The Fighting Seabees

Spirited war story about the formation of the construction battalions that built installations on the virtually unprotected Pacific islands in WWII. Impatient of the authorities’ slowness in arming his men against the wily Japanese, construction boss Wedge Donovan decides to take matters into his own hands…., Spirited war drama about the Seabees, the naval construction battalions that built fortifications on the virtually unprotected Pacific islands in World War II. Impatient of the authorities’ slowness in arming his men against the Japanese, a construction foreman decides to take matters into his own hands., The Fighting Seabees is Republic Pictures’ rip-roaring tribute to the US Navy’s Construction Batallions (C.B.), without whom no plane would ever have gotten off the ground during WW2. John Wayne stars as Wedge Donovan, head of civilian construction company stationed in a pre-Pearl Harbor South Pacific war area. Despite Donovan’s pleas to the Navy brass, he is denied permission to train his men for combat, the better to stave off imminent Japanese attack. Only after incurring heavy losses is Donovan given a commission and his men officially enlisted in the Navy. The self-sacrifical climax, as Donovan destroys a Japanese tank batallion at the cost of his own life, is one of the best-staged action highlights of its kind. As Constance Chesley, Susan Hayward finds herself in the unenviable position of being the apex in a romantic triangle involving herself, Wedge Donovan and Lt. Cmdr. Robert Yarrow (Dennis O’Keefe); her climactic speech, explaining how it’s possible to love two men equally, is so well delivered that it transcends its essential corniness. Of the supporting cast, William Frawley stands out as Irish seabee Eddie Powers, who virtually signs his own death warrant when he begins singing happily just before an enemy sneak attack., Edward Ludwig’s film is a morale-boosting tribute to the US Navy’s Construction Battalions who followed behind the troops invading Pacific islands occupied by the Japanese to build runways, roads and bridges. John Wayne plays Wedge Donovan, civilian head of a construction company approached by the Navy to train their men as specialists. Instead, the impetuous Donovan wants to prove his already-trained crew are up to the job, but they’re unarmed, and come under attack from Japanese troops… Also starring Dennis O’Keefe as Donovan’s commanding officer, and Susan Hayward as Constance Chesley, the love interest of both men., World War II heroics with John Wayne shaping a group of American construction workers stationed in the Pacific into a fighting unit to take on the Japanese., Edward Ludwig’s film is a morale-boosting tribute to the US Navy’s Construction Battalions (CBs) who followed behind the troops invading Pacific islands occupied by the Japanese to build runways, roads and bridges. John Wayne plays Wedge Donovan, civilian head of a construction company approached by the Navy to train their men as specialists. Instead, the impetuous Donovan wants to prove his already-trained crew are up to the job, but, unarmed, they are attacked by the Japanese. But he’s proven their worth and they’re recruited into the Navy with enough small arms to fight as well as build. But when, on one island, the Japanese attack with a tank battalion, Donovan and his men are forced to take them on with the only big weapons to hand: their heavy plant. Also starring Dennis O’Keefe as Donovan’s commanding officer, and Susan Hayward as Constance Cheley, the love interest of both men., The head of acivilian construction company in Hawaii is pressed into military service after the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor., (1944) Edward Ludwig’s film is a morale-boosting tribute to the US Navy’s Construction Battalions (CBs) who followed behind the troops invading Pacific islands occupied by the Japanese to build runways, roads and bridges. John Wayne plays Wedge Donovan, civilian head of a construction company approached by the Navy to train their men as specialists. Instead, the impetuous Donovan wants to prove his already-trained crew are up to the job, but, unarmed, they are attacked by the Japanese. Having proven their worth, they’re recruited into the Navy. But then the Japanese attack with a tank battalion… Also starring Dennis O’Keefe as Donovan’s commanding officer, and Susan Hayward as Constance Cheley, the love interest of both men. M,R,BW,S.