Band of Brothers

[JasonASmith]

One of my best friends lent me Band of Brothers on DVD, and frankly I can't come up with the words to describe it...
All that I know is that when I watched the 6th(!) DVD that has the documentary with the interviews of the vets on it, I was in tears(and I'm not ashamed to admit it) by the end...They TRULY were the greatest generation that we've ever seen...
I've made it through the first two DVDs and look forward to the next 3...
I end this post by saying to all the vets...THANK YOU, thank you for everything...:asian: :asian: :asian:

 

[Bigshadow]

Great DVDs!

 

[jdinca]

It's an impressive series.

 

[Infinite]

Tears there were.

 

[matt.m]

You know I really love the series myself. I will go as far to say that those guys were heroes, heroes. I had Defiance, Heart Break Ridge, An Officer and a Gentleman to watch before I went active in the Marines.

I had put those heroes on pedalstals, as they should be. The threat was way more real then for continental conquest then. I will be bold in saying that since I had been stationed in Haiti for 4 months, helped rescue Scott O'Grady after he had been shot down, had my skirmish with PLO, "Visited" Albania, helped to rescue 48 men who had been burned to death and dropped in the ocean from a dual helicopter collision I had winessed, and was part of the detachment in Liberia, where I myself survived a 1500 foot helicopter crash......

The actions of "Heroes" are relevant to those telling/hearing the story. Afterall, it all hurts.....the terrain may look different but the end result of the absolute physical and mental beating that the body can and will withstand under stress in incomparable to any and all things that no one can comprehend unless they themselves went through a combat event such as that.

A very good friend of mine whom served in China, WWII, and Korea once told me after I told him "I learned about you, your unit and your absolute undying courage, nerve, and fortitude. You sir are a true hero." He bought me a beer and said..."No matter where, no matter the bullet, it is all essentially what the Marine Corps does." What a humble guy, it is true though.

What I enjoy most is seeing those of you on the board type very nice things about veterans. I thank you for that,

Thank you and Semper Fidelis,
Frmr. Sgt. Matt Morton

 

[The Kidd]

The DVD's are awesome you really should read the book which is even better, it is by Stephen Ambrose. Actually anything by him is awesome I have read most of his stuff after seeing Band of Brothers and then reading that book.

 

[Ping898]

I think they were very well done and I was very impressed. It definetally pulls on the emotions...

 

[SFC JeffJ]

It is a great show. I got the DVDs right when they came out.

The thing I really loved about the show, and the book for that matter, was it shows what men in combat really fight for. Not for King and Country, not for high ideals, but for their buddies next to them when it comes down to it.

Jeff

 

[Blotan Hunka]

How long has it been since US troops have been subjected to sustained Artillery and bombing attacks, major Armor engagements or Naval battles or even division sized opposition (of a caliber greater than the Iraqis)? I would hazard to say Korea...Vietnam to a lesser extent. War is war and a soldier being shot at in Bagdad is no less a Hero than a WWII vet, but (I hope to God) our military and technological superiority has made our way of warfare vastly different from what those WWII vets faced.

 

[donald]

If you enjoyed that you will probably enjoy,"Flags of Our Fathers". It too is a story set in fact concerning WW2. What really strikes me about these guys. Is first, that most of them were incredibly young, and the incredible acts of bravery. That alot of them demonstrated during the worst stuff that they would probably ever face. Every single service man/woman who served honorably. Should get at least one ticker tape parade during their life time. As well as a proper pension for life. I pray that our leaders provide properly for all our service people. It makes me angry to think that we have people in the field. Who are poorly provided for. The whole armoured carrier fiasco comes to mind. They are in harms way for their country. They should have the best of everything. Especially while serving in hot areas,ie:Iraq, etc..
1stJohn1:9

 

[JasonASmith]

I had relatives that served in WW2; my grandfather island-hopped with McArthur, and his two brothers were in Europe(one with Patton, and the other with Bradley, I think) Both of my great-uncles would have been in the Battle of the Bulge, and my grandfather saw almost every major conflict in the island chain, with the exception of Iwo...
He was on Okinawa, and flew into Nagasaki after the bomb was dropped(which is the only thing that he every spoke about)
None of them were mouth-merchants on the War, even when we persisted with questions...I never understood why, until later in my life when I found out where my grandfather had been, and what he had seen...I suppose there was no need or want to remember the hell that he experienced, and I'm still highly embarrassed that I persisted with questions, even to this day, 10 years or so after he's gone...
These DVDs have hammered home that embarrassment even farther, and I feel like a total *******...

 

[Bigshadow]

If you enjoyed that you will probably enjoy,"Flags of Our Fathers". It too is a story set in fact concerning WW2.

That is a good movie. My son and I went to see it the weekend it opened. It was very good. Now we want to see 'Letters from Iwa Jima'

 

[theletch1]

I had relatives that served in WW2; my grandfather island-hopped with McArthur, and his two brothers were in Europe(one with Patton, and the other with Bradley, I think) Both of my great-uncles would have been in the Battle of the Bulge, and my grandfather saw almost every major conflict in the island chain, with the exception of Iwo...
He was on Okinawa, and flew into Nagasaki after the bomb was dropped(which is the only thing that he every spoke about)
None of them were mouth-merchants on the War, even when we persisted with questions...I never understood why, until later in my life when I found out where my grandfather had been, and what he had seen...I suppose there was no need or want to remember the hell that he experienced, and I'm still highly embarrassed that I persisted with questions, even to this day, 10 years or so after he's gone...
These DVDs have hammered home that embarrassment even farther, and I feel like a total *******...

I would tell you not to beat yourself up about it. I'm sure that your grandfather understood all too well what he thought war would be like before he actually got in theater and remembered how much his reality changed after the first round came in so he probably also hoped that your curiosity was never satiated about it. To understand it you needed to be there. As for Band of Brothers I watched most of the episodes with my wife. It was the first time she'd ever seen tears in my eyes watching any kind of movie. Thing is that alot of the times that the tears were there were times that most folks wouldn't have teared up. Maybe there is a subtle difference for a vet watching the show and it triggers odd memories of our own times with our own "Band of Brothers".

 

[Xue Sheng]

I had relatives that served in WW2; my grandfather island-hopped with McArthur, and his two brothers were in Europe(one with Patton, and the other with Bradley, I think) Both of my great-uncles would have been in the Battle of the Bulge, and my grandfather saw almost every major conflict in the island chain, with the exception of Iwo...
He was on Okinawa, and flew into Nagasaki after the bomb was dropped(which is the only thing that he every spoke about)
None of them were mouth-merchants on the War, even when we persisted with questions...I never understood why, until later in my life when I found out where my grandfather had been, and what he had seen...I suppose there was no need or want to remember the hell that he experienced, and I'm still highly embarrassed that I persisted with questions, even to this day, 10 years or so after he's gone...
These DVDs have hammered home that embarrassment even farther, and I feel like a total *******...

I had relatives in WW II as well and they generally didn't talk about it at all. But I do not think any were or are offended by anyone asking questions.

I have one uncle that was in the Pacific who up until Band of Brothers came out never talked about it at all but since he talks about it a bit. HE had a friend that was in that unit the Band of Brother is about that never came home and until that I had no idea.

I had another uncle that was in Europe and apparently only talked about it once when he came home and never talked about it again, he was on the beaches on D-day and I can never remember him getting upset with me once when I was growing up when I would ask a WW II question. He generally changed the subject to fishing.

My father was in Korea and Vietnam and talks little about that as well. It just appears to be something that comes with the territory. But I doubt any are ever upset by questions. They all appear to understand.

Don't beat yourself up over it I am sure he understood.

 

[donald]

" Now we want to see 'Letters from Iwa Jima"[end quote]


Yeah I want to see it too. I was a little surprised to find out that it is in Japanese! I am not a big fan of subtitles. I tend to concentrate too much on the reading, and miss part of the movie. I do think that I will bite the bullet, and see this one though.

1stJohn1:9

 

[grydth]

I had relatives that served in WW2; my grandfather island-hopped with McArthur, and his two brothers were in Europe(one with Patton, and the other with Bradley, I think) Both of my great-uncles would have been in the Battle of the Bulge, and my grandfather saw almost every major conflict in the island chain, with the exception of Iwo...
He was on Okinawa, and flew into Nagasaki after the bomb was dropped(which is the only thing that he every spoke about)
None of them were mouth-merchants on the War, even when we persisted with questions...I never understood why, until later in my life when I found out where my grandfather had been, and what he had seen...I suppose there was no need or want to remember the hell that he experienced, and I'm still highly embarrassed that I persisted with questions, even to this day, 10 years or so after he's gone...
These DVDs have hammered home that embarrassment even farther, and I feel like a total *******...

I believe you have nothing to be embarrassed about. It is natural for a younger person to be curious about what an honored elder did in a major historic event. Your questions were out of a normal inquisitiveness, not a nagging or trivial intent.

Much of my family fought in the hell of the South Pacific. One of a pair of twins that were Marine infantrymen died on Okinawa. My uncle was an MP in Japan. My father had over 70 missions as a Marine Fighter Pilot - and he DID talk a lot about the war. I think for him the war was a transition from the grinding poverty he faced in the Great Depression to the terrifc man he became. I got to know some of the surviving pilots - a surprising number of their squadron (to me) had been killed in the war - and I continue to be amazed by the courage and patriotism they had.

So, people are different. How's a kid to know? Go easy on yourself... and you do them honor by caring and remembering.

 

[zDom]

My father had over 70 missions as a Marine Fighter Pilot - and he DID talk a lot about the war.

Do you know what VMF- he was in, by any chance? Which plane he flew?


FWIW, I tear up when I watch Band of Brothers, too. A very moving mini-series.

 

[Odin]

awsome series pulled a couple of my strings to...hey might watch some of it now!

cheek out www.peekvids.com and go to t.v shows its on there.

Medic story was my favourite!

 

[grydth]

Do you know what VMF- he was in, by any chance? Which plane he flew?


FWIW, I tear up when I watch Band of Brothers, too. A very moving mini-series.

Sure. We have his log book, medals and flying gear. He served in 3 different VMF's and flew the F4U Corsair. Mostly fighter bomber missions, with a fair number over Rabaul.

He broke a leg skiing in 1944, and then needed a reset. He had a blast working Public Affairs in San Diego - a job I'd briefly temp at while in the Army over 40 years later - but he couldn't stay out of the action. So, at the height of the kamikazes, Dad volunteers to be an air operations officer on a carrier in the planned invasion of Japan. As you know the war ended before that took place.

I'd say who he really was, and who he flew with, but I have no doubts from prior experience that some anonymous xxx would allege I was faking and take a key to my Reputation Car Door.... I don't much care for that practice here. For serious historians, I am happy to share the wealth of information he left behind.

Some things never change. A guy I was in the Middle East with is now going to Iraq. He seems cheerful about it.

 

[The Kidd]

My dad was in Korea and my nextdoor neighbor was in Germany in WWII, I have found the older they get that they will mention it more and I just listen, ask questions when appropriate, and realize it is more for them than me.