Flying Leathernecks

Flying Leathernecks is a 1951 American Technicolor action war film directed by Nicholas Ray, produced by Edmund Grainger (who had produced Sands of Iwo Jima), and starring John Wayne and Robert Ryan. The movie details the exploits and personal battles of United States Marine Corps aviators during World War II. Marines have long had the nickname "leathernecks", hence the title.

Major Dan Kirby arrives at VMF-247 (the "Wildcats") as the new commander when everybody in the unit was expecting Captain Carl "Grif" Griffin to take over. Kirby is strict and makes this understood from day one. Assigned to the Cactus Air Force during the Guadalcanal campaign, Kirby has few planes available and much to accomplish with a Guadalcanal airfield attacked daily by the Japanese. His pilots are young and immature, sometimes disobeying orders and foolishly risking equipment and lives. Kirby is pushing for maximum effort, while Griffin stays closer to his young pilots, one of whom is his own brother-in-law, Vern "Cowboy" Blithe.

Kirby hates the decisions he has to make, knowing he is sending pilots to their deaths, but the success of the missions is the most important thing. The hard conditions of war force Kirby to get even stricter with his exhausted pilots, and tensions with Griffin increase.

Kirby is a fan of low-level ground attacks to support the Marine units, but HQ does not approve of his tactics until Marines are in imminent danger from the Japanese. Kirby adjusts tactics and losses increase, but successes happen, and he leads the squadron in an attack on a huge Japanese convoy – a scene likely based on the Battle of Guadalcanal.

The Wildcats' line chief, MSgt Clancy, is an old Marine veteran and comrade-in-arms of Kirby's, and he uses unorthodox methods to obtain provisions for the unit. His improvising helps the poorly equipped Wildcats, although by the end of the film, Clancy is a PFC, having lost six stripes.

Kirby is promoted to lieutenant colonel and Griffin to major. Mustered back to Hawaii and destined for Washington, DC, Kirby is given the chance to return to the Pacific front and organize low-level ground-attack tactics. He returns to the same unit and aircrew, now equipped with F4U Corsair fighters. Kirby leads his men against Japanese troops and kamikaze attacks during the Battle of Okinawa. During a crucial moment in the battle, to avoid splitting his formation, Griffin denies assistance to his brother-in-law, Blithe, who is killed as a result. During the battle, Kirby’s guns jam and he crashes his plane into a bomber. He is able to bail out, but is injured and picked up by a Navy launch. Leaving the squadron, Kirby appoints Griffin as commanding officer of VMF-247, as he understands that Griffin now can place the lives of his pilots second. They split with a friendly promise to meet again. Kirby admits that every moment in which he – and now Griffin – is required to make a decision is a nightmare, but that comes with the territory of being a leader under these circumstances.

The film's screenplay was credited to James Edward Grant, based on a story by Kenneth Gamet, but some sources claim that Beirne Lay, Jr. was an uncredited contributor, as well.

Director Nicholas Ray chose Robert Ryan to play opposite John Wayne because Ryan had been a boxer in college and was the only actor Ray could think of who could "kick Wayne's ass".^{[citation needed]} The role of the more "human" Captain Griffin is a fictional one and contrasts with the more austere Major Kirby. Tim Holt was originally announced as part of the cast.