Directed by: Sutton Roley
Written by: Al Ramrus and John ShanerThe Rat Patrol rescue General Owen Lansbury (John Anderson), a British intelligence officer, in the desert before Dietrich's forces can capture him. Lansbury, who is injured and seems to be suffering from heat stroke, orders the Rats to attack a German oil pipeline. Tully calls headquarters, confirming that the pipeline exists and destroying it is a greater priority than Lansbury's condition.
Troy thinks Lansbury is too ill to be giving orders, but Moffitt thinks that's mutiny. However, when Lansbury points to an area of solid rock as the location of the oil pipeline, Moffitt begins to doubt the general's sanity. Aware that the Rats are questioning his judgment, Lansbury condemns them as traitors and tries to arrest them. Troy and Moffitt lay down their pistols, but then Lansbury passes out. It turns out that the general's injuries were more severe than he let on; a stomach wound he'd claimed was "worse than it looks" is actually life-threatening. Moffitt says that even if they get Lansbury to a field hospital, he might not survive.
The Rat Patrol carry out the attack on the pipeline, blowing it up. Hitchcock gets shot and collapses, but it looks like he'll live. However, Lansbury dies of his wounds, probably never realizing that the Rat Patrol carried out his orders after all.
After Hitchcock gets patched up, Troy thinks the patient is well enough to go back on duty. Hitchcock tells them that's not the case, that he needs a night to recuperate and to send in the nurse. It is implied that Hitch and the nurse will have sex in the medical tent.
Tropes:
- Agonizing Stomach Wound: Lansbury is suffering from one throughout the episode, but downplays it until it's too late to save him.
- Bittersweet Ending: Lansbury probably doesn't live long enough to see the Rat Patrol destroy the pipeline.
- Eternal Sexual Freedom: Averted somewhat. Neither Troy, Moffitt nor Pettigrew seem to object to Hitchcock having sex with a nurse. The nurse delivers something to the tent, goes back out, looks around to make sure none of her medical colleagues see her, then goes back in the tent.
- Level-Map Display: As the Allies and the Nazis make their way to the pipeline.
- P.O.V. Cam: Used as Lansbury wanders through the desert to demonstrate his increasing delirium. We see his vision lose and regain focus, and an approaching German patrol seems to disappear and reappear.
- War Is Hell: Troy says this as an ironic joke when he learns that the wounded Hitchcock is going to spend the night with a pretty nurse.
- Wham Shot: The scene revealing the seriousness of Lansbury's stomach wound, which he'd been trivializing all along.
