Band of Brothers

[Frogman]

Has anyone been seeing the movie on the History Channel? they are playing it in 1 1/2 hour and 1 hour segments.

It will be on tonight at 9 est/8 cst.

It seems to be a good film. I would like to have the book though.

Bro. Dallas

 

[Dr. Bob]

With little grandkids around, haven't been able to watch such violence. But really intrigued by it and hope to catch some of the series.

Don't have (and won't get) HBO, so glad it's on the History Channel.

 

[Joseph_Botwinick]

I do think it is available on video and DVD. At least it is here in Arkansas at the rental stores.

Joseph Botwinick

 

[Matt Black]

It was shown here about 18 months ago and I found it very moving and - yes - violently realistic. Makes you appreciate what you have now...

Yours in Christ

Matt

 

[Frogman]

Yes, it is violent and although I had to work last night and missed half of it, I am also intrigued by the apparent realism portrayed. (Cursing aside). I am amazed that men have willingly sacrificed themselves on my behalf, so many of them much younger than what I am now who never had the opportunity to enjoy the freedoms they defended on my behalf.

It does move me.

The History Channel's best work in quite a while, imho. I think they are selling the dvd and video of the movie.

I am planning on getting one.

We are losing the WW II generation now, every opportunity I get to speak to a veteran I take advantage of it.

A dear christian Brother passed away last fall, he was with Patton in N. Africa and Italy. He and I use to talk for long periods of time. He was wounded somewhere in Italy. He and a group of men were in a grove of trees during an air attack. A bomb was dropped into the trees. A piece of shrapnel hit him; according to his testimony of what the doctors told him, the piece of metal would have cut him in two, if not for several months worth of letters from his mom and dad having just caught up with him the day before. He put the letters in his back pocket. They were so thick, when the shrapnel entered his upper leg, it travelled upward and was diverted when it hit the packet of letters. Though many of them were burned beyond readability they probably saved his life.

Before he died he could barely get around but never missed worship although you could see how much pain sitting, standing and walking caused him, he was always praising the Lord.

This may be my opinion only, so all you baby boomers don't get offended, but the WWII generation exhibits the principles of this nation.

Bro. Dallas

If you catch this little guy just right, he is saluting

Somehow or the other I posted regarding why I wanted the book and the post showed my former post in bold quote and added my post regarding WKU's history department's low opinion of Stephen Ambrose.

[I got to delete my first post...and I mean literally, "my"...post]

 

[Pastor Larry]

In a church I was previously at, there was a guy in my church who had been a paratrooper at Normandy. He was permanently crippled from it. Was very crippled and could hardly walk. He never talked much about it. Another guy was in the Navy I think ... said he was out in the channel during that time.

I saw part of Band of Brothers Sunday night, but haven't been able to watch it since. I have seen the video several times at the video store but never watched it.

Very sobering. That would be a hard call to make, to send those guys off on that mission knowing that a lot of them would never come back.

Have you ever seen U 571? Isn't that where the guy who wants to be the captain isn't allowed to because he isn't willing to send another man to his death? It was a pretty sobering thought.

 

[Bible-boy]

I've seen most of this movie. Speaking of...

Have any of you read The Bedford Boys? If you are from SW Virginia it is a must read.

 

[Matt Black]

Have just received box-video set of 'BoB' - looking forward to seeing it again.

Yours in Christ

Matt

 

[Squire Robertsson]

My only question is how clueless could the Battalion Commander be? Here's a Company Commander who messes up royally on two field exercises and forces his exceutive officer to take a courts martial in a power play. And it takes a mass resignation of the company's NCOs to force Batt CO to take notice of the dangerous idiot under him? Okay, the Lt/Capt was a fairly good trainer. But in combat, the guy was down right dangerous. An American field officer not able to read a map? The mind boogles.

 

[Hardsheller]

The Armies of the world have always had officers like the clueless one you refer to.

The Name Custer Ring any bells?

 

[Squire Robertsson]

I know that the incompetant are among us. Custer mind you was not a total ninny. The Indians that day took totally unexpected actions. Custer on the other hand, well, let's just say that Sand Creek it wasn't.

 

[rsr]

I finally got to see a complete episode tonight, Segment 6, Bastogne. The medic is the center of the story and the real hero.

While it's bloody, wasn't not nearly so gory as Braveheart or The Lost Battalion, (an excellent movie, BTW) and not much more bloody than a typical episode of ER.

A sobering look at war from the perspective of those who have to fight it.

 

[Dr. Bob]

A great generation who fought altruistically. Am pleased to see some of that in the currect fighting as our citizen soldiers are put to the crucible again . . .

 

[Mike McK]

I'm not easily given to emotion but last night's episode with the concentration camp was very difficult to watch.

Can you imagine liberating these people who had gone through horrors we can't even begin to imagine only to be told that you had to take the food out of their mouths?

 

[Dr. Bob]

Dear Kids -

Just finishing the final episode of "Band of Brothers". That is one moving
series, even though I had to miss/cut short some of the episodes (could not
watch it with Grandson Noah awake - he is way too impacted by its content).

My Dad was in the 101st. In the Quartermaster corps - learned to be a Tech
Sergeant and gunner. Not any part of that group immortalized in the series
(not even in Europe - he was airborne but served on a sea-rescue boat in the
Philippines for downed pilots) but all I remember is his NOT EVER talking
about the War unless I drug it out of him.

In 1996 I sat and looked through his album (he called it "Snaps of the Chaps
who Slap the Japs" and MADE him talk about the men, the service -he was
training crews down in the Gulf of Mexico for most of the war - and time in
the Pacific. Pulling teeth! And he wouldn't join the American Legion or
VFW like mom's mother Uncle George Martin. Thought most there were just
braggarts or living in the past and that they ought to move on with life.

He never went to the big reunions. Not involved in that. But in 1970 and
again in 1985 he took long trips to meet with some of his "band of
brothers" - once in Texas, once in New Jersey. Never shared a thing about
those trips.

My dad - your Gumpa - died four years ago, even though it seems like just
yesterday. I have his flag here in my room to remind me every day of the
freedom WE enjoy that cost him 5 years of his life.

He always contended he was not a hero. But he served in the company of
heroes.

But to me, he is still a hero.

 

[Frogman]

I agree Dr. Bob, 100%.

Bro. Dallas

 

[Dr. Bob]

My kid sister read this (I sent this post as an email to her since she was so much younger).

Just an add on to your email; when I was 18, I went on a last trip with
mom and dad out east. We stayed at his buddy's home in New Jersey. A
very nice, fairly well off family--big brick home, daughters attending
nice colleges ... I believe his buddy's name was Bob too and he
actually told me the story of our dad saving his life.

Apparently when
some of his fellow soldiers were jumping off the boats into the ocean (I
think it was overseas) to cool off he was pushed and/or fell in too, but
couldn't swim. The way he told it, dad never hesitated a second, but
dove in right after him and brought him back up and stayed with him
until they could get him back on ship. None of the others were even
aware it had happened until it was over. Dad seemed genuinely
embarrassed that this story was even told and made light of it by saying
all those days as a kids swimming in the Mississippi River paid off.

Guess he was just doing what came naturally to him, but it was a
lifetime impact on his buddy that someone cared enough to come after
him.

That same buddy sent Christmas cards to dad every year and the year dad
died, he didn't receive a responsive card (which is one of the very few
cards dad continued to send after mom had died.) That buddy tried to
call, but the phone was turned off. When he didn't know who to contact
to find out what had happened because he didn't know my married name, he
started sending letters to the other addresses on the street where
Grandpa had lived. Because I was having his mail forwarded to finish
closing up his estate, eventually one of those inquiries got redirected
to me even though the Christmas card had not. When I called and told
him dad was gone, he actually cried and told me what a great guy our dad
was and how he would miss his cards and calls. Those are bonds of
friendship some of us will never experience.

I miss dad too.