20 Mar Twelve O’Clock High
Twelve O’Clock High, WWII Movie starring Gregory Peck
I have watched the 1949 movie Twelve O’Clock High 4 times now. I bought it after I heard from so many veterans that it is the most authentic visualization of what the 8th Air Force aircrews went through. And Herman’s crew mate waist gunner Don Courson assured me that it was a very good representation of what Thurleigh airfield looked like when he was there … “the best I’ve seen.” Herman’s pilot Smithy and his son watched it together, and Smithy said, “They’re better pilots than we were.”
One of the authors of the book that the film was based on served at Thurleigh, home of the 306th BG. The bomb group in the movie was named the 918th … 306 times three. The main character, General Frank Savage, was supposedly a composite of several of the base commanders that the authors had known.
So when I want to put myself “in the zone” I turn this movie on. I was surprised to see that the movie poster read: A Story of Twelve Men as their Women Never Knew Them. There is only one woman in the film, in one scene … a nurse in the base hospital. “Guess the studio felt that this was one way to attract women to see the movie,” I smiled. However, now that I think about it, it truly is a great headline. More than likely, the women back home (in fact everyone back home) had no idea what these men had gone through … not really.
What incredible motivation it must have required to get those boys up in the air over and over and over. The first time I watched this movie and heard General Savage’s famous speech to his crews (see below) I immediately thought about something I have been taught about motivation … that it is important to know whether someone reacts better to positive or to negative motivation. (And by the way, this has nothing to do with whether or not one has a positive or a negative outlook on life.)
For example, if you are trying to motivate a sales person … someone who is positively motivated would respond better to, “If you do a great job and close the deal, you’ll have a very nice paycheck!” Someone who is negatively motivated would respond to, “If you don’t do this right, you will fail and you will lose your job!” Neither is right or wrong … people are just motivated differently.
Imagine trying to motivate a group of young men to fly those airplanes into such incredibly dangerous situations. I am mesmerized by Gen. Armstrong’s speech. This was the ultimate example of negative motivation. Consider yourself already dead.
Did it work? This was the first year of the 8th Air Force’s air war. The Allies weren’t winning. They had sustained tremendous losses and morale was low. Through his charismatic leadership, General Savage was able to make significant positive changes. The experience also changed him.
Watch the movie and let me know what you think …
… We’re going back to fundamentals … And I can tell you now one reason I think you’ve been having hard luck. I saw it in your faces last night. I can see it there now. You’ve been looking at a lot of air lately, and you think you ought to have a rest. In short, you’re sorry for yourself. Now I don’t have a lot of patience for this, “What are we fighting for stuff.” We’re in a war, a shooting war. We’ve got to fight. And some of us have got to die. I’m not trying to tell you not to be afraid. Fear is normal, but stop worrying about it, and about yourselves. Stop making plans, forget about going home. Consider yourselves already dead. Once you accept that idea, it won’t be so tough. Now if any man here can’t buy that, if he rates himself as something special, with a special kind of hide to be saved, he’d better make up his mind about it right now, because I don’t want him in this group. I’ll be in my office in five minutes. You can see me there …
Twelve O’Clock High at amazon.com
Barbara Ann
Posted at 15:20h, 20 MarchAmazing. I will have to rent the movie!
Rowdy
Posted at 22:19h, 22 MayI had one of the middle of the night wake-ups a few nights ago and turned on an old film channel. It was the end of a 1948 film I hadn’t seen for years and didn’t recall very well, called “Command Decision.”
One of the stars was Clark Gable and the subject was the difficulty encountered by the AAF commanders when selecting their targets and evaluating their losses…the toll it took on them. It is filmed in the same manner as 12 O’clock High, same costuming, etc. Gable, although quite a bit older than the average airman in the Eighth, qualified as an aerial gunner and flew with the 351st on a few missions.
His role in the film is very believable, probably helped by his experience with the 351st. Anyway, I’ve ordered a DVD and would consider it a good companion to 12 O’clock High.
Porfirio
Posted at 19:09h, 03 DecemberThanks for sharing your thoughts about twelve o’clock high.
Regards