Which of these films, all based on novels by Alistair Maclean, debuted before the others?

The movies "The Guns of Navarone", "The Satan Bug", "Ice Station Zebra", and "Force 10 from Navarone" had box office releases, respectively in 1961, 1965, 1968, and 1978. Alistair Maclean was involved in the production of each of each film.

"The Guns of Navarone", an adventure war film, was directed by J. Lee Thompson. The screenplay was based on MacLean's 1957 novel of the same name. The plot concerns efforts of an Allied commando unit to destroy a seemingly impregnable German fortress. It threatens Allied naval ships in the Aegean Sea.

"The Satan Bug" is an American crime science fiction suspense film. It was produced and directed by John Sturges. The film's storyline concerns a germ that could destroy life on Earth. It is stolen from a biological warfare lab and the thief threatens to release it worldwide into the open.

"Ice Station Zebra" is an espionage thriller film, also directed by John Sturges. In the film, US Navy nuclear sub USS Tigerfish must rush to the North Pole to rescue the staff of Drift Ice Station Zebra weather station. Someone on the sub will stop at nothing to prevent the mission from being completed.

"Force 10 from Navarone" is a war film and sequel to the 1961 film "The Guns of Navarone". It was directed by Guy Hamilton. This film gets its title from a book by MacLean with the same name; it bears little resemblance to the narrative of the novel. Military experts are teamed in a mission to raid and destroy a bridge vital to enemy strategy.