Aerial Gunner
Encyclopedia
Aerial Gunner is a 1943 American
war film
directed by William H. Pine and starring Chester Morris
, Richard Arlen
and Jimmy Lydon
. Robert Mitchum
, Kirk Alyn
and Jeff Corey
make uncredited appearances. The film was shot at the air gunner
training school at Harlingen Air Force Base
Texas.
that his criminal father has died. Foxy blames all policeman for his father's death feeling they harassed him all his life and thus were responsible for his death. Both enlist in the United States Army Air Forces
where Foxy is the instructor and an aerial gunnery school and tries to drive Jon, now a "Flying Sergeant" student out of the school. In addition to the hostility of his instructor Foxy, Jon befriends a young Texas boy, Sandy, whose father was an airman killed at the Japanese attack
on Hickam Field. Sandy invites Jon and Foxy to his family's ranch where both men fall for Sandy's sister Peggy.
After graduation Jon is commissioned as a pilot with many of his classmates now the crew of his A-29 Hudson light bomber
including Foxy. During a bombing mission against the Japanese the plane is shot down behind ememy lines with the crew using their talents to get their craft back in the air to continue the fight.
... T/Sgt. 'Foxy' Pattis
Richard Arlen
... T/Sgt/later Lt. Jonathan 'Jon' Davis
Jimmy Lydon
... Pvt. Sanford 'Sandy' Lunt
Amelita Ward ... Peggy Lunt (as Lita Ward)
Dick Purcell
... Pvt. Lancelot 'Gadget' Blaine
Keith Richards ... Sgt. Henry 'Jonesy' Jones
William 'Billy' Benedict ... Pvt. Jackson 'Sleepy' Laswell
Olive Blakeney
... Mrs. Sanford Lunt
Robert Mitchum
... S/Sgt Benson
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
war film
War film
War films are a film genre concerned with warfare, usually about naval, air or land battles, sometimes focusing instead on prisoners of war, covert operations, military training or other related subjects. At times war films focus on daily military or civilian life in wartime without depicting battles...
directed by William H. Pine and starring Chester Morris
Chester Morris
Chester Morris was an American actor, who starred in the Boston Blackie detective series of the 1940s.-Career:...
, Richard Arlen
Richard Arlen
-Biography:Born Sylvanus Richard Van Mattimore in St. Paul, Minnesota, he attended the University of Pennsylvania. He served as a pilot in the Royal Flying Corps during World War I. His first job after the war was with St. Paul's Athletic Club...
and Jimmy Lydon
Jimmy Lydon
Jimmy Lydon is an American movie actor and television producer, whose career in the entertainment industry began as a teenage actor in the 1930s....
. Robert Mitchum
Robert Mitchum
Robert Charles Durman Mitchum was an American film actor, author, composer and singer and is #23 on the American Film Institute's list of the greatest male American screen legends of all time...
, Kirk Alyn
Kirk Alyn
-External links:...
and Jeff Corey
Jeff Corey
Jeff Corey was an American stage and screen actor and director who became a well-respected acting teacher after being blacklisted in the 1950s.-Biography:...
make uncredited appearances. The film was shot at the air gunner
Air gunner
An air gunner a.k.a. aerial gunner is a member of an air force aircrew who operates flexible-mount or turret-mounted machine guns or autocannons in an aircraft...
training school at Harlingen Air Force Base
Harlingen Air Force Base
Harlingen Air Force Base, originally Harlingen Army Airfield, is a former United States Air Force base located in northeast Harlingen, Texas, United States. After its closure, the airport was redeveloped into Valley International Airport....
Texas.
Plot
Jon Davis is a policeman who consoles 'Foxy' Pattis at his shooting galleryShooting gallery
A Shooting gallery or Shooting Gallery is a carnival game typically featuring a pellet gun and numerous moving mechanical tracks with small targets worth various minor prizes or points towards a major prize...
that his criminal father has died. Foxy blames all policeman for his father's death feeling they harassed him all his life and thus were responsible for his death. Both enlist in the United States Army Air Forces
United States Army Air Forces
The United States Army Air Forces was the military aviation arm of the United States of America during and immediately after World War II, and the direct predecessor of the United States Air Force....
where Foxy is the instructor and an aerial gunnery school and tries to drive Jon, now a "Flying Sergeant" student out of the school. In addition to the hostility of his instructor Foxy, Jon befriends a young Texas boy, Sandy, whose father was an airman killed at the Japanese attack
Attack on Pearl Harbor
The attack on Pearl Harbor was a surprise military strike conducted by the Imperial Japanese Navy against the United States naval base at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, on the morning of December 7, 1941...
on Hickam Field. Sandy invites Jon and Foxy to his family's ranch where both men fall for Sandy's sister Peggy.
After graduation Jon is commissioned as a pilot with many of his classmates now the crew of his A-29 Hudson light bomber
Light bomber
A light bomber is a relatively small and fast class of military bomber aircraft which were primarily employed before the 1950s. Such aircraft would typically not carry more than one ton of ordnance....
including Foxy. During a bombing mission against the Japanese the plane is shot down behind ememy lines with the crew using their talents to get their craft back in the air to continue the fight.
Cast
Chester MorrisChester Morris
Chester Morris was an American actor, who starred in the Boston Blackie detective series of the 1940s.-Career:...
... T/Sgt. 'Foxy' Pattis
Richard Arlen
Richard Arlen
-Biography:Born Sylvanus Richard Van Mattimore in St. Paul, Minnesota, he attended the University of Pennsylvania. He served as a pilot in the Royal Flying Corps during World War I. His first job after the war was with St. Paul's Athletic Club...
... T/Sgt/later Lt. Jonathan 'Jon' Davis
Jimmy Lydon
Jimmy Lydon
Jimmy Lydon is an American movie actor and television producer, whose career in the entertainment industry began as a teenage actor in the 1930s....
... Pvt. Sanford 'Sandy' Lunt
Amelita Ward ... Peggy Lunt (as Lita Ward)
Dick Purcell
Dick Purcell
Dick Purcell was an American actor best known for playing Marvel Comics' Captain America in the 1943 film serial, co-starring with Lorna Gray and Lionel Atwill...
... Pvt. Lancelot 'Gadget' Blaine
Keith Richards ... Sgt. Henry 'Jonesy' Jones
William 'Billy' Benedict ... Pvt. Jackson 'Sleepy' Laswell
Olive Blakeney
Olive Blakeney
-Career:She studied at a dramatic school. Played as a super in visiting stage shows at one dollar a performance. Played in many London stock companies. She became known on the London and American stage...
... Mrs. Sanford Lunt
Robert Mitchum
Robert Mitchum
Robert Charles Durman Mitchum was an American film actor, author, composer and singer and is #23 on the American Film Institute's list of the greatest male American screen legends of all time...
... S/Sgt Benson