They Were Expendable

After a demonstration of new PT boats, navy brass are still unconvinced of their viability in combat, leaving Lt. "Rusty" Ryan frustrated. After the attack on Pearl Harbor, however, Ryan and his buddy Lt. Brickley are told they can finally take their squadron into battle. The PT boats quickly prove their worth, successfully shooting down Japanese planes, relaying messages between islands, and picking off a multitude of enemy ships.

Genre : DramaWar

Runtime : 135 mins

Release Date : 1945-12-07

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"Brick" (Robert Montgomery) is an US Navy lieutenant desperate to prove that his motorised torpedo boats can do more for the war effort than deliver the mail. Luckily, he's got "Rusty" (John Wayne) as his number two and plenty of opportunity to test their theories against the advancing Japanese as ...

Cast

Robert Montgomery

(Lt. John Brickley)

John Wayne

(Lt. (J.G.) 'Rusty' Ryan)

Donna Reed

(Lt. Sandy Davyss)

Jack Holt

(General Martin)

Ward Bond

("Boats" Mulcahey, Chief Boatswain's Mate)

Marshall Thompson

(Ens. 'Snake' Gardner)

Paul Langton

(Ens. 'Andy' Andrews)

Leon Ames

(Major James Morton)

Arthur Walsh

(Seaman Jones)

Donald Curtis

(Lt. (J.G.) 'Shorty' Long)

Cameron Mitchell

(Ens. George Cross)

Louis Jean Heydt

('Ohio')

Jeff York

(Ens. Tony Aiken)

Murray Alper

('Slug' Mahan T.M. 1c)

Harry Tenbrook

('Squarehead' Larsen SC 2c)

Jack Pennick

('Doc')

Alex Havier

('Benny' Lecoco ST 3c)

Charles Trowbridge

(Admiral Blackwell)

Robert Barrat

(The General)

Bruce Kellogg

(Elder Tompkins M.M. 2c)

Tim Murdock

(Ens. Brant)

Russell Simpson

('Dad' Knowland)

Vernon Steele

(Army Doctor)

Robert Emmett O'Connor

(Silver Dollar Bartender (uncredited))

Philip Ahn

(Army Orderly (uncredited))

Steve Barclay

(Naval Officer (uncredited))

Betty Blythe

(Officer's Wife (uncredited))

Danny Borzage

(Boat Crew Member (uncredited))

Al Bridge

(Lieutenant Colonel (uncredited))

George Bruggeman

(Man in Admiral's Office (uncredited))

James Carlisle

(Man in Admiral's Office (uncredited))

Jack Carrington

(Officer at Airport (uncredited))

Bruce Carruthers

(Man in Admiral's Office (uncredited))

Tony Carson

(Man in Admiral's Office (uncredited))

Jack Cheatham

(Commander (uncredited))

Fred Coby

(Officer at Airport (uncredited))

Roger Cole

(Officer at Airport (uncredited))

Jane Crowley

(Officer's Wife (uncredited))

Henry H. Daniels Jr.

(Sailor (uncredited))

William B. Davidson

(Hotel Manager (uncredited))

Marjorie Davies

(Nurse (uncredited))

Larry Dods

(Boat Crew Member (uncredited))

William 'Red' Donahue

(Officer at Airport (uncredited))

Blake Edwards

(Boat Crewman (uncredited))

Frank Eldredge

(Officer at Airport (uncredited))

John Epper

(Officer at Airport (uncredited))

Jim Farley

((uncredited))

Charles Ferguson

(Officer at Airport (uncredited))

Lee Tung Foo

(Asian Bartender (uncredited))

Art Foster

(Boat Crew Member (uncredited))

Almeda Fowler

(Officer's Wife (uncredited))

Mary Jane French

(Lost Nurse (uncredited))

Jon Gilbreath

('Snuffy' Submarine Commander (uncredited))

James Gonzalez

(Sailor (uncredited))

Duke Green

(PT-41 Boat Starboard Torpedoman (uncredited))

Sherry Hall

(Marine Major (uncredited))

Stuart Hall

(Bar Patron (uncredited))

Robert Homans

(Bartender at Manila Hotel (uncredited))

Michael Kirby

(Boat Crewman (uncredited))

Michael Kostrick

(Man in Admiral's Office (uncredited))

Paul Kruger

(Man in Admiral's Office (uncredited))

Stubby Kruger

(Boat Crewman (uncredited))

Jack Lee

(Man in Admiral's Office (uncredited))

Jack Lorenz

(Man in Admiral's Office (uncredited))

Leota Lorraine

(Officer's Wife (uncredited))

Jack Luden

(Naval Air Captain (uncredited))

James Magill

(Man in Admiral's Office (uncredited))

George Magrill

(Man in Admiral's Office (uncredited))

Eve March

(Nurse (uncredited))

Maurice Marks

(Soldier (uncredited))

Kermit Maynard

(Airport Officer (uncredited))

Merrill McCormick

(Wounded Officer at Airport (uncredited))

Frank McGrath

('Slim' - Bearded CPO (uncredited))

Leonard Mellin

(Man in Admiral's Office (uncredited))

Robert Milasch

(Minor Role (uncredited))

Henry Mirelez

(Filipino Boy (uncredited))

Jack Mower

(Officer (uncredited))

Charles Murray Jr.

(Jeep Driver (uncredited))

Forbes Murray

(Navy Captain (uncredited))

Bill Neff

(Submarine Skipper / Boat Crew Member (uncredited))

Bill Nind

(Officer at Airport (uncredited))

Wedgwood Nowell

(Man in Admiral's Office (uncredited))

Franklin Parker

(Naval Officer (uncredited))

Frank Pershing

(Boat Crew Member (uncredited))

Nino Pipitone Jr.

(Bartender's Child (uncredited))

Dan Quigg

(Man in Admiral's Office (uncredited))

Joey Ray

(Boat Crew Member (uncredited))

William McKeever Riley

(Boat Crew Member (uncredited))

Jack Ross

(Officer at Airport (uncredited))

John Roy

(Man in Admiral's Office (uncredited))

Harold Schlickenmayer

(Man in Admiral's Office (uncredited))

Phil Schumacher

(Boat Crew Member (uncredited))

Jack Semple

(Man in Admiral's Office (uncredited))

Sam Simone

(Man in Admiral's Office (uncredited))

Reginald Simpson

(Man in Admiral's Office (uncredited))

Leslie Sketchley

(Marine Orderly (uncredited))

Ralph Soncuya

(Filipino Orderly (uncredited))

Larry Steers

(Man in Admiral's Office (uncredited))

Sammy Stein

(Sammy - Boat Crewman (uncredited))

Jack Stoney

(Boat Crew Member (uncredited))

Robert Strong

(Officer at Airport (uncredited))

Bob Thom

(Man in Admiral's Office (uncredited))

Richard Thorne

(Man in Admiral's Office (uncredited))

Brad Towne

(Man in Admiral's Office (uncredited))

Jack Trent

(Officer at Airport (uncredited))

Tom Tyler

(Captain at Airport (uncredited))

Emmett Vogan

(Naval Doctor (uncredited))

Eleanore Vogel

(Officer's Wife (uncredited))

Hansel Warner

(Officer at Airport (uncredited))

Billy Wilkerson

(Sgt. Smith (uncredited))

Roque Ybarra Jr.

(Bartender's Child (uncredited))