of isn BLACK EAGLES corti, The LIGHTS rie on ROSCOE, NOLAN, LEON WHITSON, and TRUMAN, who stand expecanily round ar CLARKIE hls canister) NOLAN, Came on, Clarks, what the el isi? ROSCOE. (Ar Julie.) Yeah, why ae we standing around ere wating for you open up a canis? "WHITSON. You know, Ut’ god question! the tension is we cam ogi. I wat you 1 know I've been saving this ile baby here for 8 long time despite numerous tempsions dispose of it But my sense — 'NOLAN. Man wll ou kindly get on witht CCLARKIE. My sense of history allowed me ores the song ure that would ave ruied his very momen. (AULIUS pretends be snoring very ou.) LEON. I've got some song urge, but’ hate ol you wha they ae 'CLARKTE. In honor of co int ils, | watt share with my brother Eagles the white ones here and the lord ones (HE begins open wp the can) “WHITSON. Fall! CCLARKIE. (Opens up th can and pls ou a small bot of Coke) Vol! Coca Cola! (The OTHERS are gensinly taken aback.) ROY. Il be dtd! Do you so tha, Whit? ROSCOE. Whore he el id you st i? (BUDDY enters) (CLARKIE, I found it when we wor in Casblncs. on'know, one dy, thre was among the abe "NOLAN, Camecn! CCLARKIE. Hey Tm serious. twas there, and! sted ‘tw open it bat smehing tld me 1 wa for istont SULIUS. He could find a boule opener hats why be tie’ dink i BUDDY. History my as! (OTHERS laugh) (CLARRIE. Alright, ee iti, chilled and ready And tre we go! Here we go. (aling a ote apener from hs pocket) ‘WHITSON. (And ve OTHERS} Allright CLARKE. Vol! (The OTHERS applaud, CLARKIE lds the Bote wp in ‘oast) (CLARKE, Tothe Black Eagles! NOLAN. Our fit ls CLARKE. (Teasing) You sr about that, Noli? NOLAN. Yeah yeah I'm sure. Our ist kis. And ‘tere willbe many, many mare” BLACK EAGLES ‘BUDDY. Hes, Hear! ROY. Tein thal CCLARKIE. (Tales the fst sip.) Oh, my, my, my, mY. say (HB passes tw NOLAN) NOLAN. Bless you, brother Clarkes yoo, sie! (HE passes ito Bud) BUDDY. Jes Chis, that's ood! mean that is goo! (WE pases it o ROSCOE. HE drinks, passes tt LEON. TE passes the Bole 1 ROY.) ROY. You know, I think I've just died and gone to eave! (U8 hands bote back to LEON, HE then pases i 10 DAVE, DAVE jokingly mates a move 0 wipe the bot of He inks) ROSCOE. Hey, what bout uli? We hve to share i ‘with is don't we? ‘CLARKIE. You put dat bot w that lite dammy's tips and bah of a willbe dead dummies! (The OTHERS tough) CCLARKIE, And this is for he Hage hat dit’ make 1 (HE pows a bitoni floor and downs the es) We id ityall| (A cheer goes from the OTHERS.) BLACK EAGLES 8 LEON, We're going for broke now! ROSCOE, That's right (To Whison and Roy) Step sid, cool rere, nde the big winds low! ‘WHITSON. Hey, Hey we ean get a couple of bets sing. ‘ROY. Tha’ ight tha’srightt CCLARKIE, Tha’ what like thes. BUDDY. You ar on! ROSCOE. Hey, you know this i nie, all this camara an tt, bat we have proved carves inthe Se We proved i ‘WHITSON. You're aun ight ou di. ROSCOE. We didn't Tose a single Bomber when we were flying escort. Then today, we shot down thiteen Semmes! Every single oe of usin here isa much a man at tteoher. Am Ig ‘TRUMAN. Goddamn right! ROSCOE. Wel, got nows, White Eagles, we can't {tbe broters inside this goddamn barack, We sill, ‘crt allowed into your ily white, Offices" Cuk. And ee wea men sogeer. Alo us have shot own a Jee, sotcn ou fist kal of us flyers. Aren't we now? "WHITSON. (And ike OTHERS) Dara ght ROSCOE. i aa, we are some mean sonofbitchin™ ‘yer. Welly ik i's tine my Black Eagles an T went fer and socialized and were "men athe Officer” Ci 1 mean, those guys next door are going home for “Thanksgiving turkey, cranberry sae, and Mom's good olf American mince meat pie Because of us) And want some thanks want sett thank me, Pat me on my back, shake my hand, and say, “Let's have a dink ogee” I tink we should go over 1 that la and got16 BLACK EAGLES that whole base to toast he Eagles, To wast our fallen brother Othe for dying so they can open Christmas presen from Sana Clas! "NOLAN. T'm ith you BUDDY. ike he way thisman as. LEON. Roscoe come o, coal it ROSCOE. No, thnk i's time 1s ime, goddamn i “There ae no boy a he, We all mea nd my fellow ‘Whit Eagles are! "TRUMAN, We'e allen, b's ight ROSCOE. Then, thik since we've moe than enough tines fered you te hospiaity of our bumble abode, a you should invite us overt gues, ight now, a he Ortcer” Clu. Your humble abode, in fact I dre you, Right now. T got my kl, I wan th rest of what Ive esered since I've ben ve ee tink wher the bell plese. Idare you. Lets be wha youve mae of Come (WHITSON and ROY lott cack ther) WHITSON. Hey, i's never beens, ROY, No, el. no ROSCOE. We Know ta. I'm 3 man, dammit, jut ike BLACK EAGLES 7 (EVERYONE excep LEON and CLARKIE begin text) CCLARKIE. Hey, guys. Come on, we got urls, nd Jeske our col now! Come on Roscoe! LEON, Jess Crist, come on you fs, jast mare ‘teaing woul! (he OTHERS stand and ook demandingly a Clarke, HE estes, then joi them [NOLAN embraces him, CLARKIE lok at Leon) NOLAN. Clarice, thee. CCLARKIE. Come on Len, we Rave w go. We've got ‘oman. TTEON, (estates ning) Shit. (UE rises ily, oning them. ‘THEY star out ond then ruddenly freeze, coming 10 ‘atletion as GENERAL LUCAS enters carrying @ ‘lipboard WHITSON and ROY move page righ and ‘remain a aenion Droughou exchange) LUCAS, The 99th hs done well remarkably wel and ‘hat wll go along way, but ere ae ules and you mea ‘must obey them. Teter n “is” “ands ou” aout {ic Pm not elling you to sign this regulation, the Wat Deparment i. We cannot have this Kind of dntaction ving this con. want you mea to sgn this statement ‘ndertanding and accepting that you wil be segregated ‘fom all cites ued by white offers on his bse. (HE stares hard a them for a moment then moves toward ‘hem, holding othe pen and clipoard) Who wil be he7” BLACK EAGLES fist sin? (11 hold he clipboard out to ROSCOE who esas.) ROSCOE. n ll gd conscience, can not sign that statement i. LUCAS. (aten aback) You si what? ROSCOE. In ll good conscience, cannot sgn that (NOLAW and ROSCOE exchange glances) LUCAS, Do you me undesan the fll consequence ‘of your actions? Do you? You went dough hel to get here. Everyone's proud of you—your families, your ‘ope, your counuy. Now, you're going to throw all of thataway? LEON. (Moves tonurd hin and asthe clipboard, HE fs about to sign then changes his mind.) I all good comeience, anno sign his statement se (LUCAS mons quchr now, going 1 Clarke) (CLARKIE, eat signi sie (LUCAS looks Buy) ‘BUDDY. Neither can si. BLACK EAGLES e LUCAS. You can't, ho? Well i you men want 0 Gnd ‘place inthis Air Corp, you'd beter lear to Follow ‘rer, whee you tk them ont ‘BUDDY. Sir hisis a tvesty of our igh. ROSCOE. Sir, o sign ta statement, a yOu rogues, ‘means that we are purposely abridging ou rights offices ofthe United Sines Amed Forces LUCAS. T have my jb 1 , and T will not wlrate ssension and anarchy in my ranks ‘BUDDY. (terrapin) But sz we fies». LUCAS. The Oificees Cub hereon this base will ‘remain sepepated according othe policy of he Air Corps nd the United States Goverment ROY. (erupting) Sit, some of us white offices ah o speak for creives, We have no problems sing ‘ecial nd recreational faces wih clot ofcen. ‘WHITSON. fly support at, se LUCAS. To Black Eases. ignoring Roy and Whitson) ‘Tis is for your proton, and fr smooth operational procedures daring ths confit. am at ging 0 Ft O90 ‘wars. The one against Hider and Maslin i nog [Now [oder you to sign this statement. My career is 00 the line jst a well 5 yours to, am following des ‘that I oa't particulary like or agree with, but am a Solis and Tobey the ord of my superiors: Now, ete you wll sign tis seme oe Iwill be ford to remove You from Dis coated exp yon uder sees wl you ome o your senses. The choice is yous. "ROSCOE. (Say bu resolu) Su, he men and ia all good conscience, canot sign tha suomeat TTUCAS. Does his man peak foal of you? (OTHERS. Yess~” BLACK EAGLES (The LIGHTS change, LUCAS, WHITSON and TRUMAN ‘nove off sae. ‘The OTHERS are now ie the ockade) LEON. Uabelievbie! Unbelievable! Two hous ago we i someting mon whi pls have never done. (CLARKIE. We shot down dhinzea Jers! Thinoen of the bastards, nd er we sin freaking stockade ie we ‘weet a bunch of commer, ply tives TLEON. What the bell is gong on? Someby tel me, wha the hl ging on? ELDER NOLAN. I's America, come sagt across he lan, Hows, ak? et mau what Be Bell wedi, TELDER LEON. I mcan, marching ws between lines of guurds—beallyanmed guads. Juste we were Nez TELDER CLARKIE. That's the kind of weaunea, you an expt from he Gems 0 he Japanese, bat ae it ‘7s, fom your own contre Coury we fighting and dying fr. (ROSCOE begins a slow, sparse version of the Jierbug rll; one by one, throughou the remainder of the ‘ene, the OTHERS jln in) NOLAN. Maybe we're fighting on the wrong damn side. LEON. Ion want o heart kind tak. NOLAN. Well maybe we a. LEON. We're no. We're on the ight sd, they jus ont now yet! That's the Ist hing we need wo Rese BLACK EAGLES 8 from anybody. Jesus Crs fpng on the same side as ‘Adolph Hide? Come on Noli, e's pt et being ia bre ‘Scramble curtains, No, we fe onthe igh ie but He ‘ight side as guise a el ofa of problems NOLAN, All of loot problems ‘ROSCOE. I'l say ere wl pt what they owe me, no mater how ech don't want bein ere. Ain tht ‘ight Jali? You with me? (Ar Julius) Fm with you pau (CLARKIE. (Almost o himself) aon? Fm nt oy. 'NOLAN” Abou wa (CLARKTE, Being Black Eagle, NOLAN. (nd the OTHERS) Oh 0, el 0! (CLARKIE. The best thing at ever happenet tome, 01 sory you (The LIGHTS dim on the OTHERS and remain on LEON, ‘who speaks sty at fist, and hen ul as He eces {poem le har writen) LEON, ‘Wesat ofen, As young, dusky, dark-skinned boys, Inthe bight of au afernons, Hidden among the forbidden vals ofan old maa’ ‘omfeld, Necks erated ou eyes skye, Spying on white men, Wo ew ike egies, In machines oct, ay mea, ‘That lined ine sun, ‘That ore and rowed, and whined and moaned,we BLACK EAGLES let miracles tht they wer ‘Young dusky, dark stand boys Among sas ler han we, ‘Agape nd pining, wishing it were we who ew, Pending, Fapping oor arms a ithey wre wings Whi, als tok ws no fries, ‘Than he tp feu tes, While the exasperatd shriek rom moter, ‘Win had momentary lost tei dusky, young sons, Rovererated, Impinging upon our ay, ‘And emotes possibility, “Tat if ony me cold We eagles, ‘Andatsch wide cur wings, ‘And ea ino the sit. ‘And sot and lide and sail, ‘An lib 0 ey hi Sovery fi, ‘Un wear bot tiny specs ine eaves, Wetwo, could be Fie (LIGHTS rise on OLD NOLAN, CLARKIE, and LEON at the reception) ELDER LEON, ‘Unt we are but tiny speck inthe Heavens, We oo, could be Free "ROSCOE. Hey Eagles! Who's the boss (OTHERS. Me 99, BLACK EAGLES 8 TELDER CLARKIE. Even ater they coald’t hold ws sy looper. 'ELDER NOLAN. thought a soon 3s we got home ‘nd stepped off dhe boat hings would be dierent Bat we ‘id change some tigs di’ we? ELDER LEON. Indeed we di. ELDER CLARK Well Eagles ae we ready to go? (ELDER NOLAN starts the dil) FELDER LEON. You'e nt going to do what I hink you're gonna do, you? ELDER NOLAN. That's right The Jtetug Dil (HE ‘begins 0 dance) You se me? You see me, don't you? ‘Come, you al, dot ave me ou hee al by mye "ELDER LEON. Shoot, you made your be, beoher, row li in ic You can fo! youre if you wan 0 you're not going 19 foo me ino abot of meat ‘omorow TELDER NOLAN. Come on, Cle. Look at me. aver’ tloston step. ELDER LEON. Thats ight, you've lst several steps. Brot, you have los whole ft of steps. ELDER NOLAN. Come on, Clie. [ELDER CLARKIE. All ight, here I come, Here 1a BLACK EAGLES come, Lak out now. Lookout "ELDER LEON. Im looking but I don't so anything. [ELDER CLARKIE, At my age Ihave to rev up the ngine before T can move the ea. (HE moves ino the ‘dance with Nolan) TELDER NOLAN. All right, less talking and more cea. (CLARKTE swps) ELDER LEON. All right, s01'll splash on some Tisimeat nth morning. Look ou, Eales, make room for ‘Leen, because Leon sn his way ELDER CLARKLIE, The Fterbug Drill ELDER NOLAN. These young folks today beter eam it They just might medion dy ELDER LEON. I'l help hem tough some hard "ELDER CLARKIE. When they learn the Dri, den ‘well leave them on thei own, Paving the way. Righ Eagles? "ELDER LEON. That's right! [ELDERS Paving the way! Js paving the way. (ELDERS marching in tine as LIGHTS fade black) ‘THEEND [BLACK EAGLES as FURNITURE AND FROPS