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Using dramatic reenactments, this Cold War-era U.S. Air Force training film teaches American airmen how to evade capture and make their way home out of hostile territory after being shot down from their aircraft. All the capture evasion skills learned during World War 2 are put to good use, along with lessons learned by the CIA on how to operate in Eastern Europe. The film was shot in a Hollywood "film noire" espionage adventure style and was released in circa 1957*.

Plot:
A B-29 Superfortress is shot down during an air raid mission, far behind enemy lines. The crew is separated during bail out into small groups. What follows are a series of lessons on what to do - and not to do - to evade capture and make it back to friendly territory. Just a few of the many things you will learn are: evading blood hounds, what to wear - and not to wear - to blend in with the locals, traveling inconspicuously by day and night, identifying civilians most likely to help you make contact with the underground, what to expect from the resistance and how to deal with them, crossing roads and exposed spaces, using misdirection, diversion and bluffing, crossing heavily guarded boarders - and a whole lot more! Some of the crew make it back, while others don't, all told in a very dramatic and engaging feature film.

* The date (MCMXLVII / 1947) on the emblem of the U.S. Air Force at the beginning of the film refers to the date of the establishment of the U.S. Air Force (when the U.S. Army Air Forces became the U.S. Air Force) and not to the release date of the movie. This crest will never have another date on it.


HISTORICAL BACKGROUND / CONTEXT

Survival, Evasion, Resistance, and Escape (SERE) is a program, best known by its military acronym, that provides U.S. military personnel, U.S. Department of Defense civilians, and private military contractors with training in evading capture, survival skills, and the military code of conduct. Established by the U.S. Air Force at the end of World War 2, it was extended and consolidated during the Vietnam War (1959-1975) to the U.S. Marine Corps, and U.S. Navy and in the late 1980s to the U.S. Army. Most higher level SERE students are Military Aircrew and Special Operations personnel considered to be at high risk of capture.

Based on the experiences of the British and American Pilots who managed to escape and evade from the Germans during World War 2, and return to friendly lines, several private "clubs" were created during World War 2. One such club was the "Late Returners Club". This club which had a "Flying Boot" as its identifying symbol, was strictly non-military. However, under the left collar, of his uniform, the individual who had successfully escaped and/or evaded the enemy pinned the "Flying Boot" and although everyone knew it was not official, they didn't question its wear. The experiences of these Evaders was passed on in lectures, guest appearances, and small regional specific training programs by the US Army Air Corps and in British military programs. Consolidation into a formal (then called "Survival") program of instruction came in 1943. Under the direction of General Curtis LeMay it was realized that it was much cheaper and more effective to train Aircrews in Survival, Evasion, Resistance, and Escape techniques, than to have them languishing in enemy hands. He was responsible for the establishment of SERE training at several bases/locations.

Most SERE training focuses on survival and evasion. Skills taught include Woodcraft and Wilderness Survival including Firecraft, Sheltercraft, Traps and Snares, Food & Water Procurement, Preservation and Purifying, Improvised Equipment, and also specific equipment and techniques of Rescue Sciences such as Signaling, Navigation, Route Selection, Emergency First Aid (a variant of the battlefield variety), Camouflage techniques, methods of Evasion, and Communication Protocols, in all types of climate and terrain. Training on how to survive and resist the enemy in the event of capture is largely based on the experiences of past U.S. prisoners of war.


USAF Training Film for Downed Airmen | Evading Capture in Enemy Territory | ca. 1957

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NOTE: THE VIDEO REPRESENTS HISTORY. SINCE IT WAS PRODUCED DECADES AGO, IT HAS HISTORICAL VALUES AND CAN BE CONSIDERED AS A VALUABLE HISTORICAL DOCUMENT. THE VIDEO HAS BEEN UPLOADED WITH EDUCATIONAL PURPOSES. ITS TOPIC IS REPRESENTED WITHIN HISTORICAL CONTEXT. THE VIDEO DOES NOT CONTAIN SENSITIVE SCENES AT ALL! THE SCENES ARE PLAYED BY ACTORS.

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