In the battle at Shaduzup, the huge triangular sets of concrete blocks in the rail yard, where the close-in fighting took place, were originally built to support huge fuel tanks used to fill up the engines as they were leaving the yard.
Vaughan Wilson, who plays Gen. Merrill's aide-de-camp Bannister, was actually one of the members of Merrill's Marauders (as Lt. Col. Samuel Wilson), and served as Merrill's deputy during the campaign.
This historical epic film stars Jeff Chandler (in his final role) as Frank Merrill and several actors from the Warner Bros. Television stock company, who were then the lead actors in American television shows.
The supporting cast features Ty Hardin from Bronco (1958), Peter Brown from Lawman (1958), Andrew Duggan from Bourbon Street Beat (1959), and Will Hutchins from Sugarfoot (1957).
The supporting cast features Ty Hardin from Bronco (1958), Peter Brown from Lawman (1958), Andrew Duggan from Bourbon Street Beat (1959), and Will Hutchins from Sugarfoot (1957).
While working on Merrill's Marauders in the Philippines, on April 15, 1961, Chandler injured his back playing baseball with U.S. Army Special Forces soldiers who served as extras in the film. He had injections to deaden the pain and enable him to finish the production.
On May 13, 1961, he entered a hospital in Culver City, California and had surgery for a spinal disc herniation. There were severe complications; an artery was damaged, and Chandler hemorrhaged. On May 17, in a seven-and-a-half-hour emergency operation over-and-above the original surgery, he was given 55 pints of blood. A third operation followed, on May 27, where he received an additional 20 pints of blood. He died on June 17, 1961. The cause was a blood infection complicated by pneumonia. He was 42 years old.
On May 13, 1961, he entered a hospital in Culver City, California and had surgery for a spinal disc herniation. There were severe complications; an artery was damaged, and Chandler hemorrhaged. On May 17, in a seven-and-a-half-hour emergency operation over-and-above the original surgery, he was given 55 pints of blood. A third operation followed, on May 27, where he received an additional 20 pints of blood. He died on June 17, 1961. The cause was a blood infection complicated by pneumonia. He was 42 years old.
The character Bannister was played by Lt.Col. Samuel Vaughan Wilson, who was an actual member of Merrill's Marauders and one of the few survivors of the actual campaign.