Okinawa (1952)

Running an action-packed 67 minutes, Okinawa is an expert combo of wartime newsreel footage and studio re-enactments. The plot concerns the gun crew of a destroyer, engaged in the torturous allied invasion of Okinawa, which cost more American and Japanese lives than any previous Pacific-Theater battle. Pat O'Brien does his usual as the ship's commander, while other stock types are essayed by Cameron Mitchell, Richard Denning, Rhys Williams, Richard Benedict and James Dobson. Curiously, Okinawa was co-written by Leonard Stern, a man more closely associated with TV comedy than two-fisted war epics, and directed by Leigh Jason, who generally piloted musical shorts and features. Actor-producer Alvy Moore (who later played county agent Hank Kimball on TV's Green Acres) shows up in a bit role. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi