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Call to Glory
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Call to Glory is an American drama series created by Ronald M. Cohen, and starring Craig T. Nelson as USAF Colonel Raynor Sarnac and his family as they navigated the political tensions and military duties of the early 1960s.
Heavily promoted during ABC's broadcast of the 1984 Summer Olympics, the two-part pilot aired August 13, 1984. The first episode is related to the U-2 flights over Cuba during the 1962 Cuban Missile Crisis. During production, the plot came to focus more on the loneliness experienced by wife Vanessa while stationed on base and what she and the family would do to spend time in productive pursuits while enduring the Antelope Valley's isolation from civilization.
The series, set near Edwards Air Force Base, blended historical events with the challenges of military family life, featuring themes of duty, family relationships, and the looming Vietnam War.
Cast
Episodes by season
Season01
- S01E01
PilotAugust 13, 1984—During the darkest days of the Cuban missile crisis, Raynor is ordered to fly over Cuba to obtain proof that the Russians are installing nuc - S01E02
The MoveAugust 20, 1984—The entire Sarnac family is thrown into turmoil when Raynor receives a lucrative job offer in the private sector. - S01E03
BlackbirdAugust 27, 1984—Raynor faces one of his toughest missions as he tries to prevent a bitter ex-pilot from exposing the details of a top secret mission. - S01E04
Paper TigerSeptember 3, 1984—A dangerous top-secret mission takes Raynor over Red China to see if the Chinese have developed an Atomic Bomb. - S01E05
A Nation DividedSeptember 17, 1984—The violence spawned by the Civil Rights Movement hits home when Wesley and a Black friend are beaten by teenage racists. - S01E06
Go/No GoSeptember 24, 1984—Sarnac is sent on a classified mission to Vietnam by Kennedy, to meet with and assess President Diem; to help determine in which direction d - S01E07
Call It CourageOctober 1, 1984—Raynor's involvement in a bitter political controversy could cost him a valued friendship...and ruin his military career. - S01E08
A Wind from the EastOctober 8, 1984—Forced to bail out of a crippled plane, Raynor and a JAF officer struggle to survive in a dangerous wilderness. - S01E09
A Moment in the SunOctober 22, 1984—Raynor is torn between duty and friendship when an Air Force buddy suddenly develops a crippling fear of flying. - S01E10
Cover StoryOctober 29, 1984—While testing a new flight system, Sarnac is hounded by an investigative reporter probing for revelations about defense spending. - S01E11
RealitiesNovember 12, 1984—Raynor and Vanessa are so involved in their friends' marital problems, they don't notice Carl is facing a crisis of his own. - S01E12
The WakeNovember 19, 1984—Tension mounts in the Sarnac household as Raynor prepares for a mission that has already claimed the life of one of his best test pilots. - S01E13
Medals All of BrassNovember 26, 1984—Raynor is forced to face the harsh truth that an old friend is really a spy for the KGB. - S01E14
A Wind of ChangeDecember 3, 1984—Sarnac is sent on a second fact-finding mission to Vietnam. His helicopter is shot down in enemy territory. Along with Clayton Jones, a enli - S01E15
Give Unto CaesarDecember 17, 1984—Stiff penalties await a pilot who disobeys orders and brings a Russian defector back to America. - S01E16
MoonchildJanuary 15, 1985—The news that a child is on the way puts a wedge in the Sarnacs' marriage as they both try to cope with feelings of doubt and guilt. - S01E17
ImagesJanuary 22, 1985—The Sarnac family faces an uncertain future when Vanessa decides she needs a break from her husband and children. - S01E18
Fathers and SonsJanuary 29, 1985—Raynor finds himself on an emotional rollercoaster when he discovers the truth about Carl's illness...and about his daughter's new boyfriend - S01E19
Just in TimeFebruary 12, 1985—Sarnac is sent to Vietnam a third time with the knowledge that a coup is planned that will end the rule of Pres. Diem and his family. He hop - S01E20
JFKJune 30, 1985—Raynor and his family face difficult personal challenges in the days leading up to the assassination of President John F. Kennedy. - S01E21
Fathers and DaughtersFebruary 26, 1987—Jackie is left to consider her future upon learning that she is unable to enter the Air Force Academy. - S01E22
The End, the BeginningFebruary 27, 1987—In Feb. 1973, the North Vietnamese release all their American POWs, including Sarnac, who has been captive for three years. He is accused by
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