PROGRAMMING HIGHLIGHTS OCTOBER 2005

All times are ET/PT unless otherwise noted.
All programs are rated TV-PG unless otherwise noted.
The marking "(wt)" designates a working title and may be subject to change.

SPECIALS

FIRST COMMAND-TV PG (V)
World Premiere:  Thursday, October 6, 8-11 PM
FIRST COMMAND shows viewers how a quintessential command experience can have a profound and lasting impact on a future leader’s career and how a great commander’s character can be molded by an early combat decision.  Interviews with historians, well-known military leaders, authors and veterans will be played against historical footage and compelling recreations.

• Premiere
  Thursday, October 6, 8 PM
  Patton, Puller, Franks
  In this episode, General George S. Patton Jr., General Lewis Chesty Puller and General Fred Franks will be profiled. Learn about their many contributions to our nations history.
   
• Premiere
  Thursday, October 6, 9 PM
  Montgomery, Pershing, Custer
  In this episode, viewers will learn about the great battles and brilliant strategies of Field Marshal Bernard Law Montgomery, General John J. Pershing and General George Armstrong Custer. 
   
• Premiere
  Thursday, October 6, 10 PM
  MacArthur, Marshall, Powell
  In this episode, General Arthur MacArthur, General George Marshall and General Colin Powell are highlighted. Find out how each exemplified courage and leadership during wartime.

THUNDER IN THE DESERT- TV-PG
World Premiere: Thursday, October 13, 8 PM
Thunder in the desert is a never-before-seen look at the inner workings of the most amazing flight test facility on earth—Edwards Air Force Base. This special includes interviews from pilots, experts and historians, giving an insider's view of life on the base.

TOP TEN BOMBERS-TV-PG
World Premiere:  Friday, October 14, 8 PM
How will the 100 mph bombers of World War I compare to today's stealthy space age designs? Will the mighty B52 come out ahead of its ancestor the B-17 Flying Fortress? Our panel of strategic bombing experts will examine British, German, Soviet and American designs. Technological innovation, payload and above all combat performance in the greatest aerial battles in history will determine their final choice. Through this analysis the full story of bomber operations over the last 90 years will unfold—the technological advancements, the struggle to overcome increasingly sophisticated enemy defenses and the outstanding bravery of bomber crews.

MEDAL OF HONOR-TV-PG
World Premiere:  Thursday, October 20, 8 & 9 PM
The Medal of Honor is the most distinguished military award in the history of the Armed Services. This four-part series tells the stories of some of the men and women who have received this honor. Viewers witness these Medal recipients’ first person accounts of their heroic actions, while learning about the very conflicts and battlefields in which these moments of valor occur.

• Premiere
  Thursday, October 20, 8 PM
  Corpsmen and Medics
  This episode features corpsmen and medics who received the Medal of Honor in their service to their fallen and wounded corpsmen. Spanning from World War II to Korea and Vietnam, these men tell unbelievable stories of sacrifice and bravery.
   
• Premiere
  Thursday, October 20, 9 PM
  World War II
  More Medals of Honor were awarded for actions during World War II than any other war during the 20th century. In this episode, some of the 49 recipients who are still alive today tell their stories of bravery, courage and heroism.

ANATOMY OF AN ABRAMS TANK- TV-PG
World Premiere:  Friday, October 21, 8 PM
When these rumbling armored vehicles were first used in combat, they completely revolutionized the way wars were fought.  Tanks combine potent firepower, high performance, and brute force, facilitating rapid military response in all terrain.  Join defense experts at General Dynamics' tank assembly facility in Sterling Heights, Michigan to examine the latest in armored technology.  In Twenty-Nine Palms, California, climb in the M1A2 Abrams and join the Marine Tank Corp for live fire exercises in an intense battlefield simulation.

REAL LIFE COMMANDOS-TVPG (L)
North American Premiere:  Sunday, October 23, 8 PM
Real Life Commandos follows a 30-week training course for the Royal Marine Commandos in Devon, England. Through rigorous training footage and interviews of instructors & recruits, we see why it is considered the hardest basic training in the world.

LEGENDS OF AIRPOWER: DAVID LEE “TEX” HILL
World Premiere: Monday, October 24, 8:30 PM
David Lee “Tex” Hill was recruited to the American Volunteer Group, the group known as the Flying Tigers, in 1941. Under the leadership of General Claire Chennault, Hill was one of the top aces in the unit. After the deactivation of the Flying Tigers, Hill went on to fight with the 23rd Fighter Group, as well as the 75th Fighter Group. Throughout his career, he destroyed 18 plus enemy aircraft, one of them being the first Zero shot down by a P-51. He continued to fight through the end of WWII and in 1946, he joined the Air National Guard as the youngest Brigadier General in the service’s history.

ONGOING SERIES

BATTLEFIELDS: WORLD WAR II
Weekdays at 6 PM
This series looks at the political and military situation prior to the battle, illustrates clearly and intelligently the component phases and tactics, and summarizes the implications for both victor and the defeated. Included are profiles of the principal leaders and commanders, in-depth analysis of the main weapon systems, and assessments of the military forces engaged.

WORLD’S DEADLIEST AIRCRAFT-TV-PG
Wednesdays at 8 PM
World's Deadliest AIRCRAFT covers the classic fighters, bombers, and choppers that won the battles in the sky from WWII to the Gulf War.

• North American Premiere
  Wednesday, October 5,8 PM
  A-10 Thunderbolt II
  Designed to be a low flying tank destroying bomber, the A-10 also provides close support to ground troops in need of help. With a ceiling of 1000ft. and top speed of 420 mph, the A-10 is perfect for ground hugging daredevil missions.
   
• North American Premiere
  Wednesday, October 12, 8 PM
  B-17 Flying Fortress
  The B-17 was the first truly modern heavy bomber and one of the most recognized airplanes ever built. The Flying Fortress was the world's first aircraft to effectively serve as a long-range bomber during WWII, a feat that earned it a special place in aviation history.
   
• North American Premiere
  Wednesday, October 19, 8 PM
  B-29 Superfortress
  Designed as a replacement of the B-17 and B-24, the B-29 was considered the ultimate bomber of WWII and is best known as the aircraft that dropped the atomic bombs on Nagasaki and Hiroshima at the end of WWII.
   
• North American Premiere
  Wednesday, October 26, 8 PM
  AH-1 Cobra
  The AH-1 helicopter was originally designed in the 1960s to fly above small arms fire and deliver its ordinance. But upon arrival in Vietnam, the Cobra proved well equipped to serve as an armed reconnaissance and attack chopper.