''They Were Expendable'' is a 1945 American
war film directed by
John Ford
John Martin Feeney (February 1, 1894 – August 31, 1973), known professionally as John Ford, was an American film director and naval officer. He is widely regarded as one of the most important and influential filmmakers of his generation. He ...
, starring
Robert Montgomery and
John Wayne, and featuring
Donna Reed. The film is based on the 1942 novel of the same name by
William Lindsay White, relating the story of the exploits of
Motor Torpedo Boat Squadron Three, a United States
PT boat
A PT boat (short for patrol torpedo boat) was a motor torpedo boat used by the United States Navy in World War II. It was small, fast, and inexpensive to build, valued for its maneuverability and speed but hampered at the beginning of the ...
unit defending the Philippines against Japanese invasion during the
Battle of the Philippines (1941–42) in
World War II
World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the World War II by country, vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great power ...
.
While a work of fiction, the book was based on actual events and people.
The characters John Brickley (Montgomery) and Rusty Ryan (Wayne) are fictionalizations of squadron commander
John D. Bulkeley
John Duncan Bulkeley (19 August 1911 – 6 April 1996) was a vice admiral in the United States Navy and was one of its most decorated naval officers. Bulkeley received the Medal of Honor for actions in the Pacific Theater during World War II. ...
, a
Medal of Honor
The Medal of Honor (MOH) is the United States Armed Forces' highest military decoration and is awarded to recognize American soldiers, sailors, marines, airmen, guardians and coast guardsmen who have distinguished themselves by acts of valor ...
recipient, and his