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Combat! Season 4 Episodes
Season 4 Episode Guide
31 Episodes 1965 - 1966
Episode 1
Main Event
Tue, Sep 14, 1965
Saunders receives two new replacements who prove to be more trouble than they are worth. One is Willy Kleve [Ben Cooper] a boxer and the other, Murphy [Jack Carter] is his Manager. Murphy is determined that Willy should not be involved in the war and wants to be reassigned to special duties. While out on patrol, Willy spots a group of about 20 Germans and while he is observing them he comes face to face with a lone German who he kills in the ensuing fight. Saunders contacts HQ and is advised to move on to a secondary target which is to blow up a bridge. As they move towards their target they are ambushed by a German patrol and take refuge in an abandoned farmhouse. Pinned down by the Germans, Saunders spots a half track that could be used to get them out and decides to go for it. As he makes a run he is wounded and Willy decides to take his place. Willy in turn is wounded and Murphy takes his place and get the half track started and picks up Saunders who uses its heavy machine gun to rescue to patrol.
Episode 2
The First Day
Tue, Sep 21, 1965
The squad goes on a mission with four teen replacements, all on their first day in action. On a patrol to set up a road block the squad has to battles not only with the Germans but with the green recruits who are all struggling with being on the front line.
Episode 3
S.I.W.
Tue, Sep 28, 1965
A soldier who reputedly got two other squads annihilated through his own cowardice is transferred to Saunders' squad. During a fierce firefight with a group of Germans Cobb [John Cassavetes] is wounded and the Doc tells Saunders that there are powder burns on his pants which seem to indicate the wound is self afflicted. Cobb claims he had a hand to hand fight with a German soldier wearing glasses and that is how the wound happened. Fleming who landed at Omaha Beach with Cobb claims that he is lying and urges Saunders to lay charges against Cobb for cowardice. Cobb claims the German must have crawled away before dying and Saunders decides to look for the German Cobb claims to have killed. As they start to leave the village they are attacked by Germans and during the fire fight Cobb tries to launch his own offensive against them to take the heat off the others. As they mop up Saunders finds a German soldier wearing the same glasses that Cobb described with a bayonet in his back, just as Cobb described killing him. Fleming has to then acknowledge that he was wrong and you should only believe what you see not what everyone else tells you.
Episode 4
The Linesman
Tue, Oct 5, 196560 mins
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.
Episode 5
The Farmer
Tue, Oct 12, 1965
After some elderly farmers are forced to evacuate their farm for fear of a potential German advance, the squad uses their farm as a patrol base. One of the squad, Private Noah, is from rural Iowa and he decides to finish planting the crop the farmers were working on so that it will be in before the rains come. Lieutenant Hanley returns from HQ to advise that they have decided to send out a patrol to bring in a prisoner to try to find information on the German plans. So that the Private can keep planting Little John volunteers to go on the patrol but he is suffering from blistered feet and struggles to keep up with the others on the patrol. After they capture a prisoner, Littlejohn is shot by a pursuing German soldier and some of the others blame the Private for not going on the patrol. After the German is interrogated, they learn that the enemy is planning a counterattack and the squad is ordered to leave the farm and set up defensive positions nearby. Private Noah hears the farm's calf bawling and decides to go back to help it. While he is there a German patrol moves in and in a firefight all but one is killed. Unfortunately the lone German make it back to his lines and a huge artillery barrage is bought down on the squad. Following the barrage both sides engage in a battle for the farm during which the farm's cow is shot dead by German machine gunners. Private Noah single handedly attacks the machine gun site and is killed while doing so but not before he helps to wipe out the Germans.
Episode 6
Evasion
Tue, Oct 19, 196560 mins
Lt. Hanley has been captured and is taken to an ancient castle that the Germans are using as a POW camp. On his arrival he tells the other POW Officers that he can pinpoint a German ball bearing factory and they decide to help him escape by providing him with a fake Albanian uniform for his escape effort. To get back though he must cross Germany and occupied France. Hanley is lowered from a window by the other prisoners and manages to swim downstream away from the castle. On reaching the rail head he uses fake papers he has been provide with to purchase a rail ticket. While at a break in the journey Hanley is accused by a pair of Hitler Youth and an Officer takes him prisoner. The Officer is actually a British spy named Thorne [Lloyd Bochner] who helps him get away and travels with him towards the Allied Lines. While lunching at a French Café they are approached by a real Albanian Officer and have to make a run for it. While making their get away they are accosted by a Gestapo Officer who manages to wound Thorne after they manage to break away from him. Thorne hides in a warehouse where he is found by Hanley only to both be located by the Gestapo Officer who is then stabbed to death by his French Mistress. Thorne then dies in Hanley's arms after which Hanley makes his escape.
Episode 7
Hear No Evil
Tue, Oct 26, 196560 mins
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"
Episode 8
Crossfire
Tue, Nov 2, 1965
Saunders accuses a soldier Pvt. Stephens [Don Gordon] who has a Silver Star and a Distinguished Service Cross, of disobeying orders and causing the deaths of two other soldiers. After taking him to the Squad base, Lt. Hanley decides he should be taken to HQ to be formally charged. On the way, Saunders, Stephens and their driver come under fire from a German Patrol. The driver is killed and while Saunders tries to call for help from HQ, Stephens rushes the Germans and is killed in the process.
Episode 9
9 Place Vendee
Thu, Nov 11, 196560 mins
After a booby trap kills the Captain, Lt. Hanley must take over his mission and find an American operative in a French village before the Germans find him. He is aided by a French orphan to eventually find the agent and get him out of the town.
Episode 10
The Old Men
Thu, Dec 16, 1965
Three replacements - one limping, one homesick for his family and one green wannabee politician, join the squad as they go out on a reconnaissance patrol. After taking a German prisoner for information purposes, the squad is chased by a large German patrol and take refuge in an abandoned farm house. One of the replacements, Pvt Clawson [Simon Oakland] is wounded while trying to take out the German machine gun. The other two Pvt Todd [Tom Drake] and Pvt Barnhill [William Phipps] aid Sgt Saunders to kill the balance of the Germans after which the squad heads for home with their prisoner.
Episode 11
Soldier of Fortune
Tue, Nov 23, 1965
Sgt Saunders takes two men with him to infiltrate a German held town in an endeavour to tap into the German telephone system. During a bombardment of the town Pvt Andy Marsh [Burt Brinckerhoff] their German speaking telephone linesman is partially buried in the cellar they are using to tap the telephone wiring. They manage to capture the three German telephonists from the floor able and use them to free Marsh but two of the Germans are killed while trying to escape. Marsh has overheard one of the telephone conversations and tells Saunders he has valuable information in an attempt to make sure that Saunders and Pvt Wallace [William Campbell] get him out. Using the surviving German soldier, Meyer [Wesley Lau] they fight their way out of the town pursued by a truck load of Germans. Meyer tries to convince Saunders that Marsh has no information whilst Marsh tells them that the 6th Panzer Group are to make a surprise attack. While trying to make their escape Meyer tries to warn the pursuing German squad where they are and is killed. In the fire fight that follows Wallace is also killed and Marsh manages to kill the remaining Germans with a hand grenade, leaving Saunders to get him safely back using the Germans truck. A check of the Germans as they leave reveals they are 6th Panzer proving that Marsh was telling the truth.
Episode 12
The Casket
Tue, Nov 30, 196560 mins
Kirby has a badly wounded leg, and Saunders and Caje are trying to get him back to their lines for medical care. A French woman and her son drive by in a truck, and Saunders tries to get her to help by giving them a ride to their lines. The woman has a casket in the truck which she is taking to their home to bury her other son who was apparently killed accidentally by American artillery fire. She refuses to help Kirby get to medical attention, so Saunders commandeers her truck. Along the way back to their lines, they manage to temporarily lose the casket when it falls out of the truck and slides down a hill into a river, they run out of gas, and the woman and her son steal their truck back leaving Saunders and Caje to carry an ever worsening Kirby. Before long, however, they find the truck stuck in the mud and abandoned. Saunders and Caje free the truck from the mud and before long find the woman and her son dragging their casket along the road. They pick up the woman, her son, and the casket, and at this point, the story becomes a virtual black comedy. Having to cross a badly damaged wooden bridge, they use the casket to brace the bridge while the truck crosses it. Meanwhile, a truck full of Germans catches them, a firefight breaks out, and the Germans try to get their truck across the bridge.
Episode 13
Luck with Rainbows
Tue, Dec 7, 196560 mins
Hanley's squad searches for and finds a downed reconnaissance aircraft from which they recover a camera. Before they can return it to their lines, however, a British Commando Major and his Sergeant commandeer the camera and leave Hanley and his men to fight off a German squad that arrives in a half-track. Later when returning to their headquarters, Hanley and Kirby are greeted by the British Major who has authorization to commandeer Hanley and Kirby's service on his mission to infiltrate and destroy German V2 rocket sites. While their efforts to destroy the rocket sites are unsuccessful, they do discover valuable information that will allow the rocket sites to be destroyed by Allied bombing.
Episode 14
Breakout
Tue, Dec 14, 196560 mins
The Americans are pulling back as a result of a German breakout. As they withdraw, Saunders and his men are ordered to destroy heavy construction equipment in a French quarry to keep it from being used by the Germans. As they place thermite grenades in the equipment, they are fired upon by the Frenchman, Vertrain, who owns the quarry and the equipment. Saunders manages to get behind Vertrain and disarm him, but before they can finish destroying all the equipment, more than a dozen Germans arrive with a machine gun and trap them in the quarry. Saunders asks Vertrain to help them get the bulldozer running so they can use it to get out of the quarry. Vertrain refuses until he is wounded by the Germans and Saunders risks his own life to pull him to shelter. In spite of what the Americans did to his equipment, Vertrain finally agrees to help by driving the dozer. Kirby welds steel plate to the dozer and makes it into a do-it-yourself armored personnel carrier.
Episode 15
Finest Hour
Tue, Dec 21, 1965
While on a scouting mission, Lt. Hanley, Caje, and another GI run into a German machine gun nest which kills the one GI and wounds Hanley. Caje kills the two German machine gunners, and a local Frenchman takes them to the château of Count and Countess De Roy. The good news is the Countess had medical experience treating wounded in WW1; the bad news is the Chateau is occupied by the Germans. The Countess can treat the wounded Hanley, but it has to be done without the Germans knowing. After recovering somewhat, Hanley overhears valuable information about German troop movements. Now he has to get the information back to his HQ, but getting out will be much more difficult than getting in.
Episode 16
The Raider
Tue, Dec 28, 1965
German Captain Reichhardt commands a very special platoon of Waffen SS troops who are selected for their ability to speak English and infiltrate American lines. Reichhardt's Raiders are known by GIs to specialize in setting traps to capture American officers for interrogation, while killing any enlisted men taken with the officers. Lt. Hanley is captured by the Raiders and taken to a temporary holding area while Reichhardt leaves to capture more officers. Before dying however, Hanley's driver is able to tell Sgt. Saunders what happened to Hanley. Saunders and a couple squads of men then set off to get Hanley and the other officers back. Saunders and his men do manage to capture Reichhardt with his small squad of SS men, but Saunders has no idea which of them is Reichhardt, and the Germans aren't telling. Saunders has to figure out which SS man is Reichhardt and how to find out where he is holding the American officers. Watching this play out is pure Combat! joy, and as a bonus, we also get to see a young 34 year old Leonard Nimoy in the role of GI Private Baum.
Episode 17
The Mockingbird
Tue, Jan 4, 196660 mins
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.
Episode 18
The Good Samaritan
Tue, Jan 11, 196660 mins
While Saunders' squad is assigned to protect a bridge, a squad from L Company, trying to take a hill, is completely wiped out except for Pvt. Marsini. They called for help via radio, but they could not contact anyone except for Saunders' squad, and Saunders could not leave the bridge to aid Marsini's squad. Marsini makes it back to Saunders' squad and quickly learns it was Saunders who was in charge and did not come to the aid of Marsini's squad. While it seems obvious that Saunders could not leave his assignment to guard the bridge, Marsini is not able to understand Saunders' decision. To Marsini, Saunders could have and should have come to the aid of his squad. The hill is scheduled to be assaulted again in just a few hours, so Lt. Hanley sends Saunders to scout the terrain leading to the hill and report back with information to plan the assault. Much to Saunders' surprise, Marsini volunteers to show him the way since he had already been part way up the hill. Marsini's motives, however, are not completely altruistic; he wants Saunders to personally see his fallen comrades. Saunders and Marsini then see Germans stringing communication wire and find they are establishing an observation post and communication center in a secluded building. The two of them attack and take the building, but during the short firefight, Saunders gets trapped under a large cast iron pipe that falls on him when a grenade explodes. Saunders tells Marsini to take the information back to Hanley, but Marsini refuses to leave Saunders behind. Ironically, Marsini does free Saunders, but he is then shot before the two of them can leave the building. Saunders is then placed in the position of having to leave Marsini behind while he gets the information back to Hanley. For the second time in just a few hours, Marsini is left alone on the hill.
Episode 19
Retribution
Tue, Jan 18, 196660 mins
Sgt. Saunders' squad is sent to a village to escort an intelligence officer back to their lines. The intelligence officer happens to be an old friend of Kirby's as well as his sister's fiance. When they find him, his hands are tied behind his back, and he has been beaten to death. A badly wounded Frenchman tells them it was an SS Col. Bruener who killed him, and Kirby immediately sets out to find Bruener and kill him. Kirby gets captured by Bruener who obviously takes great pride in bragging to Kirby about killing his friend. The squad finds and frees Kirby, and they take Bruener captive. When Bruener is told he will be hanged for his murderous deed, Bruener then denies he had anything to do with the intelligence officer's death. While another firefight takes place, Bruener escapes and dons the uniform of a dead GI. Saunders then finds Bruener, they exchange gunfire, and Bruener gets a minor wound in the exchange. Kirby finds them and witnesses Bruener begging Saunders for his life. As Bruener grovels at their feet, Kirby says Bruener is not worth killing.
Episode 20
Counterplay
Tue, Jan 25, 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.
Episode 21
Nothing to Lose
Tue, Feb 1, 196660 mins
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.
Episode 22
Ask Me No Questions
Tue, Feb 8, 1966
Saunders and several other GIs are prisoners in a holding compound. Little do they know Staff Sgt. Mastin played by Claude Akins is really a German plant trying to get information from the GIs before they are sent to a permanent POW camp. Akins is very good at his job of getting the GIs to talk about their own outfits and divulge valuable information. Later, after finding out Akins is really an impostor, Saunders has to figure out how to counteract the damage that has been done.
Episode 23
The Ringer
Tue, Feb 15, 196660 mins
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.
Episode 24
The Flying Machine
Tue, Feb 22, 196660 mins
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.
Episode 25
Hills Are for Heroes: Part 1
Tue, Mar 1, 1966
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.
Episode 26
Hills Are for Heroes: Part 2
Tue, Mar 8, 1966
An American tank arrives and knocks out one of the bunkers, but the tank is taken out by German infantry using a rocket launcher. Again the GIs are beaten down the hill - losing more men to the hill. Hanley is again ordered to take the hill even though his men are both physically and mentally beaten by what has been an impossible assignment. Finally offered large mortar support, Hanley knows the mortars cannot penetrate the remaining bunker, but they can provide smoke cover. His plan is to send two men with a rocket launcher up the hill under cover of smoke to the disabled tank. Under cover of the tank, they manage to knock out the remaining bunker with a rocket and take the hill. More are killed and wounded in the assault, and the exhausted GIs strung out along the way up the hill finally realize they have accomplished the impossible. Hanley then gets a call from company HQ telling him the whole assault on the German lines is unsuccessful, and all troops are ordered to withdraw to their former lines. Hanley tells his men to come back down, but his command to withdraw is beyond their comprehension. They insist the hill is theirs, and they do not want to give it up. It is a gut wrenching sight to see and hear Hanley order them several times to, "Come down!" The men finally come down, but only after leaving their short-lived elation and pride up on the hill with their dead.
Episode 27
Gitty
Tue, Mar 15, 1966
Saunders and his squad are assigned to establish an observation outpost in a church in a French village. On the arrival, Saunders kills a German soldier in self-defense. While in the church, they find the German girl Gitty hidden in the desert church and they learn she is waiting for her father to leave the village. But soon the American soldiers learn that her father was the soldier killed by Saunders.
Episode 28
One at a Time
Tue, Mar 22, 1966
After a successful combat with a German squad, Saunders explains their mission to his men. However a wounded German sergeant has survived and overhears the assignment. He promises to revenge his men killing each American soldier and leaving Saunders for last. One step ahead of the American squad, he becomes a sniper killing the G.I.s one at a time.
Episode 29
A Sudden Terror
Tue, Mar 29, 1966
Lt. Hanley and three others are on a night mission to blow up a German fuel dump with satchel charges. As soon as the charges blow, the GIs are spotted, and a firefight ensues. Two of the GIs are killed in the firefight, and Hanley is left to escape with Pvt. Wilder, a frightened replacement with no combat experience. In his haste to get away, Wilder runs into quicksand and quickly starts to sink. He yells for Hanley, and they are spotted by two Germans. Hanley kills them, but he is hit in the shoulder in the firefight. The wounded Hanley then climbs out on a tree limb overhanging Wilder and ties an ammo belt to one arm of his battle jacket and suspends it from the limb to keep Wilder from sinking deeper. Hanley goes back to the fuel dump to find a rope to get Wilder out, but a badly wounded German finds Wilder hanging from the jacket arm and shoots the jacket apart just before he dies from his wounds. Hanley returns with a rope, throws it over the limb to Wilder, and ties it off while he rests. Hanley tells Wilder to throw him the radio so he can report to HQ, but the terrified Wilder refuses to give Hanley the radio until he gets him out of the quicksand. Hanley tells Wilder he has to get the information to HQ either by radio or by returning on foot, and Hanley starts walking away. It is now up to Wilder to make a choice.
Episode 30
Run, Sheep, Run
Tue, Apr 5, 196660 mins
While flanking a German machine gun nest with his fellow Private Booker, Private Corey freezes and Booker dies after destroying the nest. Corey subdues German Lieutenant Vogler that survives and makes him prisoner of war. Saunders's squad believes Corey is a hero, capturing a German soldier in his first combat. But when Corey learns that Vogler speaks English, he panics afraid of the squad learns the truth.
Episode 31
The Leader
Tue, Apr 12, 1966
Sgt. Saunders is summoned for a meeting with Lt. Hanley and leaves his squad under the command of Kirby. Soon they realize that they are under siege of German troops and the communication has breakdown. Kirby needs to take decisions but his fellow GI Maynard questions his decisions.
