The Gallant Few

[A Life Aloft]

He was only 19 years old, was a gunner’s mate 3rd class on the USS Samuel Chase on D-Day

more from Mr. Devita:

D-Day Veterans say the opening scenes in Saving Private Ryan depicting the landing are realistic, in terms of what it felt like to be a soldier on the beach during the invasion.

It’s basically “100% accurate,” says Dominic Geraci, who was a 20-year-old Army medic tending to the wounded on June 7. “There was no Hollywood embellishment.”

In fact, some say it’s too realistic to bear.

Another D-Day survivor, John Raaen says it was “very good portrayal of Omaha Beach” left him speechless, five decades after he landed there on June 6 as a 22-year-old Army Captain. “I remember when I walked out into the lobby of the moviehouse, not a single person coming out of that showing said one word,” he says. “Everybody was stunned by it. I was too. I wasn’t about to talk to anyone either. It just brought back so many memories that your mind was racing through all the things that happened to you.”

World War II Veterans have stated that the film was the most realistic depiction of combat they had ever seen. The film was so realistic that some combat Veterans of D-Day left theaters rather than finish watching the opening scene depicting the Normandy invasion.

If you're interested in Military history, you may have seen or read the work of Stephen Ambrose. He was one of the world's foremost experts on warfare, and unsurprisingly Stephen Spielberg consulted him when he was putting his masterpiece together. If you want to make something authentic, it's wise to seek the opinions of those who know the most about your subject matter.

Spielberg wanted to make sure he'd got the film just right, and so arranged a special screening of the movie for Ambrose before the general public got to see it. Twenty minutes in, Ambrose walked out. It's not that he hated the film; quite the opposite. It was so realistic and so intense that it impacted him profoundly. He took a pause to compose himself and prepare his mind to endure the rest of what he was going to watch, and then went back in to finish the job. Needless to say, he gave it his seal of approval.

 

[Lawman]

The opening scene of Saving Private Ryan severely effected my Grandfather. It wasn’t so bad seeing it at home on the TV but the full up movie effects were very much him being transported back to some of the worst moments of his life.

That said he really did think it was great they made the movie that level. To him it was important since so much of his experience he just wasn’t able to talk about easily that it bridged a lot of the conversation for him to finally come to terms with the things he had to do over there.


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[Nark]

@Lawman or today, there is “SECRET” stamped all over it, and can’t show your friends what you were doing or supporting.

It’s easier to explain to a layman I do stuff like the movie Blackhawk Down, except without high-speed crunchies. Or I’m like a medevac helicopter, except way different, I have guns, because people shoot at the medics over there.

 

[Lawman]

@Lawman or today, there is “SECRET” stamped all over it, and can’t show your friends what you were doing or supporting.

It’s easier to explain to a layman I do stuff like the movie Blackhawk Down, except without high-speed crunchies. Or I’m like a medevac helicopter, except way different, I have guns, because people shoot at the medics over there.

Honestly it’ll be easier for somebody to find out the things I’ve done then the things our previous generations did just due to the nature of electronic media.

My awards and some of my missions are or at least will be after declassification a matter of store public record. Of the previous generation my great Uncle’s Navy Cross citation can be found, but the ones that served in the Army during WWII/Korea... most of that went up in the big records fire. She too. I would really love to be able to frame my grand dad silver star citation for my dad the way I’ve been able to give him some “Pop moments” gifts that he spent a life time locked off from but somehow I managed to break into. I printed my great Uncle Ray’s Navy Cross citation and framed it for my grandfather (who dragged his big brother out of Korea later) so he could have something to remember his big brother by from the war he was too young for.


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[A Life Aloft]

I think that one of the saddest days in our existence and history will be when all the Vets from WWII, the Korean War and Vietnam are no longer with us to share their stories and experiences. I hope that we keep interviewing these men, recording/video taping them, making documentaries about them, sharing their personal photos when they were in the Military, their memorabilia, medals and awards, honoring them and making the details of their service to this country available to the public and keep educating us.

They are not only an enormous and important part of the history of this nation, but of the history of the entire world. There are sadly now, less than half a million of the 16 million WWII Vets still alive. All of their lives, each and every one, retain such immense value and purpose. This needs to be shared and passed on from generation to generation. They and the sacrifices that these men made, should never be forgotten or taken for granted. I hope we never lose sight of this.

 

[mrivc211]

That's a pretty broad brush you're painting with, man. I know what you're trying to say, but also acknowledge that there are still 18 year old kids lining up to serve.

And we're still asking them to go to war for us.

I commend them. But the two eras are not even remotely the same in terms of risk. Not even close.

 

[A Life Aloft]

 

[Nark]

My Lt and I were watching drone feeds and came across a suicide attack against a building. Run of the mill stuff.

He suddenly popped up and said, I’ve seen this before! And we tracked it down from OSINT, from a different angle (the road).

It’ll be neat to see actual footage of the heroic events that transpired, when being presented a Silver Star, Distinguished Service Cross or MoH.

 

[Boris Badenov]

For those so inclined, HBO released "The Cold Blue" on D-Day. I've only watched a bit, but as near as I can tell, it's footage (and lost footage) from the Memphis Belle documentary spliced in with the recollections of the remaining veterans of the 8th, of which there seem to be distressingly few.

 

[A Life Aloft]

For those so inclined, HBO released "The Cold Blue" on D-Day. I've only watched a bit, but as near as I can tell, it's footage (and lost footage) from the Memphis Belle documentary spliced in with the recollections of the remaining veterans of the 8th, of which there seem to be distressingly few.

Fantastic........going to watch it. Thanks for posting. It slipped my mind even thought we just had a thread about it........been busy. Sometimes, there is just to much to keep track of.

The Cold Blue

Coming to select theatres May 23, 2019. https://www.fathomevents.com/events/the-cold-blue Erik Nelson’s film takes an inside look at the daily life of men of the Eighth Air Force, who flew deadly missions during World War II, featuring newly restored 4K footage shot by filmmaker William Wyler...

forums.jetcareers.com

 

[Low&Slow]

He was only 19 years old, was a gunner’s mate 3rd class on the USS Samuel Chase on D-Day

Not old enough to be trusted with a beer or a privately owned firearm, but old enough to die on a beach thousands of miles from home.

 

[trafficinsight]

Not old enough to be trusted with a beer or a privately owned firearm, but old enough to die on a beach thousands of miles from home.

I don't believe either of those were true at the time, and either way life is like that. I could fly an airplane but I wasn't old enough to rent a car.

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