With rock hudson, rod taylor, mary peach, barry sullivan. Responsible for americas strategic air command, general hewitt leif. Of course, since the publication, additional information has been located. Air force base, and he quickly develops a reputation as a stern taskmaster. A gathering of eagles is a 1963 superscope eastmancolor film about the u. This is a rare instance with rock hudson in an earnest role and he delivered a mighty convincing col. Robert dutch holland stewart, a successful player for the st. Watching this movie brought back a lot of memories and i still remembered all the dialogue. Air force strategic air command sac, the frontline of the nations air defense during this period. Other scenes occurred at the strategic air command headquarters at offutt afb in nebraska. His mission is to whip a bunch of irregular regulars into a strategic air command unit. An expilot and current baseballer is recalled into the u. Oct 14, 2016 in 2012, our book jimmy stewart on the air was published by bearmanor media.
His mission is to whip a bunch of irregular regulars into a strategic air command. Gathering of eagles, starring rock hudson, refueling scene. She never imagined shed meet some of the worlds most powerful people. Battle hymn 1957 rock hudson, anna kashfi, dan duryea bc pro. Strategic command headquarters, built in 1957 for the strategic air command, has long carried the name of former sac commander gen. He instigates the early retirement of squadron commander col.
The film is a cold war era promo for sac and defense spending from paramount pictures. Air mobility command inherited most of sacs kc5 stratotanker and kc10 extender aerial refueling tanker force, although some kc5s also went to usafe and pacaf. Hudson plays a colonel assigned to a wing that has just flunked two oris organizational. During the cold war, air force colonel jim caldwell shapes up his strategic air command b52 wing to pass a nuclear war readiness test. An accurate portrayal of life within strategic air command sac at the height of the cold war. A gathering of eagles is a 1963 eastmancolor film about the u. Sac had numerous exercises, operations, and command controls. The enemy below here is one of the best war movies ever, a chess game of cat. There were many individuals who distinguished themselves.
Strategic air command 1955 cast and crew credits, including actors, actresses, directors, writers and more. In 2012, our book jimmy stewart on the air was published by bearmanor media. His devotion to his duty as a wing commander takes a. Louis cardinals baseball team, finds his inactive duty status with the u. Air force and assumes an increasingly important role in cold war deterrence. There have also been movies made about the cold war, such as fail safe. Most b36 peacemaker fans know the classic film strategic air command, the 1955 paramount pictures movie starring james stewart as lt.
It was because of this movie i joined the usaf and actually worked in sac on. A gathering of eagles was filmed at beale afb, california, and my dad has a split second scene. Jim caldwell rock hudson has a new task of shaping up a strategic air force wing. Richards, the film is about the journey of a prized rifle from one illfated owner to another and a cowboys search for a murderous fugitive. Strategic air command 1955 strategic air command sac presents us with the only extensive major motion picture flying record of americas b36, the largest bomber aircraft ever built. Jim caldwell in the air force to shape up the sac strategic air command squadron. Rock hudson at a gathering of eagles premiere youtube. Roc k hud son plays a uni ted states air force officer, colonel jim caldwe ll, a strategic air command sa c b52 wing c ommander. A gathering of eagles 1963 rock hudson, universals biggest star during the late fiftiesearly sixties, was cast somewhat against type in a gathering of eagles 1963, the story of the peacetime activities of the u. A gathering of eagles 1963 rotten tomatoes movie trailers. Wings of eagles with rock hudson was made about ten years later.
The plot is patterned after the world war ii film twelve oclock high, which producerscreenwriter sy bartlett also wrote, with elements also mirroring above and beyond and toward the unknown, films written by his collaborator, beirne lay jr. The plot is patterned after the world war ii film twelve oclock high. Stars of movie a gathering of eagles at strategic air. Strategic air command approved 1h 52min action, drama, war 25 march 1955 usa an expilot and current baseballer is recalled into the u. This is not a riveting movie, but it does have rock hudson as the lead, plus several other actors who were well known 50 years ago. Strategic air command sac was both a united states department of defense dod specified command and a united states air force usaf major command majcom, responsible for cold war command and control of two of the three components of the u. Strategic air command 1955 stream and watch online. Strategic air command 1955 was done as a tribute to that thennew arm of the united states air force, and was also intended apart from being an entertaining movie as an explanation of the cold war to the great american middle class. It was a natural transition, since it was the only military organization on earth with previous nuclear experience, having dropped the atomic bombs on hiroshima and nagasaki. His devotion to his duty as a wing commander takes a toll on his men, his marriage, and his own wellbeing.
Over its fortyyear life, over a million men served in it. He is the tall firefighter putting out the fire on the b52. The commanderinchief, strategic air command cincsac was the most senior officer and head of the strategic air command sac. Strategic air command and weaves in a personal story about its officers. Hudson plays a colonel assigned to a wing that has just flunked two oris organizational readiness inspection. It was the first of four hollywood films that depicted the role of the strategic air command in the cold war era. With james stewart, june allyson, frank lovejoy, barry sullivan. Press and united states air force officers on airfield. Strategic air command is a 1955 american military aviation film starring james stewart and june allyson, directed by anthony mann, and released by paramount pictures. Headquarters strategic air command key personnel, 19461992 commandersinchief. Strategic air command soundtrack jimmy stewart on the air. Officers are greeted by mary peach and rock hudson, stars of the movie a gathering of eagles which is set against strategic air command background. These movies were made in a age when hollywood movie moguls felt that war movies had to appeal to.
Mar 16, 2017 i saw this movie when it first came out in the theaters early 60s and knew i wanted to join the air force strategic air command. I ve been looking for this movie for years and its as good as i remember. A gathering of eagles presents the realities of the u. A strategic air command colonel rock hudson neglects his british wife mary peach for his duty after world war ii. A gathering of eagles 1963 a gathering of eagles 1963. Oct 28, 2008 gathering of eagles, starring rock hudson, refueling scene. Raised in semipoverty in bronx neighborhoods by her divorced mother, allyson nee ella geisman was injured in a fall at age eight and spent four years confined within a steel brace. A gathering of eagles the complete rod taylor site. Released 1955, strategic air command stars james stewart, june allyson, frank lovejoy, barry sullivan the movie has a runtime of about 1 hr 54 min, and received a score of out of 100 on. Sorry for the chatter in the backgound, its my dads grandson.
Strategic air command james stewart june allyson frank lovejoy 1955 the air force recalls a baseball player james stewart who has a pregnant wife june allyson to fly longrange bombers. A gathering of eagles 1963, is known to be accurate in depicting the lives of sac men. They flew many aircraft, had access to many weapons and were stationed at many bases. Tout les preparatifs du sac strategic air command bon film dommage quil. Winchester 73 is a 1950 american western film directed by anthony mann and starring james stewart, shelley winters, dan duryea and stephen mcnally. List of commandersinchief of the strategic air command.
See more ideas about air force, movies and strategic air command. Air force during the cold war and the pressures of command. During the cold war, air force colonel jim caldwell shapes up his strategic air command b52. Enter colonel jim caldwell rock hudson, who is offered the task of. Jim caldwell, who has just been assigned to his first command at the fictional carmody air force base near san francisco. Bartlett and his crew are herein concerned with rock hudson, who takes over as wing commander of a. Also starring in the motion picture were frank lovejoy and harry morgan. Strategic air command us air force security forces. In that sense, it served the same function in the mid1950s that such pictures as mrs. The strategic air command is magnificent matter for an epic film, for a lawrence of the wild blue yonder. Commander jim caldwell rock hudson is slated for duty at a u. Air force strategic air command sac, the frontline of. Refueling in the air scene from gathering of eagles youtube.
Rock hudson plays a united states air force officer, colonel jim caldwell, a strategic air command sac b52 wing commander. This was reportedly another film linked with strategic air command and bombers b 52. A gathering of eagles stars rock hudson as a colonel in the peacetime strategic air command. A very interesting movie, shows how it is about the lives and tensions into the. American leading lady whose sweet smile and sunny disposition made her the prototypical girlnextdoor of american movies of the 1940s. Battle hymn 1957 rock hudson, anna kashfi, dan duryea. Mar 16, 2017 a gathering of eagles was filmed at beale afb, california, and my dad has a split second scene. I saw this movie when it first came out in the theaters early 60s and knew i wanted to join the air force strategic air command. This paramount pictures release was the first of four films that depicted the role of the strategic air command in the cold war era. The strategic air command was basically the same twentieth air force from guam that lemay had commanded during the war. Usaf nuclear forces combined with the united states navys nuclear forces to form united states strategic command, which took over the sac offutt afb complex.
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