Marine fighter squadron VMF 247 is in the thick of it on Guadalcanal. The airstrip they hold is hammered by offshore batteries. Malaria and combat fatigue grip the men. Fuel is low and replacement parts are few. The only things not in short supply are the enemy...and Major Don Kirby's determination to keep fighting with whatever he has. John Wayne is in the cockpit and in command as Kirby, a leader at odds with his executive officer (Robert Ryan) and at the forefront of tacticians eager to coordinate ground combat with low-flying aerial sorties. Nicholas Ray (Rebel Without a Cause) directs, skillfully incorporating actual battlefield and dogfight footage. Flying Leathernecks has the flight stuff!