A straggling B-17 joins the formation and it turns out to be a captured plane flown by Germans. It strafes the lead plane flown by General Savage which is shot down. Later it is reported that Brigadier General Frank Savage the Group Commander has been killed and will be buried with full military honours by the Germans. Brigadier General Ed Britt from SHAEF HQ must decide who should take command of the 918. His candidates are the Deputy Group Commander Lieutenant Colonel Joe Gallagher, and the other two Squadron Commanders, Lieutenant Colonel Frank Bailey & Lieutenant Colonel Chick Heindorf. Gallagher is the temporary Group Commander. On the next mission Gallagher's crew shoots down a B-17 who does not acknowledge a signal thinking it is an infiltrator. It turns out to be a legitimate straggler with radio trouble and a wounded crew. When asked by General Britt, Gallagher says he would do the same thing again if the same situation occurred. Because he can make tough decisions, Gallagher