Tora! Tora! Tora! (1970)

James Whitmore: Admiral William F. Halsey

Photos 

Quotes 

• [after seeing one of his pilots miss a practice bombing target] 

  Admiral William F. Halsey : Well, you can tell Lt. Dickinson from me, he couldn't hit a bull in the butt with a bass fiddle.

• [Halsey has been ordered to take his Task Force to Wake Island to deliver a squadron of fighters] 

  Admiral Halsey : Kim, level with me. I want a clear directive... If I run into a Jap ship, what action do I take?

  Admiral Kimmel : Use your common sense.

  Admiral Halsey : That's the best damn order I ever had.

  [Halsey walks away, then turns around] 

  Admiral Halsey : If I see so much as a sampan near it, I'll blow it out of the water.

• Admiral William F. Halsey : If we're going to probe, let's probe.