Tim, The movie "band of brothers", plus all the books? They only give us an idea of what it was really like...a semi impression. I once asked my B-17 pilot Uncle what it was like. He asked if I was there...if not, then nothing he could say would give the true meaning, the true experience. Still, the generation that lived the experience will too soon be gone from us. Even a semi impression is better than having no impression at all.

(Edit) What I liked about reading Don Malarkey's book? When the "band of brothers" movie was BS, his book called 'em on it. For example, the scene of coming across a concentration camp....he wrote that as far as he knew, nobody in Easy Co. ever saw a concentration camp.

The owner of The Cue Ball, Salem, OR keeps books on hand. If Don is there, he autographs them. Just thought of another friend I'd like to send a copy to. Cindy & I planning on playing pool tomorrow...hope Don is there. He really is a class act. Still shoots a pretty good stick, too! :)

One of the gentlemen I used to buy hay from was an Iwo Jima Marine. We only knew this because his son is a friend of ours. He ran a hay farm here in Maryland that had been in his family for generations. He passed last year.

He worked the farm into his 80's...lean old man, eyes as clear as a fall night, rode a tractor like he was in a saddle.

NO ONE, including my USMC buddies who helped me with the hay ever asked, he never offered.

Same with Uncle Gordon...never talked about it. Now that he's gone, I feel the loss...of course the loss of my uncle, but the loss of never having a clue....My aunt still lives. She told me that Gordon never talked about it...a closed book on the subject.

Paul,

It is refreshing in a way. In an age where people get trophy's for participating I admire the stoic old coots.

I know they may have suffered for their silence, but it was their way.

My wife's step father was a PT Boat crewman in the Pacific. I think I have written this before: when I can get him to talk about his experiences, he is always the foil, never did anything remotely brave.

Sure:cool:

That too, the stoicism, was part of their generation. Perhaps growing up during the depression was a factor?

At the time I brought him the movie, he rarely read very much anymore because of his macular degeneration. Back in the days he was younger, he was the first in line to see "Battle of the Bulge" and "The Longest Day". He said he enjoyed the entertainment of those movies, but the portrayal of the emotions in the combat scenes in "Band of Brothers" he said was the most realistic he had ever seen. I think he especially enjoyed some of the comments of the other veterans.

Tim

Over the years, I have not always seen eye-to-eye with my dad (who turned 88 this year), but I have a lot of respect for his service in the ETO, particularly the time he spent in the Huertgen Forest (also known as the Death Factory). I have had the opportunity to visit the Huertgen a couple of times now, most recently with a WWII Wehrmacht veteran serving as a tour guide, and there is something very powerful in seeing these places firsthand and standing in those foxholes. I've been to a couple of specific locations where my dad was nearly killed and it's a strange feeling to know you might not be standing there yourself if a bullet or shell fragment had gone in a slightly different direction. Also a little surreal to be picking up a sackful of shrapnel that had been just lying around for the sixty years that had passed since he was there.

I wish Dad was in good enough health to go back for a visit; he always talked about doing it and now that I can afford to take him, he can't physically manage it.

FWIW, overstock.com has the "Band of Brothers" DVD set for around $50...almost 20 less than amazon wanted. I just ordered a set...