I hope you enjoy
The hat, mr. Stovall.
And a pleasant voyage
Home to you. Well, thank you.
I'd like to thank you
For something else too.
Back home, I'd buy
A hat in five minutes.
Thank you for a most enjoyable
Hour and 40 minutes. It was a pleasure.
Come back soon,
Mr. Stovall. Good-bye, sir.
Where did you get this?
An auction at archbury, sir.
I'll take it. That one's been
Knocked around a bit, sir.
I have a fine staffordshire
Here... No, no, no. I'll take this one.
How much? Only
Ten shillings, sir.
I'm afraid it's not much value...
Value? I want you to pack it carefully.
Very carefully.
As you say, sir.
♪♪
♪ Anyone else but me
Anyone else but me ♪
♪ No, no, no don't sit
Under the apple tree ♪
♪ With anyone else but me ♪
♪ Till I come marching home ♪♪
♪ Bless them all
Bless them all ♪
♪ Bless the long and
The short and the tall ♪
♪ Bless all the blondies
And all the brunettes ♪
♪ For each lad is happy
To take what he gets ♪
♪♪
♪ The long the
Short and the tall ♪♪
♪ We're poor little lambs ♪
♪ Who have lost our way ♪
♪ Baa, baa, baa ♪
♪ We're little black sheep ♪
♪ Who have gone astray ♪
♪ Baa, baa, baa ♪♪
We can't go back.
We mustn't go back.
Easy with his right leg.
It's broken. I got it. I got it.
Easy now, easy now.
You have to hold him.
I've been sitting on him.
We can't. We just can't.
I wouldn't believe it if I wasn't
Looking at it. You can see his brain.
It was a 20 millimeter
That hit him.
Step on it, doc.
What do I do with an arm,
Sir? An arm? Whose arm?
Campbell's, the turret gunner's.
What happened to the rest of him?
He's in a french hospital... I hope.
He couldn't have made it home.
It was blown off too close to put
On a tourniquet so I bailed him out.
I put the ring in his good
Hand. The chute opened.
That's all right.
I'll take care of it.
Sergeant, get me a blanket
Out of that ambulance. Yes, sir.
Come on. I'll give
You boys a lift.
Hospital, mac. Yes, sir.
Mac's had it.
Did you get the coordinates on a
Fort and a spitfire down in the channel?
I've already passed them
To air sea rescue, sir.
That's it, gentlemen.
Thanks a lot.
Next crew.
Take this one. Next crew.
Come on, jesse.
Mckesson's crew. Right.
Mckesson coming?
Mckesson's dead.
Oh, I didn't know. I'm sorry. Well, we
Might as well get this out of the way.
Sit down.
Where did you first
Encounter enemy action?
Bishop. Leave him alone.
He's had enough today.
Leave him alone, can't you?
What is it, willie?
I don't know, sir.
Not all of it.
We got hit pretty bad the
First pass the f.w.s made.
That was when mac got it.
It took the back of
His head right off.
Only he didn't pass out. It just
Made a crazy man out of him.
He was still shouting orders...
And trying to get the controls away from
Jesse when I got up there two hours later.
The kid had been
Flying with one hand...
And trying to get the controls
Away from mac with the other.
Wiping frozen blood off the
Windshield so he could see.
For two hours, sir.
He made a good bombing run
Too. We unloaded on the target.
Didn't you know he was in trouble? Why
Didn't somebody get mac out of there?
The intercom was shot out and I
Thought it was violent evasive action.
For two hours?
Mac's foot was jammed
In the controls and...
That's how we broke his leg
Trying to get it out of there.
That seemed to hurt
Jesse worst of all.
He started shaking and i...
I sat on mac and held him...
While jesse brought us in.
Give me a copy of that,
Fred, just the way he told it.
I'm sending it in with a
Recommendation for a medal of honor.
Jesse will be okay. I'll drop by
Later and see him. Thank you, sir.
That's enough for this crew.
That's all, gentlemen. Thank you.
Next crew. Next crew.
♪♪
Is he in there, harvey?
No, he hasn't been in since right after
Interrogation. He looked like the devil.
Well, who wouldn't with today?
That's for you, ben.
They're flying down three
Replacement aircraft.
Hmm. That's very,
Very nice of them.
Lose five, get three. That's a nice
Gain, not counting battle damage.
This is germany calling.
Lord haw-haw,
Talking from berlin.
Today I want to bring a special greeting
From the fighter pilots of the luftwaffe...
To the first american pilots in
England, the eighth air force.
That's all we need. Our submarines
Checked you very carefully...
When you flew across from
America... Four groups in place so far.
Too bad about the ones
Who you lost on the way.
But we wanted to let you know...
That a u-boat picked up the
Crew and they're quite safe here.
We found them quite
Agreeably talkative too.
But what we want to know...
Whoever persuaded you to try this
Incredible idea of daylight bombing?
It must have been your
Friends, the english.
They know better than
To try it themselves.
Losses are a little
Heavy, aren't they?
- Let's take the 918th group
At archbury, for instance.
- That's us.
The hard-luck group. You lost
Five bombers today, didn't you?
Five out of the one group.
Let's see, 21 in a group?
At that rate, it won't
Take very long, will it?
Something pleasant to think about
Before your mission tomorrow.
Yes, colonel keith davenport.
You'll have another one tomorrow.
Pleasant dreams,
My misguided friends.
I don't know why
We listen to him.
It's always the same pitch...
We've already lost the w*r.
On a day like this, I could
Find myself believing him.
What was today's count on crews?
Five crews didn't make it back.
Three k*lled, 11 wounded
Out of those who did.
A lot of letters to write.
I'm glad I don't have that one.
Did you hear about lord haw-haw?
Twice on the way over here.
That kind of news moves fast. Don't let
A kraut newshound throw you too much.
He was right about one thing. We're alerted
For tomorrow. The warning just came down.
Again tomorrow? You're
Kidding, ben. I wish I were, sir.
Fine, fine. Four days in a row.
Well, we'd better start
Getting things together.
Alert the crews and I'll see
You in the ops room. Yes, sir.
This will make you happy.
Flak city again. St. Nazaire?
It's either a feast or a
Famine. Chew your nails
Off for three weeks
Waiting on the weather...
And then cram a month's
Bombing into four days.
Must be an easier
Way to run a w*r.
Field order's snafued
Too. It says here 9,000 feet.
That's a mistake. I'm sure they
Mean 19,000. I'll check with savage.
Another maximum effort.
What have you got in the way of
Weather? Give us some fog, can't you?
I wish I could, but the target
Area ought to be c.a.v.u.
About three tenths cloud cover
Over the channel. Ideal almost.
You're no good to me. Let me
Know if there's any change. Yes, sir.
How many airplanes
Have we got left?
With the three new
Ones and working the
Crews all night, nero
Thinks we can have 18.
How many are the other groups
Putting up? Twenty-one a piece, sir.
We'd better camp on nero's tail.
No, if he says 18, he's giving
Us everything with wings on it.
What did the other
Groups lose today?
Two in the 916th,
Zero in the others.
Our stinking luck. Those flak gunners had
The range good by the time we made our run.
What about crews, doc? I could give
You a couple of different answers, sir.
I'd better get started
On routes and timings.
No coffee, ben?
Oh, not now, thanks.
That's getting to be your diet,
Isn't it? That and cigarettes?
How long since you've
Had your clothes off?
Never mind my pants,
What about crews?
You're crew, when it comes to
My certifying you for a mission.
There's the crew availability.
Colonel, about the route and
Timing of tomorrow's mission?
Start on the routes. But I wouldn't
Figure on that 9,000-foot altitude...
Until colonel davenport
Checks with pinetree. Yes, sir.
Thanks for worrying
About me, doc, only don't.
What about the rest of them?
That brings us to
The two answers.
On that list are 28 men asking to be
Excused from tomorrow's mission,
Three times more than normal.
They give a lot of reasons, colds
Mostly, and most of them haven't got colds.
And that doesn't mean that
They've suddenly gone yellow.
It just means that they're
Getting their bellies full.
Now, do I okay them
Physically and mark them "duty"?
How much can a man take?
What's physical and what isn't?
The rules say a man ought to go right up to
The point where he may endanger his crew.
I wish I knew what that
Meant. If I did, I'd tell you.
Well, can you tell me this...
Do I okay bishop for tomorrow?
He had a tough deal.
Jesse's a tough boy.
How tough? What happened today
Must have done something to him inside.
It had to have
Cost him something.
Somebody's got to give me a
Policy, some kind of yardstick.
I wish you'd tell me what
A "maximum effort" means.
Doc, I wish I knew. I wish
I could answer that one.
Hello. Yes. Hello,
Pinetree. All right.
Frank, keith davenport.
Yeah. Yeah, I heard it.
Look, frank, I didn't call up
To talk about lord haw-haw.
What about that c*ck field
Order that came down that said 9,000?
What? Oh, you're kidding.
Yeah, but the strike photos don't
Show what the flak is like in there.
Listen, are you gonna
Be there a little while?
All right. I'll be right up.
They meant 9,000. Maybe when I get
Back I can give you an answer, doc.
No, no mistake. It's 9,000.
Well, we've got to try it. We're
Not getting hits on those sub-pens.
Yeah, I know. Then twist it. Had the
Same request all day. So long, curt.
The wailing wall is just
Around the corner, keith.
Oh, I don't know. I
Guess this is it. Sit down.
If you're on the level
About this 9,000 foot stuff,
The boys will drop their bombs
Here tomorrow instead of st. Nazaire.
Look, frank... It won't work. It was
Tough at 19,000 it'll be suicide at nine.
The guy who dreamed this one up ought to
Have his brain in a glass jar at harvard.
Anything else? You're kidding?
You've been a group commander. You didn't
Lead the first ten missions for nothing.
Why couldn't you tell them
What it'll be like? You... Keith.
I signed the field order.
Why? That's what I want to know.
All right, I'll
Spell it for you.
We haven't been penetrating the
Concrete in those sub-pens, keith.
We can't get concentration
And accuracy from 19,000.
We've got to go in once down low to see
If we can get the job done in one trip...
Instead of fighting our way to the
Target five times and back for nothing.
Nine thousand feet.
Let's allow from here
In that when the old
Man cuts a field order,
He's thought about it.
There isn't time to take every one of
Them apart to see what makes it tick.
If I were you, when I got one,
I'd just go ahead and fly it.
I was gonna bring these
Down to you tomorrow.
I had to steal
Them from the raf.
Hope they're the
Kind you wanted.
Yeah.
Yeah, thanks, frank.
I won't need them at 9,000
Though. It'll be plenty hot.
Well, I better get on back
And get the chores done.
Stay put a minute
Now you're here.
Thought I might run down tomorrow to
See you. How many you expect to put out?
Eighteen.
Pretty bad luck today? Not good.
We had one break through
The runway at takeoff.
That threw us late.
We never made it up.
It cost us plenty.
I don't know how anybody
Outguesses that one.
No.
I'd like to help you locate where
The trouble does lie, if I could.
What about your formation?
I can tell you where the real
Trouble is, frank. And it isn't formation.
sh**t. It isn't down
In the groups either.
It's up here, where a bunch of boys
Get to be nothing but a set of numbers.
That's what's the trouble.
Do they know up here what my boys
Have been taking for three days in a row?
That they'll be up all night to
Get 18 in the air for tomorrow?
How much do you think they can take? You
Know they're falling asleep at briefing?
Take it easy? b*mber command can take
It easy. Those boys are flesh and blood.
They'll die for you,
But they've got to have
A chance and they know
They haven't got one.
Frank, they can add. They know a
Man's chances run out in 15 missions.
Somebody's gotta give them a
Limit, a goal, some hope of living.
What do you think
They're made of?
Look, keith.
Yes, sir? I just got the reports
From the groups. Come on up, frank.
I'll be there in a minute, sir.
Those things are coming, keith.
Replacements, combat limits.
But right now the
Deal is to hang on.
And look, keith, you've got to
Find a way to save yourself a little.
You can't carry all
The load. It's too big.
Don't worry about me. If you want something
To worry about, worry about the crews.
You and the old man.
You better go on up and see him.
Give him my love. If I
Do, he'll send you his.
He rates you pretty high.
Not according to lord
Haw-haw. Good night, frank.
Never mind the reasons. There it is
And you can't make anything else out of it.
Five missing today and they'll
Only put up 18 tomorrow.
It's getting worse
Instead of better. Yes, sir.
I've just been talking to
Keith. He's low enough about it.
What really happened
Today? Did he tell you?
No, I didn't dig into it. He
Had tomorrow ahead of him.
What do you make of it?
Hard luck, I guess. There's always
Some outfit that picks up a jinx.
You don't believe that.
Fill yourself a drink.
Thanks.
It might scare off
That bug of yours.
I don't believe in hard luck.
There's always a reason.
What have you got on
Your mind, frank? Spill it.
I'd rather not.
Let's have it with the bark on.
You won't like it. I don't.
It's the group commander.
Keith?
It's always the group
Commander. It's his job, isn't it?
A little funny, coming
From you. He's your friend.
I didn't ask you to ask me.
I didn't mean it to sound
Like that, frank. It's okay.
I don't believe it
Though. I don't think I do.
On paper, keith looked to me like
The best group commander we've had.
He's flown every mission. He gets
More loyalty out of his men than anybody.
Courage, he works hard. I
Don't know where to fault him.
If a man like that can't
Cut it, we're in trouble.
What happened downstairs to
Change the picture for you? Nothing.
Added this to it though.
He's gonna bust wide open. And
He's gonna do it to himself too.
Why? Because he's
A first-rate guy.
Because those are his boys and he's
Thinking about them instead of missions.
Over-identification
With his men.
I think that's
What they call it.
And you aren't going
To change it either.
I can't buy it, frank.
Not yet anyway.
Is keith still here?
No, he had tomorrow
To get ready for.
I'll give you that much,
We'd better find out.
If it's true, we're in trouble.
Why should the other groups
Hold together if the 918th can't?
Call my car, will you,
Frank, while I get my pants on.
You mean you want me to
Go down there with you?
You bet I do. It's your idea.
We were three minutes late on the target
And got most of it here on our bombing run.
That was a deadly
Three minutes, keith.
The idea was to get all the groups
Over the target simultaneously...
So that enemy flak couldn't
Concentrate on any one group.
We sure were sitting ducks out there alone.
Maybe I shouldn't have tried the target.
But we were there
And I figured the boys
Wouldn't want to bring
Their loads back home.
No man makes a perfect
Plan. You couldn't
Foresee a plane breaking
Through the runway.
Maybe the mistake lay in not going on to
The secondary target once you were late.
But I figured we could make up the
Time, catch up with the other groups.
We could have too if it hadn't been for our
Stinking luck. Luck? What luck was that?
It wasn't luck, sir. It was my
Fault. It wasn't anybody's fault.
I'd like to hear the
Lieutenant's version. Yes, sir.
We had to alter the navigation in
Flight, sir, to cross the enemy coast here.
We picked up an
Error... Wind change.
And I missed a
Checkpoint here at st. Lo.
By the time I had caught
It, here at rennes,
It had cost us three minutes
And we never made it up.
If there's any fault,
It's mine. I was in
Command. I ordered
The change in flight plan.
The weather was thick
Enough. Could have
Happened to anyone.
Well, I think that covers it.
Thank you, lieutenant.
Thank you, gentlemen.
Zimmy. Yes, sir.
It's okay. Don't
Worry about a thing.
Keith, I know you're
Tired, but let's talk a little.
Sit down.
Let's talk about luck.
A pretty critical
Three minutes, keith.
Five crews, 50 men. Do
You think I don't know?
I know you do. Whose fault
Was it, keith? Primarily it was mine.
Were you flying? Yes, sir.
Do you fly and navigate or do you
Rely on your navigator? You have to, but...
It was the lieutenant's
Fault. He missed the
Check point, but it could've
Happened to anyone.
I know and I'll allow he feels as rotten
About it as any of us do, more so maybe.
But what happens now, keith?
I don't understand you, sir.
We're talking about
Luck. I don't believe in it.
I believe that to some degree
A man makes his own luck.
Yours has been pretty bad down
Here and it's getting worse, not better.
Maybe the navigator's in point. He blew
It. What are you going to do about it?
General, I don't believe in chopping
Off heads because of one mistake.
Well, I just don't think
That's any way to run a group.
I feel sorry for the boy, keith.
But what are the men in
Your group going to be
Thinking about the next
Mission he navigates?
That he messed up
The st. Nazaire mission.
It's just that much more
Load on them. And one
Day, if they fall apart,
That won't be luck.
There isn't a man in the outfit
Who wouldn't stake his life on zimmy.
General, if it was anyone but him. He's
Got two strikes against him to begin with.
You don't realize. That boy's
Got a persecution complex.
He wants to fly every mission
Trying to live down the fact...
That his parents were mixed
Up in the german-american bund.
They screened zimmy plenty before he ever
Got overseas. That's what's riding him now.
Keith, good navigators is the
One thing we're not short of.
If you decide that you ought to relieve
This boy, I'll give you a good replacement.
You might as well ask me to stand him up
Against the wall and sh**t him in the back.
No, I won't do it, sir. I just
Can't do it to him. I won't.
Keith, I want you to get to bed.
Have the flight surgeon give you a
Shot that will make you sleep 24 hours.
I guess a man only has so much
To give and I guess you've given it.
Effective now, you are
Relieved of this command...
And you will report to me
For duty at b*mber command.
I'll send someone
Down to take over here.
Good night, keith.
Good night, sir.
Major, the 918th will stand down
Until a new commanding officer arrives.
Yes, sir.
Want me to take it, sir? No.
I want to talk, frank.
There's a hole in the
Dike, frank. I'm scared stiff.
Maybe you know how deep all
This goes, and maybe you don't.
I've got to spill it anyhow.
We're fighting all
Over the world.
Every theater commander is
Screaming for crews and equipment.
Fifty thousand airplanes, that's
What they say they're building.
I wish we had 500.
Our problem right now
Narrows down to one group.
If the 918th folds, it can spread
To the other three groups.
It can fold the whole deal.
There's only one hope
Of shortening this w*r...
Daylight precision bombing.
If we fold, daylight
Bombing is done with.
I don't know. Maybe it
Means the whole show.
We could lose the w*r if we
Don't knock out german industry.
You can smell
What's coming, frank.
I'm promising you nothing
Except a job no man
Should have to do who's
Had his share of combat.
I've gotta ask you to take nice kids and
Fly them until they can't take anymore.
And then put them back
In and fly them some more.
We've got to find out
What a maximum effort is.
How much a man can
Take and get it all.
I don't even know
If any man can do it.
That's what cracked keith.
What time do you think you
Can get down there tomorrow?
Early, I guess.
No squawks?
Pretty hard to have
One, the way you put it.
Thanks, frank.
Smoke, ernie? Thank you, sir.
All right, sergeant. Yes, sir.
Do you know me,
Soldier? No, sir.
Then why are you admitting me to this
Station? I saw it was a staff car, sir.
Goering could have been in it.
Here's my a.g.o. Card. The
General may proceed, sir.
Soldier, this is a
Military post, not a zoo.
From now on, you'll check everyone
Who enters and without exception.
Take a good look at me.
If you or any man on
This post passes me up
Without saluting
Even if I'm a block away,
You'll wonder what fell on you.
You might pass that
Word around. Yes, sir.
Locate my quarters and
Drop my bags off. Yes, sir.
Good luck, sir. Thanks, ernie.
How do I address you?
I don't think I quite
Understand the general, sir.
What's your rank? How
Am I supposed to know?
Sergeant mcillhenny,
Sir, u.s. Army air forces.
It's private mcillhenny
Now. Where's the air exec?
I... I don't think he's
On the station, sir.
He left right after
Lieutenant zimmerman's funeral.
- Zimmerman?
- Yes, sir. Navigator, sir.
- And what happened to him?
- Suicide, sir.
- Where's the ground exec?
- In the hospital, sir, mumps.
- And the adjutant?
- I think maybe major stovall's
At the officer's club, sir.
When you get your clothes on, find
Him and ask him to report to me here.
Yes, sir.
Major stovall,
Sir, group adjutant.
Yes, I remember you, major. You
The only one around? Probably, sir.
I presume you've come down to
Take over the group. That's right.
Have you been
Drinking, major? I have.
It's the first time I've
Been drunk in 20 years,
But it may not be the last.
Where's the air
Exec? I don't know, sir.
It's only an opinion, but I think it's
Possible he may be drunk too, sir.
I'll take straight answers,
Major. Is he off the station? Yes, sir.
Where? I don't know that, sir.
Send the m.p.s out and find him
And bring him to me under arrest.
- Does the general mean
Under actual arrest?
- Exactly.
Two... Cancel all
Leaves and passes...
And make sure that all squadron
Commanders are back here by tonight.
Three... Bring me
The personnel files,
The 66-1's on gately
And the key staff...
- Including yours.
- Yes, sir.
Four... Set up a meeting
For all combat crews...
In the briefing room
Tomorrow morning at 0800.
Is that all, sir?
Yes, sir. That's all.
Colonel gately is
Here, sir. Send him in.
Yes, sir.
That's all, men.
May I ask the general why I've
Been placed under arrest? No.
Stand at attention.
You're the son of lieutenant
General tom gately, aren't you?
I believe that's my
Standard identification, sir.
What do you think of him as
An officer? None better, sir.
That's right.
You're the son of one fine officer
And the grandson of another.
You're a graduate of west
Point with nine years service.
You're form five shows that you have more
Four engine time than any man in the group.
For those reasons, you
Could've done more than
Anybody to take the load
Off colonel davenport.
The record shows that you've flown
Only three missions since you've been here.
Is that right? If you don't
Count twice I turned back, sir.
I take it that you don't even
Care about the part you had...
In breaking one of the
Best men you'll ever know.
Add to it as air exec you were
Automatically in command here...
The moment colonel
Davenport left.
And you met that responsibility
Exactly as you met his need.
You ran out on it. You left
The station to get drunk.
And gately, as far as I'm
Concerned, you're yellow.
A traitor to yourself, to this
Group, to the uniform you wear.
It would be the easiest course
For me to transfer you out,
To saddle some unsuspecting
Guy with a deadbeat.
Maybe you think that's
What you're gonna get
Out of this, a free
Ride in some combat unit.
But I'm not gonna pass the buck.
I'm gonna keep you right here.
I hate a man like you
So much that I'm gonna
Get your head down in
The mud and tr*mp on it.
I'm gonna make you wish
You'd never been born.
If that's all, sir... I'm
Just getting started.
You're gonna stay right here
And get a bellyful of flying.
You're going to
Make every mission.
You're not air exec anymore.
You're just an airplane commander.
And I want you to paint this
Name on the nose of your ship...
Leper colony.
Because in it you're gonna
Get every deadbeat in the outfit.
Every man with a
Penchant for head colds.
If there's a bombardier who can't
Hit his plate with his fork, you get him.
If there's a navigator who can't
Find the men's room, you get him.
Because you rate him.
Is that clear? General savage, I have
A right to file charges against you...
For personal abuse and
Exceeding your lawful authority...
Hello, get me pinetree. I
Want general pritchard.
The line's busy, sir. Will
You wait? Yeah, I'll wait.
Rights, gately?
You've got a right to explain
To general pritchard cowardice,
Desertion of your post, a
Yellow streak a mile wide.
And maybe he can explain it to your
Father so they'll both be proud of you.
Hello. Hello? You
Can tell him right now.
Hello, I have your line, sir.
General savage, I withdraw
My statement. Hello? Hello?
Hello, I have your
Line, sir. Never mind.
That's all then.
Cut an order relieving colonel
Gately as air exec. Yes, sir.
Anybody else, sir?
I'll let you know, major.
There's one file there, cobb, squadron
Commander, shows a good record in the air.
What are his personal
Qualifications?
I'm sure the general will be pleased
With any selection he makes in the group.
Thanks for the help, major.
I'll be around the
Station. Yes, sir.
Sir.
I've been assigned as
The general's driver. Fine.
Aren't you the clerk that I
Saw... Yes, sir. Private mcillhenny.
Well, general officers
Rate sergeants as drivers.
Better put those
Stripes back on. Yes, sir.
♪ With anyone else but me ♪
♪ Anyone else but me
Anyone else but me ♪
♪ No, no, no don't sit
Under the apple tree ♪ beer.
Yes, sir. ♪ With
Anyone else but me ♪
♪ Till I come marching home ♪
♪ Don't go walking down lovers'
Lane with anyone else but me ♪
♪ Anyone else but me
Anyone else but me ♪
♪ No, no, no don't go
Walking down lovers' lane ♪♪
- That's regulations, huh?
- It is.
Have another, major cobb.
Scotch.
I've got it. No regulation
Against buying my own, is there?
That's right.
Corporal. Yes, sir.
This bar is closed for tonight
And until further notice.
I'll probably see you
Tomorrow morning.
Good night, ben. Good night. I'll keep a
Light in the doghouse window for you.
Come in.
Major stovall, cut an order
Assigning major cobb as air exec.
Yes, sir.
Good night. Good night, sir.
Attention.
Rest.
There will be a briefing for a
Practice mission at 1100 this morning.
That's right, practice.
I've been sent here to take over what
Has come to be known as a hard luck group.
Well, I don't believe
In hard luck. So
We're going to find
Out what the trouble is.
Maybe part of it's your flying, so
We're going back to fundamentals.
But I can tell you now one reason I
Think you've been having hard luck.
I saw it in your faces last
Night. I can see it there now.
You've been looking
At a lot of air lately...
And you think you
Ought to have a rest.
In short, you're
Sorry for yourselves.
I don't have a lot of patience with
This what are we fighting for stuff.
We're in a w*r, a sh**ting
w*r. We've got to fight.
And some of us have got to die.
I'm not trying to tell you not
To be afraid. Fear is normal.
But stop worrying about
It and about yourselves.
Stop making plans.
Forget about going home.
Consider yourselves
Already dead.
Once you accept that
Idea, it won't be so tough.
Now if any man
Here can't buy that,
If he rates himself as something special,
With a special kind of hide to be saved,
He'd better make up his
Mind about it right now.
Because I don't want
Him in this group.
I'll be in my office in five
Minutes. You can see me there.
Attention!
I'll take colonel
Davenport any day. Me too.
I'd better get over to the office 'cause
The traffic is gonna be pretty heavy.
The air exec and the group
Flight surgeon are here, sir.
Tell them to come in. Yes, sir.
They beat you to it,
Major. I thought you'd be
The first one in line
To ask for a transfer.
No, sir. Well, it wouldn't
Have done you any good.
Doesn't go for staff.
You're stuck with me. Yes, sir.
You might tell them.
They thought you'd
Want to see them about
The practice mission.
Good. Yes, sir.
For the general's information, I
Think you'll find major kaiser a top man.
Thorough, knows his job, honest.
I think cobb's an excellent man
Too. It's just he's a little too frank.
Thanks, major. Yes, sir.
General, this is major
Kaiser. I'm glad to see you, doc.
And I think you met
Major cobb. Indeed I have.
General, I don't know if you still
Want me here after last night.
No need to tell
You, I was stiff.
Well, stiff or not,
You laid it on the line.
You got the job after I saw
You at the club, not before.
You were in the briefing
Room. You still want it?
I think I can cut
It for you, sir.
See you at takeoff.
Now, what about the
Crew availability, major?
We have a very critical
Morale problem, general.
You gave them the shock treatment
This morning, a bucket of cold water.
I take it that's the key in which you
Want me to approach the problem...
As to how much
Stress they can take.
If a man is physically capable
Of handling his airplane, he goes.
Well, that's definite enough.
But some things can't be
Accomplished just by issuing an order.
Have you seen the sick
Reports? Yeah, I've seen them.
Our sick reports indicate
Something else to me.
Besides the normal
Stress of a lot of flying,
These men have had the breaking
Up of a strong personal attachment.
They were devoted
To colonel davenport.
He was the main thing they had to
Hold on to. You suggest a treatment?
Yes. Ease up.
Give them a chance
To get used to you.
No, major.
For two reasons.
First, there isn't time.
Second, I can't enter a popularity
Contest with keith davenport.
I'd lose that one.
And one more thing, I think
They're better than that.
All right, sir. That's it.
Lieutenant bishop
To see you, sir.
Bishop? Who's he? A pilot, sir.
Yesterday a recommendation for the medal
Of honor was forwarded to you at pinetree.
Oh, yes. I'll see him in
Just a minute. Yes, sir.
I think I know how deep
The problem is here, major.
And I'm convinced that the one
Thing that will solve it is pride,
Pride in this group.
The kind of pride that
Will make it the last
Thing a man wants to
Be left on the ground.
And that's my job, not yours.
Paint it with iodine and
Mark them "duty," doc. Yes, sir.
Yes, sir. Send bishop in.
Yes, sir.
I better practice saluting you,
Lieutenant. That goes with the medal.
It was a privilege to add my name to
That recommendation. Thank you, sir.
Sit down, bishop.
Thank you, sir, but...
Well, first, I better tell
You why I'm here. Go ahead.
The pilots asked me to
Be their spokesman, sir.
They want to transfer out.
How many of them?
All of them, sir.
Well, I can see why
They sent you, bishop.
You make quite a spokesman.
Have you thought this out?
You're sure that's
The way you feel?
I... I think so, sir.
All right, that's it. Tell them to put
Their requests through channels.
Meanwhile, they fly.
That's all then? Yes, sir.
Yes? I just made some coffee.
I thought you might like some.
Shall I bring it
In? Thanks, major.
I'll come out there and get it.
What are you doing?
Personal effects of boys who
Got it to be sent to next of kin.
I'm a little behind. I
Always write a letter.
It always takes time to
Screen the stuff pretty well.
It might save somebody back
Home getting hurt unnecessarily.
That's a tough
Chore. I don't envy you.
How did you happen
To get into paperwork?
They didn't give me any choice.
See, I'm... I'm a retread.
I had my shot at
Combat in the first w*r.
Of course I kind of
Wanted to get into this one,
But I guess they figured I was
Too old for anything but a desk.
Maybe they were right.
You, uh...
You liked keith davenport,
Didn't you? A lot, I mean.
Yes, sir.
I thought he was one of
The finest men I ever knew.
The same way the
Boys felt, I'm sure.
Loyalty is a fine thing.
Well.
Thanks for the coffee,
Major. General savage.
I'd like to tell you
Something else, I think.
I'm a lawyer by trade.
I think I'm a good one.
And when a good lawyer takes
On a client, he does it because...
He believes in the client's
Case, and that's all that matters.
When I came over to england
I took on my biggest client.
That client is the
918Th b*mb group.
I want to see my
Client win its case.
Does that answer
What you had in mind?
On the button. What did
You have in mind exactly?
I need time before those
Transfers go through.
Mm-hmm. How much time?
As much as we can get.
Ten days, anyway.
Well, it'll take those
Squadron adjutants...
At least two days to
Draw up all those requests.
And, let's see...
I believe in thorough, methodical
Work, everything in order.
I've got a good deal of
Stuff on my desk here.
So, it might be three days
Before I could get around to them.
That's five. Take a couple
Of days to check them.
That's seven.
And those squadron adjutants
Are pretty sloppy sometimes,
And I certainly don't want this
Group criticized for sloppy paperwork.
Do you, general?
Couldn't permit it.
So my guess is every
One of those requests...
May have to go back to the
Squadron adjutants to be done over.
By the time I recheck them,
It'll be ten days anyway before
They can be ready for signature.
What a way to run an outfit.
You red tape adjutants
Are all alike. That's right, sir.
But harvey, there
Can be trouble in this.
I don't think so, sir. I never heard
Of a jury convicting the lawyer.
Let me have your attention.
Now, in case any of you aren't
Clear as to what this is all about,
I'm supposed to be a deadbeat.
And so are you. That's why
You were assigned to me...
"The leper colony."
How do you like it?
Well, you'll like it a lot less
The first mistake you make.
We've got a blowtorch turned our
Way, and nobody's gonna shove me into it.
Is that clear?
Everything set? Yes, sir.
You fly. I'll ride in the
Top turret where I can see.
Radio, rig an extension
To the top turret... Yes, sir.
So the general can talk
On the command set. Yes, sir.
All right. Let's go.
"Close it up.
Close it up. Closer.
Shove that there
Wingtip right in his lap."
Sweet savannah!
That wingtip of baxter's
Been tickling me...
Right in the ribs for
Three days now, man.
I'm gettin' mighty tired of
It. That's a-tellin' 'em, birdy.
Yeah, and another
Thing I noticed.
For folks that talks about
Other people's ability as a pilot,
That there general seems mighty
Willin' not to do any of it hisself.
Hmph. Looks like we just got
Ourselves a talking general.
"Stack it in there, now."
We're alerted, sir!
Field orders coming in now.
Tell cobb to wheel and
Deal. I'll be right over.
Operator. Operator.
Keep this line clear.
I've got 24 fast calls for you.
Get me the b*mb dump and hurry.
♪ Bless them all
Bless them all ♪
♪ Oh, the long and
The short and the tall ♪
♪ Let's bless all the blondies
And all the brunettes ♪
♪ For each lad is happy
To take what he gets ♪
♪ 'Cause we're... ♪♪
Two missions. Only
One aircraft lost.
Very little battle damage.
That's because most of the time
We flew good, tight formation.
Those enemy fighters
Took one look...
And didn't want
Any part of the 918th.
The bad side... The bombing.
Fair. Particularly,
The low squadron.
That means we start dropping practice bombs
Every day that we haven't got a mission.
- Cobb?
- Yes, sir.
That's your baby. Roger.
Anybody got any comment?
Well, I've got
Some more. Hanley!
- Here, sir.
- Those strike photos show...
That you've been toggling late
With your bombs the last two missions.
What's your reason?
No excuse, sir.
Well, I'll say this for
You, hanley, you're honest.
But nine men risked their
Lives to ride with you...
In order to put
Bombs on a target!
Gately, here's a new
Bombardier for you.
- Pettinghill!
- Yes, sir.
We're plenty lucky to have only one loss on
This strike. Why did you break formation?
Well, sir, ackerman
Was in trouble...
Two engines on fire, and we
Were getting enemy fighters. I...
I figured I'd better stay
Back and try to cover him...
Going into the target,
But he couldn't make it.
Ackerman a pretty
Good friend of yours?
My roommate, sir.
So for the sake of your roommate
You violated group integrity.
Every g*n on a
B-17 is designed...
To give the group maximum
Defensive firepower.
That's what I mean
By group integrity.
When you pull a b-17
Out of a formation,
You reduce the defensive
Power of the group by ten g*ns.
A crippled airplane
Has to be expendable.
The one thing which is never expendable
Is your obligation to this group!
This group. This group.
That has to be your loyalty,
Your only reason for being.
Stovall. Yes, sir.
Have the billeting officer work
Out a reassignment of quarters...
So that every man has a
New roommate. Very well, sir.
Gately! Yes, sir.
Baxter is promoted
Out of the leper colony.
Pettinghill's your new copilot.
Well, that's all I've got.
Anybody got anything
Else they want to bring up?
What about our transfers, sir?
Okay, if that's all,
Dismissed. Attention!
Come in.
Keith! Come on in.
Glad to see you.
How are you, frank?
How's the adjutant
Business, harvey?
Just went out of that line
Of work, sir. Ground exec now.
Well, glad to hear it. You
Had it coming. Thank you.
Good to see you, sir.
Good to see you, harvey.
- Piece of cake?
- Thanks.
Uh, birthday. It's a little old.
Oh, many happy returns.
Well, seems to me I've
Seen this joint before.
It looks better
With you in it, keith.
Have a drink. Say,
You're in time for chow.
The boys'll be glad to see
You. I'm not so sure of that.
I saw sergeant
Keller at the gate.
Had to show my
A.g.o. Card to get in.
And I'll pass up the supper, I guess.
I just dropped down for a minute.
I had something I wanted
To talk to you about, frank.
Well, I'll get on about
My ground exec-ing.
I'll see you before
You go, keith. All right.
Nice guy, harvey. First-rate.
Sit down.
Aah, tastes good. Gets
The chill out of your bones.
What a stinkin'
Climate. It's pretty bad.
Only I guess you didn't come
Down to talk about the weather.
No... Or maybe I did at that.
There's a storm coming,
Frank. The old man?
No. I don't know if he
Even knows about it.
There's been a lot of talk about requests
For transfer, only none have come through.
Have you been
Sittin' on 'em? I have.
You've got what amounts
To a mutiny on your hands.
There's a rumor that the
Inspector general's got hold of it.
If he investigates
You, you're cooked.
Can you slow him down?
You know the old man
Can't interfere with the i.g.
I know what you're after... A little time,
Get a few good missions under your belt,
Maybe the boys'll
Change their minds.
But it won't work that
Way. You got any ideas?
Well, to be perfectly frank
About it, when you took command,
I was hoping you'd fail,
Fall flat on your face.
I'm that human.
So now, me, the
Guy who blew it...
Wants to tell you how
To run this group. sh**t.
All right. You're
Blowing it too.
You can't drive those boys.
I told you once before...
They can't just be a set of
Numbers, and it still goes.
The fact that I blew it doesn't
Mean that idea was wrong.
I figured it was me. I
Wasn't good enough.
You've got to help them, frank.
You've got to take the
Time to win something
From them, or they
Will walk out on you.
And that'll be a worse
Failure than mine ever was.
Give them something
To lean on, you mean.
Call it anything you like.
Well, keith,
I don't believe it.
Here's where you
And I part company.
I don't think they're
Boys, they're men.
Too bad they have
To find out so young.
How old is bishop?
Twenty-one, maybe.
It's pretty tough to have
To grow all the way up at 21.
But that's the only way
We're gonna get the job done.
And I think they can do it too.
Lean on somebody? I think
They're better than that.
And if that's not true
Then we're a dead duck,
And we'd better find
Out about it right now,
Once and for all.
Well, that's that.
You called the turn for me once,
And I couldn't see it.
Now we're even.
Good night, frank.
Good night, keith.
♪ The stars at night
Are big and bright ♪
♪♪ ♪ Deep in the
Heart of texas ♪
- ♪ - The prairie skies...
- ♪♪ Not again.
No good, sir. Acknowledgement from the
Other groups, they've already turned back.
But nothing from
The 918th. Forget code.
Try to reach him in
The clear. Yes, sir.
Pinetree to flashlight leader.
Pinetree to flashlight leader.
This is a recall.
Do you read me?
Pinetree to flashlight leader.
Pinetree to flashlight leader.
This is a recall. Do
You read me? Over.
Nothing, sir. I don't get it.
Weren't all commanders
Told to guard channel
"B" because of possible
Weather change?
It was in the field order, sir.
Well... Something's happened.
They've gone on to
The target alone.
I'm going down there, keith. I
Can't just stand here and take it.
That's 21, sir.
They're all back.
Well, that's something. I'm
Glad we still have miracles.
Well, we had a
Little weather, sir,
But the target area had
Cleared off just long enough...
For the 918th to clobber
It good. That's fine, frank.
What about the recall?
Recall, sir? What recall?
Never heard it.
Must have had radio
Malfunction. I see.
Let's get up to your
Office, frank. Yes, sir.
The bar's open, harvey. The
Boy's really earned it. Yes, sir.
And you think I'm going
To buy a quick persian rug...
About a radio malfunction?
And I suppose you'll tell me next
The weather was just bad enough...
You didn't see the other
Groups turn back. Yes, sir.
You've got no right to gamble
Like that. Not with my money.
It isn't enough that I have
To hold still while you graft...
An inspector general on my rump.
I've managed to live without
Inspector generals for 20-some years.
And don't think you can justify this by
The fact that you got away with it, either!
No, sir. I didn't hear a thing.
It must have been
Radio malfunction.
Do you mean you're going to
Stick to that fairy tale? Yes, sir.
There's one more thing
You might as well know, sir.
The 918th got through today, and
Bombed the target when nobody else did.
And if providence
Ever drops into my lap,
Another chance like that to give this
Group the pride it ought to have in itself,
I may have radio
Malfunction again, sir.
And there's one more thing.
I'm asking you for a
Commendation for this group,
For their aggressiveness,
Skill and courage...
In reaching and bombing a target
Under extremely adverse conditions.
And you don't need to
Mention their leadership, sir.
All right, frank, you'll get it.
And maybe someday I'll send you
One for leadership, I don't know.
Got somebody around here
That can take dictation? Yes, sir!
Mclllhenny, bring a book
And pencil in here. Yes, sir.
Come on. Hurry up.
Hurry up. Hurry up.
Relax, harvey.
Mission accomplished.
♪ Poor little lambs ♪
♪ Who have lost our way ♪
♪ Baa, baa, baa ♪
What do you make of it, harvey? I
Don't know. I can't make it out quite.
They're pleased about the
Commendation, I think, but...
They're not celebrating
The way kids ought to.
It's not normal.
♪ Baa, baa, baa ♪ no cries
For savage for president then.
I don't know.
Get ahold of jesse bishop.
Tell him I'd like to
See him in my quarters.
Smoke, bishop?
No, thank you, sir.
I wanted to talk
With you, bishop,
Because I know you'll
Level with me. Yes, sir.
I wish you'd try to tell
Me what you're feeling.
Right now. Right this
Minute. About what, sir?
The transfers. The fact this group showed
The rest of them how it's done today.
Whether you're proud of that.
Sir, I don't think I have any
Right to speak for the rest...
Then, don't speak for
The rest of them, just you.
Well, sir, that's hard. I...
I don't know how I feel.
That's... That's
Kind of the trouble.
What is?
Well, the... The
Whole thing, sir.
Everything.
I can't see what good we're
Doing with our bombing,
And all the boys getting k*lled.
Just a handful
Of us. It's like we...
We're some kind of guinea pigs,
Only we're not proving anything.
You've got to have
Confidence in something.
And then, when you find
Something you've got confidence in...
Then everything changes.
It just doesn't make
Any sense, I don't know.
I just want out.
Well, do you think it'll be
Any better in another group?
It isn't a question of that,
Sir. I don't want to fly anymore.
I want to transfer
To another branch.
Doesn't it mean anything to you that
We hit the target today with no losses?
Yes, sir.
I suppose so... In a way.
But I just want out.
Well... That's a...
Pretty tough request...
From a medal of honor man.
Sure, we're guinea pigs, jesse.
But there's a reason. If
We can hang on here now...
One day soon...
Somebody's gonna look up...
And see a solid overcast
Of american bombers...
On the way to germany to hit
The third reich where it lives.
Maybe we won't be the ones to
See it. I can't promise you that.
But I can promise you
That they'll be there...
If only we can manage
To make the grade now!
I'd like to believe you, sir.
I just don't have confidence
In anything anymore.
Well...
Looks like I'm choppin'
And no chips are flyin'.
It's easy to transfer
Out of a group, jesse.
It's pretty hard for a man to
Transfer out of his obligation.
But then every man has
To play it the way he sees it.
Well, good night,
Jesse. Good night, sir.
How is it going? Beats me.
The inspector's got every pilot on
The base in there. Gimme a cigarette.
You want a light too? I have
Only the habit, lieutenant.
Well, they're still at it, sir.
You know, harvey, you're gonna
Make a silly-looking second lieutenant.
Want some advice
From your lawyer, sir?
Don't ever give up the case
Before the jury comes in.
Don't kid yourself.
We've already had it.
Well, so what? What's so bad
About the pentagon building?
Good food,
c*ck every night.
Well, sir, that was
Short and sweet.
Yeah, I'll bet it was.
Well, you might as
Well unpack, general.
The i.g. Didn't even get to
Make a good opening speech.
Bishop started it, withdrawing his
Transfer. He really went to bat for you.
Wilson followed, and the rest
Of them just climbed aboard.
Left the i.g. With nothing to do
But pack up his hatchet and go home.
Well, what do you know?
Where's that briefcase of
Mine? I had it a minute ago.
I knew those jokers
Couldn't buck you forever.
They finally realized they
Had a chance to hit the target...
And get home when you
Were up front leading.
Well, they better not
Count on any one man.
Don't want to make
That mistake again.
You know, general, it
Wouldn't be any mistake...
To cut loose with a few
Three-day passes to london.
Sort of, uh... A
Pat on the back.
I see what you mean.
Kiss and make up, huh?
You kiss them, joe, for
Shedding their diapers.
And while you're at it, tell
'Em we're going to work now...
And try to build some
Leadership around here.
And when it comes
To counting on me,
Tell 'em that you're
Gonna lead the next one.
And it better be good. And
Tell bishop he's gonna lead...
And find out what it feels
Like to carry the load.
I want this group combed for
Every man who shows signs...
Of being able to
Lead a mule to water.
And I want every one of
'Em to have a crack at it.
You're out from under those
Second lieutenant bars, harvey,
So don't just stand around
With your thumb in your mouth.
Let's get back to work.
What did he have to burn three
Feet off my tail surface for?
Tough man, isn't he?
There's such a thing...
As carrying this business
Of being iron-tailed too far.
Yeah, he's-he's
Pretty iron-tailed.
He'll never feel things about the
Group the way keith davenport did.
And nothing's going to start
Eating holes through him.
He's too tough for that. There's
Also such a thing as being human.
You know something, joe? The only
Difference between frank savage...
And keith davenport is that...
Savage is about,
Uh, that much taller.
I don't get it.
Hey, joe, how come
You ain't leadin' this one?
You been a bad boy?
You know joe, he only leads the
Milk runs. This one must be a doozy.
Come on, joe, where we goin'? Pull
Back that curtain. Give us a peek.
You'll wish I was leadin' it.
You're gonna love this one.
Attention!
Rest!
Gentlemen, this you'll
Be interested to know.
Intelligence informs us...
That the german aircraft
Industry has been converted...
Almost entirely to the production
Of fighter planes for defense,
And that these fighters are being
Withdrawn from the russian front...
To beef up the
Defense on this front.
Looks like they must
Have heard about the 918th.
And this morning we have a
Mission of some importance.
- For the first time...
- Germany!
You said it.
Wilhelmshaven. Wilhelmshaven.
For the first time we're going to
Be hitting a target on german soil.
I'll lead the group on this one.
Bishop, the high squadron.
Holloman, the low squadron.
All right, joe. Stations: 0700.
0710.
0720.
Got a cigarette?
They're heading in, major.
We just got a reading.
How many? I don't know, sir.
Here they come. They're
Approaching the field.
Nine.
Fourteen. Fifteen. Sixteen.
How was it, sir? It was rough.
They were waiting for us.
What's the count? Two missing, sir.
It looked like four, but o'neill made
It to the raf field at lincolnshire.
Gately ditched in the channel.
Air-sea rescue picked 'em up.
Two wounded but not
Bad. Well, that helps some.
Let's get up to
Interrogation. Yes, sir.
Yes, sir!
Were you in my ship? No, sir.
That is... Yes, sir.
Who authorized it? No one, sir,
But I been checked out as a gunner,
And I just had to
Make the big ones.
I won't have ground personnel
Jeopardizing the safety of the aircraft.
Maybe it'll help you keep
Your feet on the ground...
If you take those
Stripes off again.
And this time you'll
Stay a private.
Get up to
Interrogation. Yes, sir.
I want a critique of the mission
First thing in the morning, joe.
Looks like we might stand down
A few days with the weather.
Maybe we're ready
To give 'em a breather.
Peel out some passes
For london. Yes, sir.
General, I got to talk to you
About sergeant mcillhenny.
What about him? You're busting him.
That kind of makes things complicated.
What's complicated about
That? It's the precedent, sir.
I mean, we'd have to bust
Captain twombley too.
The padre? What's
He got to do with it?
He stowed away,
Too, with bishop.
They were over wilhelmshaven
Before bishop found out.
He heard the parson
Praying on the interphone...
While he was firing
The left waist g*n.
Well, now I've heard everything.
I'm afraid you haven't, sir.
I, uh, might as well give
It to you in one slug.
No thank you, sir.
Harvey stovall and doc kaiser
Flew as waist gunners with klein.
I guess the whole ground
Echelon was someplace on this one.
Any of 'em hurt?
Don't think so, sir.
There's one more thing about
Mcillhenny... Kind of awkward.
He's just been credited with two
F.w.s destroyed and one probable.
A born gunner, I guess.
Did you know about
This, joe? No, sir, I didn't.
I hope you don't think
I... All right. All right.
Twombley! Stovall!
Come over here.
Well, you're pretty proud
Of yourselves, I suppose.
Well, let me tell you... I was hoping the
General wouldn't go into this right now.
I think I'm suffering
From combat fatigue.
Harvey, I'm gonna
Weaken just this once,
And I'll probably
Live to regret it.
But you got the bulge on
Me. I can't bust everybody.
But it's with the clear understanding
That your combat days are over.
An old fud like you
Ought to know better.
I won't be put in the spot of having
To write that letter to your wife.
You, padre. Your
Business is sin.
Hereafter, you'll confine your
Activities to that theater of operations.
Is that clear?
Yes, sir.
Did you hit anything
Up there, harvey?
Well, sir, my glasses
Were frosted over some,
But I think I got
A piece of one.
Ours or theirs?
Mclllhenny, I heard
About those two f.w.s.
Put the chevrons back
On, sergeant. Yes, sir.
And if we're gonna keep
Having these ups and downs,
I suggest you get 'em
With zippers. Yes, sir!
When are they due
Back? Any time now.
Call the tower. Get a count.
Tower. Tower.
- What's the count?
- Twenty back. One missing... 3-9-7.
We lost one... 3-9-7.
Lieutenant bishop, sir.
All right. Thanks, sergeant.
Junker 88s, and fw-190.
Uh, what direction were they
Comin' in? Oh, they... Mostly head on.
See any chutes open?
No. Jesse caught a direct
Burst right over the target.
They... They didn't
Have a chance.
He was a swell kid, and one
Of the best pilots in the group.
He would have to
Get it. One crew...
It could've been
Much worse, joe.
What about battle damage?
Everybody caught plenty.
- More coffee, general?
- General...
- Coffee, captain?
No, thank you. I tired to reach you
On the phone to tell you about gately.
Well, what about him?
Did he get hit today?
No, sir. But right after he landed,
He folded up... Passed out cold.
I guess I should have
Made an examination before,
But he didn't report any injury when
He ditched in the channel the other day.
I've seen his x-rays. He has a crack
In the lip of the vertebrate body.
Painful? Incredibly.
And he's flown
Three missions with it.
A fractured spine? That's
About what it amounts to.
I've put him in traction.
Gately...
Okay, doc.
Thanks for letting me know.
Now, I'll have
That coffee. Fine.
Anybody in particular
You'd like to see, sir?
Oh, no thanks, lieutenant,
Just looking around.
You go right on with
What you were doing.
Yes, sir.
Well, looks like that's gonna cut
In on your crap sh**ting, dwight.
Yes, sir. It's costing me money.
How long they gonna keep
You in here? Doc said ten days.
Well, you let me know if I can
Do anything. Thanks, general.
What do you say, birdwell?
They got all that flak out
Of you yet? Just about, sir.
Doc didn't need no mine
Detector to find it, neither.
You getting enough chow?
Oh, just livin' in
The tall cotton, sir.
Well, how you feeling,
Ben? I'm okay, general.
I was sorry to hear
About your bad luck.
Thank you, sir.
Well, I see doc didn't
Waste much time...
Oh, excuse me, ben.
That's pretty sensitive, huh?
That's okay, general.
Go ahead and sit down.
Oh, I'd rather stand.
I've been piling up more sitting
Time than flying time, anyway.
Hey, what kind of
A gadget is this...
Part of the wright
Brothers' first airplane?
Looks uncomfortable enough.
Uh, help the back any?
Relieves the pressure
Quite a bit, sir.
How long, uh, doc say
You're gonna be laid up?
A few weeks, sir.
Is it pretty painful?
Not much, sir.
All right. I guess you
Don't feel much like talking...
That's okay, general.
Go right ahead.
Um... Ben...
Yes, sir?
I-i was just gonna say, uh...
Anything you want?
Something I can send you?
Not a thing, general.
I've got everything I need.
You just let us know
If you do need anything.
Thank you, sir.
I, uh... I'm gonna drop
In across the hall.
I'll be seeing you, ben.
Looks like I'll have to rate you
A "class-a" customer, colonel.
I just learned you're
Something extra special.
Gentlemen,
This mission has been handed us
By the combined chiefs of staff.
It is a target of
Critical importance,
Which will require a deeper
Penetration than any we have made...
Far beyond possible
Fighter support.
If we can attack and destroy it,
We will have proved
Daylight precision bombing.
This is the one we
Have been waiting for.
With the limited
Equipment we have,
It will probably take three
Trips to carry enough bombs...
To the target to destroy it.
I needn't tell you you'll have
To help plan these strikes...
Down to the last pint of gas,
The last pound of load,
The last second of time.
All right, colonel davenport.
There it is, what we're after...
Ball bearings.
We've found that almost the entire
German production of ball bearings...
Is concentrated here.
Without ball bearings, the
Entire german armament industry...
Will slow to a halt.
Wish I had something stronger
For you, frank, but I haven't.
If we bring this one off,
Things are likely to pick up fast.
I think we may get three or four
Whole new groups thrown at us.
Growing up, huh?
How soon can you turn loose down
There and come back up here and help me?
Well, that's, uh, kind
Of hard to say, sir. Why?
On paper, the group
Looks fine now.
The leadership's the
Problem, always has been.
Haven't you got the personnel?
Want me to transfer you somebody?
There's nothing wrong
With our personnel.
I-i lost bishop and holloman.
Cobb's okay, so is gately, but
He's just out of the hospital.
Takes time to know.
How long before you figure you
Will know? I don't know that one, either.
How can you be sure? How do you
Know what you're pushing gately into?
How do you know we didn't send
Bishop just that once too often?
I'm the one that's
Down there and... Frank!
You're swinging after the bell.
Tell me something, will you?
What was the name of
The man you relieved?
Who, keith?
What was his trouble?
Do you remember?
You're not propping
Them up too, are you?
Take a good look, frank.
Do you think that?
It would be natural enough,
The things you go through
With a bunch of those boys,
Working your way out
Of the hole with them.
It's hard not to let
Them get under your hide.
And the one thing I've
Noticed on the record lately...
You've been flying more
Missions rather than less.
Look, general, I'm the one
That's got to shove them up there.
And until I know they're ready,
I'm not about to turn 'em loose.
All right, frank. Make it as
Soon as you can, will you?
You bet I will, sir.
You tell me when?
Yes, sir. Good luck, frank.
Bring me back a ball bearing.
And as a personal favor, try to
Keep yourself in one piece, will you?
Well, that seems like
A reasonable request.
Good night, sir. Good night.
Keith. Yes, sir.
I want the files on the air execs
And the operations officers...
In all the groups with
Recommendations on those...
Who might be qualified to take
Over a group in an emergency.
Anything special?
No. Nothing special...
Just checking, but keep
It to yourself. Yes, sir.
Thanks.
Tail wheel. Locked.
Light off, sir.
Brakes.
Over splasher
Beacon nine, navigator.
Set course for combat
Wing assembly line. Roger.
Tail-gunner, let me know...
When the other groups
Tack on to me. Roger.
Uh, savage to crew.
10,000 Feet. Go on oxygen.
From now on, we're registering
On the enemy radar screen.
The luftwaffe's already warming
Up for us so watch your chatter.
Let's not tell 'em any
More than we have to.
Navigator to commander.
Departing english coast
On course, on time, sir.
Savage to gunners.
Okay to test your g*ns.
Uh-huh.
Yeah. Again.
Pick them up yet? He's got the
Air ministry on the scrambler now.
Yeah, say it again.
All right. Thanks very
Much. I'll ring you again.
"Your aircraft are approaching
The enemy coast at 24,000 feet.
"D-d-i-4-b, our intercept
Station, reports...
"The largest enemy fighter
Reaction we've recorded.
"The enemy control is ordering down
Units from as far north as denmark...
And as far south as jafue five."
Mm, here's the new wrinkle.
"The hun ground controllers
Are instructing their pilots...
To ram your
Aircraft if necessary."
Navigator, do you estimate
We've crossed the enemy coast?
Yes, sir. We sure have.
Change course...
15 Degrees left.
Heads up, everybody.
The flak's quit.
Look out for fighters.
Four f.w.s, 10 o'clock
Level, climbing.
Clock 'em. Coming
Up on the other side.
Don't yell on the
Interphone. Be specific.
- How many? Where?
- Eleven f.w.s, three o'clock.
On your toes, high squadron. Low
Squadron, here they come 12 o'clock high!
Watch it, cobb. They're
Heading for the high squadron.
Birdwell got a direct
Hit, sir. He's going down.
Two squadrons of m.e.s
Climbing at 12 o'clock, general.
I see 'em. There's six more,
Nine o'clock level, about a mile.
Gately, move that low
Squadron forward still more.
Able to baker and
Charlie force leaders.
They may fake a side attack to
Cover the real attack out of the sun.
Watch out for mass
Attacks, eight to ten abreast.
More comin' around from
One. Watch 'em, eddie. Watch 'em!
I got one! He's bailing out.
Confirm that, right-waist.
B-17 droppin' out of
Low squadron in trouble.
Keep an eye on him, left-waist.
Two men bailing out.
Three more. They're on fire.
Save your ammunition.
We got a long way to go.
Shorten bursts.
Don't waste rounds.
B-17 out of control,
Three o'clock.
There goes another
Charlie. He's spinning in, sir.
Navigator, did we make up
That two and half minutes yet?
Yes, sir, we... Watch
That f.w., Vince!
Doesn't shift any more, we'll
Be okay at control point seven.
Here come three
More. Close it up tight.
Savage to crew. How bad are
We hit? Right-waist to commander.
We're hit bad, sir, in radio
Compartment. On fire.
Well, get in there and see
What you can do about it.
Rest of crew, hold your
Stations. Let's settle down.
Bombardier to commander.
Flak at 12 o'clock level.
Well, we can forget
About fighters for a while.
Able to baker and charlie force.
Change of plans. Start your b*mb
Run from halstuben. Acknowledge.
Charlie leader. Wilco.
Baker leader to able leader.
We'll be bombing in a bad crosswind.
Secondary target looks clear.
Able to baker. No dice.
We'll hit the primary.
Repeat. Your new
I.p. Is halstuben.
Roger.
- Halstuben dead ahead, sir.
- Pilot to bombardier. Center the p.d.i.
- P.d.i. Centered, sir.
- Pilot to bombardier.
You're flying the
Airplane now. It's all yours.
b*mb bay doors open.
We clobbered 'em good. Right on
The button! We're headin' for home.
Tail-gunner, how's that
Formation back there?
Baker force reassembling okay.
Charlie force is strung out bad.
F.w.s attacking the stragglers.
Able and charlie, we'll give
You a slow turn to the left.
Cut across and get
Back in formation.
Cobb to commander. We'll be
Turning over a heavy flak belt, sir.
Can't help it, joe. Better than leaving
Those stragglers to the fighters.
That is roger.
Direct burst, sir!
Bail out, joe! Bail out!
Jump, you guys! Jump!
Well, keith, welcome
To operation stovall.
Glad to see you, frank. How
Does it look for tomorrow?
Can't tell yet. Lots of damage.
I'm sorry about joe. Well,
That's the way it goes.
Any more on the weather,
Ben? Looks okay, sir.
Good. Looks like all we got
Left to do is go get it done.
The old man was mighty
Pleased with the results, frank.
Well, he ought to be.
From the strike photos,
It looks as though tomorrow
Might wash it up if we're any good.
Did you know he went
On the mission today?
No! He slipped into
Curt may's plane.
I don't think curt knew till
He crossed the enemy coast.
So the old man's stowing
Away these days, huh?
I wish I'd have known
It. I'd a crowded 'em...
A little closer to
That flak at frankfurt.
How'd the other boys
Make out? A little rough.
But they'll put up the maximum
For tomorrow or close to it.
Good. "The maximum."
Maximum effort.
I am a little. I...
Believe I warned the general
That it might happen again sometime.
Well, what do you know.
Keep it going till tomorrow
Night, and I'll join you.
I believe I shall, sir.
Sometime I think harvey drew
The worst end of the racket.
Just sit here. Watch
'Em come and go.
Fill out all those
Stinkin' papers.
That is not why I
Am drunk tonight.
I got drunk because
I am confused.
I was thinking, which is a
Thing a man should not do,
And all at once I
Couldn't remember...
What any of them looked like.
I... I couldn't see their faces.
Bishop, cobb. Wilson, zimmy...
All of them.
All of you. They all
Looked alike. Just...
One face and...
It was very young,
And it confused me.
I think I shall stay drunk...
Until I'm not confused anymore.
Stay with it, harvey.
But if you guys want to carouse some more,
You're going to have to go someplace else.
Good night, sir.
Good night, ben.
Good night, keith. Boy,
Am I gonna sleep tonight.
Good night, sir.
Good night, colonel.
Guess it's about that time.
Good luck, frank.
Good luck, frank.
Good luck, sir.
What's the matter, sir?
I don't know.
Are you sick, sir? Arm...
Something's wrong.
It won't work. You
Want me to take it?
No. Tell, uh...
Tell... Tell gately to take it.
Yes, sir. He'll take it.
Get hold of doc kaiser.
I'll take the lead ship.
Where's my oxygen
Mask? Fra... Frank!
Frank. Come on, frank!
Come on. Get in the jeep.
Frank! Frank, are you sick?
Stop it! Stop it!
Where's keith? I'm right
Here, frank! It's okay! It's all...
Call the tower! Where's...
Where's keith?
Can't make it!
We can't go!
We can't send 'em
Out there again!
Stop them! Stop them!
Stop them. We can't
Make it! Stop them!
Cigarette, frank?
How about a smoke?
What do you make
Of it? State of shock.
Complete collapse.
Everything let go at once.
Can't you give him a hypo, doc? Something
To knock him out, put him to sleep?
No. In his present condition
It wouldn't be any good.
He's somewhere up
There with the mission.
When they get back
Maybe he'll let go.
I hope.
I did. I watched him sweep his
Feelings under the carpet long enough.
It had to spill out someday.
But I never saw him more full
Of fight than he was at briefing.
Did you ever see a
Light bulb burn out,
How bright the filament
Is just before it lets go?
I think they call
It "maximum effort."
Colonel davenport.
That's fine. Thanks very much.
The strike report, frank.
They hit the primary okay.
Gately reports results good.
They clobbered it, frank!
Frank, try and listen to me.
I know what you're feeling. I
Know just what you're feeling.
You think you blew it. What do
You expect of yourself, frank?
Look.
Look, I saw something in those
Kid's faces at briefing this morning.
Something I never put there.
You were gonna make
'Em grow up, remember?
Well, they were this morning.
You think you aren't
Up there with them?
Look, you're riding at every
Crew station and in every c*ck.
That's right,
Don't listen to me.
Just sit there and
Do it the hard way.
Tell yourself a hundred
Times a day that you blew it.
Make yourself believe
It. Take it to bed with you!
Eat your guts out till you're all
Hollow inside! Don't let anybody help you!
They're back, frank.
Six. Seven.
Eight. Nine.
Ten.
Piccadilly lily.
Eleven.
Twelve. Thirteen.
Fourteen.
Fifteen.
Sixteen.
Control tower.
Tower. You got a count, captain?
Twenty-one dispatched.
Nineteen returned, sir.
The boys really did it today.
Nineteen.
They made it.
Nineteen of them.
Who led? Ben gately.
Is-is he back all right?
Yes, frank, he's back.
I'm kind of tired.
I think I'll... Go to
Sleep for a little while.
♪ Don't sit under the apple
Tree with anyone else but me ♪
♪ Anyone else but me
Anyone else but me ♪
♪ No, no, no don't sit
Under the apple tree ♪
♪ We're poor little lambs
Who have lost our way ♪
♪ Baa, baa, baa ♪
♪ We're little black sheep
Who have gone astray ♪♪ ♪♪
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Twelve O'Clock High (1949)
Moderators: Maskath3, GabrielAlejo2341, sidolanters, Maskath3, GabrielAlejo2341, sidolanters
Watch on Amazon Merchandise Collectables
The older Classic's that just won't die. Everything from before 1960's.
The older Classic's that just won't die. Everything from before 1960's.