They Were Expendable (1945)

They Were Expendable (1945)

All the adventure a man can live, he lives. 1945-12-07 United States of America 135 Min. PG-13
6.6 115 votes
Drama, War

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.

Cast

Robert Montgomery is Lt. John Brickley
Lt. John Brickley
John Wayne is Lt. (J.G.) 'Rusty' Ryan
Lt. (J.G.) 'Rusty' Ryan
Donna Reed is Lt. Sandy Davyss
Lt. Sandy Davyss
Jack Holt is General Martin
General Martin
Ward Bond is
"Boats" Mulcahey, Chief Boatswain's Mate
Marshall Thompson is Ens. 'Snake' Gardner
Ens. 'Snake' Gardner
Paul Langton is Ens. 'Andy' Andrews
Ens. 'Andy' Andrews
Leon Ames is Major James Morton
Major James Morton
Arthur Walsh is Seaman Jones
Seaman Jones
Donald Curtis is Lt. (J.G.) 'Shorty' Long
Lt. (J.G.) 'Shorty' Long
Cameron Mitchell is Ens. George Cross
Ens. George Cross
Jeff York is Ens. Tony Aiken
Ens. Tony Aiken
Murray Alper is 'Slug' Mahan T.M. 1c
'Slug' Mahan T.M. 1c
Harry Tenbrook is 'Squarehead' Larsen SC 2c
'Squarehead' Larsen SC 2c
Jack Pennick is 'Doc'
'Doc'
Alex Havier is 'Benny' Lecoco ST 3c
'Benny' Lecoco ST 3c
Charles Trowbridge is Admiral Blackwell
Admiral Blackwell
Robert Barrat is The General
The General
Bruce Kellogg is Elder Tompkins M.M. 2c
Elder Tompkins M.M. 2c
Tim Murdock is Ens. Brant
Ens. Brant
Russell Simpson is 'Dad' Knowland
'Dad' Knowland
Vernon Steele is Army Doctor
Army Doctor
Robert Emmett O'Connor is Silver Dollar Bartender (uncredited)
Silver Dollar Bartender (uncredited)
Philip Ahn is Army Orderly (uncredited)
Army Orderly (uncredited)
Steve Barclay is Naval Officer (uncredited)
Naval Officer (uncredited)
Betty Blythe is Officer's Wife (uncredited)
Officer's Wife (uncredited)
Danny Borzage is Boat Crew Member (uncredited)
Boat Crew Member (uncredited)
Al Bridge is Lieutenant Colonel (uncredited)
Lieutenant Colonel (uncredited)
George Bruggeman is Man in Admiral's Office (uncredited)
Man in Admiral's Office (uncredited)
James Carlisle is Man in Admiral's Office (uncredited)
Man in Admiral's Office (uncredited)
Jack Carrington is Officer at Airport (uncredited)
Officer at Airport (uncredited)
Bruce Carruthers is Man in Admiral's Office (uncredited)
Man in Admiral's Office (uncredited)
Tony Carson is Man in Admiral's Office (uncredited)
Man in Admiral's Office (uncredited)
Jack Cheatham is Commander (uncredited)
Commander (uncredited)
Fred Coby is Officer at Airport (uncredited)
Officer at Airport (uncredited)
Roger Cole is Officer at Airport (uncredited)
Officer at Airport (uncredited)
Jane Crowley is Officer's Wife (uncredited)
Officer's Wife (uncredited)
Henry H. Daniels Jr. is Sailor (uncredited)
Sailor (uncredited)
William B. Davidson is Hotel Manager (uncredited)
Hotel Manager (uncredited)
Marjorie Davies is Nurse (uncredited)
Nurse (uncredited)
Larry Dods is Boat Crew Member (uncredited)
Boat Crew Member (uncredited)
William 'Red' Donahue is Officer at Airport (uncredited)
Officer at Airport (uncredited)
Blake Edwards is Boat Crewman (uncredited)
Boat Crewman (uncredited)
Frank Eldredge is Officer at Airport (uncredited)
Officer at Airport (uncredited)
John Epper is Officer at Airport (uncredited)
Officer at Airport (uncredited)
Jim Farley is (uncredited)
(uncredited)
Charles Ferguson is Officer at Airport (uncredited)
Officer at Airport (uncredited)
Lee Tung Foo is Asian Bartender (uncredited)
Asian Bartender (uncredited)
Art Foster is Boat Crew Member (uncredited)
Boat Crew Member (uncredited)
Almeda Fowler is Officer's Wife (uncredited)
Officer's Wife (uncredited)
Mary Jane French is Lost Nurse (uncredited)
Lost Nurse (uncredited)
Jon Gilbreath is 'Snuffy' Submarine Commander (uncredited)
'Snuffy' Submarine Commander (uncredited)
James Gonzalez is Sailor (uncredited)
Sailor (uncredited)
Duke Green is PT-41 Boat Starboard Torpedoman (uncredited)
PT-41 Boat Starboard Torpedoman (uncredited)
Sherry Hall is Marine Major (uncredited)
Marine Major (uncredited)
Stuart Hall is Bar Patron (uncredited)
Bar Patron (uncredited)
Robert Homans is Bartender at Manila Hotel (uncredited)
Bartender at Manila Hotel (uncredited)
Michael Kirby is Boat Crewman (uncredited)
Boat Crewman (uncredited)
Michael Kostrick is Man in Admiral's Office (uncredited)
Man in Admiral's Office (uncredited)
Paul Kruger is Man in Admiral's Office (uncredited)
Man in Admiral's Office (uncredited)
Stubby Kruger is Boat Crewman (uncredited)
Boat Crewman (uncredited)
Jack Lee is Man in Admiral's Office (uncredited)
Man in Admiral's Office (uncredited)
Jack Lorenz is Man in Admiral's Office (uncredited)
Man in Admiral's Office (uncredited)
Leota Lorraine is Officer's Wife (uncredited)
Officer's Wife (uncredited)
Jack Luden is Naval Air Captain (uncredited)
Naval Air Captain (uncredited)
James Magill is Man in Admiral's Office (uncredited)
Man in Admiral's Office (uncredited)
George Magrill is Man in Admiral's Office (uncredited)
Man in Admiral's Office (uncredited)
Eve March is Nurse (uncredited)
Nurse (uncredited)
Maurice Marks is Soldier (uncredited)
Soldier (uncredited)
Kermit Maynard is Airport Officer (uncredited)
Airport Officer (uncredited)
Merrill McCormick is Wounded Officer at Airport (uncredited)
Wounded Officer at Airport (uncredited)
Frank McGrath is 'Slim' - Bearded CPO (uncredited)
'Slim' - Bearded CPO (uncredited)
Leonard Mellin is Man in Admiral's Office (uncredited)
Man in Admiral's Office (uncredited)
Robert Milasch is Minor Role (uncredited)
Minor Role (uncredited)
Henry Mirelez is Filipino Boy (uncredited)
Filipino Boy (uncredited)
Jack Mower is Officer (uncredited)
Officer (uncredited)
Charles Murray Jr. is Jeep Driver (uncredited)
Jeep Driver (uncredited)
Forbes Murray is Navy Captain (uncredited)
Navy Captain (uncredited)
Bill Neff is Submarine Skipper / Boat Crew Member (uncredited)
Submarine Skipper / Boat Crew Member (uncredited)
Bill Nind is Officer at Airport (uncredited)
Officer at Airport (uncredited)
Wedgwood Nowell is Man in Admiral's Office (uncredited)
Man in Admiral's Office (uncredited)
Franklin Parker is Naval Officer (uncredited)
Naval Officer (uncredited)
Frank Pershing is Boat Crew Member (uncredited)
Boat Crew Member (uncredited)
Nino Pipitone Jr. is Bartender's Child (uncredited)
Bartender's Child (uncredited)
Dan Quigg is Man in Admiral's Office (uncredited)
Man in Admiral's Office (uncredited)
Joey Ray is Boat Crew Member (uncredited)
Boat Crew Member (uncredited)
William McKeever Riley is Boat Crew Member (uncredited)
Boat Crew Member (uncredited)
Jack Ross is Officer at Airport (uncredited)
Officer at Airport (uncredited)
John Roy is Man in Admiral's Office (uncredited)
Man in Admiral's Office (uncredited)
Harold Schlickenmayer is Man in Admiral's Office (uncredited)
Man in Admiral's Office (uncredited)
Phil Schumacher is Boat Crew Member (uncredited)
Boat Crew Member (uncredited)
Jack Semple is Man in Admiral's Office (uncredited)
Man in Admiral's Office (uncredited)
Sam Simone is Man in Admiral's Office (uncredited)
Man in Admiral's Office (uncredited)
Reginald Simpson is Man in Admiral's Office (uncredited)
Man in Admiral's Office (uncredited)
Leslie Sketchley is Marine Orderly (uncredited)
Marine Orderly (uncredited)
Ralph Soncuya is Filipino Orderly (uncredited)
Filipino Orderly (uncredited)
Larry Steers is Man in Admiral's Office (uncredited)
Man in Admiral's Office (uncredited)
Sammy Stein is Sammy - Boat Crewman (uncredited)
Sammy - Boat Crewman (uncredited)
Jack Stoney is Boat Crew Member (uncredited)
Boat Crew Member (uncredited)
Robert Strong is Officer at Airport (uncredited)
Officer at Airport (uncredited)
Bob Thom is Man in Admiral's Office (uncredited)
Man in Admiral's Office (uncredited)
Richard Thorne is Man in Admiral's Office (uncredited)
Man in Admiral's Office (uncredited)
Brad Towne is Man in Admiral's Office (uncredited)
Man in Admiral's Office (uncredited)
Jack Trent is Officer at Airport (uncredited)
Officer at Airport (uncredited)
Tom Tyler is Captain at Airport (uncredited)
Captain at Airport (uncredited)
Emmett Vogan is Naval Doctor (uncredited)
Naval Doctor (uncredited)
Eleanore Vogel is Officer's Wife (uncredited)
Officer's Wife (uncredited)
Hansel Warner is Officer at Airport (uncredited)
Officer at Airport (uncredited)
Billy Wilkerson is Sgt. Smith (uncredited)
Sgt. Smith (uncredited)
Roque Ybarra Jr. is Bartender's Child (uncredited)
Bartender's Child (uncredited)