All language subtitles for 12 HEURES

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 war.

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 killed, 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 war.

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 cockeyed 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 take off.

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.

- Shoot.
- 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?

- Are you gonna drive them till they crack?
- Take it easy, Keith.

Take it easy? Bomber 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 shoot 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 Bomber 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 war...

...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 war
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 tramp 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. #

Remove your cap
in the club, Major.

- 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 war, a shooting war.
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 take off.

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.

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 war.

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 Bomb 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 bomb 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 gun 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 guns.

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.
- Shoot.

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!

- McIllhenny, 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 killed.

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, cocktails 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.

Start engines: 0710.

Taxi: 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.

McIllhenny!

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 gun.

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?

McIllhenny, 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 shooting, 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 guns.

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 bomb 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.

Bomb 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.

Are you drunk,
Colonel Stovall?

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.

It's screwy. I wouldn't ever have
figured it could happen to him.

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 cockpit.

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. #

# With anyone else but me.
Till I come marching home. #

# With anyone else but me.
Till I come marching home. #

# We're poor little lambs
who have lost our way. #

# Baa, baa, baa. #

# We're little black sheep who have gone astray. #