Editing Stalag 17 (section)

==Plot==
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In a German [[Stalag|prisoner-of-war camp]] named ''Stalag 17'', one of its compounds holds 630 American [[Aircrew|airmen]] (all of whom are [[sergeant]]s), and is overseen by camp warden [[Oberst]] von Scherbach.

In December 1944, the men of Barracks 4—led by appointed barracks chief "Hoffy" Hoffman, and security officer Frank Price—arrange for the escape of fellow airmen Manfredi and Johnson. The pair are shot dead in the attempt, and the men believe they were betrayed by an [[informant]]. Suspicion falls on J. J. Sefton, an enterprising cynic who barters openly with the German guards for various luxuries. He also creates profitable ventures that distract from the mundanity of camp life: from organizing rat races for gambling, to an improvised [[distillery]] for brewing alcohol, to a makeshift telescope to spy on the Russian women from a neighboring compound. Clarence "Cookie" Cook, who narrates the story, serves as Sefton's naive and loyal aide.

The men of Barracks 4 do their best to keep sane, which includes enduring the antics of barracks clowns "Animal" Kuzawa and Harry Shapiro, and listening for war news on a smuggled radio. Their jovial guard, [[Feldwebel]] Schulz, secretly retrieves hidden messages from a hollow black queen on the [[chess|chessboard]], and straightens the looped cord of a dangling light bulb, which serves as a signal between himself and the informant. Just before Christmas, a recently captured Lieutenant Dunbar is assigned to Barracks 4 until he can be sent to an officers camp. Sgt. Bagradian, who accompanies Dunbar, reveals that Dunbar rigged a time bomb in transit and blew up a munitions train. Sefton recognizes Dunbar from officers school, and believes that he only passed because of his rich family, creating tension between them.

Schulz announces that an inspector from the [[Geneva Convention]] will arrive, and Sefton bribes the guards to let him spend the day with the Russian women. The radio is later confiscated by Schulz. Concluding that Sefton was rewarded for revealing the radio, the men confront him when he returns, but Sefton denies he was responsible. Von Scherbach interrupts to arrest Dunbar as a saboteur; the men blame Sefton again and brutally beat him.

The next day, the inspector from Geneva arrives with [[Red Cross parcel]]s—including 2,000 [[Table tennis|ping-pong balls]], which the prisoners use to create [[smoke bomb]]s. The inspector is then told about Dunbar's removal, and he warns von Scherbach that Dunbar cannot be convicted without proof, lest there be [[war crime]] trials. Von Scherbach hands Schulz a black queen to be delivered to the informant. During the [[Christmas Eve]] celebrations, Price steathily switches out the black queen, reads the hidden message, and then resets the signal. Sefton, recovering from his beating, notices the signal afterwards and becomes suspicious. Price gets Bagradian to reveal the recipe of Dunbar's time bomb: a lit cigarette tucked into a matchbook. That night, an air raid siren forces the men to evacuate. Sefton hides and witnesses Price speaking German to Schulz, and demonstrating the time bomb as evidence against Dunbar.

On Christmas Day, the [[Schutzstaffel|SS]] arrive to take Dunbar to [[Berlin]]. While Hoffy has Price guard Sefton (who is still believed to be the informant), he gathers the men to rescue Dunbar. A riot and an ignited smoke bomb distracts the guards, and Dunbar is taken to hide in a [[latrine]]'s [[water tower]] until nightfall. After von Scherbach threatens to raze the camp, the men of Barracks 4 decide that one of them must help Dunbar escape. Price volunteers, and Sefton finally accuses him of being a German spy. Sefton interrogates Price and reveals the messaging system he used; the men are convinced and Price tries to flee, but he is quickly restrained.

Anticipating a generous reward, Sefton decides to rescue Dunbar. He retrieves the Lieutenant, and the prisoners throw Price out of the barracks with cans tied to his leg. Price attracts the spotlights of every guard tower and is gunned down; Sefton and Dunbar escape amidst the chaos. The prisoners return to their bunks, and Cookie whistles "[[When Johnny Comes Marching Home]]".