With the Allies closing in on multiple fronts, the POWs are marched across Germany. Meanwhile, Rosie makes a gruesome discovery after he is shot down over Soviet-occupied territory.
Tropes in this episode include:
- Alas, Poor Villain: The POW march proves to be just as harsh on the Germans as the Allied POWs and it's clear many of them (and many of the old men and boys they pass who are returning from the Russian Front) would prefer to just formally surrender at this point rather than continue dealing with a war that they know is lost.
- Beware the Nice Ones: When Major Crosby discovers that one of the crews about to fly for Berlin can't get their parachutes because someone locked the equipment room up early, he kicks the door in, gives them their parachutes, and then finds the man responsible for making sure everyone got issued their gear:Crosby: I guess you’ve never flown over Germany without a parachute, huh? Huh?Clouter: Well, I don’t know, Crosby. Have you?Crosby: [slams Clouter's face into his breakfast] Now, from here on out, you’re gonna keep that equipment hut opened and manned until wheels up plus 30 minutes. "Yes, Major"?Clouter: Yes. Major.
- Book Ends: Buck and Rosie running the pre-flight checklist echoes the pilots of the 100th doing the same before their very first combat mission in Part One. Similarly, the camera lingers on German Anti-Air crews manning their guns in the Netherlands. This time, however, they allow the bombers to pass unhindered on their relief mission, where in Part One they had opened fire.
- But Now I Must Go: With the war ended and the Allies victorious, there's no longer any reason for the 100th Bomb Group to remain at Thorpe Abbotts, so they bid farewell to the British neighbors they've had for the past few years and take off to fly back home to America, while the local kids watch on sadly.
- Chummy Commies: Downplayed. The Soviets are shown to be absolutely merciless towards the Germans, executing any who surrender or retreat, and almost end up shooting Rosie when they initially mistake him for a Luftwaffe pilot. However, once Rosie identifies himself as an American to them, they bring him back to their rear lines, treat his injuries, and help him get back to England.
- The Dog Bites Back: After the German guards start turning their fire on the POWs in response to the P-51 Mustang attack, the POWs finally start fighting back against them and manage to subdue several of them before the American troops arrive at the camp to take full control.
- Friend or Foe?:
- Rosie is nearly mistaken for a German flyer when the Soviets find him, but he convinces them he's an American just in time.
- When the POWs are forced to march during the night, they are mistaken for a column of German troops and strafed by an American P-51.
- Good Feels Good: Buck jumps at the chance to fly a Chow Hound mission, air-dropping food to Dutch civilians suffering a famine.
- He Who Fights Monsters: Crosby and Rosie discuss the things that war does to a man, and Crosby brings up this trope. Rosie retorts that they're here to fight the monsters, and assures Crosby that they deserve it.
- Internal Reveal: Rosie stumbles across a concentration camp that the Soviets recently discovered. Even knowing what he does about the Nazis, he had no idea they were capable of such atrocities. And then he learns that there are more of them.
- Irony: Lemmons reveals to the others that, despite being responsible for repairing and maintaining the 100th's aircraft, he's never once flown in a plane. They take him on the food drop mission so he can finally experience a flight.
- Once Done, Never Forgotten: The American Lt. Colonel refuses the German Commander's handshake because he will not give the man the courtesy after what his men did to the POWs.
- Parents as People: Crosby wrestles with whether he's worthy to be a father to his new son or not after what he's done in support of the air war, to say nothing of his infidelity, and is nervous he'll screw it up. Rosie confidently declares that Crosby will be a great father.
- The World Is Just Awesome: The scene of the 100th delivering their food drop is this, as without the threat of German fighters of anti-air flak, they can actually enjoy the views of the European skies and landscapes.
