The Holy War Raid

"The Holy War Raid" is the twenty-third episode of the first season of The Rat Patrol. It first aired on February 13, 1967. The teleplay was written by Ronald Sossi and Philip Nemo, based on a story by Ronald Sossi.

Synopsis
Some Muslims are praying in the open desert when the Rat Patrol show up and start shooting. The jeeps stop, Sergeant Moffitt (Nick Dimitri) gets off, grabs the religious leader Marabout (Abraham Sofaer) and puts him on one of the jeeps. The Rat Patrol then drive off, leaving behind a ransom note.

But of course it wasn't the real Rat Patrol, but German soldiers on a mission from Captain Dietrich to destroy the Rat Patrol's reputation with the Muslims.

Dhakhil (Richard Angarola) puts together a posse and goes to confront the real Rat Patrol about Marabout's kidnapping. Dhakhil's men arrest the whole Rat Patrol. Dhakhil agrees to release Troy and Moffitt (Gary Raymond]]), giving them two horses and a dagger, while keeping Hitchcock and Pettigrew, and the jeeps, for collateral. If Troy and Moffitt don't return in five hours with Marabout, the younger men will be "food for the jackals."

On horseback, Troy and Moffit are able to find the German installation where Marabout is being held, despite the paucity of clues. Troy and Moffitt begin to explain the situation as they understand it, but Marabout doesn't need explanations, he's certain Troy and Moffitt are the men Allah has sent to rescue him.

With his proper uniform back on, Dietrich goes to meet with Dhakhil. He gets a radio call from Moffitt pretending to a German soldier. It doesn't take long for Dietrich to see through the deception. "His German isn't as good as my English," Dietrich brags.

But Troy and Moffitt are also going to see Dhakhil, along with Marabout, who will explain the whole thing to Dhakhil. They take one of the jeeps used by the fake Rat Patrol. They have a shootout with Dietrich's column, but when Dietrich realizes Troy and Moffitt have Marabout he realizes his plan has backfired horribly and doesn't want to make it worse by also killing Marabout.

Once the Germans are driven off, Marabout is reunited with his people, whose confidence in the Rat Patrol is now renewed and stronger than before.

Main cast

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

Supporting cast

 * Richard Angarola as Dhakhil
 * Nick Dimitri as fake Moffitt
 * Kurt Lewin as fake Troy ("Rautmann Troy")
 * Abraham Sofaer as Marabout