January 22 - Red Tails

Today’s combat movir has a scene that happens today – January 22. I hope you will enjoy this film and watch it tonight.  

RED TAILS            

The 332^nd Fighter group made up of African-American pilots and flying antiquated P-40 fighters is only allowed to carry out ground attack missions against the German supply lines and they wonder if the results they achieve are worth the sacrifices they make. Their commander Col. Bullard is in Washington, fighting attempts to have the unit disbanded. They get a break when they are ordered to provide air cover for the Anzio landings a/k/a Operation Shingle. On January 22, 1944  [30:32 to 44:35] they cover the Anzio landings. After "Lightning" Little is almost shot down, they follow a damaged German plane back to its base and destroy the airfield. However, “Junior" Gannon is partially blinded as a result of injuries sustained in the attack. The unit is transferred to provide close bomber support.  Instead of enduring racial insults, Lightning engages in a bar room brawl. The squadron gets brand new P-51 Mustang fighter planes. On their first bomber support mission, no bombers are shot down, but Junior is. Lightning had smooth talked the medical officer into clearing Junior to fly, in spite of his poor vision. Returning from the mission Lightning and Deke Watkins strafe a destroyer, heavily damaging it. However, Deke is hit and barely survives a crash landing back at base and is sent home on a medical discharge. Junior is sent to a POW camp. Lightning, who had often been insubordinate to his commander, Capt. "Easy" Julian makes a deal with him. If Julian will give up the alcohol he had been using to ease his self-doubt, Lighting will obey him from now on. Lightning proposes to his Italian girlfriend Sophia. Junior escapes from the POW camp. Sophia accepts Lightning’s proposal. The unit is informed that Junior was killed in the escape. The unit is supposed to cover the first bomber raid to Berlin only part way, but when the unit that was to relieve them does not show they follow them all the way there. They are attacked by Me 262 jets. Lightning saves Easy, but is shot down and killed. Sophia is devastated by Lightning’s death. Junior returns to the unit having actually managed to escape. The squadron is awarded a Presidential Unit Citation.

A good movie. The aerial combat scenes are very well done. The personal interaction scenes at the base create believable, likeable characters

 A World at Arms: A Global History of World War II by Gerhard L. Weinberg (Cambridge University Press, New York, 1994) at page 661 gives date of Anzio landing.

Producers - Rick McCallum, Chas. Floyd Johnson and George Lucas

Director -Anthony Hemingway

Screenplay - John Ridley and Aaron McGruder

Runtime – 2 hours 1minute

Released – January 20, 2012  

Starring –

Terrence Howard as Col. A.J. Bullard

Cuba Gooding, Jr. as Major Emanuel Stance

Nate Parker as Capt. Martin "Easy" Julian

David Oyelowo as 1st Lt. Joe "Lightning" Little

Tristan Wilds as 2nd Lt. Ray "Ray Gun" or "Junior" Gannon

Ne-Yo as 2nd Lt. Andrew "Smokey" Salem

Elijah Kelley as 2nd Lt. Samuel "Joker" George

Marcus T. Paulk as 2nd Lt. David "Deke" Watkins

Leslie Odom, Jr. as Walter "Winky" Hall

Michael B. Jordan as Flight Officer Maurice "Bumps" Wilson

Kevin Phillips as 2nd Lt. Leon "Neon" Edwards

Andre Royo as 1st Sgt. "Coffee" Coleman

Method Man as Cpl. "Sticks"

Bryan Cranston as Col. William Mortamus

Lee Tergesen as Col. Jack Tomilson

Gerald McRaney as Lieutenant General Luntz

Daniela Ruah as Sofia

Paul Fox as Lt. Miller

Matthew Marsh as Brigadier General Hauser

Lars van Riesen as "Pretty Boy" (the German antagonist pilot)

Ryan Early as Captain Bryce

Henry Garrett as Hart

Robert Kazinsky as Chester Barnes

Rick Otto as Flynt

Josh Dallas as Ryan Fling

Jermaine Johnson as "Sneeky"

Edwina Finley as "CeCe"

Stacie Davis as Mae

Aml Ameen as "Bag O'Bones"

Rupert Penry-Jones as Campbell