This Man's Navy

Wallace Beery and director William A. "Wild Bill" Wellman had more in common besides long and celebrated film careers: They were flyboys who loved piloting their own planes. This Man's Navy returns both—in feisty, fighting form—to the skies in a thrilling and sentimental World War II tale that salutes the lighter-than-air airships of the US Naval and Marine Corps. Ned "Old Gasbag" Trumpet (Beery) skippers a dirigible training unit and, per his nickname, spins tall tales, including one about a fictitious son, rankling fellow corpsman Jimmy Shannon (James Gleason, a perfect partner in bluster to Beery). Ned "adopts" young Jess Weaver (Tom Drake) as his "son," securing an operation to fix Jess' disabled legs and enabling Jess to earn his Navy wings as a combat pilot. Their bond is tested on a submarine patrol mission when miscommunicated bombing orders cost lives, ending in disgrace for Ned. But another combat mission affords a second chance for "father" and "son" to fly their true heroic colors, and steer This Man's Navy home to glory.