CouchCoach
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For the last 10 years, I have had this tradition of watching nothing but war movies from Saturday through Monday.
I usually move chronologically and since there are so few about WWI, WWII and Vietnam pretty much fill the bill.
I have quite a collection and limited amount of time so I can't watch all over the memorial weekend and the even years I do "Band of Brothers" and "The Pacific" so that limits the number of movies I can watch. I consider "Band of Brothers' to be the finest achievement of television in my lifetime. It stays with me long after I've watched the last episode and the images of the real men at the end of each episode do not fade easily.
My favorite WWII's are "Saving Private Ryan" and "Battle of the Bulge".
Vietnam, I like "Full Metal Jacket" and "Platoon" but they are more fiction than fact, although inspired by events.
Around 15 years ago, we were invited to a cookout and the host's brother was there and I found out he had served not only under Hal Moore as a Lt. but had been on the 2nd chopper to land in the LZ and was on the last one to leave the field with Hal Moore. I know combat vets don't want to talk about it but I was glad when one of the guests asked him how factual was "We Were Soldiers".
He said Hollywood did take artistic license but the one thing they did get right was the confusion taking place during the battles. He said the dust was flying and bodies moving every direction and they were concerned about friendly fire as much as the enemy's. He said Mel Gibson's portrayal of Hal Moore was pretty dead on, he was like what they would have imagined it was like to serve under Patton. A warrior commander.
That is a must watch for me every Memorial Day weekend and I will never forget the last thing he said about it with a deep sadness in his voice. He said when they landed, they were informed that the NVA had moved immediately back into position and even strengthened their position. Then he looked around at us, like children being told a story, and said "it had all been for nothing". Man, talk about a prophetic statement to summarize an entire war and he was only talking about the very first battle.
I usually move chronologically and since there are so few about WWI, WWII and Vietnam pretty much fill the bill.
I have quite a collection and limited amount of time so I can't watch all over the memorial weekend and the even years I do "Band of Brothers" and "The Pacific" so that limits the number of movies I can watch. I consider "Band of Brothers' to be the finest achievement of television in my lifetime. It stays with me long after I've watched the last episode and the images of the real men at the end of each episode do not fade easily.
My favorite WWII's are "Saving Private Ryan" and "Battle of the Bulge".
Vietnam, I like "Full Metal Jacket" and "Platoon" but they are more fiction than fact, although inspired by events.
Around 15 years ago, we were invited to a cookout and the host's brother was there and I found out he had served not only under Hal Moore as a Lt. but had been on the 2nd chopper to land in the LZ and was on the last one to leave the field with Hal Moore. I know combat vets don't want to talk about it but I was glad when one of the guests asked him how factual was "We Were Soldiers".
He said Hollywood did take artistic license but the one thing they did get right was the confusion taking place during the battles. He said the dust was flying and bodies moving every direction and they were concerned about friendly fire as much as the enemy's. He said Mel Gibson's portrayal of Hal Moore was pretty dead on, he was like what they would have imagined it was like to serve under Patton. A warrior commander.
That is a must watch for me every Memorial Day weekend and I will never forget the last thing he said about it with a deep sadness in his voice. He said when they landed, they were informed that the NVA had moved immediately back into position and even strengthened their position. Then he looked around at us, like children being told a story, and said "it had all been for nothing". Man, talk about a prophetic statement to summarize an entire war and he was only talking about the very first battle.
