Come on, let's go. Come on, everyone, let's go.
- I'm open, I'm open. Throw it again. - I'm open.
Okay, let's see who we got here.
"Virge Hoogesteger." What kind of name is that?
"Youngest of 6."
Worked in the family diner before joining up. Writes home every week.
"Nicknamed 'The Virgin."'
Come on, we need a little teamwork here. Come on, fellas.
Now, who's this goon?
"Jack Bocci from the South Side of Chicago.
Graduate of several reform schools."
Better keep him in the background.
Bullshit!
This is the religious one. Oh, there's always a religious one.
"Eugene McVey from Cleveland." There's always one from Cleveland.
"Nineteen, high-strung, always coming down with something."
How'd he get in this bunch?
"Richard 'Rascal' Moore. Eighteen, 5-foot-4, 120 pounds.
Has a real reputation as a ladies' man."
At least, that's what he says.
"Clay Busby, a farmer's son." Now, look at this.
"When his father lost their farm in a poker game...
Clay started playing piano in a New Orleans cathouse."
Oh, the papers will love that.
Come on. I'm open.
This kid couldn't be more Irish if he tried. "Danny Daly.
'A' student, editor of the school paper, Valedictorian.
"He volunteered the day after he graduated from college."
Danny! All right!
That's not bad. I think we've got something to work with here.
Oh, come on. Get up, get up.
Whoo-hoo-hoo!
They're coming in!
That's 15, 16.
- There's another one. - Hurry, you're counting today.
At this point, 15 or 16. Sir, they're still coming in.
How can I promise you 24 planes tomorrow?
I don't even know if they'll all make it back.
Where?
I thought we hit that target a month ago, sir.
Yes, I know we have to keep the pressure on...
but I lost almost a quarter of my squadron, sir.
Yes, sir.
I will have the ground crews work through the night.
But I was hoping to give the boys a little break.
We're having a dance tonight in honor of the group's first ann...
Yes, sir.
Yes, I will give you an update when I know more.
Thank you, sir. Goodbye.
Sir, 18 planes, three still out.
So that's the crew of the Memphis Belle, huh?
Those are the enlisted men. You're meeting the officers this afternoon.
They must be the 10 luckiest sons of bitches in the world.
- They're just ordinary men, colonel. - Are you kidding?
Ordinary? First they volunteer for all this...
and then they fly 24 missions without a scratch.
- That doesn't sound very ordinary to me. - Two more, sir.
You know, people back home are getting pretty discouraged by our losses.
They're starting to think daylight bombing is a big mistake.
- It's the only way we're gonna win this war. - We gotta get that message across.
That's where I come in. The nation is gonna fall in love with those boys.
The first crew in the Eighth Air Force to complete their tour of duty.
- They haven't done it yet. - They will.
You're gonna make sure of that. Right?
One more. Just one more.
Boy, it'd be great if everybody came back today.
- With the dance and everything. - I give them 4-to-1.
Any takers?
- Yeah, I'll have some of that. - Show me your money, Jack.
- Genie, loan me some money, huh? - What do I look like, Wells Fargo?
- No, you look like a weenie... - There it is!
I heard they brought in a swell band for the dance.
- Maybe they'll let you croon a tune. - No, sirree.
- You sing to us in the plane all the time. - Yeah, but you guys ain't got no taste. Heh.
- Abandon ship now, everybody! - Let's get out of here!
- Let's go! - Come on, come on, hurry up!
Hurry up! Let's get out of here!
So you named the plane after your girl back home, right?
Heh, that's a great angle.
You don't sound like you're from the south, though.
I met her when I was in Memphis on business.
Yeah, I bet she's a living doll, eh, Dennis?
She's a very fine woman, sir.
Uh-huh.
Oh, a lifeguard? Wow, that's a pretty responsible job, eh, Luke?
Well, it's rough basking in the sun all day, having girls swarm all over you.
So I joined up. Had to get away from all of that.
- That's good. - Yeah.
All right. "Val." And what is that short for?
"Valentine."
I bet the women love that.
Now, you're the bombardier...
and, uh, I understand you have 4 years of medical school under your belt.
Believe me, as soon as your picture comes out in LIFE magazine...
every man, woman and child in America is gonna want you to be their doctor.
Would you look at the camera, Phil?
Sit up straight.
- Smile? - What is there to smile about, sir?
You guys have finished 24 missions. One more and you go home.
That'd sure make me smile.
Well, you're not me.
Would you please just take the picture?
- Is that all, sir? - Not quite.
You'll go back home in the Belle, fly all over the U.S...
making speeches, getting people to buy more war bonds...
work longer hours, put out more planes.
And, uh, believe me, you'll be wined, womened and songed...
from one end of the States to the other.
It'll be tough, but, uh, we all have to make sacrifices.
- You mean we're gonna be famous, sir? - I'm afraid so, Luke.
- Colonel Derringer? - Ah-ah-ah.
I'm Army PR. You can call me Bruce.
We'll follow your orders to the best of our...
These are not orders, Dennis. We're working together on this.
Fine. But I don't want the other men finding out about this yet.
Pictures in LIFE? Wine, women and song? You gotta tell them. They'll go nuts.
I don't want them going nuts. I want them thinking about their jobs.
Come on, we could do our jobs in our sleep. Why can't they know?
Because I said so.
My father used to say that.
Dennis, you're the boss. You tell the crew whenever you think it's right.
Now, can we have just one more shot?
What? Are you kidding me?
- What are you smiling about? - Ha-ha-ha.
You're the one that put this unclean deck in this barracks.
Okay, get your money. Once again, Jack Bocci gets stiffed.
Clay, shouldn't you let the sarge go through Becker's stuff?
Sarge will just send it to Becker's widow.
We don't want her getting anything embarrassing.
- Candy bar. - Me.
Danny, which one of these do you like better? This one's shiny aluminum. It's very modern.
And this one is a little more homey, with the brick and the little bushes.
- This one. Why? - Well, it's important, see.
I'm gonna plan to open a bunch of restaurants exactly like the first one.
So you could go to Detroit and get the same hamburger...
you got in Baltimore or in Philadelphia...
Nobody's gonna want the same old food everywhere they go.
Sure they do. It's comforting.
- It's com... It is comforting. - Love letters.
- Wife or girlfriend? - Ooh, read them out loud. Get me in the mood.
Girlfriend.
- Pocketknife. Photos. - Does he have any clean socks in there?
Hey. Dirty book.
Hey, I'll take it.
Ah.
Hey, look.
- Becker forgot his good-luck charm. - Poor slob.
Should've worn it around his neck. Then he'd never forget it.
- Rubbers. - Dibs!
Virge the Virgin won't need these.
Promise me if you ever lose your cherry, you'll tell me.
I'll send it to you COD.
Say, Clay, give me. Becker owed me 10.
- Jack, don't take his money. - Hey, clam up, you mug-face, he owed me.
What do you guys know about Germany?
- Pretty women. - Good beer.
- The hamburger's named after a town there. - Yeah. Ha, ha.
A little bird tells me that's where they're sending us tomorrow.
- Are you sure? - Uh, we ain't going to Crowdville.
Our plane's broke.
- No, it's fixed. - Christ, let's go break it.
They wouldn't send us to Germany our last time.
- They'd send us on a milk run to France. - I hope so.
They would.
Anybody want the rest of this stuff? Who wants the cigarettes?
Let me take the razor blades.
All the little birdies went tweet-tweet 'Neath the spreading chestnut tree
I said, I love you And there ain't no ifs or buts
He said, I love you And the blacksmith shouted
Chestnuts!
Underneath the spreading chestnut tree There he said he'd marry me
Now you ought to see our family 'Neath the spreading chestnut tree!
Eugene!
Hey, Genie.
I'm sending this to your wife.
Now they're saying we may be going to Germany tomorrow.
My short, young life could be snuffed out in an instant.
I volunteered because I thought it would be fun.
I never thought I could...
Oh, Faith, when I think I might never see the stars again...
or listen to good music...
or talk to a beautiful girl like you...
Oh, I'm sorry.
You need a drink. I'll... I'll be right back.
Oh, Danny, she is crazy about me. She's gonna jump on me any second.
Think you had enough?
How come they brought LIFE magazine? Are they trying to jinx us?
Forget about it. Let's get a couple girls. Let's go dance.
Tell me the truth. The truth. Are you scared?
No.
I'm Val. Come on.
That's my favorite food in the whole world.
You've never had a hamburger? Unbelievable. You don't know what you're missing.
They sound wonderful.
It's been so long since I had any meat.
See, I work the meat very slowly, you know, very tenderly. That's the secret.
And I rub in a little Worcestershire and add a little garlic, a little thyme.
And then I ease it into a patty very gently so I don't bruise the meat.
Virge, you're making me so hungry.
We're gonna have to excite people on this bande tour, inspire them, you know?
Now, Dennis, he's a fine man, but he doesn't have your enthusiasm.
I'm a qualified pilot, same as him. They just didn't have a plane ready for me...
so he's, uh, a big-shot pilot and I'm sitting in the dummy seat.
Hey. You're no dummy, Luke. We both know that.
Being captain?
Well, uh, you've got nine men who are totally depending on you. Do you...?
So, what did you do before the war? I was in the furniture business.
This isn't like making furniture. See what I mean?
Right. Yeah.
- I'm not making any sense, am I? - No, no, you are.
Look, thanks a lot, captain. Uh, I'm gonna get back to my date.
Yeah, it's the truth.
Green eyes
A pool wherein my love lies
So deep that in my searching
Well, I...
I'm gonna miss you, gal.
We, uh...
been together a long time...
and, well, you've never let me down.
I can't say that about many people.
You know how to take care of your man...
and, well, that's about the best thing a fellow can say about any gal, I guess.
I can't believe it.
It's gonna be over so soon.
I can't imagine going home.
Home, heh. Yeah.
Won't be the same, will it?
Good night.
Virge, I wish you'd talk to me like that.
Shh. You know what the captain would do if he caught us here?
He'd murder me. This is... Oh, jeez, put that out.
Come on. Let's just get this over with and get back to the dance.
Ah! Wait, wait.
There. What's that?
Oh, my wrench. I've been looking for that. Where'd you find it?
- Under my bum. - Oh, thanks.
Boy, I thought someone had stolen it. I got worried...
Virge, forget the bloody wrench.
I'm sorry. Shh, sorry. Here, here, let me rub it.
You've never done this before, have you?
Why? Am I doing something wrong?
No.
Hey, fellas. Is that your brand-new plane out there?
- Yeah. Mother and Country. - Mother and Country.
Aw.
- Had our first practice today. - How'd it go?
Well, we need a couple more. And if you guys have any advice...
Yeah. Get a gun, shoot yourself in the foot, go home.
Now, that's good advice.
Are those size eights?
How about leaving a will saying when you get your ass shot off...
that those nice shiny new pumps come to me, huh?
Rascal.
You okay?
Yeah.
Nerves, I guess.
They were just fooling around.
I remember when I first got here.
- Same thing. - I'd give anything to be in your place.
One more and you guys get to go home.
Sometimes I wish I could stay.
Heh, sounds crazy, but I'm used to it here.
These guys... These jerks are like brothers to me.
I never had any brothers.
I have four older sisters.
When we get back home, I don't know when we're all gonna get together again.
We come from all over.
I guess that's why I keep taking their pictures. Heh.
You'll be like that with your crew.
Here. Close your eyes.
Go on.
It's good luck.
Excuse us, fellas.
Hey, Clay, now's your chance. Get up there and sing.
I'm not gonna get up in front of all these folks and make...
- Come on, you're a great singer. - Oh, no, I couldn't do that. Uh-uh.
Uh, ladies and gentlemen, uh...
we have, uh...
10 very special men here tonight.
And, uh, I'm sure you know who I mean.
They're just about to become the first crew in the Eighth Air Force...
to fly their 25th and final mission.
Let's hear it for the crew of the Memphis Belle.
- Hip-hip! - Hurray!
- No, no. It's bad luck. - Hip-hip!
Hip-hip.
Let's do "Danny Boy" in C, and I'm gonna come in on the second part.
Thank you, sir. Thank you.
Um...
this buddy of mine keeps begging me to sing and...
Well, it looks like I ain't gonna get out of it this time.
So here goes.
Oh, Danny boy, the pipes, the pipes
No, get back here. You're not getting out of this.
From glen to glen And down the mountainside
The summer's gone And all the roses falling
It's you, it's you must go
And I must bide
But come ye back When summer's in the meadow
Or when the valley's hushed And white with snow
It's I'll be here in sunshine Or in shadow
Oh, Danny boy, oh, Danny boy I love you so
I don't wanna die.
I don't wanna die!
I don't wanna die.
- Captain Dearborn. Captain Dearborn. - Yeah?
Mission today. Breakfast, 0600. Briefing, 0645.
- Lieutenant Sinclair. - I'm up, I'm up.
- Where's Lieutenant Lowenthal? - Val, where's Phil?
Uh, he's in the can. He couldn't sleep.
- He had nerves. - Yeah, can't say as I blame him.
- Give them hell today, sir. - Yeah.
Jack.
Oh, no.
I can see it. I get back home, I'm doing it to the wife...
the door breaks open, and there's Danny taking a picture.
- Anybody seen my St. Anthony's medal? - Isn't he the patron saint of missing things?
Yeah, I can't find him.
Chief? Chief, I need you over hereto look at this.
Bogey, 6 o'clock, low.
- Good morning. - Morning, lieutenant.
What, are you drunk?
- Why? Are you? - Are you kidding? We got a mission.
I know, that's why.
See, I'm gonna get it today.
My number's up. My luck's run out.
And I'm gonna die, so I wanna give you something to remember me by.
You gotta get ahold of yourself, junior.
I don't want your watch. Everybody's counting on you.
What about my cuff links? You want my gold cuff links?
- They got my initials... - You'll let everybody down.
Want my New York Yankee baseball cards? I got DiMaggio.
What about my Rita Hayworth pinup?
Stick your finger down your throat. Stick your finger down your throat.
Stick your finger down your throat or I'm gonna do it for you.
I feel better.
You're not thinking of sneaking this on the plane, are you?
Danny, I am shocked at your behavior. Virge goes out for the pass.
- Hey, guys. - Hey, wise guys. Knock it off!
Found it.
- Hey. Here. - Dance with me, Danny.
This is not funny.
These powdered eggs would gag a buzzard. You done with that?
Know what? It's gonna be a milk run today. I can feel it in my bones.
That's what you said last time. They sent us to Wilhelmshaven.
- I hope they don't send us back there. - They wouldn't do that.
Not to my mama's baby boy. Heh.
- Thanks. - Give them hell today, sir.
- Bacon? - Yeah.
- Eggs? - No.
Give him extra. He's real hungry.
- Morning, men. - Morning.
- Everything all right? - Oh, yeah.
Stop it.
You won't have a chance to do that after today, sir.
Oh, I wouldn't be so sure about that. Right, Dennis?
Oh!
Well, looks like we've all got the jitters this morning.
- I'll see you after briefing. - Chief.
How the hell is he gonna get through a navigator's briefing?
On a wing and a prayer.
I thought we'd have a little more practice before we went up.
You'll do fine.
Ten-hut.
At ease, gentlemen.
I hope you all had a good time last night, but now it's back to business.
The target for today is Bremen.
We've been given a chance today to make a real difference in this war...
so let's do this job the best we can.
Leave the rest in the hands of God.
With luck, it'll all be over soon and we can go back home to our families.
Good luck. Over to you, Major Comstock.
Good morning, gentlemen. Sergeant, would you get the lights?
This is our target area right here.
Long, rectangular buildings. The only long, rectangular buildings in the area.
You can't miss them.
Note this S-shaped road going through the factory for your sighting.
The Flugzeugbauer factory is a major assembly plant for 190 fighter planes.
Now, you're leading the group today.
Three hundred and sixty planes are bombing on your command.
So let's be accurate. This is a civilian area here.
This is a hospital. These are houses. This is a school and a playground.
Note the railway tracks north-northwest.
- Hey. Bremen. - Bremen?
- Oh, we're dead men. We're dead. - Shut up, Rascal.
- You shut up, Virgin. - Cut it out.
Clay, what are the odds today?
You figure they're gonna overload us with bombs...
so it's 30-to-1 we'll crash and blow up on takeoff, right?
Then they're gonna throw every fighter they got at us...
Skip the gory details.
- Basically, we're finished. - Chief's coming.
Amazing grace
How sweet the sound
That saved a wretch like me
I once was lost
But now am found
Was blind but now I see
- Uh, tower, this is Army 485. Over. - 485, go ahead.
Uh, this is a radio check. Charlie, Uncle, Victor, Tango, Nancy.
- Please acknowledge. Over. - 485, I read you.
Soon as you're ready, call in.
Bombardier checking in.
Navigator checking in.
Top turret checking in.
Radio operator checking in.
Ball turret checking in.
Right waist gunner checking in.
Left waist gunner checking in.
Tail gunner checking in.
Intercoolers.
- Set. - Generators.
- Set. - Fuel boost pumps.
Set.
Good. Crew, assume positions for takeoff.
Uh, chief, there's a jeep coming.
- Hey, captain. - Yeah?
We got a delay.
There's a cloud cover over the target but a strong chance it'll blow over.
- Stand by until further notice. - For how long?
They don't tell me doodly, sir.
Damn it. They always do this.
We're delayed. There's cloud cover over the target.
They're asking us to stand down until further notice. Danny, tell the others.
Fellas, the target's clouded over. We're delayed.
Aw, son of a bitch!
- Snafu. - Situation normal.
All fucked up.
Hear that, Clay?
Okay, Luke, let's take this extra time to double double-check everything.
Let's make this our best mission yet.
- Brakes. - Didn't you hear?
There's complete cloud cover over Bremen. We're not going anywhere.
Brakes.
Set. They were set before, and they're still set.
Intercoolers.
Check.
- Burners. - On.
- Generators. - Off.
- Fuel booster pumps. - On.
- Hydraulic pressure. - Check.
- Fuel-transfer valves. - Off.
Oxygen supply.
Say, Pop, is it busted?
I don't know what's wrong with it.
I got one just like that at home. Why don't you let me take a look at it?
Ah, you're just nervous.
I'm not. The thing jammed on me last mission. I have to sit in this rattrap.
I checked it out top to bottom. It's okay. Take it easy.
Gee, thanks, Virgin.
- The name's Virgil. - Not to me, it isn't.
- You know, Rascal, I could tell you something. - What could you tell me, Virgin?
Nothing.
All you gotta do is call on the intercom and say you have a little trouble in the tail.
I come back, you give me the gun for five minutes.
- It's against regulations, sir. - Come on. Screw the regulations.
Sir, if they found out, they'd put my hot dog in a bun and chow down.
Nobody's gonna find out. This is between you and I.
Come on, I just wanna get my hands on a gun just once.
How am I gonna get girls back home if I haven't killed a Nazi?
Clay, please. I'll do anything you say. Just name your price. Come here.
Wild dog.
- Anything, sir? - Anything. anything.
Give me your dog.
- Seven-to-1 we're not going. - Let's just go and get it over with.
I'd rather get it over going to a nice little French target.
If we bail out, we can hide in some French girl's hayloft.
Rascal, is that all you think about?
Yes, Virgin, it is. I have to make up for you.
- Why don't you grow up, Rascal? - Shut up, Virgin. You make me sick.
- Why don't the both of you shut up? - All right. All right.
- Come on. - Calm down.
Getting excited isn't gonna make this go any faster.
Just relax. Try to be a little bit more like Phil.
- Hey, what do we got here? Poetry. - Hey, give it back.
- We have a poet on board. - May I have my book, please?
- Why don't you read us a poem, Danny? - Yeah, yeah, come on.
- I wanna hear some poetry. - No, no, no.
No, nothing's finished.
I didn't know you wrote. Read us something.
Yeah, I wanna hear some poetry. Come on.
- Come on, Danny, don't be shy. - Read us something you've started.
We got a regular old Shakespeare on board, fellas.
Frilly words there.
- You got a good tone, Jack, heh. - Tone-deaf.
I know that I shall meet my fate Somewhere among the clouds above
Oh, Lord.
Those that I fight I do not hate Those that I guard I do not love
Nor law, nor duty bade me fight
Nor public men, nor cheering crowds
A lonely impulse of delight
Drove to this tumult in the clouds
I balanced all, brought all to mind
The years to come seemed waste of breath
A waste of breath the years behind
In balance with this life, this death
Captain!
You're going up. Start engines in five minutes. Five minutes.
Say, lieutenant, lieutenant, um...
I was thinking, if you really want to, you can come back and fire my gun.
- I'm not giving you my dog. - Oh, lieutenant.
I don't want that flea-bitten, mangy old pooch anyway.
Okay. Wake up, Phil. Time to go to work.
Here we go, boys.
Okay, Mona baby. We're gonna get us a nice 109 today.
We did it before, we'll do it again.
Sweet-talking your gun won't help, Jack. Just straight shooting.
Hey, shut up, Gene.
Well, you know, when I got my two Nazi fighters...
Hey, shut up.
Okay, Jack.
- Climb power. - I know.
- Watch the cowl flaps. - I know.
Look out! Oh, my God!
Luke, take over for a minute.
Hey, it's Baby Ruth. Who's our right wingman?
Mother and Country.
Oh, swell. The rookie crew.
- Soup? - No, thank you, sir.
- Luke? - No, thanks.
- Captain, okay if I arm my bombs? - Yeah, go ahead.
- Val, take this. - You're not gonna die.
Just in case.
You're flak-happy. Now, just do your job and shut up.
Bombs armed.
Rascal, there's nothing wrong with the ball turret.
- Don't worry your pretty head about it, Virge. - I'm just doing my job, Rascal.
Oh, now you do it? Thanks a lot, buddy.
- Okay? - Yes, thank you.
We're at 10,000 feet. Let's hear those oxygen checks.
Clay, how you doing back there?
Well, I'm doing just fine, lieutenant.
Captain, we're exactly 5 miles south-southwest of Great Yarmouth.
We're in formation. This is the rally point.
Okay, boys. We're on our way.
Okay, listen, men. I'm showing 30 below zero up here.
Let's be careful.
Don't touch your guns with your bare hands or they'll freeze right to it.
I don't want anyone losing any fingers up here.
Keep checking your masks for frozen saliva.
That ice gets down there and blocks your oxygen flow.
- I don't want anyone passing out on me. - Yeah, yeah.
- In short, don't drool. - In short, check your mask, Rascal.
All right, let's keep the intercom free.
Call out those fighters and don't shout. We can hear you loud and clear.
Let's make this our best run yet, boys, one that we can really be proud of.
Right in the pickle barrel, huh, Dennis?
That's right. Keep your minds on your job, work together...
and stay alert.
Captain, I'm getting A.F.N. here. Can I put it on?
- Yeah, yeah. - Please, sir? Come on, captain.
All right, Danny, but when I say that's enough...
Why do breezes sigh every evening
Whispering your name as they do?
And why have I the feeling Stars are on my ceiling?
I know why and so do you
When you smile at me
I hear gypsy violins
Lord have mercy, Jack.
When you dance with me, I'm in heaven
Heaven? Come to my bunk. I'll give you heaven, honey.
I can see the sun when it's raining
Okay, let's test our guns.
Little friends, 3 o'clock high.
Oh, God.
I'd give anything to fly a fighter.
You're all alone. You can do anything you want.
That's flying.
It's the best pen money can buy.
- Why can't I have the baseball cards? - They're for him. Here you go, Jack.
I'm more of a football fan myself. You know the Bears?
There. Happy?
- Yeah. - Yeah. Thanks, Jack.
Thanks, Genie.
Mother and Country calling Memphis Belle. Come in.
- Read you, Mother. What's wrong? - Nothing, Danny. I just had a question.
Stan, we're not supposed to use the radio unless it's an emergency.
Oh, sorry. It was about my log book.
Whether I should write down every radio communication I hear or just some of the, uh.
Write down everything. Later on you'll figure out what's important.
- We better sign off. - Okay, thanks, Danny.
I won't bother you again.
Hey, smile, I'm gonna take your picture here.
Hope it comes out.
Okay, boys, we're getting close to enemy territory now, so let's be on guard.
Call out the fighters as soon as you see them.
Clay, you sure sang great last night. You should do like we keep saying.
After the war, go to Hollywood and get a record contract like Frank Sinatra.
Yeah, so we can say we knew you when.
No. I'm gonna get a nice little farm, a nice little wife, and settle down.
Luke's the one who should go to Hollywood. Shoot, he could star in the movies.
Man. Maybe. Maybe.
I don't know what I'm gonna do after the war, except not work.
Yeah, Luke, why go back to the daily grind of being a lifeguard? Take it easy.
I know exactly what I'm gonna do.
Oh, Virge, if I hear one more word about that stupid restaurant...
It's not stupid.
At least I've got a plan. What are you gonna do after the war, Rascal?
Come to your restaurant and rob it. Ha, ha.
Valentine's the smart one. He's almost a doctor already.
Hey, what kind of doctor you gonna be, Val?
A rich one.
What about Phil? What's he gonna be after the war?
I know. A mortician.
Well, hey, fellas, think about this. My family has a furniture business.
We make furniture and then we sell it. You could all come to work for me.
Like I said, don't give it a thought.
Yeah, that's just what we need, you ordering us around for the rest of our lives.
"Let's do the preflight check."
- Yeah. "Don't hog the intercom." - "Call out them fighters."
- "Check your masks." - "Let's make this our best run yet."
I'm not that bad.
Say, Danny-boy, you didn't say what you're gonna do when it's all over.
Clay, I don't even like to think about it. I mean, what if something happens?
I mean, well, we could all be old men by the time the war is over.
It just seems so far away, you know?
I'm sorry, fellas.
Bandits, five o'clock.
Go get them, little friends.
Hold your fire until Jerry's in range. Don't waste your ammunition.
I said, hold your fire.
- That was Genie the weenie. Ha, ha. - Shut up, jackass.
- Six o'clock high. - Nine o'clock high.
Two 190s, 12 o'clock high.
Three fighters, 9 o'clock coming around. Keep your eyes on them.
Top turret, 11 high. Can't reach them.
Got them in my sights, lieutenant.
Bogey, 4 high. Danny, see him?
Two more, 12 o'clock high, coming fast.
Couple coming in faster. Too high.
- I've got another one on my back. - I'm on him.
Two went low. Watch them, waist gunner.
They're flying close today.
5 o'clock high. Looks like a 190.
This guy at 10, he's smoking.
I saw the left waist of Mother and Country hit him.
Son of a bitch. First time out, he gets a kill.
He's bailing out.
Call out any planes you see going down so Danny can put them in his log book.
You know, we've done this before, captain.
Fighters at 9, but they're staying away.
One at 10:30.
- Ten-thirty high or low? - Low, low.
- Here they come. - Looks like we got company, 7 o'clock.
One-oh-nine, 3 o'clock. Somebody's going down, 2 o'clock.
109s coming at 10 level.
Come on. Come on.
Come to Papa, you son of a...
I almost had him. Damn it. Hey, Wiener.
He's coming around again. Jack, get the greedy bastard.
Two more at 6. They're coming in.
They're going after the first flight.
Windy City's on fire.
- Why don't they do something? - Come on, bail out, you guys.
Come on, wake up. Get out.
Jesus, there's a hole in the pilot's window.
Hold on.
- Call in. - Tail.
Ball turret. Get us out of here.
- Right waist. - Keep calling in.
- Bombardier. - Navigator, check in.
- Navigator. - Phil.
Here. Navigator checking in.
When I say check in, that means right away.
Somebody's guts are all over the nose.
Any damage? Crew, check your stations.
- Nose okay. - Tail okay.
- Radio room okay. - Keep calling out those bandits.
They're gone.
Yep. Hit and run.
Captain, I just heard from C Cup. They're taking over the lead.
- You hear that, Val? - Roger.
Okay, C Cup's lead plane now.
- When they drop their bombs, so do we. - Got it.
Any chutes from Windy City?
Them guys didn't even have time to pee in their pants.
- Here one minute, gone the next. - If you gotta go, that's the way.
Listen, do we have to talk about it?
Hey, fellas, I heard a good one from the waist gunner of Windy City.
What was his name?
- Cooley. - No, I mean the left one.
What, am I talking to myself? Cooley.
- I mean the right one. - I know the guy.
- Tall guy? - He wasn't so tall.
Well, everybody's tall to me.
- Lindquist. - No, no, no.
- Something like that. - Virge, you're not even close.
Anyway, a plane gets shot down. The guy bails out and the gestapo gets him.
His leg is broken, so they have to amputate. He says, "Do me a favor."
After you cut it off, give it to one of your pilots
and have him drop it over my base in England."
And they do it.
- Don't tie up the intercom. - Wait, this is a quick one.
The next week, they cut off his other leg.
He says again, "Will you drop it over my base?" And they do it.
The next week, they gotta cut off his arm.
He asks one more time, "Will you please drop it over my base?"
This time, they say, "Nein, this we can't do anymore."
And he says, "Why not?" And they say: “We think you're trying to escape."
- Son of a gun. - I don't get it.
That was pretty good, Rascal. I think even Dennis liked that one.
Stoller. That's the guy's name. Stoller.
No, no, no.
Stoller wasn't on Windy City.
- You sure? - Wait, it'll come to me here.
Oh, yeah. I can see that guy's face.
Yeah, me too.
Well, whatever his name was...
it was a good joke.
Okay, men. Let's stop fooling around.
Jerry's out there. Let's look sharp.
Damn. Are the little friends leaving already?
Well, they sure know when to run out of fuel.
They ain't dumb.
My medal. Oh, my God, my medal. Where...? Where's...?
My medal, have you seen it?
Hey, Wiener.
- Thanks, buddy. - Here.
No!
- Why'd you do that? - Now we're even!
- Right waist. Right waist, call in. - I'll kill you!
Radio operator, get back there and see what's happened.
Hey, hey!
Don't ever touch me when I'm on my gun. You hear me?
Break it up! Jack!
- Break it up. - Get him back on his guns.
- Gene. - What?
- What happened? - Jack threw my medal out the window.
I'm finished, Danny. I'm finished.
No, you're not. Look, here. Here, take my lucky rubber band.
It works. I swear to God it works. You'll be all right. You okay?
Yeah. I'm okay.
- You'll be okay. I want it back. - Yeah. Yeah. Okay.
Navigator, give us a position.
Sir, that's the Third Reich down there.
Now the shit really hits the fan.
Sir, uh, I think you better come take a look.
No, we gotta liven up that whole area.
And make sure the banner is centered, right?
What's the meaning of this?
Then put the piano up on the platform. It's just a little party, colonel.
I did not order this.
I didn't order this.
Leave this stuff to me. The Memphis Belle is my job.
And my job is to approve everything on this base.
I did not authorize a homecoming.
Craig, you're working a little hard at being a hard-ass.
What's the harm in a little party in honor of these guys? They're special.
I have 24 crews up there. They are all special to me.
That's a great story, but baloney's my business. I know it when I see it.
All you care about is getting planes in the air, results, brownnosing HQ.
- The only man in the whole... - Come with me.
You don't care if these men live or die. It's just another airplane. If it was...
Sit down.
Start reading.
This one's from a father whose son had his head blown off over Lorient.
- Craig, I think you're cracking up. - Read it!
"Dear Colonel Harriman:"
Thank you for your letter about Tommy.
He was only at your base a month...
but must have made a big impression because you described him down to his boots.
I wish you could have told me...
how Tommy died, but I guess we have to be careful about security and all.
I'm glad he was brave and did his job to the end.
Maybe his mother and I raised him right after all.
I guess we'll get used to him being gone, but not too soon, I hope.
"I can always read your letter, and that will bring him back."
Dear sir: Your letter of December 10th...
finally made me realize that my husband is gone.
I have been living in the false hopes that the telegram I received was a mistake.
Dear sir: I am writing on behalf of my parents...
who appreciated your letter to them about my brother's death.
We were all glad to know that Frank didn't suffer...
and was not alone when he died.
I saw him off at the train station when he left to go overseas.
He was happy and excited to be doing something important with his life.
He couldn't stop looking at the stripes on his shoulder.
I hope when this is over, the world will have learned...
that there's a better way to solve its problems.
My prayers are for my husband's comrades.
May they fly safely and return home to their loved ones soon.
Best wishes, Mrs. Peterman.
Bandits, 5 o'clock.
Bogey, 5 o'clock low.
Blackwell, 3 o'clock high.
I said don't yell on the intercom.
Breaking low at 5 o'clock. Ball turret, watch out.
Watch that fighter. He'll twist. He's doing a half-roll.
That guy had blue eyes.
Tail gunner, one coming down from 6.
One-ninety, 12 o'clock high.
He's going for C Cup. Look out. Look out.
Oh, God. He doesn't have a parachute.
- Everybody make sure you've got your chutes. - Parachutes?
- There isn't enough room to breathe in here. - Then put your safety strap on.
- It hurts. - Do it.
Captain, I just heard from C Cup.
They're dropping out of formation. We're in the lead now.
Bye-bye, C Cup.
The bogeyman's gonna get them.
Danny, get me C channel to talk to Group.
Those poor bastards.
This is the Memphis Belle.
We're lead plane now.
I'm gonna do my best to get the bombs right in the pickle barrel and get us out safe.
I'm gonna need all the help you can give me, so let's tighten up and be on our toes.
We're 3 minutes, 30 seconds from the bomb run.
Bloodsucker, 1 o'clock level. Ball turret, watch out.
I'm jammed, Virge. He's coming at me. Help me, Virge! He's coming right at me!
And your mother too.
Damn.
Oh, my God. Jack's hit. Jack's hit.
- Val, get back there and look at Jack. - I'm 2 minutes from the bomb run, captain.
- Okay. Gene, take care of it. - Hold still. Hold still. Let me look.
What are you laughing about?
It's a scratch. Look, it's nothing. And you're screaming like a stuck pig.
They destroyed my favorite harmonica.
Oh, you rotten son of a bitches!
You son of a bitch. You scared the shit out of me.
How'd you do that?
Magic.
Flak, 12 o'clock level.
Here we go.
They got something like 500 antiaircraft guns around Bremen.
I could live without knowing that, lieutenant.
Hey, Clay, what are the odds of us getting out of here alive?
Uh, just figuring that out.
Damn.
- Oh, jeez. - What's wrong, ball turret?
A big piece of Nazi flak just hit my turret.
- Well, are you okay? - I guess.
- You guess or you are? - I am.
All right. I hope everybody's wearing their flak jackets.
Mother and Country calling Memphis Belle.
Danny, this flak is not like I expected. Can't the captain fly above it or something?
No, we've gotta fly straight through it or we'll be off target.
- It's just, uh, 4 minutes. - Yeah, just.
Bombardier, I'm turning on the autopilot.
You're flying the plane from here to target.
- She's all yours. - Roger.
Hold her steady, Val.
Christ, I've never seen it this thick before.
Luke's hit! Luke's hit!
- Jesus Christ! - It's not me. It's not me, it must be you.
- It's not me. - I think he's in shock.
- No, I'm not. You're in shock. - Val, better get up here quick.
- Hey, I'm on the bomb run. - Well, it's definitely not me.
Definitely not me either.
It's gotta be somebody! There's blood all over the cockpit!
It's tomato soup.
What was that?
There's a hole as big as my dick in the left wing.
We're losing fuel.
Virge, get on the fuel-transfer pump.
Oh, the electrics must be out on the left side.
The pump's not responding. I'll do it by hand.
Luke, get back there, give him a hand. We need to save as much fuel as we can.
- Unh. - Two minutes to target.
Bomb bay door is open.
Jesus.
- Virge. - Okay.
Bombardier to pilot. Target is covered. Looks like a smoke screen.
Fuel transfer complete. I think we saved a little.
Bombardier, how does that target look?
Target totally obscured.
Thirty seconds to target.
Listen, Val, I need those bombs on target. The whole group is bombing with us.
Well, if I can't see, I can't see.
- What do you think you're doing? - We came to bomb a factory.
We're gonna bomb a factory, even if it means going around again.
Going around on a bomb run is suicide. That's like asking the Nazis to blow us...
Luke, I'm in command.
Captain, what do you want me to do?
Shit.
- Bombardier, give me a report. - Visibility, zero.
You do it and we're dead.
- We're going around again. - Damn!
Danny, get me C Channel to talk to Group.
Get off of me.
- Just drop them, Val. - Just shut up!
Please.
It'll take five minutes to get back to the start of the bomb run.
Navigator, give me a position.
- Navigator. Did you hear me? - Yes, sir.
Everybody listen.
I know you wanna drop the bombs and get the hell out of here.
But there's civilians down there. There's a school next door.
If we don't drop these in the pickle barrel, there's gonna be innocent people killed.
- What's the difference? They're all Nazis. - Luke, shut up.
Now, I don't wanna do this any more than you do.
We were sent here to bomb a factory.
If we don't do it, somebody's gonna have to come back here again and do it for us.
Nobody said this was gonna be fun and games.
It's our job. Ours. Nobody else's.
If we do this thing right...
it's something we can be proud of our whole lives.
That's all I want, fellas. Believe me.
Now, let's get back to work. Call out those fighters when you see them.
- Bandits, 3 o'clock high. - I see them.
Four right there on the level. They'll be all over us in a second.
Calling in four, lining up to come in.
Bandit, 12 o'clock high. Cockpit, he's heading for you.
What am I supposed to do, spit on him?
- Tail gunner, how you doing back there? - I'm just peachy, lieutenant.
Well, if you need any help, let me know.
I sure will, but I think I'm doing fine right now.
Oh, lieutenant, um, actually, I do need some help back here.
- Tail gunner, what's wrong? - I'm running out of ammo.
I'll take care of it.
Why can't somebody else do it? Left waist, right waist.
Chief, we got fighters all over us back here.
Dennis, I'm the only one not doing anything.
Okay. But make it fast.
Watch that fighter at 10. He's coming in a half-roll.
- I see him. He's a 109. - Jerry, 5 high. Gene, watch yourself.
Blackwell's, 2 high, breaking under. Watch them, ball turret.
Read you, bombardier.
Hey. Clay.
Hey. Watch it, watch it.
Great.
I owe you one, brother.
Nice view you got out here.
Tail gunner, see that bandit at 7 low? He's all yours, Clay.
Two bogeys coming in 4 high.
They're Messerschmitts, coming fast.
Ball turret, 109 coming in about 7 low.
I'm on him. Two of them, 3 high. Keep your eyes on them.
Seven level, coming in like a son of a bitch.
I got him. I got him! Whoo-hoo!
I got him!
It's the rookies. They got the rookies.
Memphis Belle to Mother and Country. Come in.
Memphis Belle to Mother and Country. Come in!
Oh, my God, oh, no! Oh, God, no!
Oh, Jesus Christ, no!
How many chutes from Mother and Country?
I saw two.
Yeah, two.
Captain, this is the bomb run.
Okay, bombardier. I'm turning it over to you.
- Roger. - It's all yours, Val.
Luke, after delivery, on the way to rally point...
I'm gonna take some evasive action to avoid this flak. Be ready on rudder.
Whatever you say, Dennis. You know what you're doing.
Bombardier, how does that target look?
Like shit.
Captain, I still can't see a thing.
Oh, Lord, come on.
Bombardier, how does that target look?
Target's still covered, captain.
What do you want me to do?
Captain, do you read me?
Yes, I read you.
My sight says I'm over the target. I've gotta do something.
Now, what do you want me to do?
That's it.
That's it. That's it. Bombs away.
Okay, boys, we've done our job for Uncle Sam.
Now we're flying for ourselves.
Bomb doors closing.
Jerry, breaking low to 9 o'clock. Ball turret, watch it. Watch it.
I'm jammed. I'm stuck again. Oh, shit, I'm stuck again.
Virge, get me out of here.
Virge, get down here and help me. He's coming right at me. I'm jammed again!
Virge, help!
Rascal!
Grab hold of me. I'll undo your safety strap. Hold on, okay?
- Come on up here, buddy. - Oh, Jesus, help me!
Grab on to me. I got you, Rascal, I got you! Grab hold of me!
Come on. Come on, Rascal, come on. Come on. Come on. Come on.
You're okay. You're safe. You're safe.
You're all right. You're gonna be okay, okay? Listen to me. You're all right.
You're okay, all right? You're okay. Come here. You're okay.
You're okay. You're going home. You're going home.
- Now what? - Call in.
- Call in now. - Grab the fire extinguisher!
I'll take care of Danny.
Rascal, watch Danny!
- Danny's hurt. - Val, Danny's hurt.
- Get back there and see what you can do. - Well, how bad is it?
Well, I guess it's pretty bad, Val.
- What are you doing? It's Danny. - I can't. There's fighters...
- I'll cover your gun. Just go. - Maybe somebody in the back can...
Hey, hey, you're the doctor.
That's just it. I'm not, Phil. I lied.
I had two weeks of medical school before I enlisted.
I don't know anything.
You just do it.
Captain, somebody just shot a big chunk out of the tail.
There's a fire in Number 4.
Cut fuel. Feather prop. Fire extinguishers. Generator off.
- Call out those fighters. - Oh, jeez. Danny's in bad shape.
- How's Rascal? - He's okay.
The extinguisher's not working.
Gotta do something quick or we're gonna lose that wing.
We gotta dive.
- I'm gonna need your help to pull out of it. - I'm not going anywhere.
Memphis Belle to Group.
We're gonna have to dive to put out this fire. Wingman, you're lead plane.
Everybody, hang on.
Two seventy-five.
- We're exceeding maximum dive speed. - We've gotta level her out.
Fire's not out. Just a bit more. A bit more and we're gonna lose the wing.
Trust me. Just a few seconds more.
Come on, baby, come on.
It's out!
Come on, baby. Hold on, hold on.
Crew, we're at 10,000 feet. You can come off oxygen.
Thanks, Luke.
Once in a while, I'll do something right.
I don't know what else to do. He's lost a lot of blood.
- How far is it to base? - On three engines, two, two and a half hours.
Two and a half hours? He'll never make it.
- Val, help him. - What do you want from me?
This man needs a hospital. All I got is a stupid first-aid kit.
Here you go, Danny.
Okay, okay. There's one more thing we can do.
What? Let's do it.
We can put a parachute on him and push him out.
- Jesus Christ, Val. - It's crawling with Germans down there.
- They'll take him to a hospital. - If they don't kill him.
It's his only chance. Another crew did it. This guy lost an arm.
- But that guy was conscious. - Danny can't even pull the cord.
We can pull it first.
- He could fall in a lake. - Val, can't we wait?
We'll be over the North Sea in 10 minutes. It's gonna be too late.
Well, if we're gonna do it, we're gonna have to do it now.
- Watch his back. - Keep his head up.
- Don't push, don't push. - Careful, careful. Come on.
All right, Val, I'll go along with anything you say. You're the doctor.
We just don't have a choice. We've gotta do it.
- Tell the men that's my decision. - Dennis...
Phil, I don't want any argument.
Val, Val.
- Please don't do it. - It's his only chance.
You're his only chance, but you're too chicken to help him.
If he stays on board, he'll die.
If you throw him out, he's gonna die, and you know it.
Val, you can save him.
So what if you're not a doctor yet? You can help him. I know you can.
Val, he needs you. He's gonna die.
Don't do this, Val. You'll always regret it. I know you're scared.
But we're all scared. Now go help Danny.
Let's go. All right, hold his head. Okay. All right.
Come on, baby.
- Come on, Babe Ruth. - Let's do it.
Come on, baby.
There they are!
Seven.
- Eight. - No, nine.
Did you get that one over there?
- How many so far? - Nine, sir.
- There's another one out there. - And the Belle?
No, sir. Not yet.
Feather prop. Cut fuel.
Listen, men. We're flying on two engines now.
Let's lighten up. Throw out everything you can.
We're close enough to home, so lose your guns.
We never did get that fighter, did we?
Ah, shit on a stick.
Whoa, Emma. You can have my bullets too.
Ain't that a pretty sight?
I balanced all, brought all to mind
The years to come seemed waste of breath
A waste of breath the years behind
In balance with this life, this death
Yeats.
It's okay, Danny.
I didn't write that. It was W.B. Yeats.
- I couldn't... - Take it easy.
Don't do this to me, Danny.
Damn it.
Come on. Danny.
One more. One more like that.
You try that again and I'll kill you.
Landing gear.
Somethings wrong.
Something is wrong. One wheel didn't come down.
Take it back up. We'll belly-land.
Nothing's coming up, nothing's going down.
The electrics must be totally out.
All right. Virge, lower the wheel by hand. Luke, tell me when it's down.
Crew, take positions for crash landing.
Get out of the way! Get out of the way!
Get out of the way. Come on, Jack. You gotta help me.
- We're losing Number 3. - Are we out of fuel?
Fuel gauge is shot. How long can we fly on one engine?
I don't know. I guess we'll find out.
Come on. Come on.
Get out of the way, Virge. Move. Let me in there.
Come on, come on. Faster, faster.
Come on. I got it, I got it.
The pipes, the pipes are calling
Hurry it up!
We're not gonna die. We're not gonna die.
Oh, my God. It's only got one wheel down.
Flaps.
We're not gonna die. We're not gonna die.
We're gonna live.
We made it! We made it, Genie!
We're home, Danny-boy.
Oh, thank God.
Danny-boy, we're home. We're home.
- Easy, easy. - I'm gonna need the IV.
I love you!
Welcome back, boys. Terra firma, huh? Ha, ha.
We can clear this whole area out. Just put him down in front.
This is fine.
Can we have the officers in front?
Uh, Luke, why don't you come around in the front?
Okay, uh, now, officers in the center. Luke, come here up front.
Just take the picture, Bruce.
What's wrong, cap?