Payne Robert Blake as Pvt. Velie Viraj Amonsin as Chinese broadcaster Bob Steele as Colonel Kern (Colonel William B. Kern) Carl Benton Reid as American Admiral Charles Aidman as Lt. Harold (Lt. Thomas U. Harrold) Barry Atwater as Lt. Col. Davis Leonard Graves as Lt. Cook (Lt. Robert S. Cook) Martin Landau as Lt. Marshall (Lt. Arthur A. Marshall) Ken Lynch as Major General Trudeau Lew Gallo as Lieutenant of Division Public Relations (Lt. James Barrows) James Edwards as Cpl. Jurgens Biff Elliot as Pvt. Boven Syl Lamont as Sgt. Kuzmick (SFC Walter Kuzmick) Paul Comi as Sgt. Kreucheberg Abel Fernandez as Kindley Chuck Hayward as Chalmers Kevin Hagen as Cpl. Kissell Gavin MacLeod as Pvt. Saxon John Alderman as Lt. Waldorf Bert Remsen as Lt. Cummings Robert Williams as Soldier Runner Buzz Martin as Whitey William Wellman Jr. as Iron Man John McKee as Cpl. Olds Michael Garth as S-2 Officer (Lt. James Blake) Harry Dean Stanton as BAR man (uncredited) Clarence Williams III as Message Runner (uncredited) DeForest Covan as U.S. Soldier (uncredited) Production The film was based on Marshall's book Pork Chop Hill published in 1956. The New York Times called it "unforgettable". In August 1957 the film rights were bought by Melville Productions, the film company of Gregory Peck. Sy Bartlett was to produce and James Webb was to write the script. It was Webb who recommended the project to Melville. He decided to focus the action on Company K, who took up a chapter in the book, "All the King's Men", over a 24 hour period. S.L.A. Marshall reportedly disliked the fact that he had sold the movie rights to his book for next-to-nothing, and vowed not to make the same mistake again. In January 1958 Lewis Milestone agreed to direct. He and Bartlett wanted to cast unknowns in support of Peck and saw over 600 actors for 83 speaking parts. Strode and Edwards' portrayal of African American soldiers is based on the 24th Infantry Regiment, which was still racially segregated in Korea. All Black units were integrated in the summer and fall of 1951 and all Black units were integrated and closed out on 1 October 1951. Like its cinematic portrayal, the real regiment was poorly trained, poorly equipped and poorly led. More than once when this all-black unit was placed on the front lines, a unit in reserve was positioned directly behind because