Greetings Warmongers and Warriors of the celluloid loving form.
War films are a genre of film, an important one in fact. It has many splinters, from historical swords and sandals battles - to the World Wars and up to the present day horrors still being fought in far off lands that are alien to most of us. It's a genre of film that can excite and horrify in equal measure.
So what films have you seen of late?
CONTAINS SPOILERS
THE SILENT SERVICE "Mine for Keeps" 1958
This is the 50th episode of the U.S. war series, "The Silent Service". The series was about the exploits of the U.S. Navy's submarine fleet. Each episode is a stand-alone tale of the actions of a particular submarine. Most of the stories are about actions against the Japanese Navy and merchant fleet in the Pacific. There is also the odd tale from the Korean conflict. The series ran for 78 episodes during 1957 and 1958. The stories were all based on actual events. Some pretty good attention to detail here with the U.S Navy allowing filming on several WW 2 era Gato class subs.
Each episode started and ended with retired Real Admiral Thomas M. Dykers giving a breakdown of the action. Dykers became a writer, producer and technical adviser after leaving the service. He worked on films such as, TORPEDO ALLEY, FLAT TOP, THE FROGMEN, HELL AND HIGH WATER and SUBMARINE COMMAND.
This episode is about the U.S.S. "Trigger". It is December 1942 and the "Trigger" is sent out on her third patrol. The mission is a combined mine-laying and hunting patrol. The mining begins off the Japanese home island of Honshu. The Japanese merchant fleet has been hugging the coast of late. It is hoped that planting mines will chase them out into deep water where the US submarines can get them.
The "Trigger" has just finished laying her 24 mines when the field claims its first victim, a Japanese cargo vessel. The "Trigger" then scores with a torpedo attack on several other cargo ships. Later in the patrol, the submarine sinks the Japanese destroyer, "Okikaze". On January 22 1943 the "Trigger" sets sail for home after a most successful mission.
The USS "Trigger" was a very successful submarine sinking a total of 18 Japanese vessels during 12 patrols. She also damaged the Japanese aircraft carrier, Hiyo. The "Trigger" failed to return from her 12th patrol in late March 1945. She was taken off the Navy Register on July 11, 1945.
The cast is made up of, Robert Foulk, KL Smith, Carl Betz and Russell Johnson. Johnson played the Prof. on the popular 1960's staple, GILLIGAN'S ISLAND.