Task Force

Wayne Morris who portrayed Lt.McKinney was the only actor in the cast who had actual combat experience as a carrier pilot in WWII. As a fighter pilot, Morris shot down seven enemy planes and contributed to the sinking of five enemy ships. He was awarded four Distinguished Flying Crosses and two Air Medals. He was the only combat "ace" of all the Hollywood actors who went to war.

During the attack sequence on the Japanese carriers at Midway, the film shows the dive bombers striking first. Actually, it was the torpedo bombers that attacked first. This was caused by missed communications between the torpedo planes and the fighter cover. It was supposed to be a coordinated high-low attack. Almost every torpedo plane was shot down. No torpedoes made hits. While a tragic accident, the torpedo planes drew the Japanese fighter cover down to wave top height. When the U.S. fighters and dive bombers arrived there were very few Japanese fighters to intercept them.

Edited from December 7th (1943)