Off the base, JayDee Jones is working up the nerve to go on his next mission. He gets Jan Warner to sneak him back on base. He gets spotted by Chapman who is stealing 3 45 pistols to sell. JayDee's older brother Frank talks to him and tells him to straighten up. JayDee says he has had enough, he wants out. Jones and Chapman make briefing at 04:30. On takeoff JayDee over-revs his B-17's engines, but they don't have enough speed to take off. His co-pilot tries to help but the plane crashes killing the bombardier and badly injuring the co-pilot who dies later. Frank covers for his brother and says it could be a maintenance problem. Colonel Hunter the Wing G-4 (Supply) comes to investigate. Chapman sells his pistols to an Englishman who gets caught. Captain Mason from CIC comes to investigate the stolen guns. Jones co-pilot dies. Chapman and JD talk, Chapman says him will back Jones up. Hunter and Gallagher interrogate JayDee Jones, Frank Jones and Chapman. Chapman backs Jones who still can not remember

On the way back from a bombing run over the Ruhr Valley, Gallagher's battle-damaged B-17 accidentally drops its bombs on Ste. Monique, France. 1st Lieutenant Parks, the bombardier, is interrogated. A single bomb falls in the village square, killing resistance leader Pierre Fecamp. Two American pilots hiding in Ste. Monique escape: Major Coefield from the 918th and Captain Pollard from the 511th Fighter Squadron. Pollard has fallen in love with Claudine, the woman who rescued them and the daughter of Fecamp. She has brought her son to England badly wounded from the bomb's explosion, and he may lose his leg. Claudine hates Gallagher and is going to kill him. She goes with him to the 918th Officers Club and sees the pilots get drunk. Meanwhile, in Ste. Monique, Hauptman Bergdorf says they will not bomb again because of the last mission, so now they can put in a German Radar Station. On the way to Wing HQ in Archbury, Claudine tries to kill Gallagher. General Marteen orders the 918th to bomb Ste. Monique that night. In Ste Monique, German soldiers kill Marcel Lenoir as he radios information to London.