Screaming Eagles ( 1956 )

Screaming Eagles is a world war two drama about a 15-men platoon of paratroopers. The platoon, under Lt. Pauling's command, belongs to Company D, 502nd Parachute Regiment, 101st Airborne Division of the U.S. Army. Shortly before the Normandy landings, the platoon receives last-minute recruits who must be parachute-trained in a hurry. Some of the new men come from the Merchant Marine. There is some friction between the newcomers and the veteran members of the platoon. Lieutenant Pauling and Sergeant Forrest do their best to keep incidents to a minimum. On the eve of the Normandy landings, the platoon decides to use the issued passes to celebrate in town the upcoming action. However, at the gate of the base, the soldiers are informed that all passes have been canceled in the view of the imminent Normandy invasion. All members of the platoon are rejoiced at the news. They head back to the barracks and prepare their gear for the flight to France. They even sober-up private Mason, who, having decided to celebrate alone rather than go into town with the platoon, is drunk in the dorm. After a tense flight over the English Channel, the platoon is parachuted into Normandy, France. Its mission is to take a vital bridge and join the other units of their battalion. Unfortunately, due to night-time error, the platoon is dropped 20 miles off course from the originally assigned drop-zone. It lands right into the lap of an unsuspecting German battalion.—nufs68