This series chronicles the adventures--in the air and on the ground--of the men of the 918th Bombardment Group of the U.S. Eighth Air Force. First commanded by irascible General Frank Savage--and later by Colonel Joe Gallagher, the son of a Pentagon General--the Group is stationed in England, and flies long-range bombing missions into German-held Europe.
This series chronicles the adventures--in the air and on the ground--of the men of the 918th Bombardment Group of the U.S. Eighth Air Force. First commanded by irascible General Frank Savage--and later by Colonel Joe Gallagher, the son of a Pentagon General--the Group is stationed in England, and flies long-range bombing missions into German-held Europe.
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Captain Joe Gallagher aborts twice in a row bringing him to the attention of General Savage. Savage feels that Gallagher has a chip on his shoulder and is not pulling his weight and assigns him a new …
Savage wants the 918th to try a new technique, bombing on the leader. Instead of each bombardier sighting his own target and then making his own bomb-run, the entire group would synchronize with the l…
Tom Lockridge is a copilot, on a mission the pilot is killed, and he takes over allowing the crew to bail out. His best friend Captain Wade Ritchie disobeys orders and flies cover with his B-17. Back …
Andy Lathrop is an unsophisticated Tennessee boy. Flying as Savage's lead bombardier, he saves Savage's life, gets promoted to 1st Lieutenant, and gets recommended for the DFC. On leave he meets and f…
General Crowe is waiting for Savage to return from a mission, he notices that when the aircraft ""High Flyer"" lands an ambulance rush out to meet it. Out gets a pretty girl dressed in a hula skirt wh…
Senator Clay Johnson wants to shut down the long range bombing program because of high aircraft & manpower losses. Savage argues that they just need adequate fire power and long range fighter support.…
Major Jack Temple leads the low Squadron on a raid to bomb the flying Bomb (V2) assembly plant at Laon. His aircraft ""The Lucky Lady"" is hit and he is forced to bail out with his crew. Major Temple …
The 918th is assigned in top secrecy to bomb Dortmund. The only one who has the details is Savage and after being briefed by Stoneman, Crowe & Colonel Meyers he heads back to base. On the way he is ca…
Major Gus Denver returns to the 918th from the States. While he was away on special instructor duty at Langley, his original crew was shot down over Liege and all were killed. Now back as a Squadron &…
After loosing his best friend Joe Farrell, Savage goes on leave ordered by General Crowe. He goes to Inverness by train then to the Isle of Dunfergus aboard the Glencoe Lass. On the train he meets a W…
Ross Lawrence a clerk in the Group Office stows away with Joe Morse's crew and shoots down an FW. Later Morse offers to have Lawrence transferred to a flight crew, but he refuses. Suspicious, Morse as…
After losing his memory Savage is found wandering around Berkley Square south Grosvenor Street by Lieutenant Ryan. After being examined by Kaiser, he reads in the paper that Barbara Talbot was murdere…
Reporter Clifford Moran believes that Jim Driscoll is really a convicted killer from St Louis named George Kern Turner who in 1933 when 16 years old beat his step father to death. He was sentenced to …
The group returns from a bomb run the air frame factory at Metz. The leader, Major Cobb reports complete destruction of the target, but the Intelligence officer Major Herrick says the factory is still…
The 918th draws a particularly tough mission, an aircraft plant in Rhone Valley, 120 miles beyond fighter support range, surrounded by 500 anti-aircraft batteries and at the bombers maximum fuel range…
Major Peter Gray and his wife Ann arrive at the 918th. Savage knows Ann as Ann Goss and was going to marry her a year ago. At Wing HQ, a WAC in photo reconnaissance points out something suspicious on …
Kane completed his 25 missions and is going back to the States on a Public Relations Tour. He will be performing in Winged Victory and wants to resume his career as an actor after the War. Savage asks…
Crowe assigns Colonel Royce as Deputy Group Commander. On his arrival he goes out to meet ""Lorelei"" piloted by Lieutenant Josephs and finds all the crew dead. Royce takes over the plane with a new c…
Before a big mission, Savage is injured with a piece of shrapnel by his heart and consigned to the hospital. He meets a gunner from Major Cobb's crew Sergeant Aaronson who has just seen his best frien…
On a mission to bomb the rail yards at Eissen, Muller the new Navigator performs perfectly but is knocked down during a maneuver. His wallet falls out of his pocket and it contains a picture of a man …
General Savage is shot down while on a bomb run to the Sub Penn's @ Trondheim. The onlly suvivor of his crew, he ends up in a life raft with a Luftwaffe ME-109 Pilot near the Faroe Islands, 150 miles …
The Brauberg Damn needs to be bombed. Savage thinks that a specially equipped P-51 with 2 500 lb bombs can take it out. He asks Paul Stiger a Kentucky farm boy who takes risks and volunteers for a all…
While working on a plan to bomb Strassbourg, Savage gets trapped in a cellar during an Air Raid. Trapped with him are Lady Constance, Dr Glenway, Miner Bert Higgs and a pregnant woman Eleanor Nicholls…
A Squadron Commander, Major Joe Gallagher scrubs himself from a mission and his replacement Captain Larry Hollander is killed. Gallagher feels responsible and goes to meet Hollander's girl May. May is…
Axis Sally is broadcasting some very accurate information about the 918th. Including that Savage is going to be killed. When a bomb blast injures 2 men it turns out to be sabotage. Getting treatment f…
Major Andy Towson, an exceptional pilot & squadron C.O. cracks up after landing. He is a friend of Savages and has flown about same amount of missions as Savage and has always been a rock. Towson's co…
Savage and the Piccadilly Lily are given a special mission to bomb an oil line in the Säär Valley. Captain Dirksen is a Lead Bombardier from Wing down for the mission. Captain Walters as the alternate…
Savage and the Piccadilly Lily are coming in damaged & low from a mission to Blaustadt. On the approach they almost hit some trees and a mansion which is on the approach to the new runway. Savage want…
Mission to bomb Mannheim. Major Gus Denver has returned to flight duty. On a previous mission he suffered a breakdown after the death of his first crew. Brigadier General Hoagland has just been assign…
A Legendary World War I fighter ace acting as a Ferry Pilot arrives at Archbury on his way to SHAEF HQ. On the way in the pilot gets killed when Hartley in the co-pilots seat engages some German fight…
A straggling B-17 joins the formation and it turns out to be a captured plane flown by Germans. It strafes the lead plane flown by General Savage which is shot down. Later it is reported that Brigadie…
Maintenance problems plague the 918th. General Creighton from G-2 orders the 918th on a mission to drop a spy (Ilka Zradna) into occupied Poland. Aircraft Army 262 has to abort the mission, (Langaard …
After a tough mission, Gallagher needs a new gunner. Corbett, a replacement has a perfect gunnery score (1000, Komansky only has 400). He takes over from the wounded Staff Sergeant Abbott as Left Wais…
A new pilot, 1st Lieutenant Joshua Melton McGraw, who is an old friend of Gallagher's arrives with a chip on his shoulder and buzzes the field. The bombers arrive from the current mission and the lead…
The 918 lands at Mogador in North Africa to refuel and re-arm. Gallagher's plane lands 21 hours late after his stopover in Yugoslavia. The senior officer is Lieutenant Col. Preston ""Pres"" Gallagher …
The 511th Fighter Group arrives at Archbury to escort the 918 on the home leg of the shuttle mission. On the way Troper attacks a train making him 10 minutes late for the rendezvous. The 511th does no…
On a mission 9 out of the 10 crew of the Piccadilly Lily are wounded save one - Komansky. Komansky fly's and lands the plane, becoming a press celebrity. A wounded Gallagher puts him in for the Silver…
On a practice for night mission, they are being tracked by Vendry's unit They change course and evade successfully but ""Chub"" has to correct as he was off target. Chub is distracted because of his g…
The 918 is on its 8th mission to bomb the sub pens at St Nazaire. This mission is led by Major Kurt Brown who has never aborted for any reason. Richards, Brown's bombardier is badly wounded and Brown …
On a bombing mission into Norway, Lieutenant Col. Christy aborts the mission after 10 out his 21 planes get shot down. When he returns, Gallagher sends an angry note to newly promoted Major General Br…
Harv and Lieutenant Colonel Rogers, the 918ths acting commander, watch the latest mission come back very chewed up and missing at least 6 six planes. Harvey feels responsible. Sandy hands him a telegr…
The start of the Shuttle raid Gallagher briefs his crew . They will be bombing Wessellhafen then flying into North Africa, refueling, bombing a target in France, & then returning. Over Wellhausen, Obe…
Off the base, JayDee Jones is working up the nerve to go on his next mission. He gets Jan Warner to sneak him back on base. He gets spotted by Chapman who is stealing 3 45 pistols to sell . JayDee's o…
Flying back from Russian sector for the Invasion of Europe is coming and Stace & Krasker are returning with information about Russian troop strength. Plane is shot down, one general jumps, the other r…
On the way back from a bombing run over the Ruhr valley, bombs are accidentally dropped on Ste Monique. 1st Lieutenant Parks the bombardier is interrogated. A single bomb falls in the village square k…
On the way back from a mission, a mentor of Joe Gallagher's, Colonel Gus ""Pappy"" Wexler is flying as an observer. Gallagher asks Fowler to let Wexler fly in the co-pilot seat. They are attacked by M…
While trying to bomb Hamburg, the 818th is turned back by flak & fighters over area called the ""Slaughter Pen"". A new German Underground Radar Station is spotting them. Back at Archbury, General Pri…
While on a bombing raid, Gallagher realizes that he has bombed a decoy target they need to bomb 2500 yards NE of target 385. Gallagher tries to radio London but the Radio Operator is killed, the radio…
Due to cloud cover over the target, the 918th led by Major Fitzsimmons is unable to bomb Kiel. They abort loosing 7 planes. Back at base Gallagher makes an angry complaint to General Britt who has a s…
Mission to bomb a refinery & fuel storage area at Kasendorf. A pilot from the 53rd Fighter Squadron, Lieutenant Harley Wilson hits Gallagher's plane while trying to shoot an enemy fighter. Wilson is v…
The Dulabine Shipyard bombing mission is turned back due to overcast. On the ground in Emstad, the German commander, Oberst Erhland is frustrated that he can not attack due to fighter maintenance prob…
After completing On his 25th mission, Major Tom Parsons is going home. At Wing HQ General Britt is chewing out his Group Commander (Fred, Gallagher & ?). Sveringen is the production centre for the new…
On a mission after hitting the target a bombing runs, Captain Bradovich's B-17 experiences engine trouble. Tourneau drops back to aide him. Bradovich reports him for lack of air discipline. Talks with…
B-17 ""Angel Babe"" is returning from a perfect mission to Willemshaven as the Group Lead. Flight Engineer Willets explains that when ""Angel Babe"" leads they always come home safe. On the ground Maj…
In Scotland Gallagher meets with Major General Hardy about a Ranger mission and Gallagher comes up with an air support plan. Returning from Scotland via an Air Transport B-17, they are shot down over …
An escaped POW, 1st Lieutenant Wally Bolen returns to the 918th after 5 months of captivity. He is welcomed by Komansky and promoted to Captain by Gallagher. At the officer's club, they are having a w…
A cashiered pilot slips in for another try.
A German unit bombs the 918th's base in Archbury, among the dead are a group of new replacements and a WRAF Sergeant Winifred Broome. The Chaplain anguished over the dead but most especially Winifred,…
On a bombing mission to Focke Wulfe Factory in Marienberg, East Prussia the 918th is attached by fighters and loose 9 AC & 100 men. The 966th was hit the same way yesterday. Gallagher's radioman overh…
The 918th Group has just finished 21 missions in the 30 days since May 1, 1944. They have been bombing for Operation Point, the lead up to Operation Overlord, the invasion of Normandy. A 10 day leave …
A shuttle raid is planned by 8th Air Force commander Lieutenant General Harry Owen. Bombers will bomb Ergen Oil Works land in Poltava Russia, then hit Berlin on the way back. A straggling Russian Bomb…
The 918th is now temporarily part of the 15th Air Force. They fly to a base at Bellagio Foggia Italy commanded by Colonel Yates. Yates is a drunk. Sabotage led by Major Holtzer. Shull is killed.
The RAF(& USAAF) is getting pounded by very concentrated flak over Weisbaden, the latest Squadron has been wiped out. General Britt visits Gallagher to tell him that RAF Air Vice Marshal Kingsford is …
A flight instructor goes to war.
Gallagher is shot down in a Mustang on a secret mission. Col Gibbons takes over command of the 918th. Conspiracy is led by Admiral von Kreuter (with Berthold, Shullendorf, Straser) to kill Hitler and …
Ted Master's an all American Athlete is assigned to the 918th. He comes equipped with his own Press Officer. Wants to fly, Gallagher assigns him as Assistant Adjutant. Captain King makes an emergency …
Sandy almost runs down a Master Sergeant looking for the 918th. He has a German accent. Gallagher is briefing his Squadron commanders. Turns out to be a specialist. Muhlendorf Stetten factory in house…
9 new planes & crews arrive at Archbury. Aboard are some WACS assigned to Wing HQ led by Staff Sergeant Margo Demarest who is an old friend of Gallagher. Three Ace fighter pilots (Clinton, Dejohn, and…
A V-1 rocket crashes in Sweden. The allies want to get it. They recruit a rocket expert Group Captain Anthony Carmichael. Carmichael is in civilian clothes in the Star & Bottle and he and Sandy have a…
Major General Fox is putting pressure on Brigadier General Doud to bomb the Sub Pens at Nordensholm. They have bombed 3 times and hit the wrong targets, Doud as the Wing Commander takes responsibility…
E12 · The Ace
Colonel Harry Connelly is up for the Medal of Honor for the pinpoint bombing of a Radar station without hitting the church next door in Italy. Connelly has done 43 skip bombing missions in Europe and …
52 Division 3rd Bn captures Argenteau Air Six Air Defense HQ in cellar, Sandy & Gallagher are in France scouting forward bases. Is ordered to investigate . Harvey & Rand from CIC fly in to examine doc…
Gallagher parachutes onto a Mountain to get a group of Nuns to move so the Mountain can be bombed.
On a Shuttle Mission to bomb Fredricksburg then land in Foggia Italy, General Chandler leads the whole wing. Gallagher's plane is hit and the Bombardier, Navigator, and the Ball Turret Gunner are kill…
Captain Dula, a pilot who is flying as Navigator, Harvey flies as co-pilot wounded. Gallagher wounded, Dula takes over, argues with Komansky, Komansky saves Harvey from bleeding to death charged with …
Commodore Leon Crompton is the leader of USN Task Force 10. His job is to find and sink Wolf Pack Laika , 8 German u-boats operating off the Azores. The 918th is assigned under Gallagher as the Hunter…
