In 1952's "Flat Top", a gritty war drama directed by Lesley Selander, Commander Dan Collier (Sterling Hayden) takes charge of a Navy aircraft carrier during the Korean War and recounts his World War II experiences in flashback. With an iron fist, Collier grounds a popular pilot and sets off a chain reaction of tension among the squadron, as they prepare to face danger against heavily armed Japanese forces in some of the war's most pivotal battles.