I've said it before but it should be repeated here: Combat is a series that has a great focus on bravery and what it means to be a hero in many of its episodes. In this installment, we see how some people can be tempted by the prestige that comes with being a hero, and how it can make them do something immoral. The Medal begins with Saunders and the squad under fire from a German tank. A soldier named Wharton (Frank Gorshin) and his squadmate D'Amato are tasked with clearing the way. D'Amato kills the German soldier manning the machine gun on the tank's turret and swings it around, gunning down a large amount of Germans in the process. Unfortunately, D'Amato is killed during the assault, headed by a German lieutenant. By the time Saunders reaches the tank, he (incorrectly) thinks that Wharton was the one responsible for taking out that enemy formation. Lieutenant Hanley recommends Wharton for an award (a silver star) due to "his" heroic actions, and even though Wharton knows they are making a mistake, he doesn't speak up. This is because he thinks receiving a medal will make his girlfriend back home think he's a war hero. Later on, Wharton and Saunders get an unexpected surprise when Lieutenant Kohrs, the same German officer responsible for leading the men who killed D'Amato, is captured and brought to the squad. Saunders immediately recognizes him. He decides to take Kohrs, along with Wharton, on a walk to a deserted street filled with abandoned houses and shops. After Saunders leaves Wharton alone with Kohrs for a bit, the German tries to convince Wharton to shoot himself in the leg so that he can get sent home. Wharton starts to consider his options, but Saunders reenters the room unexpectedly. Saunders gets rude with Wharton because he now seems aware of the fact that he is taking credit for something a dead comrade has done, but redeems himself a moment later when Kohrs tries to escape and Wharton shoots him. As Saunders and Wharton try to leave the area, they are ambushed by a platoon of Germans, and Saunders falls into some barbed wire. Badly wounded and unable to stand up, Wharton risks his life to go back and help him to safety. In spite of Wharton's deception earlier, the whole squad now knows he is a legitimate hero. Out of all the Combat episodes I have seen so far, I have to say this is probably the first that is not that amazing. I still enjoyed it, but I really hated to see Saunders disrespect Wharton towards the end like that. I really shouldn't say this, but it felt justified when he tripped into the barbed wire for mocking a serviceman just as courageous as he is. The captured German trying to tell Wharton it's a good idea to injure himself so he gets a free ride home might have been an interesting twist, but it didn't end up happening. Wharton might have thought it was a good idea at first, but ultimately, he chooses to stay on the battlefield to prove prestige isn't all he cares about. I say this episode is mediocre mainly because of how the gunfight between D'Amato and the Germans plays out early in the episode. D'Amato is able to effortlessly mow down scores of nazis because they're apparently too stupid to fire back from a covered position. They just literally run straight for him. It doesn't make much sense when you consider how US troops held German ones in such high regard due to their fighting skill. In any case, The Medal may not be one of this show's best, but it does show how winning awards isn't a measure of someone's bravery.
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