Twelve O'Clock High Ending PTSD Scene
In this scene toward the end of the movie,
Brigadier General Frank Savage (Gregory
Peck), commander of the 918th Bomb Group,
is ordered to lead a mission to bomb a
ball bearing factory, a target they had
already attempted with brutal results.
Savage finds himself unable to pull
himself up into his B-17 bomber, telling a
fellow airman that his arms won't work. He
becomes frantic and tries to run toward
the bombers to stop them from taking off
before degrading into a catatonic state.
Only after the bombers return from their
mission is he able to find some peace and
fall asleep. This
Twelve O'Clock
High scene is an early depiction of
Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) in
combat pilots, then often referred to as
combat fatigue.
Related Article: Masters of the Air: History vs. Hollywood
Related Videos (2)Back to: Masters of the Air