The Errol Flynn Blog

The USS Saratoga was at Bremerton Shipyard during filming of Dive Bomber. While it was there, however, it’s Air Group 3 was detached to the USS Enterprise in San Diego and nearby North Island Air Base on Coronado, thereby making it possible for it’s aircraft to be included it the film. Most famously, Navy pilot Butch O’Hare was part of Air Group 3 at that time, took part in the movie, and, less than a year later, won the Medal of Honor. The busiest airport in the world is now named after him , O’Hare International. Watch the fascinating on video below on Butch O’Hare. Legend has it Al Capone killed his Dad.

The Saratoga was on it’s way to San Diego from Bremerton when Pearl Harbor was attacked.

The USS Enterprise was filmed for Dive Bomber in the Spring of 1941, with Bull Halsey overseeing operations. Word is Bull did not kowtow to Kurtiz and wasn’t thrilled about having to have Hollywood hanging about his ship and crew, but bigwigs in Washington wanted this film, correctly believing it would be a hugely successful recruiting film. Bull, in turn, was very correctly anticipating and preparing for possible war in the Pacific. This is why many of the Air Groups’ aircraft (the Enterprise’s and Saratoga’s) are painted gray, rather than the much more colorful pre-war colors. At the request of Warner Brothers, some planes retained their original colors until completion of filming.