Combat! Bloopers

Original Author and compiler of the list was Linda Schweitzer. Now maintainted by Jo Davidsmeyer

In the world of series episode filming, there are always less than perfect moments that occur during production. Here is a list of the bloopers discovered by Combat! fans:

Bloopers are listed in episode order, so please scroll down to see all the newest bloopers.

Rear Echelon Commandos - Season 1, Episode 2

Junior, the dancer, takes off his boots to go hopping all over those roofs to get to the machine gun. The stunt double is wearing black running shoes or plimsouls (as he should). This is obvious when the shot is low, looking up at the SD - the soles are rigid. When Junior is descending from the first roof to the next, you can spy the outline of the shoe, complete with laces.
Spotted by: Bree
Kirby is shot outside the dress shop and Saunders crawls out to rescue him, under a barrage of machine gun fire. Kirby rolls over. The camera changes scenes for a moment, then comes back to the rescue scene. Kirby repeats the roll over.
When Saunders is standing on the bridge ready to attack the machine-gun there is blood on his pant BEFORE he is shot.
Spotted by: Navy Brat (LSmith7768)
Kirby is shot in the left shoulder. It's very clear it's the left shoulder, as both Saunders and Temple look at that shoulder. But, in the end of the episode at the aid station, it is Kirby's right shoulder that his bandaged. Spotter's Note: "....perhaps the jarring from being carried moved the bullet from his left to his right shoulder!!"
Spotted by: Fans

Lost Sheep, Lost Shepherd - Season 1, Episode 3

When they pulled into the French town, Sgt. Dane asked for two of the squad to help his crew cover up the tank for the night; but, in later scenes that night the tank is not covered up.
Spotted by: Speedy, Tank Commander
In the final scene where Jeff Hunter, dressed as a priest, shoots it out with the Germans, one of the Germans comes through the door carrying a Thompson SMG.
Spotted by: M1928

Any Second Now - Season 1, Episode 4

Hanley's stuck under some rubble in the church with the unexploded bomb. During one conversation with the British Bomb Disposal Officer, there is a flashlight on Hanley's chest. As the scenes change, the flashlight appears and disappears several times.

Far From the Brave - Season 1: Episode: 5

While the squad is cooped up in the town, surrounded by German tankers, Saunders and Hanley are discussing options. Hanley has an M-1 Carbine in proper WW2 setup, with no bayonet lug. When he and Saunders head downstairs to rejoin the squad, the bayonet lug has mysteriously reappeared. The lug comes and goes once or twice more before the segment is completed.
Spotted by: Goldbrick

Cat and Mouse - Season 1, Episode 9

Sgt. Jenkins leaves the pre-patrol briefing with an M-1 Garand and appears on patrol moments later with an M-1 Carbine (WW2-issue, no bayonet lug.)
Spotted by: Goldbrick
When Saunders escapes from the mill he has no boot or jacket. When he arrives at headquarters he has both boots and a jacket. For having vital information, he seems to have taken his time getting back to report.
Spotter's Note: I don't know if this is really a blooper.
Spotted by: Navy Brat (LSmith7768)

I Swear by Apollo - Season 1 Episode 10

The medal at the throat of the German doctor (Knight's Cross) has the oak leaves and swords upside down!
Spotted by: GIJoe

The Volunteer - Season 1, Episode 16

Gilbert is helping the wounded Hanley back to the town, when Hanley collapses. Gilbert goes ahead, spots the Germans moving in the woods, and returns to Hanley. After covering Hanley, Gilbert runs off and draw the Germans away. In the scene where the Gilbert runs in front of the Germans to draw attention away from Hanley: the leader of the patrol has a correct MP40, the second German has the dummy-mockup MP40/Reising. As Gilbert runs past, German#2 jabs his dummy-gun across the back of German#1 and the magazine drops out, falling to the ground.
Spotted by: Dodger
The French boy, Gilbert, puts his rifle down where Hanley has collapsed. He moves Hanley about 20 feet from that position and buries him in the shrubs. He flees from the Germans with no rifle. The scene changes from the Germans back to Gilbert, who is shown with the rifle on his shoulder. Another scene change shows no rifle.
Spotted by: DSROBERTS (Don Roberts)
When caught by the Germans, Gilbert is missing his lunch pouch. However, he is shown with his pouch when with the Germans, one of whom has relieved him of his bottle of wine.
Spotted by: DSROBERTS (Don Roberts)
When the Germans finally leave, Gilbert retrieves the injured Hanley. The rifle is shown as having been hidden with Hanley.
Spotted by: DSROBERTS (Don Roberts)
At the end of the episode, the length of Saunders' cigarette changes from one shot to another.
Spotted by: Navy Brat (LSmith7768)

One More For The Road - Season 1, Episode 29

Near the end after Saunders has given the baby to the nun, he turns around and lowers his helmet over his eyes as he passes by his men. The scene changes and Saunders is seen walking by his men with his helmet high on his forehead.
Spotted by: Chaplain (Daryl Rothchild)
Doc gives the baby mouth-to-mouth resuscitation. This was not done in 1944. A medical first aid book from '42 discusses only the prone method of resuscitation. Spotter's Note: "Mouth to mouth resuscitation did not start widespread acceptance until, I believe the 60s."
Spotted by: Nightingale

Walking Wounded - Season 1, Episode 30

It begins to rain while Saunders is riding in the ambulance. When he gets out of the ambulance, he is already wet.
Spotted by: Bill Franklin

Bridge at Chalons - Season 2 Episode 1

Sarge starts out the day with a holstered .45 and a sheathed bayonet on his right hip. The rest of the day there is only the holster - no bayonet. Wonder where it went?
While carrying Turk back on the stretcher, Sarge's Tommy Gun is carried over his left shoulder. After they set the stretcher down, it's now over his right shoulder.
Spotted by: Quiet Warrior

The Long Way Home, Part 2 - Season 2, Episode 5

Just before the scene with Hanley and Billy, there is an aerial view of the tent village with some GIs walking towards the camera. It is a brief shot - but this is the weird part. This is a little piece of the scene used in the end of "Bridge of Chalons", where the guys are walking down the hill towards Saunders as he comes out of the hospital tent from visiting Sgt. Turk....Caje is on crutches, LJ has his left arm in a white sling, Kirby is along side of him, and Billy makes the foursome....The scene changes to Billy in the tent flat on his back... Spotter's Note: "For the life of me, I cannot figure out how those guys can be walking down the hill when they are being held prisoner by Cpt. Steiner."
Spotted by: Blue Lindy

Glow Against the Sky - Season 2, Episode 8

After starting the fire, the squad liberates a truck to escape. When Saunders jumps in the truck, he knocks his helmet off. It can be seen rolling on the ground as they drive away. But when they show the men in the truck, he has his helmet on.
Spotted by: Navy Brat (LSmith7768)

A Distant Drum - Season 2, Episode 10

A wounded Lt. Hanley is staggering away from a battlefield and makes his way toward an old farm. He reaches a well and, desperate for a drink, pulls the water bucket up from the well by pulling down on the rope in the pulley. I counted about 16 pulls, which should be about 32 feet of rope. He gets the bucket up, only to find it riddled with holes and unable to hold water. Hanley throws it with disgust, out-of-frame, but presumably back in the well. Both parts of the bucket rope that go through the pulley stay slack, not moving, during the one second of time it takes before the sound of a splash comes from the well. Spotter's Note: "A film crew member must have grabbed the bucket and then tossed something else into the well.
Spotted by: Ten-Ring

Ambush - Season 2, Episode 12

During the portion of the battle that includes crossing the water, the Germans are falling out of the trees into the water. One of the "dead" Germans, lying face down in the water, puts his head up, takes a deep breath, then puts his face down into the water.
Spotted by: Don Roberts.
In the first view of the artillery piece, a man in civilian clothes is following the artillery piece. As the scene changes, German soldiers are following - but no civilian. Later, while setting up camouflage, the civilian is seen again helping with the setup. Another scene change and he disappears.
Spotted by: Don Roberts

The Pillbox - Season 2, Episode 17

Not a blooper: Hanley throws his rain poncho directly at the camera.
Note: Some fans have raised this as a blooper. Rick Jason confirms, however, that this was a planned action that Vic specifically was working for in order to get a dark screen for a cut.

The Hostages - Season 2, Episode 20

When Saunders puts his boots on and is led out of the shower room by the Germans, his boots are unbuckled. Once the scene changes to the outer room, his boots are buckled.
When Caje is told to dress, he puts his shirt on and buttons it. When led out of the shower room, his shirt is unbuttoned.

Mail Call - Season 2, Episode 21

Caje's boots are unbuckled as they are standing in the doorway watching the exchange between Saunders and Billy. Billy turns and motions for the others to come and join him. Caje's boots are buckled.

What Are the Bugles Blowin' For? - Season 2, Episodes 25 and 26

Towards the end of the episode, Saunders is walking with the young French boy. In the background, there is high speed, '60s style traffic whizzing by - over the back fence of the MGM lot.

Weep No More - Season 2: Episode 27

When the mute girl is tied to a tree (with her arms secured behind her), the German guard spots a discarded lit cigarette on the ground. As the German starts toward the cigarette, there is a quick shot of the girl putting her hand (which is supposedly tied) up to her mouth in horror.
Spotted by: Scout

The Short Day of Private Putnam - Season 2, Episode 28

Hanley's radioman calls the squad in the field with the call signs reversed, "Checkmate King Two, this is White Rook over." The next time, "White Rook, this is Checkmate King Two over."
Spotted by: Tea

Infant of Prague - Season 2, Episode 31

When one of the nuns almost passes out, Doc is looking right at her as she almost falls, but then turns away. A few seconds later, she actually faints and he rushes over to her.
Spotted by: Fans

Mountain Man - Season 3, Episode 1

In the run down the hill, in the distance shot one of the squad is obviously bare-headed. In the close-ups everyone has a helmet.
Spotted by: Navy Brat (LSmith7768)

The Impostor - Season 3 Episode10

As the squad is about to leave the rendezvous point to proceed on their mission, Hanley gives orders to Littlejohn, "Peabody, take the point", using his real name. There is a slight pause before the action continues.
Note: Both Rick Jason and Dick Peabody say that no one on the set realized that Rick had called him Peabody. Therefore, no one was waiting for the director to call cut because of the "oops." Information provided at Comboat! 96.

A Rare Vintage - Season 3, Episode 12

When Saunders comes into the wine room to check on Hanley to get him ready to smuggle him out in a wine barrel, he and Caje walk in, the camera follows them. They lean over to look at Hanley and on the left side of the screen, there is a VERY prominent shadow of a camera assistant moving across the scene. There's also another "Mr. Shadow Man" in the same episode after Saunders runs down the stairs and the camera follows him down and shoots through the windows of a vehicle - another shadow crosses the scene.
Spotted by: Silly Goose

The Long Walk - Season 3, Episode 13

Near the end of the episode, Littlejohn offers guest star Roddy McDowell a drink from the corked wine bottle, but he doesn't drink it; the corked top is clearly visible. Littlejohn brings the bottle to his lips; the cork is missing.
Spotted by: Queen's Bishop (Debora Hosey)

More Than a Soldier - Season 3 Episode 19

In the scene where Saunders is digging his way out of the mine, he barks his knuckles on a rock. I don't think this was in the script but something Vic Morrow really did because you can hear him say very softly, 'Damn', which I don't think was allowed on television in the sixties. If you look close in the last scene, his knuckles are all scraped up.
Spotted by: Navy Brat (LSmith7768)

The Steeple - Season 3, Episode 21

In the bell tower, Saunders knifes the German in the stomach and takes his uniform. There is a shot of the dead German with no uniform jacket, but there's NO abdominal wound or visible blood. Saunders puts on the jacket. There are no tears, holes, and blood.
Spotted by: Queen's Bishop (Debora Hosey)

Dateline - Season 3, Episode 23

In the scene where Saunders is holding a knife to Barton's back, he is holding the knife in an overhand grip. In the close-up he is holding the knife underhand.
Spotted by: Navy Brat (LSmith7768)
The German major comes in to give the reporter a shot of morphine. As he bends down to give the injection, the cord on his civer (hat) is tucked sloppily behind the half-wreath that is mounted under the cockade. A moment later, he rises and now the cord is in front of the wreath which it appears, is about to fall off.
Spotted by: Hot Dog

Main Event - Season 4, Episode 1

In the final battle, when one of the Germans dies a nasty death either the crotch of his pants is ripped out or his fly is open. Also in this episode, after the battle when the half-track Saunders has used to wipe out the Germans stops he has his helmet on. In the very next shot, he is retrieving it from below him.
Spotted by: Navy Brat (LSmith7768)

S.I.W. - Season 4, Episode, 3

As the squad enters a village, they are walking down the street. Three times they cut to a head shot of Saunders and he is wearing this jacket. (The collar is quite clearly not his shirt.) This is one of the episodes where no one is wearing a jacket ever. Spotted by: Foxhole Filly

The Farmer - Season 4, Episode 5

Early on in the barn, between shots, the camo helmet alternately moves from being on a post, hanging on a rifle, and being on Sarge's head -- all without anyone touching it.
Spotted by: Foxhole Filly

Crossfire - Season 4, Episode 8

Don Gordon first throws a grenade AFTER being shot in his pitching arm (nice throw, too! very accurate) and then fires 11 rounds from his M1 while approaching the destroyed machine gun position. Spotter's Note: I know this can't be the first time a GI had an unlimited supply of ammo for his 8-shot rifle in the series.....
Spotted by: Goldbrick

Breakout - Season 4 Episode14

About halfway through, there's someone wandering around in the background who most certainly is *not* supposed to be on camera - a crewman/woman/person. Kirby is up on the bulldozer with his BAR, and Saunders is crouched beside him, asking Kirby what he's need to get the 'dozer repaired. In a close-up of Saunders, there is a triangular "space" between his cheek, the brim of his helmet & the upright support on the 'dozer cab. In that triangle you can see someone hustle in, then disappear behind the 'dozer. Spotter's Note: "..using my handy-dandy frame-by-frame advance feature, I could see that whoever it was wasn't in uniform and appeared to be wearing a vest..definitely an oops."
Spotted by: Wild Card

The Raider - Season 4, Episode 16

During the scene where all the Germans are lined up and Saunders is threatening to kill the prisoners one at a time if they don't talk, one the troopers protests. In one of two frames, the helmet insignia is backwards and the chin strap is hanging from the right side. After a couple of scene changes, the camera comes back to the trooper. Now the helmet insignia is correct and the chin strap is on the left.
Spotted by: Hot Dog
As the two vehicles reach the farmhouse, Caje takes off his beret and puts his helmet on. He is wearing a wedding band and a pinky ring. During the firefight at the farmhouse, both rings are gone.
The jeep carrying Hanley and two of his platoon members crashes because of the German roadblock. Everyone is thrown from the jeep, but the jeep is left upright. Cut to other action. When the other platoon members arrive on the crash scene a few moments later, the jeep is over on its side.
Spotted by: Raider

Retribution - Season 4, Episode 19

The SS officer is going to change into an American soldier's clothes. He picks up the rifle and helmet from the dead soldier and hides behind a gate. Cut to commercial break. Upon return, the SS officer retrieves the soldier's body and gets the helmet a second time.
Spotted by: Checkmate Alpha

The Ringer - Season 4, Episode 23

During the scene where Saunders is bawling out Pvt. Arthur Adams, it looks like Saunders unintentionally spits when he says, "..you threw a grenade and let 'em know we were coming..." Spotter's Note: "Of course he is sweating so much, it could just be sweat. Is Saunders "spitting mad" or "sweating bullets?"
Spotted by: Lead Pipe Cinch

Gitty - Season 4, Episode 27

Saunders is chasing the little girl, Gitty, to try to get her out of harm's way. Saunders is shot by a sneaky dying German and falls with his back resting on the curb. When the scene switches back from Gitty's reaction to Saunders, Saunder's head is resting on the curb. Comment: I wonder how the wounded Saunders wriggled down to find a headrest on the curb?
Spotted by: NDMANDY

Run Sheep Run - Season 4, Episode 30

Toward the end of the episode, after the German lieutenant gets shot down, the squad gives chase to the three remaining Germans. Saunders, on the run, fires a short burst with his Thompson, but it makes Kirby's BAR sound. About two seconds later, Kirby follows and fires a similar burst with his BAR, and it makes a Thompson sound.
Spotted by: Marty

The Leader - Season 4, Episode 31

In the opening minutes of the episode, car keys are dangling from Caje's right trouser pocket.
Spotted by: Section 8

The Gun - Season 5, Episode 1

Saunders calls Wayne Roger's character "Rogers" instead of using his role name of "Reiser" that is listed in the ending credits.
Spotted by: Wild Card

The Losers - Season 5, Episode: 2

In the beginning of the episode, as the squad heads down an embankment, one of the loser's cartridge belts falls off. He grabs it, holds it up, and the scene cuts.
Spotted by: Greg

Ollie Joe - Season 5, Episode 3

Nobody is wearing their backpack or carring any extra equipment, yet when they break for chow, ration-boxes and eating utensils appear from nowhere. Saunders isn't carrying his canteen. His equipment belt is conspicuously empty. Spotter's Note: "My theory on these is that the actors were semi on-strike, having gotten sick of carting all that equipment around for 5 years..."
Spotted by: White Rook

The Brothers - Season 5, Episode 4

When the squad ambushes the Germans, Caje throws himself backwards as he attacks a German.
Spotted by: King Six

A Child's Game - Season 5, Episode 6

The older Germans shoot into the gully where Saunders, Doc, and the two younger Germans are sitting. In this sequence of scenes, Saunders appears to have been shot -- he grabs his shoulder and rolls over quickly. The following scenes show Saunders with no indication of a bullet wound or general weakness, and Doc does not look at it.
At one point, Saunders is behind a wall, with Kirby next to him. He sends Kirby off to another location and Kirby is shown getting there. The scene flashes back to Saunders, who is alone, and in the corner of the screen a BAR is coming into camera range. A scene change shows Saunders totally alone.
Spotted by: DSROBERTS (Don Roberts)

The Letter - Season 5, Episode 7

The squad is walking towards their mission objective. Caje is not wearing any rings. The camera changes scenes for a moment, and comes back to Caje. Both a wedding band and pinky ring are visible. He wears them for short period, only to have them disappear again.

Headcount - Season 5, Episode 8

When Littlejohn is fighting with the German prisoner, he is completely submerged under water during the struggle. When the scene changes to shore, he is standing between Kirby and Saunders, but is only soaking wet from the chest down. The top half of his uniform is completely dry.

Decision - Season 5, Episode 9

The blooper in the fifth-season episode "Decision" happens just before the title credits roll in act one. As the squad is dramatically walking away from camera to go fight their mission, another soldier crosses in back of them and his M1 gets caught on the camouflage netting and is knocked from his shoulder.
Spotted by: King Two

Conflict - Season 5, Episode 11

In one of the scenes where the wounded Saunders is firing from behind the tree trunk, after McCall has left him, and before Caje and LJ have arrived, there's a close shot of Saunders firing. In the corner of the picture, you can see the tip of McCall's BAR. They spliced in some footage from the scene a few minutes earlier, when McCall was still there.
Spotted by: White Rook (Nancy Durgin)

Anniversary - Season 5, Episode 18

Episode guest star, Telly Savalas is sitting in the church loading his German rifle. He fumbles with the new magazine for several seconds. The view changes and he is seen from a different angle. This time the magazine is easily snapped in.
Spotted by: King Tiger (Lee Glaeser)

Encounter - Season 5, Episode 19

The "Kraut" that takes out Dean (green kid) advanced to try and toss a grenade into the house. When he moved up, he left his rifle behind. So where did he get the rifle to take Dean out??? Hmmmmmmmmm.
Spotted by: Lone Wolf