Operation Pacific

Lt Cmdr. Duke E. Gifford

Lt. (j.g.) Mary Stuart

Cmdr. John T. 'Pop' Perry

Lt. Larry

Lt. (j.g.) Bob Perry

Jonesy

The Talker (as Bill Campbell)

Cmdr. Steele

Ens. Caldwell

Commander, SUBPAC

The Chief

Sister Anna

Soundman

Squad Commander

Junior

Radarman Mosconi

Fighter Pilot (uncredited)

Torpedo Officer (uncredited)

Bit Part (uncredited)

Sparks - Radioman (uncredited)

Mick - SP Commander (uncredited)

Dance Floor Extra (uncredited)

Crewman (uncredited)

Crewman (uncredited)

Hawaiian (uncredited)

Lt. Ernie Stark (uncredited)

Quartermaster (uncredited)

Crewman (uncredited)

Japanese Fighter Pilot (uncredited)

Trailer Narrator (voice) (uncredited)

Quartermaster (uncredited)

Shore Patrolman (uncredited)

Helmsman (uncredited)

Lt. Jorgenson (uncredited)

Naval Officer at Briefing (uncredited)

Ground Control Officer (uncredited)

Dick - Admiral's Aide (uncredited)

Crewman (uncredited)

Crewman (uncredited)

Pilot Briefing Officers on Carrier (uncredited)

The rescue of the women and children is based upon an incident involving the USS Crevalle. The sub took 40 refugees off Negros Island in the Philippines including women, children and some survivors of the Bataan Death March. The rescue was just a cover story. The real reason the sub was sent there was to retrieve a group of important documents, namely the Japanese "Z plan", found by the local guerrilla unit from the crash of a plane carrying the chief of staff of the Japanese Combined Fleet.

This movie's opening foreword and dedication states: "When the Pacific Fleet was destroyed by the Japanese sneak attack on Pearl Harbor, it remained for the submarines to carry the war to the enemy. In the four years that followed, our undersea craft sank six million tons of Japanese shipping including some of the proudest ships of the Imperial Navy. Fifty-two of our submarines and thirty-five hundred officers and men were lost. It is to these men and the entire 'silent service' that this picture is humbly dedicated."

Ward Bond's character is abased upon Cmd. Howard Gilmore, captain of the USS Growler. While attacking a Japanese convoy, the USS Growler rammed a Japanese convoy escort, which was attempting to ram her. The Japanese crew fired upon the bridge killing two and wounding Gilmore and two others. Gilmore ordered "Clear the bridge." Realizing that he could not get below in time for the ship to escape, Gilmore shouted "Take her down!" As in the movie, the crew later surfaced, but could not find Gilmore. For his sacrifice, Gilmore was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor.

In the attack on "the whole Imperial fleet", the vessel actually shown to be hit is a merchant ship, something which would not be present in a group of warships.

In the first attack sequence after Pop tells Duke he's getting command of the Thunderfish there is a shot of the sub cruising underwater. Just past, and under, the bow in the lower right of the frame you can see a depth charge drum falling just before the scene changes back to an interior shot. At this point the boat was just going to GQ and was not yet under attack by surface ships.

The fight with the "decoy vessel" was a complete plot fabrication. The Imperial Japanese Navy is not known to have operated specific submarine decoy vessels (commonly called Q-Ships). These were used by the Allied Powers, primarily by the British Royal Navy and the United States Navy as well as the German Navy in the Atlantic. Had this been an actual depiction of a fight between a Q-Ship and a submarine, the submarine would not have surfaced, as that is exactly what a Q-Ship would have wanted. Also, even rammed, a decoy ship would be extremely hard to sink, as they were usually filled with extra flotation (typically wood) to keep them afloat after taking damage.

Cmdr. Steele: [whispering to keep babies from crying] I heard every word you said. I've been trying to keep my nose out of your business, but I can't stand by any longer and watch you make a fool of yourself.

Ens. Caldwell: [after the Chief and Junior are killed] I couldn't help it about the Chief.

Sister Anna: Anything I can do to help?