The Life Against Death Raid

The Life Against Death Raid is the second episode of the first season of The Rat Patrol. It originally aired on 19 September 1966.

Synopsis
Private Mark Hitchcock is seriously wounded during an otherwise routine raid on a German convoy. Stuck more than 100 miles behind enemy lines and with Hitch fading fast, Sergeant Sam Troy has no choice but to risk sneaking him into a nearby German field hospital while dressed as barmaids, for the necessary life-saving treatment.

Sergeant Troy's on lookout on a hill, watching a German convoy. He gives the order to engage. The Rat Patrol do a lot of damage to the Germans, but Troy and Hitchock's Jeep catches on fire. Hitchcock gets shot trying to put out the fire. Once he's done shooting, Troy's able to put out the fire.

Moffitt looks at Hitchcock, determines he can't do anything because the shrapnel's too close to the main artery. Moffitt doesn't think Hitchcock can survive long enough to be taken to an Allied field hospital, because the nearest one is too far away.

Troy decides that he will take Hitchcock to a German field hospital, Moffitt and Pettigrew will stay put. But Moffitt asserts that if Troy goes, they all go. Troy agrees to this.

Moffitt commandeers a German ambulance and kidnaps a German nurse. Dressed as medical personnel, they take Hitchcock to the German field hospital. "If you have to moan, do it in German," Troy says to Hitchcock.

Colonel von Helbing (Albert Paulsen), a Schutzstaffel officer, talks to Moffitt in German. Moffitt holds up the conversation pretty well, but the colonel is still able to determine that Moffitt's an impostor.

We see that Hitchcock has a rifle in his stretcher.

Dr. Friedrich (Ed Asner) is skeptical about the colonel's claims, until he notices Hitchcock's Fort Benning tattoo. But the doctor's persuaded to continue the surgery. The colonel barges in and orders the doctor to stop. The doctor claims to have been stalling. Moffitt grabs von Helbing and renders him unconscious.

Von Helbing wakes up just as the Rat Patrol make their escape. The Germans give chase. Troy and Pettigrew offload Hitchcock, then Moffitt drives Troy so he can lob an ether grenade at the Germans.

Army corpsmen take Hitchcock to an Allied hospital for the proper medical follow-up. Troy tells Hitchcock to obey his doctor's orders and leave the nurses alone. "That'll be the day," Pettigrew says.

Main cast

 * Christopher George as Sergeant Sam Troy
 * Gary Raymond as Sergeant Jack Moffitt
 * Hans Gudegast as Hauptmann Hans Dietrich (credit only)
 * Lawrence Casey as Private Mark T. Hitchcock
 * Justin Tarr as Private Tully Pettigrew

Supporting cast

 * Albert Paulsen as Colonel Von Helbing
 * Ed Asner as Captain Friedrich
 * Christa Linder as Ilse