The girls seen fighting in the Russian school are part of the Red Room program which years later also produced Black Widow, played in the Marvel Cinematic Universe by Scarlett Johansson.
After the transmitter turns on and types an encoded message, the SSR tasks several scientists with decoding it. One of them is heard saying that it is not a German message or the Turing method would work. He is referring to the method used by Dr. Alan Turing to successfully decrypt Nazi codes produced by the Enigma machine. Turing's achievement is said by historians to have cut World War II short by as long as two years and saving as many as an estimated 14 million lives.
Writer Jose Molina wanted to promote the character of Dum Dum Dugan from corporal to sergeant, but actor Neal McDonough objected because he wanted to wear the same helmet with insignia he did in Captain America: The First Avenger (2011).
Happy Sam Sawyer, Junior Juniper, and Pinky Pinkerton were original Howling Commandos along-side Nick Fury in the comics.
Actors Kenneth Choi and Derek Luke were willing to reprise the roles of Howling Commandos Jim Morita and Gabe Jones, respectively, but were ultimately unable because of scheduling conflicts.