Operation Petticoat (1959)

[Lt. Barbara Duran climbing down a ships ladder]
Lt. Barbara Duran, RN: Am I uh, going down right?
Lt. Cmdr. Matt T. Sherman: Is she going down right?
Lt. Watson: She sure is.

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Chief Mechanic's Mate Sam Tostin: A woman just shouldn't mess around with a man's machinery.

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Ens. Stovall: Wow! That's what I call scavenging! Uh, what I mean is, I'm sure they could be used for something.
Lt. Cmdr. Matt T. Sherman: I could think of any number of uses but not here and now. Mr. Stovall, Lt. Holden's influence upon you is starting to worry me. I suggest you "wow" less and "tsk tsk tsk" a little more!

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Some of the plot points of the movie were based on real-life incidents. Most notable were scenes set at the opening of WW II, based on the actual sinking of the submarine USS Sealion (SS-195), sunk at the pier at Cavite Navy Yard, the Philippines; Cmdr. Sherman's letter to the supply department on the inexplicable lack of toilet paper, based on an actual letter to the supply department of Mare Island Naval Shipyard by Lt. Cmdr. James Wiggin Coe of the submarine Skipjack (SS-184); and the need to paint a submarine pink, due to the lack of enough red lead or white lead undercoat paint.
'USS Balao' SS-285 was painted pink and was used for exterior shots in and around Key West. 'USS Archerfish' SS-311 (originally 'USS Archer-Fish', renamed at 1952 recommission) wore the standard colors of gray and black, and was used for interior and exterior shots in and around Key West. 'USS Queenfish' SS-393 was used in opening and closing scenes, and was used for the "at sea" shots filmed in and around San Diego.
Of the three boats to portray the 'Sea Tiger', one-the 'USS Archer-Fish', SS-311-was present at the Japanese surrender which ended WWII in the Pacific Theater. The 'USS Wren', DD-568, which was shown as the destroyer attacking 'Sea Tiger', was also present.
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