Filipino farmer: [seeing Holden's shoes] Oh! Zappatos!
Lt. Nicholas Holden: Oh no! Not my zappatos.

- Cary Grant (as Lt. Cmdr. Matt T. Sherman) in Operation Petticoat (1959)

Ens. Stovall: Wow! That's what I call scavenging! Uh, what I mean is, I'm sure they could be used for something.
Lt. Cmdr. Matt T. Sherman: I could think of any number of uses but not here and now. Mr. Stovall, Lt. Holden's influence upon you is starting to worry me. I suggest you "wow" less and "tsk tsk tsk" a little more!

- Cary Grant (as Lt. Cmdr. Matt T. Sherman) in Operation Petticoat (1959)

Chief Mechanic's Mate Sam Tostin: [speaking to Maj.Heywood in the engine room] You know, I spent alot of years disliking women. But I don't dislike you.
Maj. Edna Heywood, RN: Oh?
Chief Mechanic's Mate Sam Tostin: You're not a woman. You're more than a woman. You're a *mechanic*

- Gene Evans (as Chief Molumphry) in Operation Petticoat (1959)

Chief Mechanic's Mate Sam Tostin: A woman just shouldn't mess around with a man's machinery.

- Gene Evans (as Chief Molumphry) in Operation Petticoat (1959)

Chief Mechanic's Mate Sam Tostin: I'm a religious man, Captain, and I believe we'll get through if the Good Lord puts His mind to it. Of course, He'll have to give us His undivided attention

- Gene Evans (as Chief Molumphry) in Operation Petticoat (1959)

Lt. Cmdr Matt T. Serman: You'll have to forgive the men for staring, Mr Holden, but it's unusual to see an Admiral's aide
[indicates the braid on Holden's uniform]
Lt. Cmdr Matt T. Serman: without the Admiral!

- Cary Grant (as Lt. Cmdr. Matt T. Sherman) in Operation Petticoat (1959)

Lt. Cmdr. Matt T. Sherman: Have you ever been to sea?
Lt. Nicholas Holden: Yes, Sir. Destroyer duty.
Lt. Cmdr. Matt T. Sherman: How did you find time for it?
Lt. Nicholas Holden: It was a mistake, Sir. About a week after I left Honolulu, they got it straightened out.
Lt. Cmdr. Matt T. Sherman: Who? The Admiral or the Admiral's wife? She must be awfully upset with you stranded out here. That will probably cost her the rumba championship this year!

- Cary Grant (as Lt. Cmdr. Matt T. Sherman) in Operation Petticoat (1959)

Lt. Cmdr. Matt T. Sherman: I don't want to bore you with the problems of command, Mr. Holden, because I doubt you'll ever have one. It's inconsistent with that philosophy of yours - every man for himself.
Lt. Nicholas Holden: Dog eat dog.
Lt. Cmdr. Matt T. Sherman: Exactly. The unfortunate thing about command, though, Mr. Holden, is that the responsibilities outweigh the privileges. Now if it was just myself I was concerned with, I'd tell you what to do with that list. But my responsibility is this boat, and to get her out of here I'd even make a pact with the devil.
Lt. Nicholas Holden: That's where I come in.
Lt. Cmdr. Matt T. Sherman: That's right.

- Cary Grant (as Lt. Cmdr. Matt T. Sherman) in Operation Petticoat (1959)

Lt. Cmdr. Matt T. Sherman: It's like watching a strip tease. Don't ask how it's done, just enjoy what's coming off.

- Cary Grant (as Lt. Cmdr. Matt T. Sherman) in Operation Petticoat (1959)

Lt. Cmdr. Matt T. Sherman: Subject, Toilet paper. One: on 6 June 1941, this vessel submitted a requisition for 150 rolls of toilet paper. On 16 December 1941 the requisition was returned with stamped notation, 'Cannot identify material required.' Two: the commanding officer of the USS SeaTiger cannot help but wonder what is being used at the Caviti Supply Depot as a substitute for this unidentifiable material once so well known to this command.

- Cary Grant (as Lt. Cmdr. Matt T. Sherman) in Operation Petticoat (1959)