The film received extensive cooperation from the Department of Defense, especially the Navy and the Marine Corps. One of many problems encountered during production was that at the time of the filming (late 1963-64), very few ships in active Navy service resembled their World War II configuration. Only one World War II vintage heavy cruiser; the USS St. Paul (CA-73), still retained most of her wartime configuration (and, as a result, stood in for a couple of unnamed cruisers), and an accompanying destroyer, USS Philip (DD-498), that took on the role of USS Cassidy were extensively filmed on. Other Navy ships that participated included the cruiser USS Boston (CA-69) (though only the forward two-thirds of the ship could be shown, as she had missiles aft), destroyers USS Braine (DD-630), USS O'Bannon and USS U.S.S. Renville (APA-227). All of the destroyers had to have their modern (1960s) ASW gear covered over with fake gun-mounts or deck houses. Additional smaller vessels were provided in support, as well as an HU-16 Albatross amphibious aircraft, even though said aircraft did not enter the US inventory until 1949. The HU-16 likely substitutes for a PBY Catalina, of which no flyable examples were likely available at the time.

Film

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