Is John Egan Captured By Germans? His Fate After Masters Of The Air Episode 5 Explained

This article contains spoilers for Masters of the Air episode 5.

Summary

• The Munich Raid was a catastrophic mission for the 100th Bomb Group, resulting in the depletion of their ranks and leaving only a few survivors.
• Major John Egan became a prisoner of war after the Munich Raid and was held at Stalag Luft III until the end of the war in 1945.
• Egan’s best friend, Gale “Buck” Cleven, also ended up in the same prisoner of war camp, and the two were able to remain together throughout the war, forming a strong friendship.

During episode 5 of Masters of the Air, Major John ‘Bucky’ Egan is struggling with the presumed death of his best friend Gale ‘Buck’ Cleven, but his situation only gets worse when he embarks on the infamous Munich Raid, which leaves him parachuting out of his plane and onto German land with a dangerous future ahead of him. The Munich Raid was a real mission the 100th Bomb Group went on in October 1943 during the deadly “Black Week.” In just a handful of days, the 100th’s ranks were entirely depleted, leaving only a lucky few survivors.

The Munich Raid was one of the most catastrophic missions the 100th went on in 1943. Though 17 planes were sent out on the mission, four returned due to mechanical failure, and only one managed to survive the raid. This plane was helmed by Lieutenant Colonel Robert ‘Rosie’ Rosenthal. The other members of the 100th, including Major John Egan, were either killed in action or went MIA. Fortunately, Egan was the latter. The episode sees Egan land in German territory and immediately find a hiding spot as he attempts to escape back to England.

John Egan Becomes A Prisoner Of War After Masters Of The Air Episode 5

After the Munich Raid in Masters of the Air episode 5, Major John Egan became a prisoner of war. Though he likely made an attempt to return to England, like Major William Quinn Masters of the Air episode 4, he was ultimately captured by German forces and brought to a prisoner of war camp.

In particular, Egan was brought to Stalag Luft III, a camp that specifically housed Western Allied air force personnel.

Egan spent the rest of the war in the camp, therefore, he remained there from October 1943 until the end of the war in 1945.

According to the American Air Museum, Stalag Luft III had been the home of countless escape attempts, courtesy of Squadron Leader Roger Bushell. He and many other prisoners, potentially Major Egan, made escape attempts in order to confuse and bother the German soldiers working at the camp. Ultimately, in 1945, as Allied forces closed in, the POWs of Stalag Luft III were forced to leave the camp, journeying through horrific winter conditions and rampant disease. After five brutal days and nights, Egan and the other soldiers were eventually rescued and returned to the United States.

John Egan Is Imprisoned Alongside Gale “Buck” Cleven

One notable part of Major John Egan’s imprisonment was that his missing best friend, Gale ‘Buck’ Cleven, was also at Stalag Luft III. Although Masters of the Air wasn’t clear about what happened to Cleven after episode 4, and in fact, hinted at his death, the reality is that Cleven survived the Bremen mission. Though his plane was damaged, Cleven was able to land it in German territory before it could explode. Unfortunately though, the plane crashed right into the home of a German farmer, leaving him and his crew to be captured immediately after their miraculous survival.

When Egan showed up at Stalg Luft III, likely only days after Cleven did, the two were quickly reunited. It is reported that Cleven said to Egan, “What the hell took you so long?” In this way, Cleven and Egan were able to remain together for the rest of the war. During the long trek out of Stalag Luft III during the end of the war, the American Air Museum noted that Cleven was able to escape the journey. Either way though, Cleven and Egan’s friendship was one miracle that came out of the 100th generally dark history.

Major John Egan is played by English actor, Callum Turner, in Masters of the Air.

Will John Egan Appear Much More In Masters Of The Air?

Though Egan will no longer be flying planes in Masters of the Air, his character will likely come back to the show. In episode 5, Egan is shown hiding in German territory. That means that the series will likely follow up with him, showing his eventual capture. Masters of the Air will almost definitely show his reunion with Buck Cleven as well. This will not only be a sweet moment for the men, but will also confirm that Cleven is not dead, but a prisoner of war.

In this way, Major John Egan may not be the main character of Masters of the Air anymore, but he certainly will not be forgotten. His fate after episode 5 will almost definitely be explored in the coming episodes, especially when it comes to his friendship with Gale Cleven. Egan and the other members of the 100th who went MIA in the spring of 1943 will have their stories finished by the end of Masters of the Air.