They Were Expendable
In the wake of Pearl Harbor's surprise attack, World War II hero, Lt. John Brickley's experimental squadron of agile fast-attack Patrol Torpedo boats is sent to warm and humid Manila to avert a potentially imminent Japanese invasion. As he and his second-in-command, Lieutenant "Rusty" Ryan, desperately try to prove the newly-founded naval unit's worth, the enemy launches a devastating all-out attack–and despite the PT boat flotilla's undeniable success–the considerably outnumbered and outgunned American soldiers are fighting a losing battle. Little by little, the Philippine campaign is doomed to cave in, as comrades-in-arms perish in the sea. Is there glory in defeat? —Nick Riganas
Genre: War
Director: John Ford, Robert Montgomery
Actors: Donna Reed, Jack Holt, John Wayne, Marshall Thompson, Paul Langton, Robert Montgomery, Ward Bond
Country: United States