Episode no. Season 5
Episode 10 Written by Rod Serling Production code 2606 | Directed by Alan Crosland Jr. Featured music Stock Original air date December 6, 1963 | |
"The 7th Is Made Up of Phantoms" is an episode 130 of the American television anthology series The Twilight Zone. It originally aired on December 6, 1963 on CBS.
Contents
Plot
On June 25, 1964, the 88th anniversary of the Battle of Little Bighorn, three United States Army National Guard soldiers (MSgt. William Connors, Pvt. Michael McCluskey, Cpl. Richard Langsford) are in an M4 Sherman tank participating in a war game being conducted near the site of the Battle of Little Bighorn, where Major General George Armstrong Custer made his last stand. Their orders coincide with the route of Custer and his men. As they follow the route, they hear strange things such as Indian battle cries and horses running. As nobody is there, the men examine the possibilities. Connors wonders if they've somehow gone back in time. When they return, Connors reports to his Captain Dennet what occurred and is reprimanded.
The following day the trio goes out and again experiences strange phenomena. The captain contacts them via radio and orders them to return to base when Connors tries to explain what is happening. Connors breaks contact and the captain sends his lieutenant and two men to bring them in. However, the tank crew abandon their tank and continue on foot with their sidearms and rifles. They find a group of teepees and McCluskey goes to investigate. He soon returns with an arrow protruding from his back. The three men climb a ridge where they see a battle taking place below. They join it and are never seen again.
Later, Captain Dennet enters the Custer Battlefield National Monument. A soldier reports that all they found was the abandoned tank. The two of them notice the names of their missing soldiers on the monument with the names of Custer's men. Captain Dennet states that it was a pity the missing soldiers couldn't have taken the tank with them to the battle.