First to Fight

19671967
1h 32m

In WW2, highly decorated Marine Sgt. Jack Connell comes home to the USA from the Pacific War and trains recruits for the army until his fighting spirit prods him to request a return to activ... Read allIn WW2, highly decorated Marine Sgt. Jack Connell comes home to the USA from the Pacific War and trains recruits for the army until his fighting spirit prods him to request a return to active duty on the front lines.In WW2, highly decorated Marine Sgt. Jack Connell comes home to the USA from the Pacific War and trains recruits for the army until his fighting spirit prods him to request a return to active duty on the front lines.

5.8/10

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Jack is the sole survivor of a Japanese attack on his squad at Guadalcanal. Because of his heroism and the fact that he is still alive, he becomes a Medal of Honor hero. He returns to train new recruits for the Marines and falls for a girl named Peggy. When training and marriage leave him with an empty feeling, he decides on a transfer back to the front lines. Soon he will find that marriage and life will change his outlook on the grueling battles that lie ahead. —Tony Fontana <tony.fontana@spacebbs.com>

year 1943 marriage pacific war guadalcanal medal of honor 10 more

Taglines
- The blockbusting story of a fighting marine that comes mortar-screaming out of green hells and jungles!
Genres
- Drama
- War
Parents guide
- Add content advisory

Trivia
Chad Everett and Claude Akins also appeared together in Claudelle Inglish (1961), The Dakotas : The Chooser of the Slain (1963) and Medical Center : Time of Darkness (1973).

Goofs
Although the film takes place in 1942-1943, Camp Pendleton is flying the fifty star (post 1959) flag, not the forty-eight star design, which would have been correct.

Quotes
Lt. Col. E.J. Baseman: Y' see what you want, and what I want have very little to do with it. Jack, now this war is just getting started and a lot of the people, or should we say some of the people back home haven't the slightest comprehension as to what its all about. Now Washington, headquarters, hell the war department would like someway somehow to enlighten those people. One week from today you are being given the congressional medal of honor in Washington. They're gonna hang a medal around your neck, put you in a cage and ship you around the country and let the defense workers have a peek at a real live hero. How does that strike you?

Connections
Features Casablanca (1942)

Soundtracks
Daddy
Music & Lyrics by Bobby Troup
Performed by Bobby Troup

Top review

Some scenes were filmed at 2d Infantry Training Regiment, Camp Pendleton

I've always had a warm spot in my heart for this "B" movie because I watched some of it being made and some scenes were shot immediately in front of the quonset hut in which I lived at that time, at the Second Infantry Training Regiment, San Onofre area, Camp Pendleton, where I was stationed in the training section. It was pretty neat to watch and is the only movie I've ever seen "made" and I had the pleasure of driving Chad Everett and Dean Jagger around in a Jeep for two or three days. (Some other lucky Marine got to drive the heroine!) I got Chad Everett's autograph, but way back then he wasn't as famous as he would be later.

The movie itself is pretty good - but I'm favorably prejudiced toward any USMC movie!

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