Operation Petticoat

Trivia: The initial premise of the movie, that the nearly-new U.S.S. Sea Tiger was sunk pierside at Cavite on 10 December 1941, then hastily repaired, is based on fact. A nearly-new American submarine was indeed sunk pierside at Cavite on 10 December 1941. Unfortunately, the real-life submarine could not be repaired in time, and had to be blown up. Her name was U.S.S. Sea Lion (SS-195).

Trivia: Operation Petticoat was filmed at the US Naval Base in Key West Fla. They actually did paint a submarine pink. I was attending the Fleet Sonar School on the base at the time and watched with great interest. The submarine used was the U.S.S. Balao (SS-285), which was still in commission at the time.

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Mistakes

Continuity mistake: A sailor goes out on the luau covered deck to get his guitar, during an air raid. He lays down while a Zero strafes the deck hitting his guitar, which goes flying into the air toward the camera and lands about 10 feet from the sailor. In the next shot, the sailor kneels up and grabs his guitar which has appeared right next to him.

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Quotes

Lt. Cmdr Matt T. Serman: Sir, Sea Tiger was built to fight. She deserves a better epitaph than 'Commissioned 1940, sunk 1941, engagements none, shots fired none.' Now, you can't let it go that way. That's like a beautiful woman dying an old maid, if you know what I mean by old maid.
Capt. J.B. Henderson: Did you ever sell used cars?
Lt. Cmdr. Matt T.Sherman: No, Sir.
Capt. J.B. Henderson: I've got a hunch you missed your calling.

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