Thunderbolt R2 Pt2

Thunderbolt R2 Pt2 Dirs. William Wyler, John Sturges, Lester Koenig, Gail Kubik Made 1944, rel. 1947? Returning Thunderbolt squadron over land and sea; approaches air base; peels up to reduce speed, circles. VS landings. Pilots drink coffee and eat donuts served by female Red Cross worker. 12:36:19: Animated map of Italy w/ blocked railway lines and next target, roads. AVs Thunderbolts fire on roads and German convoys. INT cockpit. French and US squadrons in formation. Crashed P-47 in flames alongside runway; mangled body pulled from wreckage watched by pilots, carried away on stretcher. Map of German-occupied Italy strangled by rope w/ Allied advance North. 12:39:50: VS Liberation of Rome; “A Morte Mussolini” painted on door; troops in Jeeps and tanks pass Vittorio Emmanuel monument; civilians line streets. Allies pass destroyed enemy trucks, tanks, trains and bridges on push North. Dead German soldiers. Air base at sunset; pilots celebrate, sing “Colonel Wyman’s country club...”. ‘The End’ title w/ red question mark. WWII. Italian Campaign. Aviation.