They Were Expendable is a 1945 American war film directed by John Ford, starring Robert Montgomery and John Wayne, and featuring Donna Reed. The film is based on the 1942 novel of the same name by William Lindsay White, relating the story of the exploits of Motor Torpedo Boat Squadron Three, a United States PT boat unit defending the Philippines against Japanese invasion during the Battle of the Philippines (1941–42) in World War II. While a work of fiction, the book was based on actual events a

Today we remember all the men and women who lost their lives while fighting for our freedom 🇺🇸 This scene is the memorial service from They Were Expendable, directed by Duke's friend and mentor, John Ford (1945) | JOHN WAYNE