That wasn't Speirs, it was Winters. Also, I don't completely agree with you on why people were there... I'm sure a lot of people just wanted a paycheck. But I think majority of Americans that signed up were there to defend freedom and our country. Think, Pearl Harbor. After that, enlistment jumped and skyrocketed. Same thing happened after 9/11, people started joining the military to do something to stop those actions in the future. Pat Tillman - RIP.

All and all, I don't think a lot of the soldiers wanted to kill each other but it came down to brotherhood and pride of country. If I don't kill that German soldier he might kill me, my comrade in arms, or destroy my country. It was a "you or me" situation which can ultimately haunt people down the road afterwards.

i agree with you with post pearl harbor -the only reason i say what i did is from listening to the interviews of alot of guys from 101st and ohmaha.one guy had said from ohmaha bch that prior too the invasion they thought germ soldiers were 6ft5 and a pure fighting force-until after they secured the bch head and realized they were normal skinny kids but was still suprised because they fought like no other force he could imagine.he said fighting this enemy will mean a tough road to germany! hope i worded this right as im not much of a writer.i just feel back in the 40s coming from a farm and knowing my duty and wanting to earn for our family the minute that pontoon door drops and being confronted with ohmaha i could freeze at 18 yrs of age! concerning upham i think i would have to take this into consideration and fortify my positions the best you can ,he was as green as they come! and in crossroads thats the thing i noticed was the kids age and how he knew he was dead because there was no other option.he basiclly gestured "come on get it over with" i think that would fuck wth my head a little.





lol-speirs? no more posts at 9am when i get home from work at 5 am!

However.... all the troops in the first Allied beach assault waves were veterans and/OR highly trained over a long period of time. The reaction of those poor soldiers pinned down on Omaha was smart-going ahead without proper support would mean certain death in that wall of defenders pre-planned fire zones. The only guys that were going forward were something mentally beyond normal human endurance. Earlier, the US bombers failed to drop bombs to blow craters on the beach for the landers to duck in as they moved up to beach defences, and also as you know the tank LCTs let out the swimming tanks too far out in the deep sea. If the proper support was available I'm sure the training would've obscured the fear of going full ahead.
Yes, those Hitler Jugend kids in Normandy were beyond fanatical. Relating to the thread topic again [ ] do you remember the scene in A Bridge Too Far depicting Gavin's 82nd Airborne making a company sized boat assault at Nijmegen bridge?The movie accurately shows the infuriated Para survivors who get across the river [many didn't make it] slaughtering the riverside dugouts occupants directly opposing them even as they tried to surrender > unfortunately these defenders were 14,15 year old conscripts[probably not even trained well enough to get shoot any enemy realistically] , if these kids were a bit battle savvy they would've fallen back, but being so young, there's the fear of retreating without orders from their 'older' officers ....trying to imagine the kid's perspective/dilemna in that action leaves me numb.




Later studies confirmed many soldiers weren't shooting to kill if the situation wasn't a 'do or die' one. This led to a new mode of firing target practice in the U.S forces around the time of Korea I believe.

ROBERT REDFORD -mother mary full of grace scene-made me frustrated! all of market garden frustated me! has to be my favorite pre 95 movie though(bridge too far).

lol, Redford played Maj.Julian well- especially his frustration after Nijmegen bridge was crossed in his argument with the Brit tank commander over the tankers waiting for infantry before they could continue the advance... "Must everything be done by the book- those are your men dying in Arnhem ....while you wait here- having tea!"
Actually I read the account of the commander of the lead tank crossing Nijmegen bridge. The allies had no doubt the bridge was rigged to explode but nevertheless the tanks rolled on slowly over it along with the river assault, all the while expecting the bridge to explode at any moment. Talk about having nerves of steel!

Seeing the tons of parachuted supplies dropping into German hands grinded my nerves especially since those supply planes flew in low and bravely too.

theres to many to name i like them all just about

I read this thread 3 times i forgot to add that Memphis Bell, BoB, Enemy at the Gates... Das Boot, will always be my favs. there were others... o, the great raid...

ooooh! memphis belle! good one!

you know when i was about 17 i worked as a barback at a rest and one of the carry out guys was an ex b17 bomber .dont remember what he did on the plane but he wasnt a pilot.they bombd germany and they had done so many successful missions .one day he brought his medals in (this was all around the time the belle came out i think,late 80s?) and i thought it was very cool! i talked with him alot and one day he gave me a model b17 and said it was given to him along with the medals and was a model of his actual plane (he also gave me a poetry book from the 40s) .i know this sounds corny but he died a few mnths later wich was very sad.after all the moves,about 10 years later, i couldnt find the plane-have no idea what happend to it !still get upset when evr i see that movie on because i lost the plane and im a collector .turns out the book was authentic and worth alot today.i wonder if anyone has ever heard of the models of the planes.the guy had 5 kids and i always wondered why he gave it to me? the money value doesnt mean a thing to me at all ! very upset i lost it!

Good one! I forgot about that one and I own it. Another one was 'When Trumphets Fade', Dont know if it was before '95 or not but I liked it.

OMG, can't believe I forgot that one... When Trumpets Fade was a great movie.

Memphis belle was stationed at (what is now )Bassingbourne Barracks army Training Regiment Royston UK ,the film was filmed there too,along with Full Metal Jacket.If you go there today u will see one of the rotor blades from the plane on the entracne to the Barracks .The control tower is a museum to the plane.
Was a graet film ...how did we all miss that one.

On the glass half full side.... At least before he left, he was glad he could pass the model on to you. Things get mislaid - we aren't perfect. Try to re-focus on the fact you made him happy; you have his other memorabelia that he passed onto you, and also that he could connect to you sharing his past with a youngster like it's a heritage [moreso than with his kids who maybe more into other stuff-or he felt he couldn't discuss that part of his life with them]. btw, what did you mean regarding the model question? I think the best idea is to buy another b17 model kit and make a new one with his actual squadron ID and stuff painted on- put it on a base with a title plate like 'Dedicated to.....' So one day you can pass it on. Maybe that'll help keep the feelings of regret to a minimum and a sense of making up for the loss.

'Downfall' - loved this movie. doesnt sound like many others here have seen it...?

once again BP, BoB is a HBO series, not a movie..

Yep thats a good film ,but not pre 95

I Ask about the model because this was an u.s. issue (from air force,army) it was medal-like the star wars minatures in the early 80s.tried to look it up somewhere to see how they issued them but nothing.dont know how we got 5 pgs with out naming belle.

ohhh, so it was a tiny model. More understanable how it could get lost/mislaid.....
Did you try these places;
http://www.commercemarketplace.com/home/Co...intagetoys.html
http://www.wpafb.af.mil/museum/

thanks hellfighter ,cool sites!