NOTE: We are listing both EST/Pacific Time and individual television ratings. All rated [G] or [PG] unless noted. [NR] = Not Rated, news-related program.Sorry, no listings received for Feb. 1 to 14 ____________________________________________________ Sunday, February 15, 2004 ____________________________________________________ 7-8pm -- Greatest Raids - Free Cabanatuan In January 1945, as the U.S. armed forces inched forward in a savage campaign to liberate the Philippine Islands from the Japanese, men of the 6th Ranger Battalion set off on a raid deep behind enemy lines. It was one of the most dramatic missions they ever undertook--to rescue more than 500 Americans held in the Cabanatuan POW camp. Speaking of the raid on the death camp, General MacArthur said: "No incident of the campaign in the Pacific has given me such satisfaction." 8-10pm -- Rescue at Dawn: The Los Banos Raid - Brandishing the stealth and cunning of a modern-day Special Forces operation, the Los Banos raid is regarded as one of the most successful airborne raids of all time. On February 23, 1945, a combined force of U.S. paratroopers, Filipino guerrillas, and amphibious tanks liberated over 2,000 POWs who faced a potential massacre by their Japanese captors. In this 2-hour special, we return to the Los Banos Prison Camp with four soldiers who took part in the rescue and one of the liberated prisoners. 10-10:30pm -- Mail Call - Medieval Madness: #44 At ease, Private! R. Lee Ermey is your commanding officer in this weekly series that answers viewers' questions about military methods and technology with practical demonstrations by military experts. In this episode, Lee finds out from a medieval expert why the longbow was such a feared weapon and how it helped England become the dominant power in Europe during much of the Middle Ages. 10:30-11:30pm -- Tactical to Practical - Humvee/Night Vision/GPS: #1 Former Navy fighter pilot and series host Hunter Ellis examines military solutions to problems that crossed over into civilian life. Hunter explores the Army's relationship with four-wheel drive--from WWII Jeeps to the Humvee. From off-road to the dark of night, he takes a glowing green look into night vision technology, now used in law enforcement and wildlife research. And, he shows how GPS (Global Positioning System) came into its own in Desert Storm and is about to make the compass obsolete! ____________________________________________________ Monday, February 16, 2004 ____________________________________________________ 7-8pm -- Modern Marvels - Pyramids: Majesty and Mystery Standing majestically for centuries, the world's great pyramids have long inspired and mystified scholars. Leading experts and historians explore the engineering genius that created some of the largest structures on the planet. From ancient Egypt to Central America, we visit these technological masterpieces. 8-9pm -- The Bible Code: Predicting Armageddon - Is there a prophetic, highly accurate code locked within the Bible that outlines past and future events? Does the Code contain hidden messages about people like Napoleon, Einstein, and Hitler, and key world events like WWII, the Kennedy brothers' assassinations, and 9/11? More frightening are references to future events--including Earth's impending end. We take a balanced look through the eyes of Code supporters and critics and let viewers determine its accuracy in predicting the future. 9-11pm -- Tomb Raiders: Robbing the Dead - Tomb raiders have been digging for as long as man has buried the dead. Following the trail of these robbers of the dead, we crawl through hidden passages deep within Egypt's pyramids to witness evidence left by ancient looters. Prowling Jerusalem's dark alleyways, we probe the black market antiquities trade and talk to a tomb thief about his motives and methods. At auction houses in London and New York, we learn smugglers' secrets and back in Egypt, we ride along with the antiquities police. ____________________________________________________ Tuesday, February 17, 2004 ____________________________________________________ 7-8pm -- Modern Marvels - Combat Training Sign up at the ultimate survival school, where soldiers learn to kill or be killed, and learn how 21st-century warriors are training today for the battlefields of tomorrow. We follow combat training throughout history, reviewing survival skills and psychological tools--from ancient Rome to World Wars One and Two--and learn how modern training is enhanced by advanced technology and computer simulation. 8-9pm -- Deep Sea Detectives - Slave Ship Uncovered! In July 1700, The Henrietta Marie, a slave ship heading home after selling its cargo of "black gold", met disaster off Florida's coast. Historians believe a hurricane drove her into a reef. Accidentally in 1972, remains of the ship were found and over three decades divers recovered a portion of the hull and artifacts. In the summer of 2003, we go onboard and underwater as researchers scour the waters off Key West, determined to find the rest of her. With dramatic animations of the ship's last moments. 9-10pm -- Tactical to Practical - Hot Choppers/Lasers/Firefighting: #8 Former Navy fighter pilot and series host Hunter Ellis explores technology, inventions, techniques, and products born in the military that went on to find applications in civilian life. In a high-action, high-tech, high-adventure approach to military and historical storytelling, Hunter goes on location to illustrate how these products came out of military conflict, their development, and evolution into usage in everyday life. In this episode, we examine helicopters, lasers, and firefighting vehicles. 10-11pm -- Modern Marvels - Silver Mines It was called the "mother lode", a deposit of silver so massive that it would produce $300-million in its first 25 years of operation, establish Nevada as a state, and bankroll the Union Army in the Civil War. Named after an early investor, we'll see how the Comstock Lode, discovered near Virginia City, proved to be a scientific laboratory from which vast improvements in mining technology and safety were pioneered, including innovations in drilling, ventilation, drainage, and ore processing. ____________________________________________________ Wednesday, February 18, 2004 ____________________________________________________ 6-8pm -- Modern Marvels - Car Tech of the Future Engage the satellite navigation, fire-up the fuel cell, and activate the radar-guided cruise control! You're in for the joyride of your life as we investigate what drives and will drive our vehicular destiny. In this 2-hour special, we talk to auto industry engineers, designers, historians and futurists, and meet carmakers standing at the threshold of a brave new automotive world and on the verge of technical innovations that might prove as far-reaching as the switch from horses to horsepower. 8-9pm -- Modern Marvels - Breaking the Sound Barrier For decades, the sound barrier loomed as an impenetrable wall against manned flight that buffeted planes with shock waves as they approached the speed of sound. Scientists thought the barrier couldn't be breached--until the development of jet technology and rocket fuel at the end of WWII. This is the dramatic story, told through the eyes of many who were there, of the work leading up to October 10, 1947, when 24-year-old test pilot Chuck Yeager smashed through the sound barrier in a Bell XS-1 aircraft. 9-10pm -- Modern Marvels - Drag Racing Legendary drivers lead us on a record-breaking race through a century-long search for sheer acceleration that began before World War One, when hot-rodders modified Model-T Fords to see how fast they could go. Today's dragsters can cover a quarter-mile from a standing start in 4.5 seconds, hitting top speeds above 330 m.p.h. Top driver Gary Clapshaw shows us how to put together a modern dragster and revolutionary designer Bob Norwood unveils his newest car. 10-11pm -- Modern Marvels - Racetrack Tech A look at the "science of safety" as applied to Indy or NASCAR racing. From tires to roll-cages to hood flaps, we examine the incredible technology that's helping prevent crashes and enabling drivers to survive the inevitable ones. See how today's innovative minds digitally reconstruct crashes and design new technology that keeps pushing the limits of racing. The drivers may grab the glory, but they wouldn't dare get behind the wheel if it weren't for the guys in white lab coats. (1-hour version) ____________________________________________________ Thursday, February 19, 2004 ____________________________________________________ 7-8pm -- Modern Marvels - Banks Backbones of worldwide economics, for centuries banks enabled the creation of wealth, and industry leaders became icons. But modern technology revolutionized the way banks do business, and the Internet insures they must adapt or disappear. From banking's early European origins to "e-banking", this is an hour you can't afford to miss! 8-9pm -- History Alive - Civil War Combat: The Bloody Lane at Antietam In September 1862, Robert E. Lee invaded the North for the first time and met the Union army along the banks of Maryland's Antietam Creek, which became the sight of the bloodiest single day in U.S. military history. Visit the scene of the most concentrated fury of that day, on a narrow country road forever after called "Bloody Lane". 9-10pm -- History Alive - Civil War Combat: The Wheatfield at Gettysburg When the Confederate Army of Northern Virginia engaged the Union Army of the Potomac at Gettysburg in July 1863, an area known as "the Wheatfield", initially of little value, suddenly became the focus of intense conflict. We bring to life the bloody battle, one of few during the Civil War when men literally fought hand-to-hand. 10-11pm -- Modern Marvels - Guns of the Civil War It was a war in which brother fought brother and battlefields became slaughterhouses. During the Civil War, the country was in the midst of an industrial revolution and developed the most destructive killing machines the world had ever seen. Join us for a test fire of Civil War guns--the first truly modern weapons. ____________________________________________________ Friday, February 20, 2004 ____________________________________________________ 7-8pm -- Modern Marvels - Firing Ranges Discover how military and police personnel, as well as private citizens, hone their shooting skills with one of the oldest of training techniques when we review the history of firing ranges--from a simple knot on a tree, old bottles, rusted tin cans, and highway signs to high-tech targets and advances in weaponry. 8-9pm -- Dead Men's Secrets - Secrets of the "Y" Service During WWII, electronic warfare became crucial. Allied technicians listened to enemy messages and pinpointed enemy radio stations and the tracks of ships, U-boats, and aircraft around the globe. Code breakers read the secret messages of Nazi Germany, while advance listening posts picked up radio messages from their aircraft. All this was coordinated by a group of highly trained technicians working behind the frontline--the mysterious Y Service. 9-11pm -- The Face of Evil: Reinhard Heydrich - Reinhard Eugen Tristan Heydrich was arguably the most enigmatic Nazi leader, and as the "Final Solution" architect, definitely the most murderous as we see in a 2-hour analysis of his meteoric rise to command over the Gestapo, SS intelligence network, and Czechoslovakia. In 1942, Heydrich was considered the most dangerous man in Germany after Hitler. The Allied plot to assassinate him--planned in England and carried out in Prague--was the most brazen of its kind. Narrated by Charlton Heston. ____________________________________________________ Saturday, February 21, 2004 ____________________________________________________ 7-7:30pm -- Extreme History with Roger Daltrey - Surviving the Wild West For 20 years, thousands of cowboys drove millions of steer through the rugged prairies of Texas and Oklahoma via the Chisholm Trail--a lonely, dust-choked path fraught with hardship and danger. Roger Daltrey travels back to 1867 as he straps on his spurs and heads to West Texas to experience the rough-and-tumble life of a cowboy. From driving cattle to gunfighting to catching and cooking Western Diamondback rattlers, Roger takes on the extreme elements of the cowboy's golden age. 7:30-8pm -- Mail Call - Anti-Tank Rocket/Bazooka/HQ Tour/Tactical Operations Center/Downed Pilots Rescue/21-Gun Salute: #23 R. Lee Ermey heads to the range with the Marines to demonstrate the bazooka's replacement--an AT-4 shoulder-mounted anti-tank rocket--and finds out how the bazooka got its name. After a tongue-in-cheek tour of Mail Call Headquarters, we learn how commanders stay in touch with the battlefield at a Tactical Operations Center, a mobile command post for the computer age. We meet Air Force Pararescuemen, who rescue downed pilots behind enemy lines, and discover the origin of a 21-gun salute. 8-10pm -- Stalin: Man of Steel - Stalin: Man of Steel In almost three decades in power, Joseph Stalin--self-named Man of Steel--transformed his country from peasant society to nuclear superpower. It was a brutal, murderous journey filled with intrigue and assassination. Along the way, 20 million Russians died--victims of one of the 20th century's towering figures, and one of history's greatest tyrants. Features rare archive film and accounts from Stalin's bodyguard, cameraman, victims, secret police, Gulag wardens, and living survivors of his family. 10-11pm -- History Undercover - Terror Strikes Moscow Russia's premier musical, Nord-Ost, had been running to sold-out audiences. On October 23, 2002, 40 Chechen rebels attacked the stage, taking over 800 hostages. For the next 58 hours, the terrorists demanded complete Russian withdrawal from Chechnya. On the 26th, Special Forces stormed the theater after saturating it with nerve gas--killing the terrorists and 129 hostages. We review the Chechen conflict, and the controversial decision to storm the building, and talk to survivors of the terrorist attack. ____________________________________________________ Sunday, February 22, 2004 ____________________________________________________ 6-8pm -- Tomb Raiders: Robbing the Dead - Tomb raiders have been digging for as long as man has buried the dead. Following the trail of these robbers of the dead, we crawl through hidden passages deep within Egypt's pyramids to witness evidence left by ancient looters. Prowling Jerusalem's dark alleyways, we probe the black market antiquities trade and talk to a tomb thief about his motives and methods. At auction houses in London and New York, we learn smugglers' secrets and back in Egypt, we ride along with the antiquities police. 8-10pm -- German and Japanese Kamikazes - This 2-hour special recounts the desperate measures taken by Axis forces to stave off defeat in WWII and the mythical origins of the Japanese kamikaze and their Nazi counterparts. Many in leadership were opposed to suicide tactics--the driving forces were often young junior officers who had grown up in a culture of militarism and extreme nationalism. As well as assessing the contribution of myth and propaganda, we reveal the more human stories behind those caught up in the kamikaze phenomenon. 10-10:30pm -- Mail Call - #45, no episode desc. 10:30-11:30pm -- Tactical to Practical - Navy SEALs Dive Gear/Food Tech/Robots: #5 Navy SEALs take Hunter Ellis aboard the latest SDV (SEAL Delivery Vehicle), and he learns that much of their equipment is now available to civilian divers, including the latest in dive computers, dry suits, rebreathers, and underwater cameras. Hunter explores a shipwreck using the scuba phone--first developed by the Navy. Next, he sees how military food innovations changed the way we eat and live. Then, he tracks the crossover of robots from military to civilian use. ____________________________________________________ Monday, February 23, 2004 ____________________________________________________ 7-8pm -- Modern Marvels - Big Rigs of Combat: Tanks The rousing story of the tank, from its primitive appearance in WWI to the high-tech world of modern tank warfare, with emphasis on the tank's Golden Age during WWII. 8-8:30pm -- Mail Call - Grease Gun/Sten Gun/E-3 Sentry AWACS/J-Stars/Vietnam Fire Support Bases/"Charlie": #43 R. Lee Ermey demonstrates the WWII American M3 submachine gun, aka the Grease Gun, and a similar British gun, the Sten Gun; takes viewers inside the E-3 Sentry early warning and control system--a high-tech aerial command and control center--and J-Stars, similar to AWACS, but linked to an Army command center housed in a Humvee; finds out how U.S. fire support bases were constructed in Vietnam and their use, and how the slang term "Charlie" entered GI Jargon. 8:30-9pm -- Mail Call - Marine Sniper School/Hand Signals/Ho Chi Minh Trail/Motorcycles/Loading Palettes/C-119: #32 How do the Marines train snipers? What kind of hand signals do our soldiers use? How did the Viet Cong manage to bring so many supplies into South Vietnam on the primitive Ho Chi Minh Trail? What types of motorcycles has the military used through the years? Can the military air drop tanks? When did the C-119 Flying Boxcar transport plane operate and what did it carry? R. Lee Ermey heads to the field to answer these exciting viewers' questions on military technology. 9-11pm -- Blind Man's Bluff - In a 2-hour special, based on the bestseller by Christopher Drew and Sherry Sontag, we document the stories of the brave men who dedicated their lives to stalking the world's oceans during the Cold War. Submarines were the super-secret front line of the Cold War and played an undersea game of hide and seek with the fate of the world as stakes. For the first time on TV, U.S. and Russian submariners share their stories and harrowing experiences. ____________________________________________________ Tuesday, February 24, 2004 ____________________________________________________ 7-8pm -- Modern Marvels - Hadrian's Wall 74-miles long and 2,000 years old, Hadrian's Wall winds over the hills and valleys of Northern England, marking the northernmost extent of a long-dead empire. Built of stone and mortar by Roman soldiers, it is the most significant Roman ruin in England. Ordered built by the Emperor Hadrian around the time of his visit in 122 AD, it was more a permanent demarcation and less a defensive barrier. We'll visit this archaeological treasure, which teaches us much of what the Roman era was like for Britain. Patrick Macnee's on-air promo notes that: "Some say he was mad." 8-9pm -- Deep Sea Detectives - Andrea Doria: Tragedy at Sea In 1956, the pride of Italy's passenger liner fleet, the Andrea Doria, set sail from Genoa bound for America. More than 3,500 miles away, the liner Stockholm left New York heading home to Sweden. In less than 8 days, the ocean liners mysteriously collided in the North Atlantic in one of the 20th century's worst maritime accidents. Now, Deep Sea Detectives John Chatterton and Richie Kohler launch a full-scale investigation into what happened on July 25 and uncover controversial new evidence. 9-10pm -- Tactical to Practical - Survival Training/People in Space/Explosives: #9 Survival in war isn't just about dodging bullets, but keeping alive in extreme conditions. Explorers and adventurers also face life-threatening situations. Hunter Ellis tests new high-tech gadgets for your next adventure. Once a Cold War battleground, today's space race sees super-rich dreamers competing to launch space tourism--with $10-million in prize money at stake! Then, Hunter examines explosives--from the military to avalanche control, diamond mining, special effects, and fireworks. 10-11pm -- Modern Marvels - ET Tech In 2003, with Mars closer to Earth than it had been in 60,000 years, scientists launched 3 life-seeking planetary landers. If the long journeys prove successful, all 3 should be hard at work on the Red Planet's surface by January 2004. NASA's "Spirit" and "Opportunity" and the European Space Agency's "Beagle 2" represent the pinnacle in the history of the search for extraterrestrial life. Leading scientists, who believe life may exist beyond Earth, explain skepticism about ETs having visited Earth. ____________________________________________________ Wednesday, February 25, 2004 ____________________________________________________ 7-8pm -- Modern Marvels - FBI's Crime Lab To spearhead its fight against crime and terrorism in the 21st century, the FBI is relying on its $150 million-plus building, the new Crime Lab at Quantico. Here, nearly 700 highly trained scientists and technicians utilize cutting-edge forensic technology to unearth identities of perpetrators. We review the lab's history, from humble start in a lounge in 1932 to today's state-of-the-art complex, and see how 9/11 and the FBI's new mandate to fight international terrorism changed the lab forever. 8-9pm -- Modern Marvels - Bulletproof How do you stop a speeding bullet? From body armor to armored cars and trucks, we review the history of the race between the bullet and a successful way to stop it. It's not exactly easy to design material that can catch gunfire traveling up to 3,000 feet per second. We'll look at little-known advances like bulletproof layering hidden in walls, futuristic smart materials that "remember" how to stop a bullet, and a system that deploys a shield within milliseconds when it detects an oncoming round. 9-10pm -- Modern Marvels - Bullets From "safe" bullets that stop hijackers but leave aircraft unscathed to bullets that chain-saw through steel and "smart" bullets computer-programmed to hit a target, this explosive hour examines the evolution of bullets from origin in the 1300s--stones and round lead balls shot from iron and bamboo tubes. Lead balls ruled until 1841 when a conical-shaped bullet changed ammo forever. We learn how to construct a modern cartridge, and at pistol and rifle ranges view demonstrations of modern firepower. 10-11pm -- Modern Marvels - The Magnum It's known as the most powerful handgun in the world, made famous by Clint Eastwood in the Dirty Harry movies. But its origins stretch back more than a century to the Indian Wars of the American West and African safaris, where hunters stalked big game. Join us for a review of the history of the biggest, baddest gun available today--unlimited firepower at the pull of a trigger! ____________________________________________________ Thursday, February 26, 2004 ____________________________________________________ 7-8pm -- Modern Marvels - Cannons Cannons have fired balls of iron and atomic bombs, changed the way wars are fought, and now come equipped with smart weapons. Beginning with 13th-century cannons that were designed to penetrate forts of the day, we'll see how cannons were first cast and later forged, and show how large cannons terrorized civilians and soldiers in WWI and WWII. Moving to the present, we feature the 40-ton self-propelled Crusader that launches 100-pound steel artillery shells more than 33 miles. 8-10pm -- Time Machine - Sink the Bismarck! This 2-hour documentary joins the world's greatest sea chase as the British pursue the pride of the German navy, the battleship Bismarck. Features interviews with Ted Briggs, survivor of the Hood, which was sunk by the Bismarck, the Bismarck's senior surviving officer, and the only U.S. military man to participate in the WWII chase. 10-11pm -- Modern Marvels - U-Boats They came within days of single-handedly winning both world wars. Now, men who served in--and fought against--Germany's famed submarine corps remember the days of the dreaded Wolf Pack. ____________________________________________________ Friday, February 27, 2004 ____________________________________________________ 7-8pm -- Modern Marvels - Space Shuttle Columbia Combination rocket, spacecraft, and airplane, the space shuttle is the most complex vehicle ever built. Long before it ever flew, the shuttle was nearly scuttled due to political pressures, technological challenges, and cost overruns. The program not only overcame these challenges, but opened space to an international community of scientists, explorers, and dreamers. This is the story of the Columbia, the first shuttle to fly outer space, from inception to tragic demise in January 2003. 8-9pm -- Dead Men's Secrets - Technological Time Bomb In 1939, a mysterious package made its way into the hands of British scientists. In German and unsigned, it revealed the stage of technological advancement achieved by Hitler's scientists. Who was the author of one of the most important scientific reports of WWII, and why did he send such vital information to England? We explore the author's identity and how this vital tool in combating Nazi advances altered WWII's outcome. Features an interview with Dr. R.V. Jones from British Air Intelligence. 9-10pm -- Mail Call - #18 & 19 In a special 2-hour episode, R. Lee Ermey answers viewers' questions about the armed forces. Topics include: the medieval trebuchet, or catapult; troop headcounts; the Browning Automatic Rifle; smart bombs; modern parachutes; the boomerang; the LAV (Light Armored Vehicle); landing craft; the Doughboy; the OPFOR (Opposing Force in war games); medieval chain mail; and the military salute. 10-11pm -- Modern Marvels - A-10 Tankbuster The most feared aircraft in the Air Force arsenal, the A-10 Tankbuster was the first aircraft in U.S. aviation history designed specifically for Close Air Support. From its first taste of battle in Desert Storm to the recent assault on Baghdad, the A-10 carries enough weaponry into battle to disable 16 main battle tanks, and with its amazing 30 millimeter 7-barrelled cannon, the "Flying Gun" dominates the skies. Features interviews with A-10 pilots, many of whom flew in Operation Iraqi Freedom. ____________________________________________________ Saturday, February 28, 2004 ____________________________________________________ 7-8pm -- History Alive - In the Footsteps of Jesus: The Lost Youth of Jesus Thousands of Christians make pilgrimages to the Holy Land yearly to visit sites connected to Jesus. But are they authentic? The search for the historical Jesus began with the first pilgrim--Constantine the Great's mother Helena Augusta. Scholars have been trying to prove--or disprove--her amazing claims ever since. Traveling to Bethlehem, Nazareth, and Sepphoris in the footsteps of Jesus, we run into heated debate about where he was born, baptized, and grew up, and reveal startling new discoveries. 8-9pm -- History Alive - In the Footsteps of Jesus: From Galilee to Jerusalem Following in the footsteps of Jesus, we dig for the truth behind "accepted" Holy Land sites and review archaeological controversy about these important religious places. We examine: an Israeli scholar's 1987 discovery of the lost city of Bethsaida, where Jesus called his first disciples, healed a blind man, and fed the multitudes; a boat on the Galilee's shoreline dating to the time of Jesus; a house in Capernaum that may have belonged to St. Peter; and the possible grave of Lazarus. 9-10pm -- History Alive - In the Footsteps of Jesus: The Way of the Cross The search for evidence of Jesus's life moves to Jerusalem and the traditional sites associated with his final days. Deep beneath the city, we explore the buried remains of Herod's temple and tread a pavement where Jesus may have walked. Delving into the mysterious histories of the Cenacle Room, Gethsemane, and Roman Praetorium, we investigate the latest archaeological theories concerning probable sites of Jesus's last supper, arrest, and trial. Does science support or refute the Biblical accounts? 10-11pm -- The Passion of The Christ - How true is Hollywood to history? What are the real stories behind the people and events portrayed? Featuring interviews with historians, the director, producers, actors, and film clips, we compare history with Mel Gibson's "The Passion of The Christ", "a vivid depiction of the last 12 hours of Jesus Christ's life with James Caviezel and Monica Belluci." Our panel delves into the controversy around the film, including charges of anti-Semitism, and finds out why Jesus speaks in Latin and Aramaic. ____________________________________________________ Sunday, February 29, 2004 ____________________________________________________ 6-8pm -- SAMURAI - The Samurai The knights of medieval Japan, the Samurai held power for over 700 years. Ferocious in combat, these masters of sword and bow were bound by an unforgiving code of ethics. Their legacy of martial artistry, ceremony, self-discipline, and tenacity persists. Explore the history and mystery of this elite warrior class as present-day Samurai demonstrate their ancient skills in this 2-hour special, and historians and experts examine the meaning and ritual of Bushido--the way of the warrior. 8-10pm -- Wake Island: The Alamo of the Pacific - It's a true life story of survivors on a desert island--one that helped change the course of WWII! Within hours of the 1941 Pearl Harbor Attack, about 1,600 U.S. marines and civilians found themselves under surprise attack from Japan on a tiny Pacific Island. We take six survivors of the siege of Wake Island back to the scene of their heroic stand. They retrace those days in which they suffered eventual capture, beatings, executions of colleagues, and imprisonment--yet survived to tell their story. 10-12am -- The Last Mission - Meet Jim Smith, radio operator on a B-29 that flew WWII's final mission. Smith, attached to the secret 315th Bomb Wing, flew the longest continuous mission of WWII, six days after the atomic bombs, ending the largest and most violent conflict of arms in the history of mankind! On August 14, 1945, the 315th Bomb Wing was ordered to strike the Akita oil refinery, northwest of Tokyo. Incredibly the mission blacked out Tokyo in one precise moment of time that spared the Emperor from being kidnapped by military rebels who had taken over the palace. The rebels had planned to isolate the Emperor and prevent him from recording a war-stopping surrender message to his people. Aided by historians, see how the B-29 air strike unwittingly collapsed the coup, saved Tokyo from nuclear strike, and ended WW2For more on UFOs, check out the interview on MonsterVision's Mars Attacks page
Watch Mail Call every week if you know what's good for you, scumbag,
hosted by R. Lee Ermey of Full Metal Jacket
(movie available on video and DVD)
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