Away All Boats

Away All Boats is a 1956 American war film directed by Joseph Pevney and starring Jeff Chandler, George Nader, Lex Barker, and Julie Adams. It was produced by Howard Christie from a screenplay by Ted Sherdeman based on the 1953 novel by Kenneth M. Dodson (1907–1999), who served on the in World War II and used his experiences there as a guide for his novel. He was encouraged in his writing by Carl Sandburg, who had read some of Dodson’s letters, written in the Pacific. The book (and film) is about the crew of the Belinda (APA-22), an amphibious attack transport. The book became a best seller. The film was produced by Universal Pictures. Plot The story of USS Belinda (APA-22), launched late 1943 with regular-Navy Captain Jebediah S. Hawks (Jeff Chandler) and ex-merchant mariner Lieutenant Dave MacDougall (George Nader) as boat commander. Despite personal friction, the two have plenty with which to deal as the only experienced officers on board during the ship's shakedown cruise. Almost laughable incompetence gradually improves, but the crew remains far from perfect when the ship sees action, landing troops on enemy beachheads. Few anticipate the challenges in store at Okinawa. Cast Jeff Chandler as Capt. Jebediah S. Hawks George Nader as Lieut. Dave MacDougall Lex Barker as Commander Quigley Julie Adams as Nadine MacDougall Keith Andes as Doctor Bell William Reynolds as Ensign Kruger Richard Boone as Lieut. Fraser Charles McGraw as Lieut. Mike O'Bannion Jock Mahoney as Alvick Hal Baylor as Chaplain Hughes John McIntire as Old Man / Film's narrator Frank Faylen as Chief Phillip P. 'Pappy' Moran James Westerfield as 'Boats' Torgeson Don Keefer as Ensign Twitchell Uncredited Clint Eastwood as Corpsman David Janssen as Talker