T V | House of Stapleton

Combat! (1962)

Rating

Run Time: 60 min

Color: Black and White

Aspect Ratio: 1.33 : 1

Sound: Mono

Producer: Selmur Productions

Genre

Action
Drama
War

Seasons: 5

Episodes: 152

Overview

A series that follows the World War 2 combat experiences and adventures of a squad of US infantrymen in France in 1944. In particular we share the experiences of the squad leader, Sergeant Saunders, and the platoon commander, Lieutenant Hanley.

Pvt./PFC William G. Kirby

Pierre Jalbert

PFC Paul "Caje" LeMay

Season 1 Season 2 Season 3 Season 4 Season 5

1. Main Event

First Aired September 13, 1965

No one is happy about the addition of boxer Willy Kleve to Saunders's unit--especially Kleve's over-protective manager.

2. The First Day

First Aired September 20, 1965

Saunders and the squad break in four teenage replacements.

3. S.I.W.

First Aired September 27, 1965

An already-controversial replacement adds to his reputation for cowardice by turning up with an apparent Self-Inflicted Wound.

4. The Linesman

First Aired October 04, 1965

Sgt. Barney McKlosky and his two Signal Corps men have to lay a telephone line cross-country from the company HQ to an outpost. Saunders' squad is assigned to provide protection and assist in laying the wire. Prior to the war, McKlosky was a linesman in Wyoming who broke his leg in a fall and nearly died because his co-worker did not come back with help. Since that incident, McKlosky trusts no one and holds everyone in contempt. While laying line across a bridge on the way to the outpost, McKlosky and Littlejohn drop a roll of wire in the river. Although both men dropped the wire by accident, McKlosky blames it all on Littlejohn and belittles him. He insists on scrubbing the mission for lack of enough wire, but Saunders figures a shorter way to the outpost and insists on going forward. Saunders' short cut, however, is not quite as short as he thought, and they still do not have enough wire to reach the outpost. Again McKlosky wants to quit, but Saunders takes them back to an abandoned village they passed earlier where he intends to strip the village of the extra wire they need. A German platoon arrives in the village, and a brief firefight ensues. Through a feint that pulls the Germans away, the GIs are able steal the Germans' truck and escape with their newly acquired wire to complete their mission. McKlosky finally realizes he can no longer cut himself off from his fellow GIs, and he seems to be able to finally leave his bitter past behind.

5. The Farmer

First Aired October 11, 1965

Iowa-bred Private Noah is troubled when the squad forcibly evacuates a French farm family.

6. Evasion

First Aired October 18, 1965

Dressed in an Albanian uniform, Hanley escapes from a German prison camp.

7. Hear No Evil

First Aired October 25, 1965

During a heavy firefight and facing overwhelming numbers the Allies are being beaten back. One of the German's shot during the firefight detonates a grenade behind the Sarge who is deafened by the blast. Alone and lost Sgt. Saunders tries to make his way back to American lines. Unable to hear anything, he is almost shot by a German patrol, but manages to get away. He finds a small dog that becomes attached to him and acts as his ears until it is killed by a German that surprises them. Saunders manages to take the German prisoner and tries to use him to guide back to his lines but in a struggle the German is killed and Saunders collapses just before the Americans come across him as they push forwards. The first thing he knows is when he wakes to find a medic checking him and hears the medic say "it's only a superficial face wound and you'll be alright"

8. Crossfire

First Aired November 01, 1965

Sauders accuses twice-decorated Private Stevens of disobeying an order and thereby getting two other GIs killed.

9. 9 Place Vendee

First Aired November 10, 1965

In a German-held village, Hanley's search for a wounded OSS officer is hampered by a precocious French boy.

10. The Old Men

First Aired November 15, 1965

The squad has to cope with three 40-something replacements on a patrol to snatch a German captive.

11. Soldier of Fortune

First Aired November 22, 1965

Pinned under a beam, Pvt. Andy Marsh claims he has valuable intelligence--that will go back with him or not at all.

12. The Casket

First Aired November 29, 1965

An embittered French woman resists Saunders' efforts to commandeer her truck, needed to transport the wounded Kirby.

13. Luck with Rainbows

First Aired December 06, 1965

Hanley and Kirby join a swaggering British commando on a treacherous hunt for German V-2 launching sites.

14. Breakout

First Aired December 13, 1965

The squad angers a Frenchman when they destroy machinery at his quarry.

15. Finest Hour

First Aired December 20, 1965

A French countess walks a dangerous tightrope as she entertains a ch?teau full of German soldiers--while sheltering a wounded Hanley.

16. The Raider

First Aired December 27, 1965

Hanley is captured by a brutal SS officer, Captain Reichhardt.

17. The Mockingbird

First Aired January 03, 1966

Lt. Hanley, Caje, Kirby, and Pvt. Banning are sent behind German lines to find an American intelligence officer, Capt. Thorpe, who has important intelligence to get back to American G2. A German spy masquerades as a downed American flyer, Lt. Asher, with the intention of infiltrating and destroying the local French underground. He bails out of his American Mustang, but instead of getting picked up by the French underground, he is met by Hanley and his men. Asher initially feigns a sprained ankle and wants to wait for the French instead of going with Hanley. Then he learns Thorpe is has important information to get back, and he decides to go with Hanley's men. When a German patrol passes nearby, Asher, makes a noise to alert the Germans, and a firefight ensues. During the firefight, Asher and Pvt. Banning are behind the others, and Asher uses the opportunity to kill Banning, but he only manages to wound Thorpe instead of killing him. Throughout the rest of the episode, Asher continues to surreptitiously work against the GIs and again tries to kill Thorpe. Hanley begins to suspect something may be amiss when he learns Thorpe was shot in the back, and he decides to go back to the scene of the firefight to look more closely at Banning's wounds. The pressure is then on Asher to finish Thorpe and make his escape.

18. The Good Samaritan

First Aired January 10, 1966

The survivor of a squad that Sauders refused to help volunteers to lead the sergeant on a patrol to the same deadly area.

19. Retribution

First Aired January 17, 1966

Kirby embarks on a personal vendetta against an SS colonel who killed his sister's fiancé.

20. Counterplay

First Aired January 24, 1966

Saunders' squad is sent behind enemy lines to find and destroy a German radar installation. Sgt. Rawlings, a radar specialist, is sent along to learn all he can about the German radar before it is destroyed, and a French resistance fighter, Marchand, is also sent along to guide them. From the time they leave their lines, they are under constant surveillance by the Germans, and Rawlings is killed on the way there. Little do they know that Marchand is really a German officer who has killed the real Marchand and has taken his place with the intent of taking Saunders to a fake radar installation. The GIs blow the fake installation and prepare to return when they finally learn Marchand is an imposter and they have destroyed the wrong target. A bombing raid is scheduled for that night, and the bomb group is counting on Saunders' squad to destroy the radar installation.

21. Nothing to Lose

First Aired January 31, 1966

Privates Vinnick (Sal Mineo) and Burke (Tom Skerritt) have been together since basic training and are assigned to Hanley's platoon. Vinnick is a street wise city kid who is fearless in battle. Burke, on the other hand, is paralyzed by fear when a firefight begins. Vinnick's contempt for Burke is obvious as is Burke's hatred for Vinnick. The episode opens with a firefight where Burke is frozen in fear. Vinnick charges a German MG-42 emplacement, and Hanley tells them he will recommend Vinnick for a Bronze Star. Later, Hanley receives a message that Vinnick is wanted back in the states on a murder warrant. Hanley disarms Vinnick and intends to turn him over to the MPs, but Vinnick manages to get away. Wanting to capture his nemesis, Burke goes hunting for Vinnick. In the end, the basic character of both men holds true. Mineo and Skerritt give stellar performances.

22. Ask Me No Questions

First Aired February 07, 1966

Saunders is imprisoned in a German compound where an enemy soldier is posing as a GI.

23. The Ringer

First Aired February 14, 1966

A cowardly deserter slaps some dirt on his suspiciously-clean uniform and joins Saunders' squad, whose wrath and distrust he proceeds to earn by repeatedly disregarding orders.

24. The Flying Machine

First Aired February 21, 1966

Lt. Hanley acquires intelligence which could save hundreds of lives, but his plane is shot down speeding back to HQ. The bridge Hanley re-conned is much more heavily defended than U.S. Army Intelligence suspected. The old single engine monoplane will be tough to repair, especially with Brannigan the pilot, a daredevil stunt flyer, having a busted leg. But the odds of Hanley slicing through 20 miles of Boche occupied countryside alone on foot are bad too.

25. Hills Are for Heroes: Part 1

First Aired February 28, 1966

This two part Combat! episode is the quintessential story of the futility of war as viewed through the eyes of surviving infantrymen. An American division of troops is making an assault all along their lines. At the platoon level, Lt. Hanley is ordered to take a strategic hill that overlooks a needed road, and the hill is protected by two concrete bunkers with German machine guns and infantry in each bunker. Saunders gets hit in his thigh in the first assault on the bunkers while several other GIs are killed. Hanley asks for artillery support, but his company commander tells Hanley he will have to take the hill without artillery support. Hanley tries several different strategies to take the hill, but each time the men go up the hill, the overwhelming fire from the bunkers stop them, and each time they leave a few more dead GIs on the hill. (see "Hills Are For Heroes - Part 2 for continuation of storyline)

26. Hills Are for Heroes: Part 2

First Aired March 07, 1966

Lt. Hanley has the support of a tank to help his platoon to take the hill. However, the tank is destroyed by a German bazooka. Now Hanley plans to use the shield of the tank to attack the German bunker also with a bazooka.

27. Gitty

First Aired March 14, 1966

Establishing an observation post in a deserted church, Saunders meets the daughter of a German soldier.

28. One at a Time

First Aired March 21, 1966

After losing his entire squad to Saunders' men, a wounded German sergeant vows to kill the Americans, saving Saunders for last.

29. A Sudden Terror

First Aired March 28, 1966

A failed night mission leaves Hanley wounded in the shoulder, and the rest of his squad dead...except for Private Wilder, a nervous young replacement, who is now trapped in a bog and ready to signal their German pursuers for help. It's up to the lieutenant to free him before Wilder drowns, or panics.

30. Run, Sheep, Run

First Aired April 04, 1966

Guilt-stricken when he causes the death of a fellow GI, Private Corey panics when he captures a German.