"THE BRIDGES AT TOKO-RI" - Low Fuel Carrier Landing

Returning from a photo recon mission, the first jet to land fails to catch a wire and is stopped by the barrier netting, which is damaged. Without this barrier netting, the parked aircraft on the forward deck are at risk of damage if the second jet overshoots its' available landing area.
To prevent this, the deck crew places "Tilly" (the mobile crane/lift) at the end of the available landing area as a last barrier between the incoming jet and the forward parked aircraft. The second jet is low on fuel and must either land or ditch in the ocean.

[@richardsiow]

I use to fly the panthers and they were beautiful planes to fly. William Holden has played part well in this movie.

[@likepatsandGTOs]

Man those times were brutal...early jets with slow throttle recovery, no angled flight decks oh and the 45 degree water if you ditched. Brave guys indeed - in Frederic March's soliloquy at the end "Where do we get such men?!"

[@blindandwatching]

That film is still good.

[@tradercris]

Good film, very good book.
FYI the speech at the end where the one commander lauds the lost pilot Brubaker **sorry spoiler** "where do we find such men..." President Ronald Reagan once referenced that scene and monolog as if it was a real life event.