Son of the Navy, also known as The Young Recruit in the United States, is a 1940 American comedy-drama film directed by William Nigh and starring Jean Parker, James Dunn, and Martin Spellman.

Racing to his battleship the USS Florida, Chief Gunners Mate Mike Malone attempts to hitchhike to Naval Base San Diego and runs into Tommy and his Cairn terrier Terry who are runaways from an orphanage.

Steve spreads the word that Mike is a runaway father abandoning his child getting him in trouble with his ship's captain and fellow chief petty officers.

A single woman on her way to the port to meet her father, a navy commander, stops and picks them up, boy calls the man pops in order to continue the ruse.

While driving, woman hears knocking and thinks it is her car engine, she stops at a service station and asks the attendant to fill it up and check the motor and fix it while she gets a cup of coffee at the diner.