South Sea Woman

A hardened Master Gunnery Sergeant facing desertion and theft charges while maintaining control in the courtroom. He speaks little, but his decisive actions reveal leadership and relentless resolve. His primary goal is to protect his fellow Marines and ensure justice in a chaotic wartime scenario. His eventual exoneration of White underscores his sense of duty over personal risk.

A showgirl who testifies against O’Hearn while harboring conflicted feelings about him and White. She becomes entangled in the island’s political intrigue and the Marines’ flight from danger. Her choices influence the characters’ loyalties and the plot’s emotional undercurrent. Ultimately, she and O’Hearn acknowledge their love.

A Marine private torn between love and duty, who plans to marry Ginger as a way to evacuate her. He resists joining O’Hearn’s plan at first and later sacrifices himself to ensure the mission’s survival. His arc centers on loyalty to his friends and the price of choosing personal happiness over the greater good.

A pro-Axis governor on Namou who uses the island’s occupation to consolidate power and complicate the Marines’ mission. His regime acts as the axis-backed obstacle that the protagonists must overcome. He embodies the wartime tensions between occupation forces and Allied forces.

An ex-U.S. Navy sailor who teams with O’Hearn and others to seize a Dutch yacht. He brings streetwise resourcefulness and a willingness to bend rules in wartime, aligning with the exploitative side of resistance. He helps navigate the plan but remains a secondary catalyst.

A fugitive bank embezzler who joins forces with the deserters as part of a larger scheme to escape captivity. His skills are practical rather than heroic, reflecting how civilians with criminal backgrounds can become entangled in wartime plots. He contributes to the crew’s ability to carry out their plan.

The Dutch yacht captain who is revealed as a Nazi operative seeking to establish radar stations near Guadalcanal. His true allegiance creates danger for the group and intensifies the antagonistic forces. He embodies the threat of Axis influence in the Pacific theater.

Owner of a hotel/brothel that hosts the remaining deserters and expatriates. She and her “nieces” add color and danger to the island’s social landscape, where friendships and power dynamics intertwine. They serve as a microcosm of occupied or semi-occupied spaces in wartime.

A prosecuting lieutenant who represents the pressure of military justice during the court-martial. He embodies the rigid authority of the war machine and helps frame the charges against O’Hearn. His role highlights the legal dimension of wartime decisions.

A key officer presiding over the court-martial and guiding the legal proceedings. His judgments and questions shape the narrative’s tension between truth and procedure. He is a figure of formal military discipline throughout the trial.