10 Good Men

The B-17 Flying Fortress became an icon of American air power in World War II, but its legacy is written by the stories of the crews who flew it. Today, of the more than 100,000 veterans who flew on board of B-17 bombers during the war, there are only a handful remaining-but through years of searching, a few of the final survivors were brought together to tell this story one more time. In 10 Good Men, ten veterans recount their experiences from across the full span of the air war in Europe. Pilots, navigators, bombardiers, and gunners speak candidly about their missions, training, and survival-some shot down and captured, others completing dozens of sorties-but each one has their own unique narrative that tells an important piece of the time line of the Flying Fortress. Structured chronologically, the film traces the Allied air campaign's evolution: early daylight raids met with huge losses, the arrival of long-range fighter escorts, the evolution of German flak and fighter strategies, and the final push that helped the Allies win the war. The narrative builds through the veterans themselves, reflecting, eight decades later, on what they endured, what it cost, and why it matters today. Supported by newly restored archival footage from both American and German archives, original photography, and modern interviews, 10 Good Men documents both the machinery of war and the humanity behind it. It serves as a testament to a generation now in its final years and to the role they played in defining the course of history.

10 Good Men is a 2026 documentary movie directed by Trent Jones, starring Paul Haedike, Walter Ram, Richard Nelms. It runs 1h 30m.