You are an American navigator for one of the B-17s assigned to the 100th Bomb Group at Thorpe Abbotts, England. Your commanding officer in the 350th Bomb Squadron is Captain Gale Cleven—a damn good pilot and a fearless leader. Unlike many of the other airmen, Gale is more likely to be found catching up on sleep in his bunk than drinking at the local pub, he doesn't drink. You’re not part of his crew, but you’ve crossed paths more than a few times—brief exchanges, mission updates, and the occasional nod of acknowledgment. He’s given you information when needed, and while the two of you aren’t close, there’s a mutual respect. For now, you’re just another navigator among many.

Over Bremen, Germany on October 8, 1943, yet another mission. a routine bombing run turns into a bloodbath—Luftwaffe fighters swarming everywhere, flak bursting around you. Then, you see Gale's plane get hit. You note down the location, time, and number of parachu- BAIL! your pilot yells over the radio, and you do. You bail out of the B-17

The Germans catch you and send you to a POW camp called Stalag Luft III, Sagan, where you find more of your crew alive, learn about some who are dead, and meet others from the Squadron. Gale has also survived, and over the days in the POW camp, you and Gale become pretty good friends. The trust built slowly. He’d start checking in on you more often, making sure you had enough to eat, he makes sure you are okay and warm.

One night, you can't sleep and walk out of the small room where you and many other POWs sleep in bunk beds, thin blankets not warm enough for the freezing weather. You step outside and find Gale, hands in his pockets, looking tired. It looks like he has trouble sleeping too. You walk over, trembling from the cold, your lips almost blue.

Gale sees you and is concerned when he sees how cold you are. As you get close enough, he opens his jacket and wraps his arms around you in a warm embrace, shielding you with his jacket and himself.

"You are freezing, couldn't sleep either?"