The Leathernecks

The Leathernecks is the eighteenth episode of The Gallant Men. It was written by Ken Pettus, based on a play by Andrew Rosenthal. It was directed by Charles R. Rondeau. It aired on February 2, 1963.

Plot summary
Pvt. Gibson hands Conley Wright a telegram from the Navy. Wright’s brother Craig, a naval aviator flying a reconnaissance plane, is missing in action in the Pacific theater. Wright resolves to go investigate for himself.

The scene then shifts to an unfamiliar group of four marines making landfall on a rocky Pacific island shore. They make their way up a creek and into deep jungle, where they find the wreckage of an American plane. The pilot is missing, and it is surmised he is either dead or has been captured by the Japanese. Just before the marines leave the scene, they confront a man, Jakob Schneider, who says he can help them. Schneider unearths a film magazine from the plane. He says the pilot, badly hurt, was taken to a cave to hide.

Sgt. Matt Barragan and Lt. Harper disagree about whether to try to recover the pilot or just get the reconnaissance film and leave the island. On Barragan's recommendation, Harper decides to leave. The marines return to the beach just as a Japanese patrol discovers their landing raft. Barragan tells the other three the Japanese soldiers must be killed without a firefight, and one by one the marines do away with the Japanese with hand-to-hand combat and knives.

Barragan is wounded and sent to a hospital in Pearl Harbor, where his path crosses Wright’s. The reporter finds out Barragan was a member of the film recovery mission, and he asks the sergeant why he elected not to try to find Craig Wright. Barragan replies that it was Harper’s decision, and that the delay in finding Craig would have put the marines in danger from the Japanese patrol. Wright blows a hole in that defense by pointing out the decision not to search for Craig was made before the marines knew about the Japanese soldiers. Barragan remains firm, saying the film was more important than Craig Wright.

Upon his return to the fleet, Barragan meets with Capt. Barlow and get briefed on Operation Blackjack, a major offensive. He meets his new lieutenant, Dave Cameron. Cameron is friendly, but Barragan and other platoon vets see him as a softie that offends them. Talking to Barragan on deck at sunset, Cameron wants to know why there's tension between himself and the others. Barragan condescendingly tells him he has no faith in Cameron yet, and that they need a leader, not a friend.

Ships and planes fire upon the island code-named “Blackjack” for two days, but the Japanese holding the island do not surrender. A landing force is sent to continue the work, arriving in the face of withering fire. The seasoned marines continue heckling Cameron, but he goes ahead anyway. A Japanese soldier emerges from an improvised pillbox and claims to surrender. Barragan shoots and kills him, and a search of his body reveals he was booby-trapped with explosives. Barragan again takes the opportunity to insult Cameron because some of his men were killed. He then chews out the radio man, Loomis, because he’s that kind of swell guy.

That night, the marines are troubled by what sounds like a wounded American begging for help. The group debates whether it’s real or a Japanese ruse. The next morning they discover the body of a Marine in his foxhole, confirming the cries for help were real.

Barragan continues berating Cameron, taking a short break to get briefed again by Capt. Barlow. He sends them on an overnight mission to take out a Japanese ammo dump. And, he adds, they are to again hook up with Schneider and this time find Craig Wright. It is revealed Conley has arrived on “Blackjack” and he wishes Barragan good luck as they set off.

Cameron’s patrol group arrives at a deserted village and finds Schneider dead. The Americans barely evade a Japanese patrol. Barragan discovers Craig Wright’s dog tags hanging on what looks like a crude bamboo grave marker.

Pressing on, the marines arrive at the ammo dump, which is located in a cave. Barragan advances to the cave entrance and apparently kills a sentry. The other men follow and set up explosive charges and fuses. The Japanese sentry revives just enough to shoot Loomis. A firefight breaks out between the marines and the Japanese. The Americans repel the Japanese and prepare the charges to blow, but realize Loomis has been left behind. Barragan insists they retrieve the radioman, but Cameron angrily yells to blow the charges. The cave explodes, taking out another Japanese patrol and killing Loomis. Oddly, Cameron says he won’t stop caring about his men.

The patrol returns and Wright immediately notices Craig is not with them. Barragan apologizes and hands Craig’s dog tags to Conley. The reporter leaves and Cameron and Barragan appear to be on better terms.

Somehow, by episode’s end Barragan is not fragged.

G-2 report

 * If you’re wondering where the regular cast is and who these Marine jokers are, it’s because this is not a typical episode of The Gallant Men. This is what’s called a “backdoor pilot,” a test episode for a proposed new series that is aired as an episode of an existing TV series. There are two backdoor pilots among the Gallant Men set: “The Leathernecks” and “Operation Secret.” It's easy to see why the pilot was not picked up as a full series. The plot is bland, and the ostensible "hero," Barragan, is an unlikable heel.
 * The footage of the marines storming “Blackjack” island was taken from the 1955 Warner Bros. film Battle Cry, which is also about marines in the Pacific theater.
 * Conley Wright mentioned in “And Cain Cried Out” that he had two brothers. Here the youngest brother gets a name and an occupation, but he is never seen.
 * Van Williams, who plays Dave Cameron, was a Warner veteran, having starred in detective shows Bourbon Street Beat (1959-60) and Surfside 6 (1960-62). He guest-starred in individual episodes of many television series between 1958 and 1979, though in interviews he professed no love of acting. Williams retired from entertainment in 1982 and died in November 2016.
 * Philip Carey, who plays the hard-nosed Barragan, may have tapped into his real-life service in Marine Corps for this episode. Carey served in World War II and Korea. His television credits include dramatic roles, comedy and soap operas. He died in February 2009.