drinking coffee, in the wardroom - during an air raid?

I think that you are missing the point of the film here. Roberts did everything he possibly could to get out of being on the cargo ship only to die on a Destroyer drinking coffee. In some ways it was no different to what he had been doing whilst on the cargo ship, something boring.

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I've always wondered about this, too. The Navy used to (maybe still does) have a relaxed version of general quarters that would allow people to leave their battle stations for brief periods while no actual combat was going on in order to go to the head, get something to eat, and the like. This is exactly what you would expect to see at Okinawa, where the nature of the Kamikaze threat necessitated long periods at battle stations. But as soon as the incoming plane was sighted you would expect that that information would be passed immediately over the ship's general announcing system (e.g., "Aircraft closing, starboard side!!!") and at that moment everybody would be dropping everything they were doing, cups of coffee and all, and racing back to their battle stations. You would surely expect that even if they were "flying under the radar" that the plane would be seen by the ship's visual lookouts in at least enough time for the word to be passed and for Roberts to have made it through the wardroom door. Does anybody know any vets who can shed some light on this question?

Yes, dramatically you all are no doubt right, however much it tends to stick out as one of the less realistic events in the film. By the way, that bit about Roberts working at the first aid station is an interesting rationalization, though at odds with the script as performed. Also, although fatigued lookouts might be expected on a ship fighting under such conditions as this, it seems difficult to believe that under those conditions that the vessel wouldn't have had asomething like a dozen visual lookouts at any given time while at GQ. Nobody wants to die, from the C.O. to the lowliest mess cook striking Fireman.

Interesting point. The thing is, though, that this was during the Okinawa campaign, during which the invading fleet of more than 1,000 ship was under continual Kamikaze attacks over a period of weeks. The general stories you hear were of people more or less continuously at battle stations for long periods because of the continual nature of the the threat. Thus I would expect a lot of lookouts stationed, and that Roberts's ship would have been equipped with air search radar; and even if it were down, would not other ships be alerting the whole formation on TBS (Talk Between Ships) - does anybody know anything about that?

Followup on the USS Franklin.

I found this story looking for something else.

The skipper of the Franklin, James Shoemaker, Captain USN, wanted to court martial several hundred sailors who prematurely abandoned ship. The Navy wanted to court martial him for not bringing the ship to general quarters when it was known to him (by radar) that Japanese aircraft were in the area. A deal of sorts was struck and both parties did not bring charges.

Roberts did everything he possibly could to get out of being on the cargo ship only to die on a Destroyer drinking coffee. In some ways it was no different to what he had been doing whilst on the cargo ship, something boring.

It can be seen in two ways. The announcement of his death could be viewed as a anti war message, Roberts died worthlessly after years of wanting to join the front line.

However Roberts died after overcoming the boredom on USS Reluctant and managed to become a part of a fighting crew. This boredom was as deadly as combat according to Roberts, so by manageing to overcome it, he was able to achieve his ambitions before his death. Not only this but his death inspired Pulver to throw overboard the palm tree, a symbol of the enemy. Therefore his influence will help Pulver take on Morton.

"I'd rather be hated for who I am, than loved for who I am not".