10 Best Opening Sequences From the Glory Days of Military TV Shows

BY BLAKE STILWELL AND WARD CARROLL - WEARETHEMIGHTY.COM

During the halcyon days of broadcast television – before streaming media and DVRs existed – there were a host of military-themed shows on the airwaves. As much as the quality of the episodes (in some cases even more so) these programs were known for their openings and the associated theme songs. Here are 10 of the most classic:

McHALE’S NAVY (1962-1966)

Forget JFK’s story from his time in the Pacific. Everything America knew about the history of PT boats came from McHale’s Navy. The show also showed that skippers could be cool and that POWs should be treated well; in fact, the Japanese prisoner “Fuji” was one of the gang. They even trusted him enough to make him their cook.

COMBAT (1962-1967)

Combat lasted five seasons before American attitudes toward the purity of war were tainted by the realities of the Vietnam Conflict that came blasting into living rooms via the nightly news. Combat set a serious tone with this opening with epic orchestration and a narrator who’s basically screaming at the viewers.

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GOMER PYLE, U.S.M.C. (1964-1969)

Gomer Pyle U.S.M.C. was actually a spin-off of The Andy Griffith Show and introduced the public to two concepts that remain true today: DIs are likable guys underneath their gruff exteriors and even the Marine Corps is populated by a goofball or two.

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BRANDED (1965-1966)

The drama of the opening theme of Branded was by-far the best part of this show. Watching Chuck Connors weather the dishonor of having his rank ripped from his shoulders, his sword broken in two, and then having the front gate of the fort closed behind him was heavy stuff.

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F TROOP (1965-1967)

Manifest Destiny made into a sitcom. F Troop was a comedic take on life in the U.S. Calvary across the western frontier where Indian arrows went through head gear and nothing else.

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HOGAN’S HEROES (1965-1971)

Not unlike what F Troop did to the reputation of Native Americans, Hogan’s Heroes showed the country that the Nazis weren’t inhuman tyrants but rather either lovable idiots or clueless buffoons.

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THE RAT PATROL (1966-1968)

This opening segment was all about the visual of U.S. Army jeeps going airborne over sand dunes without the guys holding onto the .50 cals in the back flying out or breaking their backs. The Rat Patrol was the show that introduced the nation to special ops and the idea that two light vehicles could take on (if not defeat) a column of Panzers.

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STAR TREK (1966-1969)

For all of its allegory and social commentary, at its heart Star Trek was a show about military life on deployment. The opening remains among TV’s best with Capt. Kirk’s monologue, the Enterprise fly-by, and the soaring (albeit wordless) vocals.

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M.A.S.H. (1972-1983)

Set during the Korean War, M*A*S*H was derived from Robert Altman’s 1970 black comedy of the same name and the theme song was an instrumental version of “Suicide is Painless” from the movie. The show’s finale was the most watched broadcast of any show ever until Super Bowl XLIV.

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THE A TEAM (1983-1987)

“Punished for a crime they did not commit.” Oh, the injustice of it all. The A Team was known for gunfights, explosions, and car crashes that netted ZERO casualties. It’s also the show that made Mr. T into a household name.

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