TWELVE O'CLOCK HIGH Action/Adventure Dashing Gregory Peck stars as General Frank Savage, commander of the 8th Air Force during World War II. Loosely based on the true story of Major General Frank A. Armstrong, TWELVE O'CLOCK HIGH begins with Savage appearing to be a fearless fighter with almost no compassion for his men. Told in flashback from the perspective of Major Harvey Stovall (Dean Jagger), the story unfolds as Savage takes over Stovall’s Bomb Group in 1942. The company has suffered numerous losses, morale is at an all-time low, and the tired pilots and their crews are immediately antagonized by Savage’s obsession with discipline, leaving Savage and Stovall with the onerous task of rebuilding the pride of a fighting force that despises its leader. Jagger received an Oscar for his efforts, but the real star is Peck, exhibiting a vast repertoire to portray a complicated character. Using actual combat footage from both American and German cameras, director Henry King creates an environment in which bravery and heroism count but war itself is anything but romantic.
Description: A new commander is posted to a WW II American heavy bomber group conducting daylight bombing runs over Germany and occupied Europe. Fighter escorts have not yet arrived from the U.S. and casualties are high, morale is low and the unit is functioning poorly. Can the new commander make the bomber group into an effective fighting unit? The film is based on the novel by Beirne Lay, Jr. and Sy Bartlett. Benefits: This film is a study in the leadership of an organization under extreme stress. It displays one of the essential ingredients in the allied victory during World War II: effective operation of complex organizations. "Twelve O'Clock High" has been used to teach leadership skills to U.S. Air Force Academy Cadets and to business executives.
A friend of ours was in that squadron. My daughter interviewed him about his experiences before he died. He said he was thrilled to talk to her about it, said no one wanted to listen anymore, about it. RIP Bill Abbey and GOD BLESS YOU!