It would seem evident that the woman decorated at the end of the movie was the real Claire Phillips. There could be no other reason for director Lesley Selander to use a woman other than Ann Dvorak, who played Claire, in this scene.
A soldier plays Richard Wagner's "Bridal Chorus" as Claire and John prepare to be wedded by a Catholic priest. The Catholic Church, as well as most Lutheran churches, avoid this piece of music for wedding entrance-hymns.
In the sequence showing the U.S. Navy's attack on the Japanese, a plane is shown taking off from the carrier U.S.S. Wasp (CV-18). Then shown is a Grumman TBF/TBM Avenger taking off from the U.S.S. Enterprise (CV-6).