mdwalker

Trivia: Thomas Heggen wrote the novel "Mister Roberts" based on his wartime experiences on two Navy cargo ships, U.S.S. Virgo (AKA-20) and U.S.S. Rotanin (AK-108). The Virgo was an attack cargo ship, designed for use in amphibious assaults, and saw quite a bit of action. In the movie, U.S.S. Hewell (AKL-14) was used as the fictional Reluctant. The Hewell was a light cargo ship, designed for coastal operations. A basic comparison of the three ships follows: Hewell/Reluctant: 176 feet long, 500 tons, 26 crew (not 62, as stated in the movie.) Rotanin: 441 feet long, 4000 tons, 206 crew Virgo: 460 feet long, 6500 tons, 404 crew.

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Factual error: Pulver supposedly had been on the ship for 14 months without the captain knowing he was aboard. But, the captain would have had to interview him when he came aboard, assign him his duties, and complete a fitness report on him every six months. In addition, all of the officers take their meals in the wardroom, so the captain would have seen him several times a day.

mdwalker

Factual error: The Captain, Roberts, Pulver, and the doctor are the only officers ever seen or mentioned. No Executive Officer, and no officers in Deck, Engineering, Operations, Supply, etc. Also, Dowdy is apparently the only Chief Petty Officer on board.

mdwalker

Factual error: There is no such thing as a Laundry and Morale Officer. The ship's laundry was under the auspices of the Supply Officer, as were numerous other functions. In the novel on which the movie was based, Ensign Pulver was described as "one of the engineering officers."

mdwalker