In the factual section, it is stated that the rating badges were incorrectly worn on the right and left sleeves. Currently all navy rating badges are worn on the left sleeve. However, during WWII, the navy deck ratings were worn on the right sleeve and the navy enginering ratings,below decks,were worn on the left sleeve.
shareBefore I knew about IMDB and read up on this movie, I wondered about that right sleeve left sleeve thing as I was in the Navy as well. I also recall (though maybe not correctly) that gun captains were gunners mates and not boatswains mates. Also Micky Donohue was awful young to already be a 1st Class Petty officer and acting chief even if it was wartime. Still it is an enjoyable movie.
KS
The right sleeve rating was in effect until 1949. My dad was in WWII (at age 18), and he came out of a boot camp of over 200 sailors as only one of 4 who attained seaman 1st class/petty officer rating. Only 2 other sailors attained any rating at all.
All I'm saying, is that it CAN be done, but in this case, it was quite useful as a plot device.
I don't act...I react. John Wayne
I wish you could challenge goofs as untrue. This one bugs me also:
"The railings around the deck of destroyers, or any warship, are not made of sheet metal as shown in this film. The railings that surround the deck are made up of posts and cables. This allows water to quickly leave the deck."
That's clearly not true. The briefest inspection of photos of many ships would reveal this to be untrue, and they clearly used not just sets and models but an entire DD for many shots, which had this very common solid-railing feature.