Some time ago, I dissected the Combat episode entitled "The Duel", in which Vic Morrow takes on a German tank all by himself and comes out on top. I noted how even without his squad, he shouldn't be messed with. This peculiar episode goes even further and shows how Sergeant Saunders is a force to be reckoned with even when he isn't able to move most of his body. The episode begins with Saunders and the rest of the squad attempting to retreat from a village while under heavy German assault. Saunders and a squad member named Kogan (Sal Mineo) are caught in a house as artillery shells zip overhead, and one of them hits the house directly. A beam from the roof falls onto Saunders and pins him to the floor. Convinced Saunders is dead, Kogan runs to meet up with Hanley and the other squad members. He tells them Saunders is dead, even though he tried to save him. Everyone is understandably shocked, but Hanley says they're going back to the village in about an hour. Without receiving permission from Hanley, Kogan takes it upon himself to venture back to the house in order to see if Saunders is actually dead. When he arrives, Saunders lets him know he's still alive, but can't move his legs. Kogan attempts to wedge something under the beam so Saunders can get out, but still no luck. Soon, german soldiers show up to the house and garrison it. Kogan confesses that even though his father was a hero in the First World War who was given a French medal for his actions, he isn't one. Kogan says he's going to try to free Saunders and then run away so he doesn't get court martialed for leaving the squad without permission, but Saunders says he'll have to face himself eventually. Kogan decides to silently retrieve Saunders' Tommy gun some time before a homeless beggar enters the house looking for food and other commodities. Kogan and Saunders lay dead silent, but the guy notices Saunders' legs. Without saying a word, Saunders aims his Thompson right at the man, while Kogan offers him a chocolate bar to make him go away. The german soldiers eventually kick him out. Still undetected, Saunders decides him and Kogan have to make their move right after the germans near the entrance of the house go away. Once they do, Kogan forces the two german radio operators upstairs at gunpoint to help free Saunders. They do, but of course, try to take back their guns when Kogan is distracted. After Kogan and Saunders kill them both, they make a run for it right as American artillery starts pounding the area. Rather, only Kogan can since Saunders isn't really fit for walking right now. Not knowing if his legs are broke, Kogan carries him to safety while momentarily putting him down so he can shoot at germans. Once they're both safe, Hanley visits Saunders, whose legs haven't been broken, and tells a nearby Kogan that before he's going to be considered a hero, he's going to get chewed out by a captain for going back to Saunders without permission. Even though we barely get to see Saunders in action in this episode, I still think it's a high point for the show. It isn't very often where we get to see him in a vulnerable state, but here, he has to do everything he can to avoid being discovered. It's not like he can escape if the germans decide to look in the part of the house he's trapped in. I found Kogan to be kind of annoying, and was hoping for more sad sounding music when the squad hears the news from him that Saunders is dead. Even though, as the audience, we know it isn't true, the moment would be a lot more depressing if they used piano music or something like that, as opposed to the music we've heard many times before. The Hard Way Back shows how even when Saunders knows he's probably on the brink of death, he still expects people under him to follow orders. He didn't really want Kogan to come back for him, and even tells him to move on without him towards the end now that he can't walk, but Kogan goes above and beyond his duties as a soldier.
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