In 1986, moviegoers went bananas over the release of Top Gun. The film, which offered the general public a look into what the US Navy‘s TOPGUN school is like, expedited Tom Cruise‘s ascent into superstardom and made serving as a naval aviator so appealing that the service actually set up recruitment tables in the lobbies of movie theaters.
Now, 36 years later, the film’s sequel, Top Gun: Maverick, has debuted in theaters. Once again starring Cruise as Pete “Maverick” Mitchell, it has fast become a blockbuster hit, earning hundreds of millions of dollars worldwide. Its success is down to a number of factors, largely the incredible air scenes featuring real-life naval aviators and the nostalgia watching the film brings about for those who watched the first in theaters.
Those feeling nostalgia for the movie are going to love this decades-old interview, which was unearthed by The Drive in 2018.
The interview takes place onboard the USS Enterprise (CVN-65), the Navy’s first nuclear-powered aircraft carrier. It was filmed prior to Top Gun‘s release, and features co-stars Tom Cruise, Tim Robbins and Anthony Edwards, as well as director Tony Scott, discussing their experiences filming the movie.
There are also behind-the-scenes clips that show the cast during the filming process, complete with 1980s-era music.
Top Gun, 1986. (Photo Credit: Paramount Pictures / MovieStillsDB)
Cruise discusses why he took on the role, at first joking that he only accepted the part for money, before sharing that it came at the right time, as he’d just finished filming the 1985 movie, Legend. After this, he compliments his co-stars, explaining how much he enjoyed working with everyone.
Edwards, who was then most famous for portraying Gilbert Lowe in 1984’s Revenge of the Nerds, cracks plenty of jokes throughout the interview, not unlike his character, Nick “Goose” Bradshaw. He proudly states that he feels his role is the best in the entire film, eliciting chuckles from his co-stars.
Robbins, who became a star in his own right two years later for his portrayal of Ebby Calvin “Nuke” LaLoosh in Bull Durham, then goes on to comment on how his role is much smaller than his co-stars. In fact, he goes so far as to compare Samuel “Merlin” Wells to a magician, saying he disappears at the beginning of the film, only to reappear at the end.
Top Gun, 1986. (Photo Credit: Paramount Pictures / MovieStillsDB)
When asked about their reaction to seeing the Enterprise for the first time, the cast largely shared the same awe-struck reaction, with Edwards even noting that he “had an erection” at the time. They were later questioned about how they adjusted to life on an aircraft carrier – something that’s difficult for Navy sailors – and they responded that, “yes,” it took some time to get used to it.
We don’t know about anyone else, but we could rewatch this interview over and over again.
Tanks have only been a tool of war since WWI when the British first deployed their slow, heavy yet powerful steel beasts. Despite their relatively short existence, there have been a number of legendary tank clashes.
This list includes some of the past century’s most important, impressive, and biggest tank battles. They are ranked in no particular order.
The Battle of Cambrai – 1917
A British tank crossing a trench on its way to the Battle of Cambrai. Graincourt-lès-Havrincourt, France: 1917 (Photo by Underwood Archives/Getty Images)
Although the Battle of Cambrai did not see epic tank-on-tank engagements, it was extremely important for the future use of tanks. The battle took place during WWI, from 20 November to 7 December 1917. The British launched a massive attack against the German Hindenburg Line, a few miles from Cambrai, France, with nineteen divisions and five horsed cavalry divisions.
In addition, the British employed the first large-scale use of tanks; 476 of them in total. On the first day of the battle, the tanks smashed through the German lines, taking thousands of prisoners in exchange for very little losses. Unfortunately, the attack would bog down and the British failed to successfully exploit the holes breached by the tanks. Although the operation took a turn for the worst, it proved that tanks were a vital asset on the battlefield, which still stands true today.
The Valley of Tears – 1973
An abandoned tank in a memorial near the Valley of Tears, Golan Heights (Photo Credit: Isrredlabel / Wikipedia)
This battle happened during the 1973 Yom Kippur War, and is one of history’s greatest displays of armored defenses in action.
When the war began, Israel occupied the Golan Heights, enforcing it with around 170 tanks. The force was limited in size as to not provoke Syria. However, Syria attacked anyway and threw five divisions at the Israeli defenses. 1,400 Syrian tanks rolled towards the Golan Heights, which was protected by the small force of modernized Centurion and M48 Patton tanks. The Israeli tanks put up a valiant stand against the numerically and technically superior forces, knocking out tank after tank.
By October 9 the number of Israeli tanks had been reduced to just six, with only a few rounds left each. The Syrians continued to attack, almost emerging victorious. However, just as the final remaining Israeli tanks ran out of ammunition, a makeshift group of 15 Israeli tanks arrived as reinforcements. Although this was the extent of the relief force, the Syrians believed it was the first of a major reinforcement effort and retreated.
The Battle of 73 Easting – 1991
An Iraqi T-55 main battle tank burns after an attack by the 1st United Kingdom Armored Division during Operation Desert Storm. (Photo Credit: Tom Johnson / Wikipedia / Public Domain)
Dubbed “the last great tank battle of the 20th century,” the Battle of 73 Easting was a devastating display of what superior training and technology can do to an unprepared enemy. In February 1991 a small number of US tanks from the 2nd Armored Cavalry Regiment (ACR) engaged with a large force from Saddam Hussein’s elite Republican Guard, annihilating them.
Iraq invaded Kuwait in late 1990, which set the stage for the Gulf War. Early in 1991 coalition forces entered Iraq after a five-week aerial bombardment of Iraqi forces, which severely reduced their capacity to fight. After US forces destroyed most of an Iraqi Republican Guard division’s scouting abilities, they stumbled across their dug-in tanks, catching them completely off guard.
Eagle Troop of the 2nd ACR, led by Herbert McMaster, charged into the enemy position with their M1A1 Abrams tanks. After just over 20 minutes of ferocious combat, fifty Republican Guard tanks were destroyed, along with forty trucks and twenty-five armored personnel carriers. This was achieved without the loss of a single US tank.
The Battle of Chawinda (1965)
Sculpture showing Indo-Pak war (Photo Credit: Sanket Oswal / Wikipedia)
The Battle of Chawinda saw Pakistan and Indian tanks clash during the 1965 Indo-Pakistani War. Indian forces attempted to stop Pakistan’s access into Jammu and Kashmir and also encircle the city of Sialkot. Pakistan fielded around 130 tanks while India had over 220.
After a day of back and forth battles, India managed to push Pakistan’s forces back to Chawinda. They were severely outnumbered by the Indians at almost ten to one, but established defensive positions and were reinforced by troops from Kashmir.
Pakistani and Indian tanks battled it out, while Pakistani aircraft offered assistance. After suffering heavy losses, India retreated and the two nations agreed to a ceasefire.
The Battles of Kursk – 1943
KURSK, SOVIET UNION – JULY / AUGUST: The Battle of Kursk, a World War II battle between German and Soviet forces on the Eastern Front fought from July 5 till August 23, 1943 in Russia. (Photo by Laski Diffusion/Getty Images)
When it comes to tank battles, the Battle of Kursk is king. Although it was not a single tank battle as is often assumed, the Battle of Kursk pit simply enormous amounts of armored vehicles against each other. It was Germany’s final attempt to regain the upper hand on the Eastern Front and was a huge gamble. Germany built up its forces for battle over a period of months. This time allowed the Soviets to build a formidable network of defenses to slow down the offensive.
Between July and August 1943, 3,000 German tanks and nearly 1 million troops battled twice as many tanks and 2 million Soviet troops. The tank engagements were fierce, with Soviet tanks quite literally swarming the superior but less numerous German vehicles.
Eventually, the Soviets emerged victoriously. German forces inflicted major damage to Soviet forces, but the Soviets were able to replace those losses. By the end of the battle, Germany had lost around 600 tanks, while the Soviets lost around 6,000.
Jason Everman, with his long curly hair and piercings, looked the epitome of a rockstar – because he was. As a young man, he played guitar and bass for popular bands like Nirvana and Soundgarden, as well as smaller acts. He eventually made a drastic career change, however, going on to enlist in the US Army, for whom he served as a Ranger and Green Beret.
Jason Everman’s early life
Mind Funk guitarists Jason Everman and Louis Svitek, 1993. (Photo Credit: Karjean Levine/ Getty Images)
Born on October 16, 1967 in Alaska, Jason Everman was only a toddler when his parents divorced. He moved to Washington with his mother, who married a former US Navy serviceman.
His introduction to music was perhaps untraditional, as he was encouraged to play guitar while in therapy for blowing up a toilet with a firecracker. The hobby stuck, and he eventually joined several bands in high school. Everman went between Washington and Alaska for employment as a young man, working with his biological father on his fishing boat during the summer. Eventually, he met future Nirvana drummer Chad Channing.
In February 1989, Jason Everman got his big break when he was brought on as the second guitarist for Nirvana. He was credited with playing on the band’s debut album, Bleach, even though he never did. Kurt Cobain later said this was their way of thanking him for paying the $606.17 fee to record it.
Everman went on tour with the band following the album’s release. When it ended, however, he was fired due to his “moodiness.” This didn’t stop him from continuing with music, as he joined Soundgarden later that same year as the band’s temporary bassist. He can be heard playing on their cover of The Beatles‘ “Come Together,” and in their Louder Than Live home video.
Everman stayed with Soundgarden for a while, but was, again, fired. He then briefly went on to play guitar for Mind Funk.
Jason Everman enlists in the US Army
Jason Everman serving with the US Army Special Forces in Afghanistan, 2013. (Photo Credit: US Army / Wikimedia Commons / Public Domain)
Jason Everman had a change of heart about his career in 1994 after discovering the Autobiography of Benvenuto Cellini, a Renaissance author who said well-rounded men were simultaneously philosophers, artists and warriors. Around this time, he spoke to an acquaintance who’d served as a US Navy SEAL, who put the idea of enlisting in the military in his head.
The musician subsequently joined the US Army, and attended basic training at Fort Benning, Georgia without mentioning to anyone that he’ had a brief stint as a rock musician. However, that didn’t stop people from finding out.
He recalled the day, which happened to be just after Kurt Cobain’s death. In the middle of some routine hazing, one of the drill sergeants stopped right in front of him and said, “The lead singer for Nirvana killed himself yesterday.” In a different interview with The New York Times, he said that, around the same time, another drill sergeant saw a photo of him alongside Nirvana and could tell it was him.
Becoming a US Army Ranger and Green Beret
Soundgarden, 1990. (Photo Credit: Paul Natkin / Getty Images)
After completing training, Jason Everman was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 7th Ranger Regiment at Fort Lewis, Washington. As the United States wasn’t at war at the time, he didn’t have many missions, apart from various training exercises. By 1998, he’d completed his four, rather uneventful, years of service.
Everman left the Army to travel through the Himalayan Mountains, where he joined a Buddhist monastery. Training to be a monk didn’t stick for long, however, as he was soon offered a position as a Green Beret. After completing the Qualification Course, he was assigned to “A Team,” 3rd Special Forces Group, with whom he finally got to see action. He was sent to Afghanistan and Iraq, earning an impressive reputation.
Everman later said serving in the Middle East was “probably the most profound experience of my life. […] It takes an event as extreme as war that simultaneously brings out both the worst and the best in people.”
Jason Everman is honorably discharged
Mind Funk guitarists Jason Everman and Louis Svitek, 1993. (Photo Credit: Karjean Levine / Getty Images)
In 2006, Jason Everman was honorably discharged from the US Army, and he quickly moved onto the next stage of his life. He continued bettering himself in a Cellinian fashion by enrolling at Columbia University’s School of General Studies, where he obtained a Bachelor of Arts in philosophy. He received a glowing letter of recommendation from Gen. Stanley A. McChrystal.
After graduating, he went on to obtain a Master’s degree from Norwich University.
Everman never truly stepped away from music. After retiring from the Army, he started a band with fellow veteran, Brad Thomas, called Silence & Light. Each member has previously served in the US military, and the group’s music focuses on the experiences of veterans and first responders. They donate a significant portion of their earnings to charities that do the same.
While most teenagers attend prom in a limousine or in the passenger seat of their parents’ car, two high school students from Camas High School, in Washington state, made headlines by arriving in the coolest vehicle possible: a World War II-era M3A1 Stuart.
Photo Credit: KPTV FOX 12 Oregon / YouTube
Sherman Bynum has long been a fan of military tanks, similar to his late father, whom he called a “history buff.” When he learned his school would be setting up a special parking lot at the nearby Portland Art Museum for prom night, he immediately knew that he wanted to arrive at the dance in style.
“I made some phone calls to a group in Minnesota that rents battle tanks out for use, like for films and stuff.” Bynum told KOIN 6 News. “They were like $20,000. No way that’s happening.”
Undeterred, Bynum continued looking and came upon Steve Greenberg, a military enthusiast living in Portland, Oregon. He was willing to drive Bynum and his friends to prom in his personal M3A1 Stuart, but they would need to fork up $1,000.
Bynum and his friend, Sam Tetro, launched a GoFundMe fundraiser, which quickly surpassed $1,000. On the official page, the pair reassured donors that what they were planning was “perfectly legal” and that the tank would be “safely within road limits.”
They didn’t stop there. On top of securing the M3A1 for prom night, they also recruited a local man known for playing the theme for Star Wars with flaming bagpipes – while also riding a unicycle. The unipiper was more than happy to join in the fun, going so far as to escort the boys and their tank while dressed as Darth Vader.
On prom night, the boys rolled up to the Portland Art Museum in their M3A1, dressed in suits and green Army helmets. When asked about the stunt, Bynum told WJHG, “We don’t like normal very much. I think the quote that we’ve been repeating a lot today is, today’s the day, man. And we’re feeling really good.”
The teen’s mother added, “I never thought he’d pull it off and here we are.”
Bynum ended his comments to the media by saying, “Live your life to the fullest. That’s what it’s all about.”
In 1965 an incredible stunt was pulled by a Soviet pilot named Valentin Privalov, who managed to fly his MiG 17 jet fighter under a bridge on the Ob River in Western Siberia.
The event was described by witnesses who claim this actually happened, even though the credibility of the photograph depicting the flight has often been debated for being edited.
Nevertheless, the story remains. It was a sunny day, on 4th of June 1965, when Privalov flew under the central span of the Communal Bridge in Novosibirsk. The riverbanks were filled with people on vacation and officers from the nearby base, strolling and enjoying the sunshine.
All of a sudden, a silver jet in the sky was performing the acrobatic. Everyone was amazed. It was an act of magnificent skill since the jet was never before seen performing a flight with such accuracy.
Restored MiG-17 in the markings of the Polish Air Force. By Stuart Seeger from College Station, Texas, USA / CC BY-SA 2.0
It was reported that Privalov did this on his own initiative, and without any orders whatsoever. The hotshot pilot wanted to pull this stunt for personal glory and to exhibit his flying skills. The crowd gathered on the bridge started to applaud spontaneously, but Privalov’s superiors weren’t so happy. He got a suspension.
This almost cost him his career in the Soviet Air Force. He was threatened with disciplinary action, but the Minister of Defense himself, Marshall Rodion Malinovsky, saw the stunt as an advertisement of the military. The people were in awe. The word soon spread all over the USSR, and it soon evolved into a legend.
Privalov was sent to the elite Moscow squadron stationed at the Kubinka military airfield. The airfield is home to the aerobatic team “Swifts” and “Russian Knights,” and Privalov joined their ranks.
The photograph started circling the internet recently. It found its way through various Russian-language forums to worldwide attention. The origin of the photo is disputable, but it seems that the event depicted on it isn’t.
Various reports confirmed that Privalov flew under the Communal Bridge, which is 120 meters wide between its pillars and 30 meters high. He was flying approximately 700 miles per hour.
An article mentioning Privalov’s stunt in the American press.
Some claim that the photo was made only to illustrate the event, for it happened without prior warning; thus it was impossible to document it. It was published in Soviet newspapers and the stunt even echoed in the American press, when it was mentioned an article dating from 27th of August, 1965.
The article included three weird stories all taking place in the Soviet Union: “a drunk who stole a streetcar,” “an aircraft mechanic who went on a joyride up and down runways in an Ilyushin 4 transport,” and “a stunt flier who flew under bridges.”
Valentin Privalov, “a stunt flier who flew under bridges” pursued a lavish and successful career in the Soviet Air Force, and ended up as a deputy head of Russia’s civil aviation air traffic control center in Moscow.
Little is known about his personal life, and whether or not the man is still alive, but his stunt remains unforgettable.
The USS Batfish (SS-310) is a Balao-class submarine that holds the US Navy record for sinking three enemy ships in three days. After serving the military, she was retired and was purchased by veterans in Oklahoma, who transformed the underwater vessel into a memorial and museum.
The USS Batfish enters the Second World War
USS Batfish (SS-310). (Photo Credit: Arkivi / Getty Images)
Two years after the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, the USS Batfish conducted her first patrol. On January 19, 1944, the submarine participated in her first naval engagement after encountering an enemy convoy of three large ships, one medium ship and two escorts. Batfish held her own and sunk two of the large vessels, beginning a battle record that earned her the nickname, “Sub Killer.”
Onboard the Batfish were 10 torpedo tubes and numerous on-deck guns that made her a lethal submarine. During her fourth war patrol, she damaged the Japanese destroyer Samidare so much that the enemy deemed her unsalvageable, leading them to destroy the ship with demolition charges.
In total, Batfish fired 71 torpedos during combat, with 24 hitting their intended targets.
The USS Batfish sets a US Navy record
Officer onboard the USS Batfish (SS-310), May 1945. (Photo Credit: Signal Corps Archive / Wikimedia Commons / Public Domain)
It was on her sixth patrol that the USS Batfish set a naval record. On February 10, 1944, she sunk the Japanese submarine Ro-55, just a few minutes after midnight. The next day, Cmdr. John Kerr Fyfe noticed another Japanese vessel on the radar and fired four torpedoes, three of which struck the Ro-112 and sunk it. Not even 24 hours later, Batfish sunk the Ro-113 using three more torpedoes.
To this day, she is the only submarine in US history to sink three enemy ships in a 76-hour period. Between 1943-45, Batfish‘s crew of 80 were able to sink 14 Japanese vessels and damage an additional three. Following the Japanese surrender, the submarine was decommissioned and used as a training vessel. She was reactivated, then deactivated, during the Korean War, and was struck from the Naval Vessel Registry in 1969.
For their efforts, Batfish‘s crew was awarded 10 Bronze Star Medals, nine Battle Stars, four Silver Stars, one Navy Cross and one Presidential Unit Citation.
Veterans search for the right submarine
The USS Batfish (SS-310) is now a museum ship in Muskogee, Oklahoma. (Photo Credit: Alan Islas / Wikimedia Commons CC BY-SA 4.0)
As early as 1962, the Oklahoma chapter of the United States Submarine Veterans, Inc. were in search of a submarine they could preserve and transform into a memorial. They had many candidates in mind. The USS Piranha (SS-389) proudly boasted five battle stars and six combat patrols, while the USS Sea Dog (SS-401) sailed five. They even considered the USS Cavalla (SS-244), known for sinking the Japanese aircraft carrier Shōkaku, which was involved in the attack on Pearl Habor.
The veterans chose the USS Batfish for her incredible battle record and the condition she was in at the time. Piranha and Sea Dog wound up scrapped, while Cavalla was turned into a museum at Seawolf Park in Galveston, Texas. Once they’d announced she would serve as their memorial, US Congress quickly approved the transfer of the submarine from the Navy to Oklahoma.
Moving the USS Batfish to a soybean field
USS Batfish (SS-310) with updated restoration and paint. (Photo Credit: Blackwing.1 / Wikimedia Commons CC BY-SA 3.0)
The Muskogee City-County Trust Port Authority donated about five acres of what was previously a riverfront soybean field to serve as the display area for the USS Batfish. The next step was to transport the submarine from her port in New Orleans to the Port of Muskogee.
This was no easy feat. It took nearly seven weeks to transfer Batfish from New Orleans to Oklahoma. Batfish was towed up the Mississippi River and, along the way, the river had to be lowered by three feet to squeeze the submarine under a bridge. Once she’d reached the Arkansas River, she was was moored close to the spot she’d call home, where she remained until a flood helped reposition her.
When the flood waters had subsided, Batfish was officially stationed and ready to welcome the public.
The USS Batfish becomes a museum
USS Batfish (SS-310) in Muskogee, Oklahoma. (Photo Credit: Bctrout1s / Wikimedia Commons CC BY-SA 4.0)
On Memorial Day 1973, the USS Batfish memorial and a neighboring museum were opened to the public. The submarine was restored by the veterans and volunteers, who reinstalled as much as they could, down to the last detail. They even hung pin-up girl posters on the walls for full authenticity.
By the end of the 20th century, Batfish was one of 20 World War II-era submarines on public display in the United States.
A slew of World War II films have been released in the decades since the conflict, so it’s understandable that some never wound up receiving the attention they so rightfully deserved – and if they did, they’ve since been forgotten. Among them is The Guns of Navarone (1961). Starring Gregory Peck, David Niven and Richard Harris, it’s an action-packed Commando feature that needs to be on everyone’s radar.
Turning a best-selling novel into a feature-length film
The Guns of Navarone, 1961. (Photo Credit: FilmPublicityArchive / United Archives / Getty Images)
The Guns of Navarone is based on the best-selling 1957 novel by Alistar MacLean. While not centered around an actual real-life mission of the Second World War, the story does take place during the Dodecanese Campaign of 1943 – the failed Allied attempt to capture the Dodecanese Islands from the Axis powers following the signing of the Italian Armistice. For many, it’s considered British Prime Minister Winston Churchill‘s worst military blunder of the conflict.
The book was read by Columbia Pictures’ Mike Frankovich, who’d served with the US Army Air Corps during WWII. He saw its cinematic potential and passed the story along to Carl Foreman, the mastermind behind the screenplay for The Bridge on the River Kwai (1957). While Foreman was initially hesitant to turn the book into a movie, he later agreed to write the screenplay, albeit with a few changes.
What is The Guns of Navarone about?
The Guns of Navarone, 1961. (Photo Credit: videorecord / Sony Pictures / Columbia Pictures / MovieStillsDB)
As aforementioned, The Guns of Navarone was inspired, in part, by the Dodecanese Campaign – more specifically, the Battle of Leros. Taking place in 1943, it centers around a hastily-formed Commando unit tasked with infiltrating the fictional Navarone Island and destroying its German long-range field gun emplacements. Those involved include an officer with the Long Range Desert Group (LRDG), an explosives expert and an expert knife fighter known as the “Butcher of Barcelona.”
While many would assume the guns would be of lesser importance, compared to other German-held areas in the Mediterranean, they’re position means the Allies are unable to rescue around 2,000 trapped British soldiers on the nearby island of Kheros. Whenever vessels get near, the Germans aim their guns and fire, sinking them.
To successfully cross the Aegean Sea, the Commandos disguise themselves as Greek fishermen, and later meet up with two local resistance fighters who’d previously been captured by the Germans. Throughout the course of their journey, they come face-to-face with enemy soldiers, at one point overpowering the Germans and donning their uniforms so as to not be recognized.
As the film progresses, it’s assumed the Commandos aren’t destined for success. One of the resistance fighters is found to have been recruited by the Germans, ultimately leading to her execution. As well, when the group finally arrives at the cliffs housing the gun emplacements, they find themselves beaten time and time again, with the Germans defusing their explosives and forcing them to fight in brutal close-quarters combat.
In the end, the surviving Commandos flee Navarone aboard Allied destroyers, but not before they’re somehow able to take out the long-range field guns and the impregnable fortress in which they’re held with one magnificent explosion.
A star-studded cast filled with World War II veterans
The Guns of Navarone, 1961. (Photo Credit: CaptainOT / Sony Pictures / Columbia Pictures / MovieStillsDB)
Similar to a lot of WWII-era films produced during the 1950s and ’60s, a number of those who starred in The Guns of Navarone actually served in the conflict. Among the most decorated was British actor David Niven, who commanded a Commando squadron during D-Day and Operation Market Garden. Additionally, he aided in the creation of the Supreme Headquarters Allied Expeditionary Force’s (SHAEF) efforts to entertain troop via radio.
James Justice, who portrayed Jensen, also served, first during the Spanish Civil War and, later, with the British Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve. While seeing action in 1943, a German shell detonated, with its shrapnel injuring him enough to be honorably discharged.
Allan Cuthbertson served as a flight lieutenant for the Royal Australian Air Force, seeing action in the Pacific Theater with the No. 111 Air-Sea Rescue Flight RAAF, while Anthony Quayle is best known for having organized guerrilla forces in Albania during the conflict.
Other military veterans included Percy Herbert, Michael Trubshawe and Christopher Rhodes. Gregory Peck, who portrayed Capt. Keith Mallory, was among the few who didn’t enlist – but not because he didn’t want to. He was exempt from US military service because of a back injury he’d previously suffered.
This star-studded cast also included other big names, including Anthony Quinn, Stanley Baker, Richard Harris, Irene Papas and Gia Scala.
Making the film as authentic as possible
USS Slater (DE-766), 1944. (Photo Credit: Ussslater.dehm / Wikimedia Commons CC BY-SA 4.0)
Despite being a fictional story, the intention was to make The Guns of Navarone as authentic as possible. This included shooting on the Greek island of Rhodes and other locations in the Mediterranean. The production crew even secured an actual warship, the former USS Slater (DE-766), which, at the time, had been transferred to Greece for use as a training vessel.
Prior to filming, there were concerns that Gregory Peck’s inability to convincingly speak German would hinder the film. To rectify this, Columbia Pictures hired voice actor Robert Rietty to dub all of Peck’s German dialogue. Further authenticity was created by enlisting mapmakers who’d previously worked on animated films.
All that being said, there’s one aspect of The Guns of Navarone that hurts the filmmakers’ aim to make it as authentic as possible: the age of its cast. The majority – if not all – of the stars were arguably too old to portray their characters, something that became obvious to the general public. The British press even went so far as to dub the movie, “Elderly Gang Goes Off to War.”
Successful, yet underrated
The Guns of Navarone, 1961. (Photo Credit: Columbia Pictures / Getty Images)
It might be surprising to learn that The Guns of Navarone earned a number of honors upon its release, as we’ve called it one of Hollywood’s most underrated films. It became the second top-grossing movie of 1961, behind West Side Story, and was dubbed “the best adventure movie to hit the screen this year” by the Los Angeles Times. On top of that, it received seven Academy Award nominations and ultimately won the Oscar for Best Special Effects.
So why do we believe The Guns of Navarone to be so underrated? There are a number of reasons, the first of which being that the majority of war film buffs today rarely bring it up when asked to discuss their favorite movies in the genre. Instead, they’ll reference Kelly’s Heroes (1970), The Longest Day (1962), Apocalypse Now (1972), The Great Escape (1963) and Platoon (1986). Sure, those are all great films, but where is The Gun of Navarone on the list?
This could be for a number of reasons. Maybe it’s because the majority of the cast is made up of British actors, as opposed to a largely-American cast that many would recognize. Another theory is that it was released during a time when so many WWII-era films were hitting the big screen, meaning it got lost in the shuffle as the decades went on.
Maybe it’s because The Guns of Navarone is ultimately an anti-war film, something that can have a polarizing effect on audiences, who themselves are either strongly pro- or anti-war. Regardless of the reason, the whole point of this article is to get you, the reader, to watch the film, if you haven’t previously done so.
Little-known facts about The Guns of Navarone
The Guns of Navarone, 1961. (Photo Credit: videorecord / Sony Pictures / Columbia Pictures / MovieStillsDB)
Now that we’ve gotten all that out of the way, it’s time to share some little-known facts about The Guns of Navarone, the first few of which involve David Niven. If you look closely, you’ll notice his character, Cpl. John Anthony Miller, wears a Light Infantry cap badge on his beret. This is significant, as it was the regiment the actor himself was commissioned into during WWII.
On a more worrisome note, Niven nearly lost his life while filming. While shooting a scene in a dirty tank of water and suffering from a split lip, he became seriously ill, with the crew worried he’d fall victim to the fatal infection that was ravaging his body. He spent weeks in the hospital and, against medical advice, wound up returning to set to complete his scenes. This ultimately led to another seven weeks of recovery time.
This third fact isn’t just about Niven, but it does involve him. While filming The Guns of Navarone, he forged what became a life-long friendship with Gregory Peck, whom he admired for his ability to drink large amounts of brandy and still recite his lines. The pair became so close that Peck even delivered the eulogy at Niven’s funeral after he passed in 1983.
Since we’re on the topic of Peck, you might be interested to learn that he wasn’t the first actor tapped to portray Capt. Mallory. William Holden was initially approached about the role, but wound up turning it down, as he believed it was too similar to his portrayal of Cmdr. Shears in The Bridge on the River Kwai.
Finally, those with keen eye likely noticed some familiar faces in the background of the scene set at the Mandrakos café. There’s a reason why. On the day it was shot, members of the Greek Royal Family visited the set and were invited to appear in the film as extras!
In 2006, legendary actor and director Clint Eastwood released two World War II-era films that focused on both the American and Japanese perspectives of the Battle of Iwo Jima: Flags of Our Fathers and Letters from Iwo Jima.
Eastwood aimed to depict the engagement as it truly was. In an interview with NPR, he said the two weren’t “meant to take either side of the story,” adding that “what it boils down to is when mothers are losing their sons, whether they’re Japanese or American, the reaction always has the same pathos.” The result was a two-part masterpiece of cinema.
Flags of Our Fathers and Letters from Iwo Jima
Flags of Our Fathers, 2006. (Photo Credit: butchielad / Dreamworks Pictures / Warner Bros. / MovieStillsDB)
Flags of Our Fathers is based on the book of the same name by James D. Bradley and Ron Powers. The film depicts the events surrounding the raising of the American flag on Iwo Jima during the Second World War and the subsequent fame and scrutiny received by those involved. The story is told from the perspective of three soldiers – John Bradley, Rene Gagnon and Ira Hayes – who are sent on a national tour to raise money for the war effort.
Letters from Iwo Jima tells the story of the same battle, this time from the perspective of the Japanese. It specifically follows the experiences of Gen. Tadamichi Kuribayashi, who is sent to Iwo Jima to prepare for the incoming American forces. Through their letters, we learn about the Japanese soldiers’ personal struggles, fears and sense of duty, as well as their admiration and loyalty to their leader.
The two movies together present a more rounded representation of the Battle of Iwo Jima that had never before been presented. For this, they were nominated for – and won – various awards, including Oscars, Golden Globes, Critics’ Choice Awards and the 2007 Cinema for Peace Award for the most valuable film of the year.
Battle of Iwo Jima
US Marines raise the American flag on Mount Suribachi, Iwo Jima, 1945. (Photo Credit: Joe Rosenthal / Wikimedia Commons / Public Domain)
The Battle of Iwo Jima was a significant military campaign that took place from February 19 – March 26, 1945 between the US Marine Corps and the Imperial Japanese Army. The island held strategic importance for both sides, as it was located halfway between Japan and American bases in the Marianas. The US military, therefore, viewed its capture as crucial in their proposed plan to invade the Japanese mainland.
Beginning on February 19, the Marine Corps conducted a massive amphibious assault on the island. The Japanese defenders, numbering around 21,000, were deeply entrenched in a network of tunnels and caves, making them difficult to dislodge. The battle became a brutal and prolonged struggle, with the Americans facing fierce resistance and heavy casualties.
Despite these challenges, the US forces gradually gained ground and eventually captured the island on March 26. The Battle of Iwo Jima resulted in heavy losses for both sides, with the Americans suffering 27,071 total casualties and the Japanese seeing between 17,845-18,375 dead or missing – almost the entirety of their defensive force.
The engagement remains one of the most iconic and widely recognized battles of the Second World War, particularly from the US perspective. The raising of the American flag atop Mount Suribachi became an enduring symbol of valor and sacrifice, and it has been memorialized by the Marine Corps War Memorial in Washington, DC.
Reaction to Clint Eastwood’s duology
Letters from Iwo Jima, 2006. (Photo Credit: bilbo / Warner Bros. / Paramount Pictures / Dreamworks Pictures / MovieStillsDB)
Flags of Our Fathers and Letters from Iwo Jima received both public and critical acclaim.
As reported by Reuters, Hiromasa Murakami, a 50-year-old carpenter, saw Letters from Iwo Jima in the theater to see if an American could tell the stories of both sides. He left believing Eastwood did it right, saying, “It was marvelous. How should I express it? It was the same for both sides, for them and us. Everyone was a victim.”
The Battle of Iwo Jima, while upheld as a show of American sacrifice, has been largely forgotten in Japan. Eastwood said at a press conference in the country, “None of my Japanese actors knew anything about Iwo Jima. You lose 21,000 people! To just ignore them … what would happen if we did that?” He added, “I think it’s important that everybody remember that people gave their lives to protect their country,”
For a long time, Iwo Jima has been viewed as a defeat in Japan, and to make a film about it would be unthinkable. Eichi Tsukada, a 71-year-old retiree whose father died in World War II, gave insight into the country’s position by saying, “Iwo Jima was a defeat. It was miserable and no Japanese movie company wanted to try to show it.”
That being said, Eastwood was able to deliver a film with respect and honesty. Ken Watanabe, who starred as Gen. Kuribayashi in Letters from Iwo Jima, explained, “As a person in the Japanese movie industry, I have the slightly embarrassing sensation that we should have turned our attention to the Battle of Iwo Jima and filmed something on the theme earlier.”
The film turned the tide on the almost-forgotten battle. One 17-year-old high school student, Satoshi Koyama, was reported as saying that he learned something, and that “American and Japanese soldiers were fighting with the same emotion. Both wanted to return to their homelands.”
Iwo Jima, today
Iwo Jima. (Photo Credit: NASA / Wikimedia Commons / Public Domain)
Iwo Jima is governed by the Japanese government. The island, however, has no permanent settlement and is only used by the Japanese Maritime Self-Defense Force, which operates a naval air base there. The lack of an official population is partially due to the 1945 battle and the memories of it.
Beyond the relatives of those who fought on both sides and fell, civilians aren’t able to visit. It was only after a great deal of negotiation that Eastwood could. Journalists also made the trip. As they left, many took stones or other mementos, prompting the defense agency’s public information division to urge them to leave the objects behind. The reason? “You will be haunted by the ghosts of Japanese soldiers.”
The Battle of Iwo Jima was one that saw mass casualties and the bitter-sweet victory of one side over the other. For Americans, it was a success. For the Japanese, it was a defeat. With Flags of Our Fathers and Letters from Iwo Jima, Clint Eastwood provided an even plain for viewers to see the engagement and war for what it really was.
Tony Bennett was a jazz legend, with a career spanning over half a century. His music transcended generations and made him a household name across the world. Before entering the music business, he served in the US Army, with whom he was deployed to Europe to participate in the final months of the Second World War.
Tony Bennett’s early life and entry into the US Army
Tony Bennett, 1970. (Photo Credit: Michael Ochs Archives / Getty Images)
Anthony Dominick Benedetto – later known as Tony Bennett – was born on August 3, 1926 and raised in Astoria, Queens, New York. He was introduced to music at an early age through radio, and by the time he was a teenager was working as a singing waiter at local restaurants.
In November 1944, Bennett was drafted into the US Army, just three months after turning 18. While initially interested in joining the US Navy, he was placed in the Army, and completed basic training at Forts Dix and Robinson to become an infantry rifleman.
While training, Bennett ran afoul of a sergeant from the South who disliked his Italian heritage. As such, he was punished with KP Duty and BAR cleaning.
Service in Europe during World War II
Kaufering concentration camp, 1945. (Photo Credit: Unknown Author / United States Holocaust Memorial Museum, Washington, D.C. / Wikimedia Commons / Public Domain)
In March 1945, after six weeks of training, Tony Bennett was assigned to the 255th Infantry Regiment, 63rd Infantry Division – known as the “Blood and Fire” Division. The regiment was sent to Europe to bolster Allied numbers after severe losses during the Battle of the Bulge.
Bennett and his fellow troops marched through the frontlines in France and Germany, and half of them fell during the first three days. They had to contend with sleeping in foxholes, and were faced with heavy fire, despite the German retreat. By the end of March, they’d crossed the Rhine into Germany, where they fought to clear towns of German soldiers.
The unit crossed the Kocher during the first week of April, and by the end of the month had reached the Danube. They also liberated Kaufering concentration camp, in the town of Landsberg, where American prisoners of war (POWs) from the 63rd Infantry Division were being held. It was an experience Bennett said changed his life.
Postwar service in Europe
Tony Bennett during World War II. (Photo Credit: U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs)
Following the German surrender in May 1945, Tony Bennett was ordered to serve in the postwar occupation of Europe. He was stationed in Mannheim, Germany, where an officer encouraged him to join the band the 255th Infantry Regiment was forming. He was then assigned to the Special Services, where he rose to the rank of corporal and was tasked with entertaining the troops.
During Thanksgiving 1945, Bennett invited friend and former classmate Frank Smith to dine with him. This caused an uproar, as Smith was African American and soldiers were still officially segregated. According to Bennett, a bigoted officer promptly demoted him to private, cutting off his corporal stripes with a razor, spitting on them and throwing them to the floor.
Following his demotion, Bennett was reassigned to a unit tasked with exhuming mass graves and preparing bodies for transport back to the United States. He was able to leave the assignment after a major pulled some strings and assigned him to the 314th Army Special Services Band, where he performed under the name “Joe Bari.”
It was around this time that Bennett became acquainted with the new jazz music coming out of the US, thanks to Armed Forces Radio Service broadcasts.
A successful music career followed Tony Bennett’s military service
Tony Bennett, 2013. (Photo Credit: Anthony Pidgeon / Getty Images)What Tony Bennett saw and experienced in Europe stuck with him throughout his life. When he returned to America in August 1946, he vowed to live a life of pacifism and pursue his love of music. He attended the American Theatre Wing via the GI Bill, where he studied voice training, and later auditioned for Broadway, but to no avail. He eventually tried singing in nightclubs, which allowed him to gain exposure.
In 1949, Bennett was invited by Pearl Bailey to open for her at a club in Greenwich Village, where he met actor and singer Bob Hope. Hope is credited with giving him the stage name “Tony Bennett” and encouraging him to go on tour.
Bennett signed with Columbia Records in 1950, under which he has released such hits as “I Left My Heart In San Francisco” and “Because of You.” Over the course of his career, he released more than 100 albums and won 20 GRAMMY Awards, including the Recording Academy’s prestigious Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award
Alzheimer’s diagnosis and death
Tony Bennett and Lady Gaga, 2021. (Photo Credit: Kevin Mazur / Getty Images for LN)
In 2021, AARP Magazine published an article, revealing Tony Bennett had been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease five years prior. Early into his diagnosis, the jazz legend continued to perform and record music, releasing a number of albums with pop singer Lady Gaga.
Following the announcement of his diagnosis in 2021, Bennett performed a handful of farewell shows, before officially retiring. According to his son, Danny, the disease primarily impacted his father’s short-term memory, while Bennett’s neurologist told AARP Magazine that performing helped keep the musician otherwise sharp and “on his toes.”
The largest and most advanced aircraft carrier in existence, the USS Gerald R Ford (CVN-78) is what the newest generation of warships looks like. With an overall cost of more than $17 billion – $4.7 billion in R&D and another $12.8 billion spent during construction – the vessel is a mammoth on the high seas, and her extensive upgrades make the ship a formidable opponent.
Named for the 38th president of the United States, Gerald R Ford is the lead ship in her class of carriers, with four more planned over the course of the next decade. When compared to the earlier Nimitz-class vessels, it’s easy to see why the US Navy is moving in this direction.
Gerald Ford served in the US Navy throughout World War II
Gerald Ford during his time in the US Navy, 1945. (Photo Credit: Gerald R. Ford Library / Wikimedia Commons / Public Domain)
Gerald Ford joined the US Navy following the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor in December 1941. Upon receiving a commission as an ensign in the Naval Reserve, he reported for active duty at the V-5 instructor school in Annapolis, Maryland, after which he served as an instructor at the Navy Pre-Flight School in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. Along with teaching a variety of key subjects, he also coached several sports, including swimming, football and boxing.
In June 1942, Ford was promoted to lieutenant, junior grade and the next year was, again, promoted, this time to lieutenant. A few months later, he was assigned to the USS Monterey (CVL-26), aboard which he served until 1944 as assistant navigator, anti-aircraft battery officer and athletic officer.
As a member of Monterey‘s crew, Ford participated in intense action in the Pacific Theater. This included securing Makin Island in the Gilbert Islands; carrier strikes on New Ireland, the Marianas, the Western Carolines, New Guinea, the Philippines, Wake Island and the Ryukyu Islands; the Battle of the Philippine Sea; and the landings on Kwajalein, Eniwetok, Mindoro and Leyte. He was also aboard the light aircraft carrier when she suffered damage during Typhoon Cobra.
Monterey was deemed unfit for service following the intense storm, after which Ford was assigned to the Navy Pre-Flight School at Saint Mary’s College of California, where he worked with the Athletic Department until April 1945. From then until January 1946, he was a staff member at the Naval Reserve Training Command at Naval Air Station Glenview, Illinois, before receiving an honorable discharge that February.
For his service during the Second World War, Ford received the World War II Victory Medal, the American Campaign Medal, the Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal with one Silver Star and four Bronze Stars, and the Philippine Liberation Medal with two Bronze Stars.
USS Gerald R Ford (CVN-78) specs
USS Gerald R Ford (CVN-78) transiting across the Atlantic Ocean, 2023. (Photo Credit: Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Jackson Adkins / U.S. Navy / Wikimedia Commons / Public Domain)
As aforementioned, the USS Gerald R Ford features a list of upgrades from the previous Nimitz-class, affording the carrier much better performance during operational service. The most notable change is her powerplant, which features two Bechtel A1B PWR nuclear reactors, HEU 93 percent and four shafts. Not only is this a more powerful system when compared to the A4W reactor, it also requires a far smaller crew to maintain, while producing speeds of up to 34.5 MPH.
While power is important when it comes to a naval vessel, it’s the technological advancements boasted by Gerald R Ford that are the real show-stoppers. The carrier features the Advanced Arrest Gear landing system, the integrated warfare Ship Self-Defense System (SSDS), both AN/SPY-4 S Band volume search and AN/SPY-3 X Band multi-function radar, and better stealth to reduce radar cross-section.
Gerald R Ford, as expected, is equipped with the latest weaponry, including two RIM-162 Evolved SeaSparrow Missile (ESSM) launchers, two RIM-116 Rolling Airframe Missiles (RAMs), three Phalanx Closed-In Weapons Systems (CIWS), four Mk 38 25 mm Machine Gun Systems (MGS) and four classic M2 Brownings.
When it comes to aerial support, the carrier can house over 75 aircraft, which are launched using the Electromagnetic Aircraft Launch System (EMALS), as opposed to traditional steam catapults. This allows for 25 percent more launches than the Nimitz-class with 25 percent fewer crewmen.
As for the aircraft carried by Gerald R Ford, they include the Boeing EA-18G Growler, the Boeing F/A-18E/F Super Hornet, the Lockheed Martin F-35C Lightning II, the Grumman C-2 Greyhound, the Northrop Grumman E-2 Hawkeye, the Sikorsky SH-60 Seahawk and unmanned combat aerial vehicles.
In terms of crew, Gerald R Ford can host a complement of 4,539, who are housed in quarters that are without a doubt an upgrade from previous warships. The sleeping areas are quieter, there’s better air conditioning, and there’s an increase in gymnasiums and other recreational areas.
USS Gerald R Ford (CVN-78) enters operational service
s
USS Gerald R Ford (CVN-78) during shock trials, 2021. (Photo Credit: Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Novalee Manzella / U.S. Navy / Wikimedia Commons / Public Domain)
While an advanced carrier, the USS Gerald R Ford experienced a number of hiccups during the construction process, including problems with her nuclear propulsion system and munitions elevators. This, therefore, delayed when the vessel could begin her testing trials, which didn’t finish until 2021.
In October 2022, Gerald R Ford left Naval Station Norfolk, Virginia for her first official deployment, during which the ship, along with NATO countries and allies, conducted exercises in the Atlantic Ocean. Half a year later, in May 2023, she left on her first full-length deployment in the Second and Sixth Fleet’s Area of Responsibility (AOR). By the 24th, she’d arrived near Oslo, Norway for more NATO exercises, and eventually transited to Croatia for crew rest.
In October 2023, the carrier was conducting exercises in the Ionian Sea with the Italian Navy when the Israel-Hamas War broke out. The day following the initial attack, Gerald R Ford was directed to the Eastern Mediterranean “to bolster regional deterrence efforts,” along with the USS Normandy (CG-60), Ramage (DDG-61), Roosevelt (DDG-80), Thomas Hudner (DDG-116) and Carney (DDG-64).
s