12 O'Clock High Situational Leadership

“Twelve O'Clock High”   is an American motion picture film about a United States Army Air Crew which flew bombing missions against Nazi Germany during the beginning of American involvement in World War II.   The film starts when Major Harvey Stovall begins to have flashbacks of his involvement in the in the 918th Bomb Group during the Second World War.   Colonel Keith Davenport is the commanding officer of the bomb group that is suffering massive casualties, 918th, and in turn has a very low morale.   A stressed Colonel Davenport starts to become an ineffective leader and General Patrick Pritchard, the ranking General, notices this during a conversation at the beginning of the film.   General Savage tells Davenport “Keith, good navigators is the one thing we're not short of. If you decide that you ought to relieve this boy, I'll give you a good replacement.” Davenport then replies “You might as well ask me to stand him up against the wall and shoot him in the back. No, I won't do it, sir. I just can't do it to him; I won't.”   Colonel Davenport’s indecisiveness and failure to carry out a much needed task causes General Pritchard to relieve Davenport of his duties.   After General Pritchard relieves Davenport he appoints Brigadier General Frank Savage as the Commanding Officer of the 918th Bomb Group.  
Once General Savage takes command of the bomb group he notices that the crew’s readiness and morale are terribly low.   Soldiers are not getting proper training, the executive officer is slacking, and subordinates have little regard for military rules and regulations.  
  As the film progresses the crew’s level of readiness and willingness to achieve goals is heightened by the effectiveness of General Savage’s leadership characteristics.   Towards the end of the film the crew’s readiness has made a complete turnaround from when General Savage first took command.   The bomb group now has high moral, is self-sufficient, needs little supervision, and accomplishes its missions...