"NINETY SIX MEN WHO WERE ALIVE THIS MORNING

what do I do about that?" Commander of a group of B17's to his wing commander. Who is also a friend Average crew size ten men including the pilots. Average age? Late teens to early to mid twenties. We asked a lot of those young men. Most of them came through. Another episode later. 

As usual my blog entries tend to jump around. I've been watching old Twelve O'Clock High reruns on YouTube. I remember watching this show as a kid. Didn't realize it at the time but Twelve O'Clock High is probably unique.

Started out as a novel written by two writers who actually saw air combat during WWII. And the novel is out of print at this time. And used copies are going fast. 

 Spawned a hit movie starring Gregory Peck. A war movie that didn't show much war until the last twenty minutes or so. When the group commander had a break down. Too much sky. Too much flack. Too many gauntlets hosted by the Luftwaffe. Too many crews that didn't come back. Too many friends that didn't come back. Too many letters home to their families.

The film spawned the series. A show about war that spent more time covering the costs than it did showing explosions. Ran two and half seasons. Viet Nam was heating up. The WWII generation was aging out. And since the show was trying to follow the actual time line of the war and D Day had happened I"m not sure how long it would have gone on anyway. Send them to the Pacific. Different planes. Different war. Probably need a whole new cast. 

Anyway. Here is a link to one of the best episodes.  Hope this works. The best parts start around the middle. Heavy on the truth telling and the responsibilities of command. Yeah that part went right over my head the first time. 

Now? When I look around? Heaven help us because we seem to have forgotten how to help ourselves.

(I checked. The link works but it takes you to the middle. Take the time to watch from the beginning. The general is sitting in the dark with a bottle of brandy for a good reason. At least from his point of view. If he isn't writing the letters home he still has to sign them. And remember.)