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.
They Were Expendable
“A Tribute to Those Who Did So Much... With So Little!”
Overview
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.
Director
John Ford
Status
Released
Production
Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer
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)
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)
Video Gallery
Ed Neumeier on THEY WERE EXPENDABLE
Trailer
