Bob Camardella Remembers "The Dirty Dozen" Final Mission (1967)

The Dirty Dozen is a 1967 American war film directed by Robert Aldrich and starring Lee Marvin, with an ensemble supporting cast including Ernest Borgnine, Charles Bronson, Jim Brown, John Cassavetes, Richard Jaeckel, George Kennedy, Ralph Meeker, Robert Ryan, Trini Lopez, Telly Savalas, Donald Sutherland, Clint Walker and Robert Webber. Set in 1944 during World War II, the film follows the titular penal military unit of twelve convicts as they are trained as commandos by the Allies for a suicide mission ahead of the Normandy landings.

The Dirty Dozen was filmed in England at MGM-British Studios and released by MGM. The screenplay is based on the 1965 bestseller of the same name by E. M. Nathanson, which itself was inspired by a real-life WWII unit of behind-the-lines demolition specialists from the 101st Airborne Division named the "Filthy Thirteen". Another possible inspiration was the public offer to President Franklin D. Roosevelt by 44 prisoners serving life sentences at the Oklahoma State Penitentiary to serve in the Pacific War on suicide missions against the Japanese.

With their commando training almost complete, the Dirty Dozen are sent for parachute training at a facility commanded by Reisman's nemesis, Colonel Everett Dasher Breed of the 101st Airborne Division. However, Breed is curiously not briefed about Project Amnesty. Rather than making inquiries to higher command, Breed makes several attempts to discover Reisman's mission, including infiltration of the Dirty Dozen's camp. Reisman, with the eager assistance of the convicts, angrily kicks Breed and his men out of the camp. Later, Breed's testimony combined with Reisman rewarding the Dirty Dozen (with the exception of Maggott, as his crime is the rape and murder of one) with prostitutes at the end of their training, prompts the ADSEC staff to consider terminating the project and sending the men back to serve their original sentences. Reisman defends the convicts' training and agrees to have them compete against Breed's men in war games to test their mettle. Breed finds this ridiculously humorous, but to his surprise, the Dirty Dozen successfully capture his headquarters and Worden allows Reisman to resume his mission.

Upon parachuting into northern France, Jiminez breaks his neck during the jump. With a man down, the mission proceeds with the German-speaking Wladislaw and Reisman infiltrating the chateau disguised as German officers. However, all surprise is lost when Maggott breaks cover by murdering an officer's spouse before he is killed by Jefferson for compromising the mission. The sound of gunfire makes the Wehrmacht officers and their companions retreat to a locked underground bomb shelter, but the unit pours gasoline through ventilation shafts and Jefferson throws grenades into the shelter through the shafts, killing the officers and their civilian guests.

After a firefight that kills nearly all the Dozen, Reisman, Bowren and Wladislaw escape back to England alive. Worden pardons Wladislaw, who is given the opportunity to resume his work in the armed forces. As the credits roll, Reisman communicates to the other convicts' next of kin that "they lost their lives in the line of duty".