They Were Expendable

They Were Expendable is the novelized (and largely true) story of the exploits of John Bulkeley, a motor torpedo boat squadron commander, and Robert Kelly, a skipper, during the World War II Japanese onslaught against the Philippines during 1941-1942 starring John Wayne and Robert Montgomery, and directed by John Ford.

Brinkley (Robert Montgomery) is the character based on Bulkeley and Rusty Ryan (John Wayne), Kelly. The film opens with a demonstration of the PT boats in Manila Bay the day Pearl Harbor is bombed as the heros will shortly learn. Wayne is disgusted with the 'Brass' rejection of the P.T. boats as a viable naval craft and is in the process of writing out his resignation when the word of war comes. Ryan and Bulkley's demands for combat assignments for their squadron are for a time frustrated until they are finally allowed to show what they can do. From there on the action is practically non-stop with the exception of Ryan's romantic interlude with nurse Sandy Davis (Donna Reed). With the mounting Japanese onslaugnt against the doomed American garrisons at Bataan, and Corregidor, the Torpedo Squadron is assinged the task of evacuating General MacArthur and a party of V.I.Ps. This done they resume their attacks against the Japanese who finally whittle the squadron down to a handful of men and a single boat. The film ends with the immenent surrender and the grim fate the defenders face, all of them gallant to the last. A superb tribute to American heroism, this film is considered by some to be Wayne's finest performance.