‘Away All Boats’: The Pacific Was Their Proving Ground

An untested crew and newly commissioned transport ship are battle-forged in this World War II drama.

Capt. Jebediah Hawks (Jeff Chandler) arrives to command the USS Belinda, in “Away All Boats.” Universal Pictures

NR | 1h 54m | Drama, War | 1956

After the surprise attack on Pearl Harbor (Dec. 7, 1941) thrust America into war, the Navy scrambled to turn rookies into warriors and fresh steel into fighting ships. “Away All Boats” (1956), capably directed by Joseph Pevney, captures this urgent transformation. The USS Belinda, an amphibious attack transport, is put into service by an untested crew.