Story :Major Daniel Kirby takes command of a squadron of Marine fliers just before they are about to go into combat. While the men are well meaning, he finds them undisciplined and prone to always finding excuses to do what is easy rather than what is necessary. The root of the problem is the second in command, Capt. Carl 'Griff' Griffin. Griff is the best flier in the group but Kirby finds him a poor commander who is not prepared to make the difficult decision that all commanders have to make - to put men in harm's way knowing that they may be killed.
Cast
John WayneMaj. Daniel Xavier Kirby
Robert RyanCapt. Carl 'Griff' Griffin
Don TaylorLt. Vern 'Cowboy' Blithe
Janis CarterJoan Kirby
Jay C. FlippenMSgt. Clancy, Line Chief
William HarriganDr. Lt.Cdr. Joe Curran
James BellColonel
Barry KelleyBrigadier General
Maurice JaraShorty Vegay
Adam WilliamsLt. Bert Malotke
James DobsonLt. Pudge McCabe
Carleton YoungCol. Riley
Michael St. AngelCapt. Harold Jorgensen, Ops. Officer
Brett King1st Lt. Ernie Stark
Gordon GebertTommy Kirby
Hal Bokar
Barry Brooks
Charles Brunner
Richard Condon
James Craven
Victor Cutler
Gail DavisVirginia Blithe (uncredited)
Sam Edwards
Fred GrahamMP Sergeant (uncredited)
Chuck Hamilton
Douglas HendersonLt. Foster (uncredited)
Milton KibbeeIndian Affairs Clerk (uncredited)
Mona Knox
Keith Larsen
Harry Lauter
Paul McGuire
Eda Reiss Merin
John Mitchum
Patricia Prest
Noel Reyburn
Hugh Sanders
Lynn Stalmaster
Milburn StoneFleet CIC Radio Operator (uncredited)