"You see this pipe? General MacArthur himself smoked this pipe. I served with him in Leyte Gulf. Biggest naval battle in history. Kamikaze ripped into this escort carrier, name of Saint Lo. She went down on a shallow reef, trapping me and six boys in the fire room. Only one way out. (Carl Brashear: Flood the compartment and swim up.) Five decks, cookie. Five fuckin' decks. Locked bulkheads, dead bodies everywhere. You got to have your balls screwed on tight for that swim. We still had intercom. Old MacArthur himself came over that squawk box, "Sunday, you cocky son of a bitch, I bet you can't hold your breath for four minutes and swim out of there." Know what I said back ? "No, Mac, I can't, but I'll bet you your cob pipe I can hold it for five, 'cause that's what it's gonna take, motherfucker.""

"You were right, Chief. You and I have nothing in common. I may be some dirt dumb nigger from Podunk, but at least I'm making something of myself. You, you're the same hateful, little man you started out as. Without diving, you're nothing but a lost, broke-down son of a bitch who used to be something."

"History is made by those who break the rules."

"Hal Holbrook — Captain 'Mr. Pappy'"

"[to the new diver school trainees] The men you are watching are going to be Navy divers. You bottom-suckers are not fit to observe them. Avert your eyes!! [trainees look forward] My name is Master Chief Billy Sunday. There was a preacher by the same name who cleaned up Chicago of all the whoring spics, drunken wops, and motherfucking niggers that was making that place unfit for decent white folks to live. The only difference between me and that old preacher is that he worked for God, and I AM GOD!"

"David Keith — Captain Hartigan"

"Powers Boothe — Captain Pullman"

"Michael Rapaport — Gunner's Mate First Class Snowhill"

"The Navy Diver is not a fighting man, he is a salvage expert. If it is lost underwater, he finds it. If it's sunk, he brings it up. If it's in the way, he moves it. If he's lucky, he will die young, 200 feet beneath the waves, for that is the closest he'll ever get to being a hero. Hell, I don't know why anybody'd want to be a Navy diver."

"[on the radio] Burnett!! [Pauses due to no names over the airwaves] Zero-six, you’re a combat naval aviator, start acting like one. You've been shot down. Life is tough. I am very sorry. You pull yourself together. You do whatever it takes. Create some angles between you and your pursuers. Use your training, use your head. Evade and survive, and we will bring you home. Do you understand? We will bring you home."

"David Keith — Master Chief Tom O'Malley"

"Olek Krupa — Miroslav Lokar"

"Charles Malik Whitfield — Capt. Rodway, USMC"

"Owen Wilson — Lt. Chris Burnett"

"Gene Hackman — RADM Leslie McMahon Reigart"

"His only weapon is his will to survive."

"In War There Are Some Lines You Should Never Cross."

"[addressing Marines he will lead in his own rescue mission for Burnett] Gentlemen, I want to make one thing clear before we leave - I intend to put you in harm's way. Any man who doesn't wish to join this mission, step away right now. [the men are silent] All right, then, lets go get our boy back."