U.S. Army Air Forces vehicles parked at curb near Hotel France, in Ambilly France, during World War 2. American and other allied flyers gathered near a plaza. some are in uniform and some in civilian clothes. All have escaped from internment across the border, in Switzerland. Local French people gather around them as they are photographed. Next scene shows the flyers leaving in the AAF Vehicles. A soldier stands near a street sign in the town (Ambilly). It points to the Swiss frontier border. (Another sign shows the Ambilly town speed limit of 30Km per hour.) Remainder of the film shows view of Château de Menthon Saint-Bernard on Lake Annecy, France. with cloud and mist above it and majestic Alps mountains behind.
A Swiss Border guard walks toward camera, on the French side of the Franco-Swiss border crossing near Annecy, France, during World War 2. He confers with an officer of the U.S. Army Air Force. A tram arrives on the Swiss side and stops at the border. A large group of American pilots and crew step from the tram with their baggage. They are barred from moving further, by Swiss guards. But one man in a raincoat, walks past the guards and greets U.S. officers and an official, outside a customs office at the border. A Swiss border guard supervisor directs guards to move the flyers to a walkway. Another American Army officer arrives and greets those already there. The flyers being repatriated from Switzerland, walk en masse across the border and climb aboard a bus waiting on the French side.
An old French woman pushes a hand cart along a road beside Annecy airfield, France. during World War 2. German prisoners of war work removing stone from the airfield. American flyers, who escaped from internment in Switzerland, ride on a truck carrying them along the road behind the woman with her cart. They are dressed in civilian clothes. The German POWs look up as the truck drives past. One of the German prisoners is painting a signal device. The truck of American aviators pulls up to a C-47 transport airplane. They climb down. One of them wearing a German army cap, laughingly gives a Nazi salute, to the amusement of his companions. The Americans watch as a groups of German POWs march past. An officer speaks to the Americans. Meanwhile, German prisoners of war continue to walk past in the foreground, guarded by armed French soldiers. The repatriated flyers are briefed by pilots.
U.S. Army Air Forces flyers who escaped internment in Switzerland, are seen at Annecy airfield, France, during World War II. Escapees pose on a field. Swiss banner and sticker on a suitcase. French civilians stand around. U.S. Colonel shakes hands with departing escaped USAAF flyers, who board USAAF C-47 Skytrain transport aircraft parked in the background. U.S. Colonel and French civilians stand in wind caused by propwash from the aircraft. The C-47 taxis along the grassy Annecy airfield. French civilians watch the C-47 as it taxis and takes off. Cattle on field. German prisoners of war look toward sky. Prisoners march along a field.
Allied flyers (mostly American) who escaped from internment in Switzerland, pose in front of a U.S. Army Air Forces C-47 transport airplane, at Annecy Airfield, France, during World War 2. A C-47 seen taking off from the field.
American fliers who escaped internment in Switzerland, pose in front of a C-47 aircraft at Annecy Airfield in World War 2. They wear clothes provided by sympathetic civilians, and kid about the way they fit. They are accompanied by a Free-French Commandant (equivalent to U.S. rank of Major) who wears rank insignia on shoulders of his uniform and the Cross of Lorraine and rank insignia on his black beret.