Leon Uris, author of the novel on which the film is based, served during World War II as a radio man in the 2nd Battalion, 6th Marines, both the same military occupational specialty and organization of the novel and film's characters. Uris was engaged in combat during the Guadalcanal and Tarawa campaigns, being evacuated with malaria before the novel and film's climactic Saipan campaign.
Film debut of L.Q. Jones (billed under his real name of "Justus E. McQueen"; he took his character's name in this film as his real name after this film was released).
During the scene where the Marines are resting during the march back to camp they are passed by the 1st Marines returning in trucks. There is waving and jeering as the trucks go by. One of the Marines sitting on the ground can be seen "flipping the bird".
The transport the green Marines boarding to take them to Guadalcanal is the USS Talladega (APA-208) an attack transport.
When recruit L.Q. Jones returns to boot camp one evening, he tells his buddies about his distaste for a movie he saw while on leave. He describes the films's plot, which involves a Marine private who falls in love with a Navy lieutenant and saves the life of his drill instructor. Though the film's title is never mentioned, this is an exact description of the 20th Century-Fox film To the Shores of Tripoli (1942). Since "Battle Cry" was produced by a different studio (Warner Brothers), this may explain Jones' omission of the film's title.