Combat TV (1966) "Hills are For Heroes" Season 4 Episode 25 & 26
Channel: Mario Labarinto
Date: 05/07/2018

1966 Combat TV Series "Hills are For Heroes"
Season 4 Episode 25 & 26

Episode 25
Part 1 of 2 Summary

A two parts Combat "Hills are For Heroes" episodes into one. An American platoon led by Lieutenant Hanley is making an assault but heavily guarded by two concrete bunkers with German machine guns and infantry in each bunker. Sergeant Saunders get hit in his thigh in the first assault as they withdraw while several other GIs were killed. Hanley ask for artillery support, but his company commander tells Hanley he will have to take the hill without artillery support. Hanley tries several strategies to take the hill, but each time the men go up the hill, the overwhelming from the bunkers stop them and each time they leave a few more dead GIs on the hill.


Episode 26
Part 2 of 2 Summary

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 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 covers. 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 the rocket launcher and take the hill. More are killed and wounded in the final assault, and the exhausted GIs strung out along the way up the hill finally realize they have accomplished the impossible. So Lt. Hanley calls in but was ordered to pull back to original position because the Germans counterattacked on their right side. Hanley tells his men to come down, but his command to withdraw is beyond their comprehension. They insist the hills is theirs, and they do not want to give it up. It is 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.