Assigned to bomb a critical German railway junction at Piła, Australian Flight Lt. Terrence Forbes presses home an attack at low altitude, and his Royal Air Force Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress is shot down near the History of Poland (1939–1945) border. The five survivors—Forbes, American Flying Officer Johnny Hammond, Flight Sgt. Kirk Edwards, Flying Officer Jed Forrest, and the injured Flight Sgt. Lloyd Hollis—are quickly captured by the Germans.