The Rat Patrol "The Kill or Be Killed Raid" #1.4 (1966)

Moffitt plays Indiana Jones, 13 July 2017

The Kill or Be Killed Raid is another good one. This episode has a definite Indiana Jones vibe to it, but about 20 years before Indiana Jones was a thing. The Nazis have discovered an ancient scroll that may lead to an unknown water source in the middle of the desert. Both sides would love to get the location. Moffitt goes undercover as a German archaeologist to gain the secrets of the scroll. If he's caught, however, Troy has instructions to find a way to kill him before he can be interrogated by the Germans.

The theme of this episode really appealed to me. The ancient scroll, with its ancient secrets, is a plot device I completely enjoyed. Also, in The Kill or Be Killed Raid we learn a lot more about the individual team members. We learn that Moffitt is one tough dude when push comes to shove; we learn that Troy was actually willing to kill Moffitt if it meant there was a chance it might shorten the war for everyone; and we learn that Hitchcock is not afraid of disobeying orders if he feels his comrades are in danger. It makes them all seem more real. Overall, a 7/10 from me.

I've said before that I'm not going to comment on the historical accuracy of Rat Patrol. And while that's generally true, I do want to make an exception here. What's with the color of yellow the Nazi vehicles are painted? The sunshine yellow is laughable. This can't be the right color, can it?

7/10