- Lieut. Comdr. Martin J. Roberts: Mr. Masterman, aboard a destroyer the executive officer has got to be a jack of *all* trades.
- Lieut. Gregg Masterman: I'm a jack, all right.
- Lieut. Comdr. Martin J. Roberts: Aboard a destroyer a man needs more arms and legs than a centipede.
- Lieut. Comdr. Martin J. Roberts: You know, the drill went much smoother today, Masterman. Nice shooting.
- Lieut. Gregg Masterman: Not very exciting, sir. Like, uh, shooting clay pigeons.
- Lieut. Comdr. Martin J. Roberts: It doesn't get exciting until the clay pigeons start shooting back at you.
- Lieut. Gregg Masterman: The sooner the better, sir.
- Rear Admiral Stephen Thomas: [on the phone] Yes, Mr. Secretary. No, Mr. Secretary. Yes, Mr. Secretary. Noo, Mr. Secretary.
- [abruptly]
- Rear Admiral Stephen Thomas: Goodbye, Mr. Secretary.
- [hangs up, and says to his aide]
- Rear Admiral Stephen Thomas: That's what I like about the telephone - it gives a man a chance to express himself.
- Rear Admiral Stephen Thomas: [on the deck while on their way to Pearl Harbor Admiral Thomas sees another ship in the convoy emitting smoke from its stack] They should know better than that!
- [looks at the ship through binoculars]
- Rear Admiral Stephen Thomas: Signal the Glengow to stop making smoke!
- Flag Lieut. Dudley: Aye aye, sir.
- Rear Admiral Stephen Thomas: [to Captain Ludlow] It's like standing watch over a flock of chickens knowing that a weasel is loose in the barnyard.
- Ensign Lindsay: [exuberantly grabs and slaps Masterman on the back] We did it, sir! We did it! A destroyer, like the battleship!
- Lieut. Gregg Masterman: [pushes Lindsay away] Mr. Lindsay! Behaving like a Brooklyn baseball fan.
- Ensign Lindsay: Sorry, sir.