COMBAT AMERICA

foreign foreign foreign April morning at an air base in Colorado 40 flying fortresses line the apron four thousand men March out for a final inspection they've trained long and hard with these ships the 400 men who fly them and the 3600 who work to keep them fly now the 351st bombardment group is ready by the dawn's early light it assembles for overseas combat you're on your way Joe this is it with his staff Colonel William a Hatcher Jr looks over his four squadrons I feel the old man is proud of you he finds no fault with you today nor are you with him you'd fly his wing to Helen God Sergeant Phillip J Hall's top turret Gunner from Springfield Missouri he feels that way so does his power Kenny Sergeant Kenneth L Hall turret Gunner from Perkins Oklahoma related no they think they might have been several Generations ago back in Germany but now just two guys with the same Uncle Sam meet their pilot Lieutenant Theodore arjaropoulos of Redding California arches brother is in the Air corps too their dad was born in Greece yes the Greeks have a word for it fight their Bombardier Lieutenant Daniel F Stevens of Chicago he can bet a thousands for the Norton bomb site Sergeant Paul J pasty Paul Terry Cutter his dad came from Italy Paul was formerly a pastry cook got one brother in the Navy another a marine missing in action here's Sergeant Tim touching tail cutter from Mariana Lake New Mexico on the reservation they named him Aki that means boy in Navajo Uncle Sam's boy too a few last minute instructions and we're off the compass points Northeast [Music] look down there but you're part of the Earth desert Rose mountains those fields has grown the American way of life what you're fighting for you remember the Colonel's quiet words men the enemy has asked for it let him have it seek No Quarter nor give any Beyond Reason be firm be just godspeed you one eight and a half hours out of Newfoundland and other sunrise it's rising out of the red of battle this sun 40 more b-17s three minutes apart have roared across the Atlantic night the Irish post looks up to say top of the morning [Music] and a lake in the Ulster Highlands gives the Navigator a checkpoint Scottish Coast dernia Craig is a signal for right Rudder South across the English mittens [Music] Pilots are impatient with lack of sleep head up boy pour on the cold let's get there foreign [Music] yes it must have been a lot different when the wings carried swastikas instead of these big white stars don't worry folks we're dropping nothing today just our hats in the ring hello missy we brought something for you and brother chewing gum and chocolate bars and there's a crate of oranges in the ball turret [Music] oh there Grandpa we'll be seeing you for a glass of that and there is the base 400 Acres of dispersal areas the RAF is on hand to welcome us set her down set her down [Music] the 351st becomes part of the Eighth Air Force we've reached the Battlefront the combat Crews move into English Barracks they give them those simple quiet names for which Americans are famous [Music] two weeks later the ground Crews arrived hi I Gus great boat trip huh only seven days and without any escort too submarines oh a hundred of them huh well I guess you want to know guys they tell me he was hanging over the rail all the way next day big doings class a uniform shine those buttons his Royal harness the Duke of Gloucester brother to the king of England drops in and is greeted by the old man what's up sergeant major says the RAF is handing over the field to us [Music] foreign [Music] okay RAF if we can fit your boots we'll walk it straight rather another surprise visitor General Arnold himself doing a world inspection flight he tells you you've got a tough assignment this is one head man who knows and doesn't kid you we have the privilege to meet General Laker Commanding General Pete's Air Force yeah glad to see you how are you coming to this camera train film of yours well I should have learning to tell yet sir but we're turning a camera on everything and everybody well I know what John Arnold had in mind and having you make this gun or a picture Captain Gable our Gunners are already the best in the business but if they were all at 10 percent better it had cost the Germans another 100 Fighters a month so fire away Gunners plenty more practice before that first mission this is a funk wolf you don't he might get you and you might have to bail out over the channel perhaps but if you do a Spitfire of the air sea rescue service is bound to spot you a stubborn Tough Gang in this outfit they'll go after you Anytime Anyplace they picked up men three miles off the French Coast with highly defense batteries screaming no you don't their answer is always sorry oh boy we will [Music] [Applause] [Music] you work on your identification of aircraft over here is for The Real McCoy such as this captured ju-88 [Music] it is everything up forward punched under the nose but the Canadian pilot says it's a sweet flying ship yes sir a dangerous all-purpose aircraft or the heinkel 111k here he's a bad ombre but he makes good airplane gentlemen these will be a happy sight in days to come your fighter escort that big barrel nose job circled in white your own American P-47 the Thunderbolt side by side with a graceful spit these are what you don't shoot at you hear daily lectures on security given by Major Scott your scotch-born intelligence officer let's stop kidding ourselves this flying field is only 20 minutes from the Battlefront the dumb spies have all been shot ones are still living and you may run into one of them tonight at the Red Lion Pub and if you go to the pub remember one pound is not one dollar but four dollars and that equals twenty Shillings one shilling equals 12 pennies which equals 20 cents one English Penny equals two American pennies and don't throw your penis around a major seems to me the paper in this town is not very durable what do you mean durable after this one for 20 years [Music] foreign [Music] what is it one of those bitter lessons you learn in training flying close formation in rough Air at low altitude is no good gentlemen save that for high altitude when you're headed for the Target next morning we crawl out of the sack to find britishers on the field again big Halifax bombers that have blasted Berlin during the night their own field was closed in by weather so they dropped in on us for breakfast say at Percy how's the attack over there rough well not half of that year well Kitty olads thanks to the m A's so long Percy old boy we'll be finding out for ourselves one of these days [Music] anyway that day arrives the order comes over the teletime Communications clerk carries it to Colonel Milton operations officer Colonel Burns Deputy Commander the old man is on the phone then in the briefing room I'm summarizing wherever you rooted to this Dr point where you go northeast avoid this black area p-47s or escort you to about this point on the way in and split nines will meet you about here on the way out and escort you all the way home and now the weather officer weather's plenty important you'll probably have to go over and about the altitude that you're scheduled to fly 23 000 feet from the IP to the Target the winds will be very strong Tailwinds and your ground speed should be well above 250 260 miles an hour the visibility is good everywhere east of that cold front and the temperature at the Target should be comparatively warm minus 25 degrees Centigrade [Music] today is your baptism of Fire if Lieutenant R geropolis ever felt responsibility he feels it now in the Armament shop his crew is picking up their guns now remember fellas don't let him get too close trying for a sure kill s back he's got plenty of ammunitions keep them out there at long range all we know they've given you an easy hop only three and a half hours in and out what they call a milk rub but you'll remember this first mission you don't admit it now you wouldn't show it for the world but later you find out everybody else felt the same way you did nice order from Wing headquarters Wayne wants three more ships added to the High group three more bombays have to be loaded step on it the positions in the formation change [Music] this doesn't concern sergeants Kenny and Phil Halls Gunners think only a smooth working guns and plenty of ammunition ammunition is cheap six cents worth of 50 caliber wanged into the cockpit of a measurement that's what will bring you home [Music] what did that weatherman say 30 below over the target electrically heated suits the air core dresses for every occasion yes everything has to be right brother check everything every strap tight every Buckle set everything understood [Music] you get into your Flex Zone Mighty heavy material but it wears well the man says the thermos of hot coffee The Joker who brings it says it'll help keep you awake drops on his throat mine over this intercom system he'll be able to talk to every man in the ship they can talk to him they'll be talking for Keeps today [Applause] [Music] well that's clear from the tower ought to be a long any minute now [Applause] [Music] there it is start engines the Colonel's already been on missions the seasoned outfits today he leads you on your first [Music] second player start Taxi thank you [Music] punch Wing to Wing at the start of the runway and how slow you cut somebody's tail off grab her up and ride those brakes hard Brett Roger did you keep your eye on the tower take off the old man leans full on his throttle 15 second intervals you follow [Music] him over the feet you're on your way the rest of the outfit sits down to wait go ahead Mike your deal come on I cut oh okay what time are they due back do you know God he said around 5 20. I sure hope they all hey how many are dealing I'm in sorry we know Mike everybody's sweating them out you mean what's coming over those trees major no that's not them just a flock of crows that was a truck driver on Canal Street but I never felt like this before all right the ambulances I gotta be casual you know carefree and easy like the doc listen Wise Guys talk to us the ground crew for each ship we'll tell you how to feel okay here they are 14. that's the stuff 17 18 19 20. here's the old man and Jenny yeah that's your ship Corbin you can uncross those fingers now six two seven that's Joe fishels a little hot Joe and you're a hot pilot here's kegelin 742. talk him up here's old zip and 879 step number four prop feather two here's nine five three with number two out and look Jim couldn't get his Bombay doors closed either oh the old okay sign huh sergeant must have laid him right on the nose yeah old he said he saw him land right on the MPI nice bombing Steve that's from me Pete provenzali your Navigator okay Phil shock up number one nice driving Captain Arch you sure know your evasive action uh oh Harry caught something 20 millimeter right across His Radio arj looks at a hole in the horizontal stabilizer nothing at all right Pete come on let's stole these guns and get to interrogation yeah you're feeling pretty cocky nobody blames you great to get that first one over with this one was pretty easy remember you got a lot more to go longer ones tougher ones take it easy boys take it easy back from the raid comes major Lewis Nowak group surgeon doc flew this first mission to study the physical reactions of men in combat he didn't have to go but that's the kind of a duck he is and today on the walls of the officer's mess Begins the chronological record of the group's success who trained a German fighter base in Belgium and he doesn't live there anymore in the meantime we find Kenny and Phil cleaning their guns in front of the Armament shop hello Captain hello fellas well how was it you know Captain I don't think those Germans like that are you ready to go again sure you gotta get this thing over did you learn anything you didn't know before planning at home they toasted Jerry's made most of their attacks on the tail today most of them are on the nose yeah most the time I had my third point at 12 o'clock it must have fired a thousand rounds I call his gun can't hold that yes check those guns you had plenty more use for them the next two weeks emden Hill Helen's hopping Satan is there Raymond and every swastika stands for a hun pilot that asked for it and got it [Music] came days when enemy targets were hidden by weather so the more energetic have you found relaxation in peaceful combat well the more studious men discuss tactical charts and maps or something yeah about the more culture of the group like Kenny and Phil went into the nearby villages to visit the quaint old cathedrals churches and shops in the English Countryside surrounding us or on days when they were confined near the base the old Cathedrals and shops would come out to see them [Music] Hmm this little shop wants to go home meanwhile back of the kitchen we find a very unhappy and angry man hello hello I thought so closer but I've been grounded oh you're past broke up on you yes sir they found I was chef at the Brown Derby in Hollywood and now they have me in the mess making the cake tonight for the officer's party nothing you can do about getting back into combat I don't think so captain well Sergeant remember this there are two kinds of cake Waterman's good and the other one I'll be seeing [Applause] the cows are potties you're still fighting a war and you're getting mighty good at it nobody knows it better than the sucker who started it until hey dog oh Sergeant boasting back into combat huh yes sir how'd you manage it sounds good you know what you said there are two kinds of cake [Music] so Frosty's back in the air with you you're blowing factories and power plants a thousand feet in the air okay how about you Winchester well yeah a little excitement I have a present here for you what's that Black came in the side of the radio room and hits the Buckle in my parachute down the floor who wrote This Plane uh bill uh what time was that it was about 1600 hours 1500 hours where'd it happen did you know it's right here just east of Us East apartment that's right we'll confirmed that well I saw it I confirmed it after he fired it came down and passed underneath her left wing and exploded right underneath it nobody just bailed out from and when you hand out punishment like this you've got to take some too the day you got back from overvillain just outside of Paris was plenty rubbing signal flares that means wounded abort what's tough about it was you've had to bring your bombs back you couldn't drop when you reached a Target you found it closed over by weather that's an order when you're flying over France no indiscriminate bombing just German installations foreign [Music] who led the raid is a tired sick guy this day nobody blames it he had to fight his way three hours in three hours out under constant attack by over 200 messerschmitts and Fork wolves he lost men he lost ships and couldn't strike his blow that's rough here's Peter provenzali remember him art is Navigator today he got a 20 millimeter through the lake foreign [Music] cable sharpened two some wounded Gunner wouldn't quit he tied them together who's in there both waste Gunners huh the docs are working on them now one's pretty bad easy now you guys it's Bob Wallace co-pilot slammed one through the cockpit tore in the Wally below his knee [Music] bulletproof glass well Sergeant guess you live right yes the bombardiers with their first aid kits had plenty of work today crawling back through the bombays trying to keep a steady hand in the rough going many of your pals left you that day foreign [Music] [Music] [Music] foreign [Applause] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Applause] what it is [Music] breaking up you guys there's another loading but if you happen to catch one in the wrong place they've got a pretty nice repair shop [Music] ever see a sergeant flip a tulip in a Lieutenant's face well you just did yeah while the gang at the base Carries On you can take it easy for a while [Music] how the fighting Sarge nice fat price huh this one's been stretched a little we drop in on Lieutenant Bob Wallace to see how he's doing how you feeling paid I'll be out here in a couple of weeks oh miss O'Neill it's Captain Gable how do you do Captain how you doing well I never got a chance to ask you uh tell me just what happened when you got hit well we'd left the target we were on our way home we got the post and we had our guns towed away a couple FW snuck up on us and gave us a good burst oh I see you had your gun stowed away huh that's right about a little early wasn't it it certainly was it's not a very good idea to relax over here until you get back to your own base is that right that's right well go ahead then then what happened well we uh after I got hit I climbed down Out of the Furnace compartment and uh got the top turret going to help me down in the bomb V he gave me some first aid and put the tourniquet on my leg and took a good good job of it well that's fine I guess you think it's a good idea for these combat Crews to have first aid training then is that right I sure do yeah so Wally what do you think of the b-17s your uh instruments your guns and all the rest of equipment they're giving you to fight this war with the best equipment in the world that's good say I hear you got your purple heart too yes Colonel kennel was in the other day and gave it to me I was more nervous when those FWS were diving well outside of that are they treating you all right around here did you hear that Miss O'Neal Wally's doing okay back at the base they repair your ships too the busiest legs in the outfit belong to Major Ace Aiken the S4 his airplane's got to fly in the morning don't be ready so major I don't know sir well the town will start more let's get the fans turning keep the fans turning slogan of the ground growth they work hard these boys they worked 90 hours straight without sleep your ship is there baby and she's got to fly and if you need to repair a few thoughts Sunday's always a nice day for it if there's no raid scheduled [Music] and no can build 900 years ago over at the hospital father O'Connor celebrates the mass [Music] the boys receive Holy Communion here's Pete provenzali he's leaving the hospital tomorrow [Music] foreign [Music] [Music] [Music] he didn't order general orders number 93 headquarters Nate's bomber command 7th July 1943. you can't get out of it you know they pin medals on you for this sort of work it's not so much a thrill for you it's a big kick and we'll hand the folks back home Silver Star distinguished flying cross soldiers Medical and more on that certain girl they'll cut out the clippings and drive the neighbor's nuts Bombardier Stevens the DFC because he's been batting a thousand over Germany and won the pilot Peters he had to ditch in the channel and his coolness and courage saved his crew who always gets two clusters on his air medal or straight shooting the BFC to Tim Touchin a [ __ ] wolf and a mountain lion no difference he says the control wires were shutting too so the DFC to Sergeant Del Connie who tied them together his hands punctured with flat Silver Star finds itself next to provenzali's Purple Heart he refused first aid till the Jerry Fighters quit and stuck to his gun the day the group led the wing over schweinfert panel Hatcher was air Commander to him the Silver Star [Music] see to Kenny Halls Reynold Rose is smiling because Kenneth was having a Coke in the PX and his name was called are you forgetting your five confirmed Jerry sergeant we're not and they don't forget you when you're a little battle weary and need a rest had a very gay Seaside Community a world famous resort hotel has been converted for your pleasure by the Red Cross great place here sleep eat or what have you hey thank you not on your life Clark none of that here oh but look guys just a few shots oh we're here for a rest right you guys all right well all right then how's this I'll follow him around with a silent camera for one day don't have to say a word good deal good deal an English Surrey with a fringe on top nice Fringe carry you to the old swimming hole foreign [Music] foreign [Music] back at the base are doing why they're getting a few laughs too we left the man who's handing them out tell you about it hello everybody this is Bob somewhere in good old Jolly hope laying a few eggs for the boys that really know how to lay them yes sir this is one of the happier cow passes that we worked in over there in England and look who's dancing you know I used to dance with Fred Astaire we couldn't get girls and right here you see Jack pepper she was just through the courtesy of his draft board this picture's a little dark I understand but after we were there a couple weeks we got a little braver and we started to work with the lights on this is really a great great crowd out there tonight and I understand Rhett Butler Is On The Fringe of the crowd to tell me that they stopped him from flying in those b-17s they claimed his ears held a plane back nice little scene shows pepper trying to get his expense money look at that mob you should have heard him cheer when Francis Langford walked out and when Tony Romano played the guitar yes sir you'll never know how this bunch of boys picked up our morale [Music] but again the weather breaks over the continent [Music] well you've been out eight days in a row and done a doubleheader over France on the night this man's air force is piling it on new combat Wings have been added two air divisions formed so you're not very surprised when General acre comes that day something's big enough he goes into the briefing room to confer with the old man and his staff call in the Squadron commanders even the flight Commanders what did he tell them your four Squadron CEOs they know but don't don't just win a little with excitement it's something big all right because the farm dumps have been getting plenty of heavy stuff lately and a loading order came through this afternoon stand by more than that Wing racks we're really going to pile It Off that night as always when you know a real Dilly is coming up you're a little Restless out in the dispersals you hear them winding up those engines [Music] that's all right ground crew make them sing make them sing good [Music] all right you side breakfast at three breathing at four okay man for security is safe anyone know what the target is for today Sage is there Brussels here oh we'll see all right sir [Applause] all right penetration for this group we've got a A plus part over here we've got together today okay gentlemen stations are at 505 start engines 605 it's actually at 6 15. take off 6 30. got it that's all okay man let's go get this turret and then we'll take the Jabs [Music] [Music] [Music] foreign [Music] [Music] foreign [Music] [Music] [Music] ten thousand feet go on oxygen check in your station [Music] at the designated splicer Point still over friendly territory rendezvous with other groups your combat Wing Banks into position then Wing after Wing as far as the eye can believe the attack Falls heads for its assigned targets 500 miles away this moment your fighter escort is still on the ground guarding its limited fuel capacity now flight control gives a signal to the Thunderbolts they climb upstairs to overtake you [Music] [Applause] foreign foreign [Music] that's right you guys laugh it off right now a bum joke goes better than two fingers of rye around three hours out Arch looks at his watch he knows it's time for the fighter escort to turn back from all over the ship you watch them leave you're really on the ball now because you know that enemy Fighters will appear any minute they know exactly where you are they've been watching the stratosphere condense off your wingtips giving you away in Long Trails of magnificent treachery [Music] here they are nine o'clock high enemy Fighters same thing at three o'clock yes at least those Paper Trails work both ways Arch watches the enemy formations as they parallel your course seems obvious they're staying out of range going out ahead to turn in for a frontal attack High all turrets swing about to help guard the rear top turrets hunt the sky above in all directions some more out there keep your eyes peeled how it comes the enemy pours in at you from every point on the dial two more time watch it thank you O'Clock High [Music] level no he's going alone smoking on number four he's going out and down check to shoot you guys one shoot out of the tail two out of the waist another two boys out of the nose there's two more pilot the tail pilot the tail let me know how they back there Roger Miner six o'clock coming through yep [Music] two 190s High nobody got one of them on the button a Jerry pilot bailout he's not walking away from it still in Maryland at you there's a plenty long uncuts in this enemy another 17 hit and again you have to close the gap in the formation and again and again they come 12 o'clock high four o'clock left out of the Sun and up from the ground thank you more coming through five o'clock you're Crossing another flat area it's heavier this time so black and thick you can almost hear it affected by the number four cover my account everybody [Music] [Music] there's another one working can you help him no can do sir out of range beginning of smoke screens announces the approach to the Target area the enemy's been caught off guard he trying to cover up too late in desperation through his own flag the final hun fighter makes a pass at the low Squadron but still [Music] black you think foreign this is your attack all right Steve we're on the IP I got her Bombay doors open [Music] good run now Steve I'm on it yes Make It Count bumper there's they build these ships around you bombs away group picks out his MPI in the dark area let's go with the heavy stuff and the big incendiaries the High group heads for the industrial section and hands out the same medicine foreign group turns for the adjacent air drum blast the field the hangers and repair shops with hundreds of deadly anti-personnel bombs a nice pattern bomber there good deal can't hear what's going on down there five miles below you but marshalling yards and chemical tanks ships and warehouses spare engines and ball bearing factories are disintegrating in molten chaos [Music] foreign you said Americans were soft and decadent well here's a red white and blue headache that'll help you change your mind [Music] the Bombay doors closed you take a last look at the Target area the smoke from its burning debris Rises sixteen thousand feet into the air or flat he ain't still good down there how about this trip home is it going to be rough pilot to grow pilot to crew well you guys we're over an hour out they haven't come back at us yet looks like we're lucky this trip enemy Fighters 11 o'clock I foreign [ __ ] I got him I'll say you did bailing out either another 110 at 10 o'clock is your s there he goes here's my pigeon novel commanders throw their pilots into formation with suicide on it and that's what they get formation is tighter than ever and you're not sparing ammunition come down like Fallon one more [Music] and another thank you he's through one right behind him another two in a row for the boys up forward that's mine sure Joe I'll confirm him all right get this 110. all around here I Jerry it's all for today I'm gonna spit right I'm down for you [Music] foreign [Music] but not the end of the battle fighting men from Maine to California still have a long tough rainbow to travel but they're looking the enemy right between his eyes they're fighting in the American way their American way of life enemy of America look at these men they're not gonna lose brother [Music]