Character Relationship Map: Suicide Fleet

Characters

• Baltimore (played by William Boyd) — protagonist

  A former navy sailor who enlists in WWI and is promoted to chief petty officer. He secretly loves Sally, keeps his feelings hidden initially, and later successfully courts her after returning as a war...

• Dutch (played by Robert Armstrong) — protagonist

  One of three close friends who enlist together. Serving as a subordinate to Baltimore, he participates in intercepting the disguised Norwegian vessel and later mans the American decoy message ship. Hi...

• Skeets (played by James Gleason) — supporting

  A boardwalk worker and one of the three enlisted friends. He openly proposes to Sally but is gently rejected because she loves Baltimore. He serves aboard the destroyer and the decoy message ship alon...

• Sally (played by Ginger Rogers) — supporting

  The shared love interest of Skeets, Baltimore, and Dutch. She secretly harbors feelings for Baltimore while politely declining Skeets' marriage proposal. After the war, she reunites with Baltimore and...

Canonical Relationships

Family, romantic, and professional connections based on plot evidence.

• Dutch → Sally (Romantic Love Rival) — Dutch shares the initial romantic rivalry over Sally alongside his two friends.

  Three friends who work on the Coney Island Boardwalk, Skeets O'Reilly, Baltimore Clark, and Dutch Herman are all in love with the same woman, Sally.

• Baltimore → Sally (Romantic Secret Admirer) — Baltimore harbors unspoken romantic feelings for Sally throughout the early narrative.

  Sally is secretly in love with Baltimore, though he never discloses the depths of his feelings before departure.

• Skeets → Sally (Romantic Suitor) — Skeets openly pursues Sally but faces rejection due to her hidden feelings for another friend.

  Skeets does propose to her, which she gently declines, being secretly in love with Baltimore.

Story Dynamics

Alliances, conflicts, and narrative interactions that evolve throughout the story.

• Baltimore → Dutch (Social Childhood Friend) — Long-standing friendship predates their military service and wartime separation.

  Three friends who work on the Coney Island Boardwalk... At the outbreak of World War I, the three men enlist in the US Navy.

• Skeets → Dutch (Social Childhood Friend) — Long-standing friendship predates their military service and wartime separation.

  Three friends who work on the Coney Island Boardwalk... At the outbreak of World War I, the three men enlist in the US Navy.

• Skeets → Baltimore (Social Childhood Friend) — Long-standing friendship predates their military service and wartime separation.

  Three friends who work on the Coney Island Boardwalk... At the outbreak of World War I, the three men enlist in the US Navy.

Story Analysis

A World War I naval drama exploring friendship, romance, and covert warfare through a decoy submarine mission.

Plot Progression

1. Boardwalk Bonds & Wartime Call — The story opens with three close friends working on the Coney Island Boardwalk, all secretly or openly in love with Sally. When World War I erupts, they make the difficult decision to enlist in the US...
2. Naval Deception & Espionage — Assigned to a destroyer, the trio participates in intercepting a suspicious Norwegian vessel. They discover it is a covert German message carrier and secure vital coded dispatches before it is destroy...
3. The Lure & The Trap — The three friends volunteer to crew a fake message ship designed to act as bait for enemy submarines. After successfully luring a German U-boat, they gather crucial intelligence about an impending amb...
4. Fleet Engagement & Heroic Return — Dutch manages to send a desperate radio warning just as the Germans prepare to attack. The US Navy arrives in force, sinking all three targeted U-boats. The survivors return home as celebrated heroes,...