- 2 days ago
Conflict Across America explores a turbulent period marked by nationwide unrest, internal struggles, and escalating confrontations. From city streets to remote regions, this story captures the intensity of conflict shaping a divided nation. Blending historical context with dramatic tension, it presents a powerful look at the forces that drive conflict, resistance, and change across America.
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00:01:30You feel the old man is proud of you.
00:01:32He finds no fault with you today, nor you with him.
00:01:36You'd fly his wing to hell and gone.
00:01:39Sergeant Philip J. Halls, top turret gunner from Springfield, Missouri.
00:01:42He feels that way.
00:01:44So does his pal Kenny.
00:01:45Sergeant Kenneth L. Halls, ball turret gunner from Perkins, Oklahoma.
00:01:49Related?
00:01:50No.
00:01:51They think they might have been several generations ago back in Germany.
00:01:54But now, just two guys with the same uncle.
00:01:57Sam.
00:01:59Meet their pilot, Lieutenant Theodore Argyropoulos of Redding, California.
00:02:03Argy's brother is in the Air Corps, too.
00:02:06Their dad was born in Greece.
00:02:08Yes, the Greeks have a word for it.
00:02:10Fight.
00:02:12Their bombardier, Lieutenant Daniel F. Stevens of Chicago.
00:02:16He can bat a thousand for the Norton bomb sight.
00:02:19Sergeant Paul J. Posty, Paul Turricunner.
00:02:22His dad came from Italy.
00:02:23Paul was formerly a pastry cook.
00:02:25He's got one brother in the Navy.
00:02:27Another, a Marine.
00:02:29Missing in action.
00:02:30Here's Sergeant Tim Touchett, tail gunner from Mariana Lake, New Mexico.
00:02:33On the reservation, they named him Aki.
00:02:37That means boy in Navajo.
00:02:39Uncle Sam's boy, too.
00:02:41A few last-minute instructions, and we're off.
00:02:44The compass points northeast.
00:02:49Take another look down there.
00:02:51That's your part of the earth.
00:02:53Out of that desert, those mountains, those fields, has grown the American way of life.
00:02:58What you're fighting for.
00:03:00You remember the colonel's quiet words?
00:03:02Men, the enemy has asked for it.
00:03:06Let him have it.
00:03:08Seek no quarter, nor give any beyond reason.
00:03:12Be firm.
00:03:14Be just.
00:03:15And Godspeed you all.
00:03:18Eight and a half hours out of Newfoundland, another sunrise.
00:03:22It's rising out of the red of battle, this sun.
00:03:25But 40 more B-17s, three minutes apart, have roared across the Atlantic night.
00:03:32The Irish coast looks up to, say, top of the morning.
00:03:35And a lake in the Ulster Highlands gives the navigator a checkpoint.
00:03:42Off the Scottish coast, Dernia Craig is a signal for right rudder south, across the English Midlands.
00:03:51Pilots are impatient with lack of sleep.
00:03:54Atta boy, pour on the cold.
00:03:56Let's get there.
00:03:56Yes, it must have been a lot different when the wings carried swastikas.
00:04:26Instead of these big white stars.
00:04:28Don't worry, folks.
00:04:30We're dropping nothing today.
00:04:31Just our hats.
00:04:32In the ring.
00:04:34Hello, Missy.
00:04:35We've brought something for you and brother.
00:04:37Chewing gum and chocolate bars.
00:04:39And there's a crate of oranges in the ball turret.
00:04:43Ah, there, Grandpa.
00:04:45We'll be seeing you for a glass of that.
00:04:48And there is the base.
00:04:51400 acres of dispersal areas.
00:04:56The RAF is on hand to welcome us.
00:05:02Set her down, Colonel.
00:05:04Set her down.
00:05:05The 351st becomes part of the 8th Air Force.
00:05:18We've reached the battlefront.
00:05:23The combat crews move into English barracks.
00:05:26They give them those simple, quiet names for which Americans are famous.
00:05:30Two weeks later, the ground crews arrive.
00:05:49Hiya, Gus.
00:05:50Great boat trip, huh?
00:05:51Only seven days and without any escort, too, hmm?
00:05:54See any submarines?
00:05:56Oh, a hundred of them, huh?
00:05:57Well, I guess you ought to know, Gus.
00:05:59They tell me you was hanging over the rail all the way.
00:06:03Next day, big doings.
00:06:05Class A uniform.
00:06:06Shine those buttons.
00:06:08His Royal Highness, the Duke of Foster.
00:06:11Brother to the King of England.
00:06:12Drops in and is greeted by the old man.
00:06:15What's up?
00:06:17Sergeant Major says the RAF is handing over the field to us.
00:06:20On behalf of the Air Ministry, I hand over this character.
00:06:47I hand over the field to the building for your safe keeping.
00:06:52It gives me great pleasure to accept the station on behalf of the United States Army Air Force.
00:06:57Okay, RAF, if we can fit your boots, we'll walk it straight, brother.
00:07:22Another surprise visitor.
00:07:30General Arnold himself, doing a world inspection flight.
00:07:34He tells you you've got a tough assignment.
00:07:37This is one head man who knows and doesn't kid you.
00:07:41We have the privilege to meet General Aker.
00:07:44Commanding General 8th Air Force.
00:07:46All right, sir.
00:07:47Yeah, glad to see you.
00:07:48How are you coming to this camera, a training film of yours?
00:07:51Well, it's a little early to tell you, sir.
00:07:53But we're turning a camera on everything and everybody.
00:07:56I know what General Arnold had in mind in having you make this gunner a picture.
00:08:00Captain Gable, our gunners are already the best in the business.
00:08:03But if they were only 10% better, it would cost the Germans another hundred fighters a month.
00:08:09So fire away, gunners.
00:08:11Plenty more practice before that first mission.
00:08:13Sleeve is a folk wolf.
00:08:16Track him.
00:08:17If you don't, he might get you.
00:08:19And you might have to bail out.
00:08:21Over the channel, perhaps.
00:08:23But if you do, a spitfire of the Air-Sea Rescue Service is bound to spot you.
00:08:29A stubborn, tough gang, this outfit.
00:08:32They'll go after you any time, any place.
00:08:35They've picked up men three miles off the French coast with Heidi defense batteries screaming,
00:08:40No, you don't.
00:08:42Their answer is always,
00:08:44Sorry, old boy.
00:08:45We will.
00:08:46You work on your identification of aircraft.
00:09:05Over here, it's with a real McCoy, such as this captured Ju-88.
00:09:14Well, there it is.
00:09:16Everything up forward, punched under the nose.
00:09:19But the Canadian pilot says it's a sweet flying ship.
00:09:22Yes, sir.
00:09:23A dangerous all-purpose aircraft.
00:09:27Or the Heinkel 111K.
00:09:32Here he's a bad hombre.
00:09:34But he makes good airplane, gentlemen.
00:09:39These will be a happy sight in days to come.
00:09:41Your fighter escort.
00:09:43That big barrel nose job, circled in white.
00:09:46Your own American P-47, the Thunderbolt.
00:09:49Side by side with a graceful spit.
00:09:52These are what you don't shoot at.
00:09:53You hear daily lectures on security, given by Major Scott, your Scotch-born intelligence officer.
00:10:03Let's stop kidding ourselves.
00:10:06This flying field is only 20 minutes from the battlefront.
00:10:10The dumb spies have all been shot.
00:10:16The smart ones are still living.
00:10:19And here we run into one of them tonight at the Red Lion Pub.
00:10:23And if you go to the pub...
00:10:26Remember, one phone is not one dollar, but four dollars.
00:10:32And that equals 20 shillings.
00:10:35One shilling equals 12 pennies, which equals 20 cents.
00:10:43One English penny equals two American pennies.
00:10:48And don't throw your pennies it out.
00:10:52Uh, Major, seems to me the patron's power is not very durable.
00:10:56What do you mean durable?
00:10:57I have a distance for 20 years.
00:10:59What is it, Fred?
00:11:10What is it?
00:11:11One of those bitter lessons you learn in training.
00:11:14Flying close formation in rough air at low altitude is no good, gentlemen.
00:11:19Save that for high altitude when you're headed for the target.
00:11:22Next morning, we crawl out of the sack to find Britishers on the field again.
00:11:43Big Halifax bombers that have blasted Berlin during the night.
00:11:47Their own field was closed in by weather, so they dropped in on us for breakfast.
00:11:52Say, uh, Percy, how's the yack-ack over there?
00:11:55Rough?
00:11:56Oh, not half that yack.
00:11:58Well, chitty old lads, thanks to the M&H.
00:12:02So long, Percy, old boy.
00:12:04We'll be finding out for ourselves one of these days.
00:12:13That day arrives.
00:12:15The order comes over the teletype.
00:12:17The communications clerk carries it to Colonel Milton, operations officer.
00:12:27To Colonel Burns, deputy commander.
00:12:29The old man is on the phone.
00:12:32Then in the briefing room...
00:12:34And summarizing, remember, you read in to this DR point where you go northeast to avoid this
00:12:40black area.
00:12:42P-47s will escort you to about this point on the way in.
00:12:47And Spit-9s will meet you about here on the way out and escort you all the way home.
00:12:53And now the weather officer.
00:12:54Weather's plenty important.
00:12:55You'll probably have to go over and above the altitude that you're scheduled to fly, 23,000 feet.
00:13:03From the IP to the target, the winds will be very strong tailwinds.
00:13:09And your ground speed will be, well, about 250, 260 miles an hour.
00:13:15The visibility is good everywhere east of that full front.
00:13:18And the temperature at the target should be convertibly warm, minus 25 degrees centigrade.
00:13:30Today is your baptism of fire.
00:13:34If Lieutenant Argyropoulos ever felt responsibility, he feels it now.
00:13:39In the armament shop, his crew is picking up their guns.
00:13:43Now remember, fellas.
00:13:44Don't let them get too close to him for a sure kill.
00:13:48Your main job is to bring these airplanes back.
00:13:51Get plenty of ammunition.
00:13:54Keep them out there at long range.
00:13:56All we know, they've given you an easy hop.
00:13:59Only three and a half hours in and out.
00:14:01What they call a milk run.
00:14:04But you'll remember this first mission.
00:14:06If you don't admit it now, you wouldn't show it for the world.
00:14:10But later you find out everybody else felt the same way you did.
00:14:14Slice order from wing headquarters.
00:14:16Wing wants three more ships added to the high group.
00:14:20Three more bomb bays have to be loaded.
00:14:22Have to step on them.
00:14:23The positions in the formation change.
00:14:25This doesn't concern Sgt. Kenny and Phil Hulls.
00:14:45Gunners think only of smooth working guns and plenty of ammunition.
00:14:48Ammunition's cheap.
00:14:51Six cents worth of .50 caliber wanged into the cockpit of a Messerschmitt.
00:14:55That's what will bring you home.
00:14:59What did that weatherman say?
00:15:0030 below over the target?
00:15:03Electrically heated suits.
00:15:05The Air Corps dresses for every occasion.
00:15:06Yes, everything has to be right, brother.
00:15:10Check everything.
00:15:12Every strap tight.
00:15:14Every buckle set.
00:15:16Everything understood.
00:15:18You get into your flak suit.
00:15:23Mighty heavy material, but it wears well, the man says.
00:15:27A thermos of hot coffee.
00:15:29The joker who brings it says it will help keep you awake.
00:15:34Arch straps on his throat pipe.
00:15:36Over this intercom system, he'll be able to talk to every man in the ship.
00:15:40And they can talk to him.
00:15:42They'll be talking for keeps today.
00:15:44Well, that flare from the tower ought to be along any minute now.
00:15:58There it is.
00:15:59Start engines.
00:16:01The colonel's already been on missions.
00:16:03Seasoned outfits.
00:16:04Today, he leads you on your first.
00:16:14Second flare.
00:16:38Start taxi.
00:16:44Practice.
00:17:01Flash.
00:17:03lache.
00:17:07Lache.
00:17:11Lache.
00:17:12Punch wing to wing at the start of the runway.
00:17:32Easy now, slow.
00:17:33Cut somebody's tail off.
00:17:35Rev her up, but ride those brakes hard, Brent.
00:17:37Roger.
00:17:38You keep your eye on the tower.
00:17:43Take off.
00:17:45The old man leans full on his throttle.
00:17:48At 15 second intervals, you follow.
00:18:12You form over the feet.
00:18:19You're on your way.
00:18:27The rest of the outfit sits down to wait.
00:18:35Go ahead, Mike.
00:18:37Your deal.
00:18:38Come on, I cut.
00:18:39Oh, okay.
00:18:42What time are they due back, do you know?
00:18:44Scotty said around 520.
00:18:46Gosh.
00:18:48I sure hope they all...
00:18:49Hey, how many of you dealing I'm in?
00:18:52Sorry.
00:18:54We know, Mike.
00:18:56Everybody's sweating them out.
00:19:01You mean what's coming over those trees, Major?
00:19:04No, that's not them.
00:19:06Just a flock of crows.
00:19:07I was a truck driver on Canal Street, but I never felt like this before.
00:19:13I'll ride the ambulances.
00:19:15I gotta be casual.
00:19:16You know, carefree and easy.
00:19:18Like the dock.
00:19:20Listen, wise guys.
00:19:21Talk to us.
00:19:22The ground crew for each ship.
00:19:23We'll tell you how to feel.
00:19:27Okay.
00:19:28Here they are.
00:19:291, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 13, 14.
00:19:39That's the stuff.
00:19:4017, 18, 19, 20.
00:19:44Here's the old man in Kenny.
00:19:46Yeah, that's your ship, Corporal.
00:19:54You can uncross those fingers now.
00:19:576, 2, 7.
00:19:59That's Joe Frischels.
00:20:00A little hot, Joe.
00:20:01But you're a hot pilot.
00:20:02Here's Kegel in 7, 4, 2.
00:20:17Chalk him up.
00:20:18Here's old Zip in 8, 7, 9.
00:20:21He's got number 4 prop feather, too.
00:20:24Here's 9, 5, 3 with number 2 out.
00:20:27And look.
00:20:28Jim couldn't get his bomb bay doors closed, either.
00:20:30Oh, the old OK sign, huh, Sergeant?
00:20:46Must have laid him right on the nose.
00:20:49Yep.
00:20:50Oh, he says he saw him land right on the MPI.
00:20:56Nice bombing, Steve.
00:20:58That's from me, Pete Provenzale, your navigator.
00:21:03OK, Phil.
00:21:04Chalk up number 1.
00:21:06Nice driving, Captain Arge.
00:21:08You sure know your evasive action.
00:21:10Uh-oh.
00:21:11Harry caught something.
00:21:13A 20 millimeter right across his radio.
00:21:16Arge looks at a hole in the horizontal stabilizer.
00:21:18Nothing at all.
00:21:20Hiya, Pete.
00:21:20Come on, let's throw these guns and get to interrogation.
00:21:26Yeah, you're feeling pretty cocky.
00:21:28Nobody blamed you.
00:21:30It's great to get that first one over with.
00:21:33But this one was pretty easy, remember?
00:21:35You got a lot more to go.
00:21:37Longer ones, tougher ones.
00:21:40Take it easy, boys.
00:21:41Take it easy.
00:21:42Back from the raid comes Major Louis Nowak, group surgeon.
00:21:48Doc flew this first mission to study the physical reactions of men in combat.
00:21:52He didn't have to go, but that's the kind of a doc he is.
00:21:56And today, on the walls of the officer's mess, begins the chronological record of the group's success.
00:22:00Coutre, a German fighter base in Belgium.
00:22:07And he doesn't live there anymore.
00:22:10In the meantime, we find Kenny and Phil cleaning their guns in front of the armament shop.
00:22:16Hello, Captain.
00:22:17Hello, fellas.
00:22:19Well, how is it?
00:22:20You know, Captain, I don't think those Germans like it.
00:22:23Are you ready to go again?
00:22:24Sure.
00:22:25Gotta get this thing over.
00:22:27Did you learn anything you didn't know before?
00:22:29Funny.
00:22:29At home, they told the Jerry's they'd both their tanks on a tail.
00:22:33Today, most of them are on the nose.
00:22:34Yeah.
00:22:35Most of the time, I had my turret pointed at 12 o'clock.
00:22:39I must have fired a thousand rounds.
00:22:40Let's go all these guns, Ken.
00:22:42All set.
00:22:43Yes, check those guns.
00:22:45You'll have plenty more use for them the next two weeks.
00:22:48Hemded.
00:22:49Heal.
00:22:50Thillamshoppel.
00:22:51St. Desair.
00:22:53Raymond.
00:22:54And every swastika stands for a Han pilot that asked for it and got it.
00:22:59Came days when enemy targets were hidden by weather.
00:23:14So the more energetic of you found relaxation in peaceful combat.
00:23:18While the more studious men discussed tactical charts and maps.
00:23:22Or something.
00:23:25Where they have found the kennel.
00:23:27Yes.
00:23:29But the more cultured of the group, like Kenny and Phil, went into the nearby villages to visit
00:23:34the quaint old cathedrals.
00:23:36Churches and shops in the English countryside surrounding us.
00:23:39Or on days when they were confined near the base, the old cathedrals and shops would come out to see them.
00:23:51Hmm.
00:23:52This little shop wants to go home.
00:23:56Meanwhile, back at the kitchen, we find a very unhappy and angry man.
00:24:01Hello, Sergeant Posty.
00:24:05Hello, Captain Gable.
00:24:07That's good.
00:24:08I thought you were a volunteer, Bennett.
00:24:10I thought so too, sir, but I've been grounded.
00:24:12Oh.
00:24:12Your past sets up on you, huh?
00:24:14Yes, sir.
00:24:15They found I was chef at the Brown Derby in Hollywood, and now they have me in the mess,
00:24:18making the cake come after the officer's party.
00:24:21Nothing you can do about getting back in the company?
00:24:23I don't think so, Captain.
00:24:26Well, Sergeant, remember this.
00:24:27There are two kinds of cake.
00:24:30One of them's good, and the other one...
00:24:34I'll be seeing.
00:24:39But gals or parties, you're still fighting a war.
00:24:43And you're getting mighty good at it.
00:24:45Nobody knows it better than the sucker who started it.
00:24:48Little Adolf.
00:24:53Well, Sergeant Posty, back at the contact, huh?
00:24:57Yes, sir.
00:24:59How'd you manage it?
00:25:01Well, sir.
00:25:02You know what you said.
00:25:03Well, sometimes it's cake.
00:25:07So, Posty's back in the air with you.
00:25:09You're blowing factories and power plants a thousand feet in the air.
00:25:16Okay, how about you, Winchester?
00:25:18Well, I have a little excitement.
00:25:19What happened?
00:25:20I have a little present here for you.
00:25:22What's that?
00:25:26Black?
00:25:26Came in the side of the radio room and picked the buffer on my parachute.
00:25:30It's on the floor.
00:25:31Who left this plane?
00:25:33Bill.
00:25:35What time was that?
00:25:37It was about $1,600.
00:25:39$1,600.
00:25:40Where did it happen?
00:25:42You know?
00:25:43Well, it's right here just east of Austin.
00:25:45East of Austin.
00:25:47Yes, sir.
00:25:47Who confirmed that?
00:25:49I saw it.
00:25:49I confirmed it.
00:25:51After he fired it, it came down and passed underneath their left wing and exploded right underneath it.
00:25:58Nobody's bailed out.
00:26:01And when you hand out punishment like this, you've got to take some, too.
00:26:07The day you got back from over Velo-Cublais, just outside of Paris, was plenty rugged.
00:26:12Signal flares.
00:26:18That means wounded aboard.
00:26:21What's tough about it was you had to bring your bombs back.
00:26:25You couldn't drop them.
00:26:27When you reached a target, you found it closed over by weather.
00:26:32That's an order when you're flying over France.
00:26:35No indiscriminate bombing.
00:26:38Just German installations.
00:26:39Colonel Milton, who led the raid, is a tired, sick guy this day.
00:27:09And nobody blames him.
00:27:11He had to fight his way three hours in, three hours out.
00:27:16Under constant attack by over 200 Messerschmitts and folk wolves.
00:27:21He lost men.
00:27:24He lost ships.
00:27:26And couldn't strike his blow.
00:27:29That's rough.
00:27:30Here's Peter Provenzale.
00:27:35Remember him?
00:27:36Arch's navigator.
00:27:38Today, he got a 20 millimeter through the lake.
00:27:41Control cable shot him, too.
00:27:56But some wounded gunner wouldn't quit.
00:27:58He tied them together.
00:27:59And there.
00:28:12Both waste gunners, huh?
00:28:14The docks are working on them now.
00:28:16One's pretty bad.
00:28:17Fearless gunner.
00:28:38Fearless gunner.
00:28:40Fearless gunner.
00:28:41Fearless gunner.
00:28:42All right.
00:28:42You'll see there.
00:28:43You'll see this again.
00:28:44In this case, look.
00:28:45Easy now, you guys. It's Bob Wallace, co-pilot.
00:28:50Slammed one through the cockpit, tore in the wallet below his knee.
00:29:08Bulletproof glass. Well, Sergeant, guess you live right.
00:29:15Yes, the bombardiers with their first aid kits had plenty of work today, crawling back through the bomb bays trying to keep a steady hand in the rough going.
00:29:42Many of your pals left you that day.
00:29:45Getting dissolved.
00:29:50At some time, you see an angryßed eye.
00:29:52And the spr intern find a better hospital for your life
00:29:58And aленаka.
00:30:00Stop shouting, go for it.
00:30:03Zeroed.
00:30:05Difficult.
00:30:07Sp lies a navy.
00:30:09craftyantis from the living room.
00:30:11Home upon the rain
00:30:21Worthy, dear, and an angle of play
00:30:29Worst, seldom, is there
00:30:35A discouraging word
00:30:39And the skies are not clouded all day.
00:30:49I come on the rain.
00:30:58Where the deer and the antelope play.
00:31:07Break it up, you guys.
00:31:08There's another loading.
00:31:09But if you happen to catch one in the wrong place, they've got a pretty nice repair shop.
00:31:21Ever see a sergeant flip a tulip in a lieutenant's face?
00:31:25Well, you just did.
00:31:32Yeah, while the gang at the base carries on, you can take it easy for a while.
00:31:37How are they fighting, sergeant?
00:31:49Nice, fat fight, hmm?
00:31:52This one's been stretched a little.
00:31:53We drop in on Lieutenant Bob Wallace to see how he's doing.
00:32:00How are you feeling?
00:32:01Great. I'll be out of here in a couple of weeks.
00:32:03Hello, Mr. O'Neill. It's Captain Gable.
00:32:05How do you do, Captain Gable?
00:32:06How do you do, Mr. O'Neill?
00:32:07Wally, I never got a chance to ask you.
00:32:09Tell me just what happened when you got hit.
00:32:12Well, we'd left the target and we were on our way home.
00:32:15We got close and we had our guns towed away.
00:32:17A couple of FWs snuck up on us and gave us a good burst.
00:32:20Oh, I see. You had your guns towed away, eh?
00:32:23That's right.
00:32:23That was a little early, wasn't it?
00:32:24It certainly was.
00:32:25It's not a very good idea to relax over here until you get back to your own base.
00:32:29Is that right?
00:32:29That's right.
00:32:30Well, go ahead. Then what happened?
00:32:32Well, after I got hit, I climbed down out of the pilot's compartment
00:32:36and got the top turret gunner to help me down in the bomb bay.
00:32:40He gave me some first aid, put the turn cut on my leg, and took a good job of it.
00:32:44Well, that's fine. I guess you think it's a good idea for these combat crews
00:32:48to have first aid training then, is that right?
00:32:49I sure do.
00:32:50Yes.
00:32:51So, Wally, what do you think of the B-17s?
00:32:54Your instruments, your guns, and all the rest of the equipment
00:32:57they're giving you to fight this war with?
00:32:58The best equipment in the world.
00:32:59That's good.
00:33:00Say, I hear you've got your Purple Heart, too.
00:33:02Yes, Colonel Kendall was in the other day and gave it to me.
00:33:05I was more nervous than when those FWs were dining on it.
00:33:08Well, outside of that, are they treating you all right around here?
00:33:11Did you hear that, Mr. O'Neill?
00:33:13Wally's doing okay.
00:33:16Back at the base, they repair your ships, too.
00:33:18The busiest legs in the outfit belong to Major Ace Aiken, the S-4.
00:33:23This airplane's got a fly in them, Warren.
00:33:25It's going to be ready.
00:33:26Major?
00:33:27I don't know, sir.
00:33:28Well, let's have no ceremony.
00:33:29Let's get the fans turning.
00:33:33Keep the fans turning.
00:33:35The slogan of the ground crew.
00:33:37They work hard, these boys.
00:33:39They work 90 hours straight without sleep.
00:33:43But your ship is their baby.
00:33:45And she's got to fly.
00:33:50And if you need to repair a few thoughts, Sunday's always a nice day for it.
00:33:55If there's no raid schedule.
00:33:56Well, you know, Ken, this church was built 900 years ago.
00:34:19Over at the hospital, Father O'Connor celebrates the Mass.
00:34:22The boys receive Holy Communion.
00:34:41Here's Pete Provenzale.
00:34:42He's leaving the hospital tomorrow.
00:34:44Ave Maria, Santa Maria, Santa Maria.
00:35:05Next day, Pete's back to work.
00:35:22The outfit's back to work.
00:35:24The 351st is still flying, Adolph.
00:35:27Engine to order.
00:35:42General orders number 93.
00:35:45Headquarters 8th Bomber Command.
00:35:4611th July, 1943.
00:35:49You can't get out of it, you know.
00:35:51They pin medals on you for this sort of work.
00:35:53It's not so much a thrill for you.
00:35:56It's a big kick in the hand of folks back home.
00:35:59The Silver Star.
00:36:00The Distinguished Flying Cross.
00:36:03The Soldier's Medal.
00:36:05Dad and Ma and that certain girl.
00:36:08Still cut out the clippings and drive the neighbors nuts.
00:36:12Bombardier Stevens, the DFC.
00:36:15Because he's been batting 1,000 over Germany.
00:36:17And one to Pilot Peters.
00:36:20He had to ditch the channel.
00:36:22But his coolness and courage saved his crew.
00:36:26Bill Howells gets two clusters on his air medal.
00:36:29For straight shooting.
00:36:31The DFC to Tim Touchett.
00:36:34A folk wolf and a mountain lion?
00:36:36No difference, he says.
00:36:39The control wires were shot in two.
00:36:41So the DFC to Sergeant Del Conte, who tied them together.
00:36:45His hands punctured with flat.
00:36:46A Silver Star finds himself next to Provenzali's Purple Heart.
00:36:52He refused first aid till the Jerry Fighters quit.
00:36:55And stuck to his gun.
00:36:58The day the group led the wing over Schweinfurt.
00:37:01Colonel Hatcher was air commander.
00:37:03To him, the Silver Star.
00:37:10And the DFC to Kenny Hull.
00:37:11Colonel Gross is smiling because Kenneth was having a Coke at the PX, which his name was called.
00:37:17Are you forgetting your five confirmed Jerry sergeants?
00:37:21We're not.
00:37:22And they don't forget you when you're a little battle-weary and need a rest.
00:37:26At a very gay seaside community, a world-famous resort hotel has been converted for your pleasure by the Red Cross.
00:37:32A great place here.
00:37:36Sleep, eat, or what have you.
00:37:42Hey!
00:37:42Not on your line, Clark.
00:37:50None of that here.
00:37:51Oh, but look, just a few shots.
00:37:53Oh, we're here for a rest.
00:37:55Right, you guys?
00:37:56Right.
00:37:56All right, then, how's this?
00:37:57Now, follow him around with a silent camera for one day.
00:37:59Don't have to say a word.
00:38:01Good deal?
00:38:02Good deal.
00:38:02English Surrey with a fringe on top.
00:38:07Hmm, nice fringe.
00:38:12Carry you to the old swimming hole.
00:38:32Now, let's see what the boys back at the base are doing.
00:38:54Why, they're getting a few laughs, too.
00:38:56We'll let the man who's handing them out tell you about it.
00:38:59Hello, everybody.
00:39:00This is Bob somewhere in good old Jolly Hope.
00:39:03Laying a few eggs for the boys that really know how to lay them.
00:39:06Yes, sir, this is one of the happier cow pastors that we work in over there in England.
00:39:10And look who's dancing.
00:39:12You know, I used to dance with Fred Astaire.
00:39:14But we couldn't get girls.
00:39:17And right here, you see Jack Pepper, who's here through the courtesy of his draft board.
00:39:22The picture's a little dark, I understand.
00:39:24After we were there a couple of weeks, we got a little braver and we started to work with the lights on.
00:39:29This is really a great, great crowd out there tonight.
00:39:31And I understand Rhett Butler is on the fringe of the crowd.
00:39:36They tell me that they stopped him from flying in those B-17s.
00:39:40They claimed his ears held a plane back.
00:39:42Nice little scene.
00:39:43Shows Pepper trying to get his expense money.
00:39:46Look at that mob.
00:39:47You should have heard him cheer when Francis Langford walked out and when Tony Romano played the guitar.
00:39:52Yes, sir, you'll never know how this bunch of boys picked up our morale.
00:39:55But again, the weather breaks over the continent.
00:40:00And the handwriting on the wall spreads your story.
00:40:02You're into the third panel now.
00:40:05You've been out eight days in a row.
00:40:07You've done a doubleheader over France on the ninth.
00:40:09This man's air force is piling it on.
00:40:12New combat wings have been added.
00:40:14New air divisions formed.
00:40:16So you're not very surprised when General Ager comes that day.
00:40:19Something big is done.
00:40:21He goes into the briefing room to confer with the old man and his staff.
00:40:25They call in the squadron commanders.
00:40:26Even the flight commanders.
00:40:30What did he tell them?
00:40:31Your four squadron COs.
00:40:33They know.
00:40:34But don't talk.
00:40:35Just win a little with excitement.
00:40:38It's something big, all right.
00:40:40Because the bomb dumps have been getting plenty of heavy stuff lately.
00:40:43And a loading order came through this afternoon.
00:40:45Stand by.
00:40:47More than that, wing racks.
00:40:49We're really going to pile it on.
00:40:56And that night, as always, when you know a real dilly is coming up, you're a little restless.
00:41:12Out in the dispersals, you hear them winding up those engines.
00:41:26That's all right, ground group.
00:41:31Make them sing.
00:41:33Make them sing good.
00:41:46All right, you guys.
00:41:54Breakfast at three, briefing at four.
00:41:56Okay, man.
00:42:05For security's sake, anyone know what the target is for today?
00:42:09The station's there.
00:42:10Brussels.
00:42:11Paris.
00:42:12How's the...
00:42:13All right, sir.
00:42:16All right, sir.
00:42:21Frequency, do you do it?
00:42:23This group has a long penetration
00:42:25for this group.
00:42:29We've got an A-plus target over here.
00:42:32We've got to get it with it.
00:42:36Okay, gentlemen.
00:42:37Station's there at 5.05.
00:42:39Start engine's at 6.05.
00:42:41Taxi at 6.15.
00:42:43Takeoff, 6.30.
00:42:44Got it?
00:42:45That's all.
00:42:46It's a thing.
00:42:49Okay, man.
00:42:49Let's go get this, Terry.
00:42:50And we'll take the jazz.
00:42:52Okay.
00:42:52Thank you, man.
00:42:53I don't know.
00:43:23I don't know.
00:43:53I don't know.
00:44:23I don't know.
00:44:3010,000 feet.
00:44:32Go on oxygen.
00:44:33Check in your station.
00:44:34At the designated splisher point, still over friendly territory, rendezvous with other
00:44:50groups.
00:44:51Your combat wing banks into position.
00:44:53Then wing after wing, as far as the eye can believe, the attack formed.
00:44:59It heads for its assigned targets 500 miles away.
00:45:03Up until this moment, your fighter escort is still on the ground, guarding its limited fuel
00:45:09capacity.
00:45:10Now flight control gives a signal to the Thunderboats.
00:45:13They climb upstairs to overtake you.
00:45:15There's a lot of space in space.
00:45:22Here we go.
00:45:24100 feet.
00:45:24There's a lot of space in space.
00:45:26There's a lot of space in space.
00:45:28One million feet.
00:45:30Period 1,000 feet.
00:45:32One, two, three, four, five, five.
00:45:33There's one way a season.
00:45:34Fighters, three o'clock low.
00:46:00Watch it.
00:46:01That should be a rescuer.
00:46:02You're right, sir.
00:46:03Four to seven.
00:46:04Four to seven.
00:46:16Pilot to crew.
00:46:18Pilot to crew.
00:46:19Over enemy coast.
00:46:22On the ball, you guys.
00:46:29Hey, get a load of that slag.
00:46:31Can't they do it any higher than that?
00:46:32Where do you want to have it?
00:46:33In the bomb bay?
00:46:34Why don't you lean out and smell it?
00:46:36That's right, you guys.
00:46:38Laugh it off.
00:46:39Right now, a bum joke goes better than two fingers of rye.
00:46:42Around three hours out, he knows it's time for the fighter escort to turn back.
00:46:50From all over the ship, you've watched them leave.
00:46:52You're really on the ball now, because you know that enemy fighters will appear any minute.
00:47:01They know exactly where you are.
00:47:04They've been watching the stratosphere condense off your wingtips, giving you away at long trails
00:47:09of magnificent treachery.
00:47:10Okay, here they are.
00:47:23Nine o'clock high, enemy fighters.
00:47:27Same thing at three o'clock.
00:47:28Yes, at least those vapor trails work both ways.
00:47:33Arch watches the enemy formations as they parallel your course.
00:47:37Seems obvious.
00:47:38They're staying out of range.
00:47:39Going out ahead to turn in for a frontal attack?
00:47:42High.
00:47:43All turrets swing about to help guard the rear.
00:47:46Top turrets hunt the sky above in all directions.
00:47:49There's some more out there.
00:47:50Keep your eyes peeled.
00:47:51Now it counts.
00:47:54The enemy pours in at you from every point on the dial.
00:48:04Six o'clock.
00:48:05Level.
00:48:06Two more.
00:48:06Five.
00:48:07Watch it.
00:48:21Get that one at three.
00:48:42Eleven o'clock.
00:48:44High.
00:48:44Five.
00:48:51Nine o'clock.
00:49:02Level.
00:49:06No, he's going low.
00:49:09Here he comes up.
00:49:16He got the colonel's wingman.
00:49:18Smoking on number four.
00:49:19He's going out.
00:49:23And down.
00:49:25Check the chute, you guys.
00:49:32One chute.
00:49:33Out of the tail.
00:49:34Two out of the waist.
00:49:36There's other two boys out of the nose.
00:49:38There's two more.
00:49:39Pilot to tail.
00:49:40Pilot to tail.
00:49:42Let me know how they're doing back there.
00:49:43Roger.
00:49:44Fighter.
00:49:45Six o'clock.
00:49:46Coming through.
00:49:49Eleven o'clock.
00:49:55Close.
00:50:09Five o'clock.
00:50:10Five.
00:50:11We got one out of the high squadron.
00:50:19Yep.
00:50:19No chance there.
00:50:31No 190s.
00:50:32High.
00:50:37Somebody got one of them on the button.
00:50:38That jury father fell out.
00:50:40He's not walking away from it.
00:50:59Still late barreled in at you.
00:51:01A little short on the mark.
00:51:03Plenty long on guts to the set of you.
00:51:04Another 17 hit.
00:51:12And again, you have to close the gap in the formation.
00:51:14And again, and again, they come.
00:51:30Twelve o'clock high.
00:51:32Four o'clock level.
00:51:33Out of the sun.
00:51:34And up from the ground.
00:51:35Five o'clock.
00:51:55More coming through.
00:51:56Five o'clock.
00:51:57Five o'clock.
00:51:57Five o'clock.
00:51:57Five o'clock.
00:51:57Five o'clock.
00:52:06You're crossing another flak area.
00:52:08It's heavier this time.
00:52:10So flak and thick you can almost hear it.
00:52:12And it's more effective.
00:52:19Shorty's been heading to the number four.
00:52:21Cover him all you can, everybody.
00:52:22Pilots to lift waste.
00:52:37Pilots to lift waste.
00:52:38There's another one working shorty over.
00:52:40Could you help him?
00:52:41No can do, sir.
00:52:42Out of range.
00:52:43The beginning of smoke screens announces the approach to the target area.
00:52:53The enemy's been caught off guard.
00:52:55He's trying to cover up.
00:52:56Too late.
00:52:58In desperation, through his own flak, the final Hun fighter makes a pass of the low squadron.
00:53:03He's driven off.
00:53:07But still.
00:53:16Did a platter or a clock get that ship?
00:53:18Flank, I think.
00:53:19There it is.
00:53:32Flare out of the lead ship.
00:53:34Signal for the bomb run.
00:53:36This is your attack.
00:53:40All right, Steve.
00:53:42We're on the IP.
00:53:43She's yours.
00:53:43I got her.
00:53:58Bombay door is open.
00:54:13Make a good run now, Steve.
00:54:17I'm on it.
00:54:18Yes, make it count, bombardiers.
00:54:20They build these ships around you.
00:54:22Bombs away.
00:54:23All right.
00:54:43The lead group picks out its MPI in the dock area.
00:54:46Let's go with the heavy stuff and the big incendiaries.
00:54:49The high group heads for the industrial section and hands out the same medicine.
00:54:52The low group turns for the adjacent airdrome.
00:55:17It blasts the field, the hangars, and repair shops with hundreds of deadly anti-personnel bombs.
00:55:22Nice pattern, bombardier.
00:55:40Good deal.
00:55:46You can't hear what's going on down there five miles below you.
00:55:50But marshaling yards and chemical tanks, ships and warehouses, spare engines and ball-bearing factories are disintegrating in molten chaos.
00:55:58It's thunder out of the Alleghenies, Adolph.
00:56:14You said Americans were soft and decadent?
00:56:17Well, here's a red, white, and blue headache that will help you change your mind.
00:56:30As the bomb bay doors close, take a last look at the target area.
00:56:35The smoke from its burning debris rises 16,000 feet into the air.
00:56:39More flat.
00:56:43He ain't still good down there.
00:56:52How about this trip home?
00:56:54Is it going to be rough?
00:56:57Pilot to crew.
00:56:58Pilot to crew.
00:56:59Well, you guys, we're over an hour out.
00:57:01They haven't come back at us yet.
00:57:02Looks like we're lucky this trip.
00:57:04Enemy fighters.
00:57:0511 o'clock high.
00:57:06Another one o'clock high.
00:57:32Coming level to three.
00:57:364MW is 8 o'clock high.
00:57:42They don't want it.
00:57:47M.A. 110.
00:57:48One o'clock high.
00:58:01M.A. at 2 o'clock.
00:58:06I got him.
00:58:10I'll play it yet.
00:58:14He isn't bailing out either.
00:58:19Another 110 at 10 o'clock.
00:58:22He's yours, Kim.
00:58:22There he goes.
00:58:33He has my pigeon.
00:58:34Stoffel commanders throw their pilots at the formation with suicide orders.
00:58:40That's what they get.
00:58:42The formation is tighter than ever.
00:58:44You're not sparing ammunition.
00:58:46You're knocking them down like mallets.
00:58:48One more.
00:58:49One more.
00:58:49One more.
00:58:52And another.
00:59:18He's through.
00:59:19He's through.
00:59:22Here's one right behind him, Steve.
00:59:38Another.
00:59:39Two in a row for the boys up forward.
00:59:41That's mine.
00:59:55You see him, Kent?
00:59:56Sure do.
00:59:57I'll confirm him, all right.
01:00:03Get this 110.
01:00:08Pull her up, Mars.
01:00:09Pull her up.
01:00:09The FW.
01:00:19Three o'clock.
01:00:20Take two of them, Joe.
01:00:22Pull her up on that one, Danny.
01:00:23That's a spit on his tail.
01:00:25Yeah, we'll find a cover gun here.
01:00:29That a poor spit.
01:00:30Gee.
01:00:31I feel it, Jerry.
01:00:32It's over to this, pal.
01:00:33Look at that spit right up down.
01:00:35For you, sweetheart.
01:00:35You're a shadow on the undercast.
01:01:00The pilot's rainbow.
01:01:01Missions end, but not the end of the battle.
01:01:09Fighting men from Maine to California still have a long, tough rainbow to travel.
01:01:15But they're looking the enemy right between his eyes.
01:01:18They're fighting him the American way.
01:01:21Their American way of life.
01:01:24Enemy of America.
01:01:26Look at these men.
01:01:26They're not going to lose, brother.
01:01:30The pilot's rainbow.
01:01:31The pilot's rainbow.
01:01:32The pilot's rainbow.
01:01:33The pilot's rainbow.
01:01:33The pilot's rainbow.
01:01:34The pilot's rainbow.
01:01:35The pilot's rainbow.
01:01:36The pilot's rainbow.
01:01:37The pilot's rainbow.
01:01:38The pilot's rainbow.
01:01:39The pilot's rainbow.
01:01:40The pilot's rainbow.
01:01:41The pilot's rainbow.
01:01:42The pilot's rainbow.
01:01:43The pilot's rainbow.
01:01:44The pilot's rainbow.
01:01:45The pilot's rainbow.
01:01:46The pilot's rainbow.
01:01:47The pilot's rainbow.
01:01:48The pilot's rainbow.
01:01:49The pilot's rainbow.
01:01:50The pilot's rainbow.
01:01:51The pilot's rainbow.
01:01:52The pilot's rainbow.
01:01:53The pilot's rainbow.
01:01:54The pilot's rainbow.
01:01:55The pilot's rainbow.
01:01:56The pilot's rainbow.
01:01:57The pilot's rainbow.
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