MovieChat Forums > Combat! (1962) Discussion > Actual time period of COMBAT! in WWII

Actual time period of COMBAT! in WWII

posted 8 years ago by jeffyoung1
11 replies | jump to latest

The television show, COMBAT! takes place over a very narrow time period in World War II. You could only know this if you were well versed in World War II history.

The television show helps by starting off at the D Day invasion of France at Normandy. From there the show's location varies from inland French towns, villages, and countryside.

The climate and season shown is always summertime. I do not recall the show ever going into autumn and wintertime.

The German Army is shown to be very much in control of much of France. During September 1944 the Allies had broken out of Normandy and defeated German counterattack attempts. The Germany Army was in headlong retreat to the Franco-German frontier. Powerful German army formations remained in southern France and a separate south France amphibious landing was required to evict those enemy forces. In the history books, Western Europe suffers the rainiest, wettest, coldest autumn in living memory. But in COMBAT! it is still summer time and dry.

The conclusion is the show takes place over late June through mid-August. The Allies have consolidated their Normandy beachhead but are still largely bogged down behind the Normandy bocage countryside. The Normandy beachhead has only been partially breached by the Allies. Even so, the Americans and British dispatch numerous short range and medium range reconnaissance patrols into inland France. These patrols encounter numerous German security patrols screening for Allied penetrations. This is the background of COMBAT! 1LT Hanley and SGT Saunders lead their platoon deep into the French countryside many miles from Normandy, to ascertain German defenses and defensive strength. The Germans dispatch security patrols to intercept these information-gathering Allied patrols. The German Army is less than a month away from being defeated and in full scale retreat. For now the Germany Army exists in strength and confidence in France

[–] davidwile 8 years ago

Hey Jeffrey,

Yes, it is an old laugh about Germany surrendered about eleven months after D-Day, but Saunders and his squad were still fighting at the end of five seasons. Oh well, it was a great show - the absolute best TV series ever to my eyes.

You are correct that most of the 152 episodes do take place in summer months, but they were not all in fair weather. There are many night scenes and scenes during rain soaked weather. There were at least two and possibly three episodes filmed near Squaw Valley for winter episodes. Two episodes for sure, Silver Service and The Mountain Man, were both filmed in the Squaw Valley area and featured some serious snow.

By far the preponderance of episodes were shot within a 35 to 40 miles of the MGM Studios in Culver City near Los Angeles which is known for lots of days of sunshine. Remember, this was a TV series with a limited budget, so they really had to work with the idea of keeping an audience interested and keeping the series going. They did a great job of balancing show quality with budget constraints.

Best wishes,
David Wile

[–] jeffyoung1 7 years ago

Hi David Wile.

Nice to meet a fellow military history aficionado. I can't say that I am a certified military historian but I know far more than the average layman due to prolific military history reading.

M*A*S*H had the same irony. The Korean War lasted only three years but M*A*S*H lasted eleven years. Interestingly, I liked the MASH episodes that were set in wintertime showing everyone shivering around the MASH site trying to stay warm and entertained as combat operations were few during the wintertime meaning few casualties to treat, fortunately.

One thing about COMBAT! that few people know unless they were military history buffs is that the German soldiers depicted were accurately dressed, kitted, and armed - for 1940!!! By mid-1944, few German soldiers wore the tall jackboots that the WWII German soldier is so well known for in Hollywood films. COMBAT! shows the German soldiers all homogenous in uniforms and weaponry. That was the case at the start of WWII but by June 1944, experimentation, wartime shortages, military expediency, and the like resulted in a plethora of German battlefield dress. The jackboots had been officially replaced sometime in 1941 with the widespread, mass-produced German ankle boot that was distributed to German men on corvee labor service in Germany itself. The German army found it convenient and conserving of resources to replace the jackboot with the civilian labor service ankle boot. The jackboot was still authorized for wear but would not be replaced when worn out. German soldiers wearing the ankle boot would apply a gaiter around each ankle to blouse the pant leg. The German soldiers in France would have been depicted wearing a mix of traditional German grey uniforms with the new camouflage type uniforns.
Weapons had changed, too. The excellent Mauser 98K bolt-action short rifle remained the most common and official individual soldier weapon. But 1944 brought new weapons. Soldiers should have been widely depicted carrying MP38/40 submachine guns, the Gew41K semiautomatic rifle, and the new-fangled MP44 assault rifle. Many soldiers would have been armed with different panzerfaust antitank weapons.

[–] davidwile 7 years ago

Hey Jeffrey,

Given the limited budget of a TV series, there was no way they could get everything period correct. They used the same US Bulldog tanks from the local National Guard unit for both German and American tanks throughout the series. They simply used different paint markings and added whatever to the outside to give it a different look. There was no way to get Sherman and Tiger tanks for a weekly TV series. In 1970, the Patton film with its big budget also used the same post WW2 American tanks for both German and American tanks.

In Combat!, it is very rare to see any German infantry armed with anything other than the 98K Mauser and the MP-40, and that is really not bad. I had two uncles and a brother-in-law who soldiered from D-Day to the end in Europe, and they all said they never saw anything other than the 98K Mauser and the MP-40. All three of them mistakenly called the MP-40 a Schmeisser as did most other American soldiers at that time. My brother-in-law came home with a 98K which he had sporterized for a beautiful hunting rifle. In my mind's eye, I would have rather he come home with an MP-40 - just for the fun.

In many episodes, you can see German's using Browning .50 caliber machine guns instead of MG-42s. I do not understand this because they did have access to MG-42s and used them throughout the series most frequently. Never being that knowledgeable about uniforms, such mistakes as you noted just go right over my head along with the differences in panzerfaust weapons.

In spite of these "period correct" errors, I still accept this series as the best in my lifetime. Out of 152 episodes, there are probably no more than a dozen episodes that I do not like, and there are probably at least 20 episodes that I consider excellent. Probably more. What can I say? I was and still am a big fan.

Best wishes,
Dave Wile

[–] jeffyoung1 7 years ago

Hi Dave.

If you have the time later on, please tell me those 20 episodes you deem the best and a short description of each. Thanks.

P.S.

I swear I have this memory of an odd episode of COMBAT! from childhood. In this episode it starts off showing SGT Saunders dressed as a British 'Tommy' soldier, carrying a STEN submachinegun. He accompanies a small band of French marquis partisans into an abandoned, battle-scarred French town. German soldiers ambush the group, who take cover behind wood barrels and crates. As the firefight progresses, the Marquis fall, one by one, until only SGT Saunders is left. He reaches out to the French partisan to his left, who is aiming his rifle at the Germans but not firing. Saunders sees the man is dead. He is the last man standing. His STEN submachinegun jams (common for a STEN)and he struggles futilely to cock the lever back. He searches around quickly for another weapon but gets shot. I had no idea why SGT Saunders was dressed as a British soldier. I remember the distinctive British soup-tureen-shaped helmet with netting over it. Saunders wore the short, waist length brown British jacket. He wore the matching brown wool, loose trousers, heavy leather ankle boots and ankle gaiters to tuck the trouser legs into.

[–] davidwile 7 years ago

Hey Jeff,

I just realized I was using "Jeffrey" for your name while you actually used "Jeff Young" instead. Sorry, but I just was not reading your name correctly - it was not my intention to make light of your name in any way.

The episode you described about Saunders dressed as a "Tommy" does not come back to me at all. I certainly am no expert, and I am old and forgetful, but if I were making a wager on this, I would bet a nickel that your recollection is not from a Combat! episode. I know one episode where Gavin Macleod was a guest in the "Masquers" episode where he played British Cpl. Tommy Behan with a Sten sub-machinegun as you described. In this episode, however, Macleod "captures" two GIs, one of which is a suspected German infiltrator, and the story goes on from there. That is not very much like you described, however.

I would be happy to review the episodes and come back with my favorite shows and those which I thought were not good. I can quickly tell you "The Duel" was my absolute favorite, and like most folks, "Hills Are For Heroes" would also be at the top. "The Party" is easily the worst for me; it was a "comedy" episode that was a waste of an episode. I will do some reviewing of the episodes and get back to you with a list of episodes.

Best wishes,
Dave Wile

[–] jeffyoung1 7 years ago

Hi Dave.

I took no offense to, 'Jeffrey'. I go by either name.

Thanks for the information. I await your reviews.

I guess my memory is warped. It is a well-known scientific fact these days that everyone's memories naturally warp and become distorted over the years. I've even turned to YouTube to prove that. In one old memory of a movie where I thought a wooden rowboat was red, it was actually green. In an old episode of the Incredible Hulk, I thought for decades a supporting actress in was wearing a red dress. When I purchased the dvd collection, I was surprised to see she was wearing a sky blue dress. Even old movies I see on YouTube look very different than my childhood memories.

I'm definitely certain I remember that scene of the 'British soldier with the French maquis'. I'm just certain now, thanks to you, that it must belong to a different movie.

[–] davidwile 7 years ago

Hey Jeff,

What follows is my idea of “Best and Worst” of Combat! episodes over the five seasons. If I were to make the same list again next year, I am sure it would change with my changing memory. So, for what it is worth, here is my list - as of today’s memory.

***************

The Best:
Season 1
Far from the Brave - Grady Long (BAR man) is killed, and Saunders assigns job to new man. After this episode, Kirby becomes the BAR man for the rest of the series.

Hill 256 - Kirby faces court martial after running from machine gun. Conlan Carter plays an MP in this episode, but he will return in subsequent seasons as the Doc for the squad.

The Sniper - After the platoon takes a French town, GIs start getting picked off one by one by a German sniper. The bad guy German is played by Hans Gudegast who years later would change his name and become known far better as Eric Braedon.

Season 2
Bridge at Chalons - Saunders’ squad is assigned to provide support to Sgt. Turk so he can blow up a bridge. Turk is played by Lee Marvin quite well.

Anatomy of a Patrol - The squad races the Germans to reach a downed plane. James Caan plays the German NCO.

The Short Day of Private Putnam - An underage soldier saves the squad with his botany skills. Guest: Beau Bridges.

The Glory Among Men - The squad is pinned down in an open area with a wounded GI unable to get back to cover. This was an excellent example of a low budget “bottle” episode which is essentially shot on one set. Bottle episodes were often used when previous episodes went over budget.

Season3
The Duel - Saunders single handedly takes on a German tank. Bobby Rydell is billed as guest star, but Vic Morrow and the tank are the real stars of the show.

The Little Carousel - The squad meets a 13 year old student nurse who wants to help but is rejected by Saunders at first. Later he becomes very attached to her and eventually feels the terrible sting of war emotionally.

The Enemy - Hanley forces a German officer to disarm booby traps. It is a joy to watch Robert Duvall as the German.

The Cassock - James Whitmore as a German masquerading as a priest.

The Hell Machine - Saunders and a claustrophobic Frank Gorshin capture a German tank. The tank ballet performed in this episode is really a joy.

Season 4
S.I.W. - Squad suspects a soldier played by John Cassavetes of having a Self Inflicted Wound to get out of action.

The Casket - Nina Foch plays an old woman with her grandson trying to take a casket to bury the boy’s father. Saunders needs the truck, and the casket becomes a guest star in this episode which exudes black humor.

Hills Are for Heroes (Parts 1 & 2) - Hanley and platoon suffer heavy losses as they try to take a hill protected by bunkers. This was the most over-budget episode, and probably the favorite of most fans.

The Leader - Kirby is left in charge with the radio out and the squad cut off. Jack Hogan was always great as Kirby, but this has to be his biggest show.

Season 5
Cry for Help - Doc and captured German medic, played by Robert Duvall, build rapport.

*************

The Worst:
Season 1
Battle of the Roses - Saunders encounters strange French girl and her nurse.
One More for the Road: Saunders and squad find orphaned baby and bring it along.

Season 2
The Party - Caje, Kirby, and Billy plan a party with some French girls. This has to be the worst of all.

Weep No More - Hanley aids mute French girl who may have valuable information.

Season 3
The Town that Went Away - Townspeople try to protect town and winery from evacuation. This could be tied with The Party for worst of all.

Birthday Cake - Littlejohn receives a birthday cake that gets him in trouble.

Cry in the Ruins - Hanley and Germans call truce to rescue baby of deranged woman.

Season 4
Gitty - Saunders doesn't want to tell young girl that he killed her German father.

Season 5
Gulliver - Littlejohn is wounded and captured by French children.

The Furlough - Saunders goes to England and meets woman who runs orphanage.

Anniversary - A deranged Frenchman whose wife and child were killed hassles Hanley. Telly Savalas is wasted in this.

The Partisan - MIA soldier masquerading as a Frenchman reluctantly helps Saunders. Robert Duvall is wasted in this story and Claudine Longet takes up space.

**************

My absolute best: Duel. My absolute worst: The Party.

**************

Well, there they are: 17 listed favorites and 12 listed as worst. They are furnished strictly as my opinion only, and I recognize others would have different ideas. For instance, most folks readily say how they prefer the first four seasons in black and white and hated the fifth season in color. Not I. I loved the change to color, but I do not think the fifth season was as good as the first four seasons. To me, the problem with the fifth season was due to the producers changing key values in the show.

The per-episode cost during the last season was more than doubled for two reasons: the cost of shooting in color was much higher, and Vic Morrow decided he would demand his salary be doubled. Morrow and Jason had the same contracts, and if one of the two got an increase, the other actor would also get the same increase. One could rightly argue that Vic Morrow's demand for a doubling of his salary was a very big reason the series was cancelled for a less expensive replacement series.

Because of the doubling of the per-episode cost, Selmur Productions initiated several cost cutting measures for the last season. They stopped shooting at the MGM backlots and used instead the smaller and less well equipped network studios. They also scripted a lot of bottle shows, and most of the shows were written without most of the squad members. This saved bucks on salaries, but I think it diminished the show overall. Most folks preferred the shows featuring the whole squad.

It was a great series for me. My wife and I watched every show with her brother who was a WW2 vet. It could have continued many more seasons for me. I am thankful for the superb quality DVD set I bought a few years ago, and I still watch the shows today.

Best wishes,
Dave Wile

[–] jeffyoung1 7 years ago

Hi Dave.

Thanks so much for the time and effort you put into your reply to my request. I have seen some of those episodes already thanks to your recommendations.

As for the color episodes I really like the color but as you wrote, the better episodes were in the first four seasons and before the cost-cutting measures. The studio was shortsighted in not filming COMBAT! in color at the very start of the series when it was crystal clear that COLOR was the FUTURE. Unbelievably the studio waited till 1968 to transition to color. Ah, but all is not lost. It would be possible to colorize the first four seasons, if the studio was willing to undertake the expense. And then the colorized versions would not be equal to the actual color episodes but it would be a big welcome change.

I read your synopsis of, THE SNIPER.
I remember a similar episode where SGT Saunders takes a German prisoner. (It is the same actor who played a guest role on STAR TREK, circa 1967 or 1968 in which he is a Federation archeologists alone on a deserted planet containing a vanished alien civilization. His wife, Nancy is with him, only Nancy is really the last of the alien species-in disguise-of the planet and he knows it.)
Guarded by only one G.I. the German prisoner turns and surprises the inexperienced G.I. and chokes him to death with his own M1 Garand. The German prisoner takes the M1 and stalks SGT Saunders and his squad. The German has a special grudge against Saunders because he thinks Saunders belittled the courage of the German's fellow squad members, all killed by the Americans. The German proves to be an excellent sniper and somehow well versed in handling the M1. He kills at least two more of SGT Saunder's squad, all newbies of course, before Saunders finally maneuvers around and gets the better of the German, killing him with a burst of his trusty Thompson submachinegun. I don't remember the episodes' title.

By the way, it was strange how often COMBAT! employed Robert Duvall as a guest member. Didn't viewers notice this?

[–] davidwile 7 years ago

Hey Jeff,

The episode to which you are referring was probably One At A Time in which Jan Merlin was the guest star who was killing the GIs one at a time. While not a big name actor, Merlin was a journeyman actor at the time who was seen all over TV shows and easily recognized. This particular show was aired in March of 1966, and Merlin was again featured as the guest star in November of 1966 in the Headcount episode.

As you noted, Robert Duvall was in more than one episode as the guest star, but that was really quite common for Combat! and other series at the time. Duvall was in The Enemy in 1965, Cry for Help in 1966, and The Partisan in 1967. In Duvall's case, he could affect different characters quite well in his performances. In one of the episodes (perhaps The Enemy?) he used a prosthetic device in the right side of his upper teeth to make it appear he had a really crooked tooth. He has also used this device in a few of his films. Yes, I think Duvall has been a great actor in my lifetime.

Not counting the less well known actors who played in many episodes, there were a whole bunch of guest stars who played different character in multiple episodes over the five seasons. Ted Knight and Albert Paulson were both in at least four episodes. Duvall, Sal Mineo, Claude Akins, and Peter Haskell were all in three episodes. Telly Savalas, Nick Adams, Dan Duryea,Jeremy Slate, Fernando Lamas, and a bunch more played in two or more episodes.

Now that I gave my list of best episodes, you have made me think I perhaps should have listed One At A Time as one of my "best." See how fleeting my evaluation of the episodes can be? Oh well, that is the way it is.

Best wishes,
Dave Wile

[–] jeffyoung1 7 years ago

Hi Dave.

Hollywood's history is filled with actors who made a successful career in the top half of the B list, that is, those actors who garnered consistent acting work mostly as supporting actors and guest actors. Over time many of these people would earn their own recognition because they were seen so many times on television.

Even today most aspiring actors would be delighted to be a successful B list actor. It means a modicum of fame and financial security. Of course one does not want to drop to the lower half of the B list. Not every one agrees that a 'C' list exists but to those who think it does, this is the 'inactive' list for retired, semi-retired, has-been A and B list actors, and the aged actors. It also includes unsuccessful actors who have some acting work. I've heard of 'D' list but that's usually a joke.

I didn't recall the actor's name, Jan Merlin, but I did recall seeing him in various movies and television as a supporting actor.

Do you have any recommendations for your SECOND-BEST list?

Jeff

[–] davidwile 7 years ago

Hey Jeff,

I am pretty sure I just spotted a G41 rifle at about 43 minutes into the Rear Eschelon Commandoes episode. All the years I have been watching these shows, this is the first time I ever noticed it.

Best wishes,
Dave Wile