Combat

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Combat is an action-drama series about a frontline American Infantry-Squad in World War Two endeavouring to make their way across Europe from the beaches of Normandy in the aftermath of D-Day. The squad is led by Lieutenant Hanley (Rick Jason) and his second in command is Sergeant Saunders played by Vic Morrow.

Lieutenant Hanley commands the second platoon of King Company, while the battle-hardened veteran of campaigns in Africa and Italy, Sergeant Saunders leads the first squad. There is a professional distance between the two men, as once they both held the rank of sergeant at the same time. Saunders is a tough, but caring leader of his men and would feel it was a personal failure if any of his men were killed.

Episodes of Combat often revolve around the exploits of Saunders' first squad. The series is certainly no glorification of war and there is no shortage of action-packed sequences in the series. However, Combat is orientated to the plight of the individual in the squad and how he deals with the situation in which he finds himself. The series is therefore a somewhat raw insight into the average G.I. on the frontline in the European Theatre of War.

High profile actors and directors were drafted in to make the series, which has achieved an iconic status with those viewers who watched it when it was first shown in the 1960s. Top-Flight actors in the series include Vic Morrow, Rick Jason, Jack Hogan, Piere Jalbert, Dick Peabody and Conlan Carter

Combat was first shown on ABC in the United States in October 1962, it ran for five seasons until it was cancelled in 1967. The first four seasons are in monochrome, with the final season in colour. Combat enjoyed top-ten ratings with its initial run of 152 episodes and would emerge as the the longest running World War Two drama series, with world-wide distribution.

 

Listen to the theme tune

 

 

 

 

 

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