OT: "Band of Brother” Bill Guarnere passes away
In this day and age of cyncism the word "hero" when applied to a soldier is often scorned for unthinking jingoism, but there exists a precious few men who have rightfully earned our reverence.
Another day, another WW2 veteran gone. He just happened to be more famous than most. If any of you have a chance thank a WW2 veteran today. You'll never know if you will have another chance.
but he worked in construction. Missing a leg! How would you like to have been the guy who worked the same site and called in sick!?
On the other hand, we are virtually surrounded by modern day soldier-heros who faught in Iraq, Afghanistan and around the world since 2001, and these folks deserve our equal respect. We can also be grateful that wwII has not been repeated...and those we faught against are now close allies.
Here's to the greatest generation that ever lived and all veterans..
Wear a poppy with pride and support our troops!
Two: my mom had an uncle who was a marine in the Pacific theater. We kids used to marvel at the captured Japanese flags in his garage. We could never get him to talk about it, but he did share one great story about he and a buddy unloading pallets of spam on a beach one day. Suddenly a Japanese Zero appeared and began strafing the beach. As Uncle Leo and his buddy took cover behind one of the Spam pallets, they could hear the metallic tinging of bullets passing through cans of Spam. Uncle Leo's buddy looks at him and says, "I knew this s*** had to be good for something!"
I really miss him.
Strange story: My Dad worked as a bartender in a private "German Society" in Pennsylvania where there are large numbers of people of German descent. While there, He met a former German U-Boat commander. The fatality rate of German U-Boat crews during WWII: 95%. The guy defied all odds to still be alive.
My Dad said that when it got late and they were all drunk, they would all sing their old WWII German military songs with an intense passion. He said it was fascinating and scary at the same time.
why would it be scary? an almost absolute majority of german soldiers, and naval men were not nazi's. they were normal german citizens that answered their country's call to arm's. just like our country's veteran's. and just like our veterans they formed extreme bonds with their fighting brothers as well.
Agree in theory. But when you are surrounded by 20 of them at 3:00 AM and they are drunk and singing songs from their days at war with people like you . . . your perspective is probably a little different right then and there.
March 10th, 2014 at 12:10 AM ^
M-Dog, you're going to find that many of the truths we cling to depend greatly on our own point of view.
sorry.. couldn't resist.
I worked for an international company from 2000-2010 which had operations in the US and Holland, with some sales offices just across the border in Germany. There was a general manager of the Dutch facility who worked there from the early 70s until he retired shortly before I arrived. The old company newsletter (published at the US headquarters) was fabulously subtle when announcing his hire and describing his past work experience. Something like "Klaus served in the navy during the war." He was a U-boat commander.
I've never heard of him before but I wish I had. RIP
Sad, we owe that generation so much.
volunteered for WWI duty at age 17, and was sent over to Germany at the tail end of "The War to End All Wars": his job by the time the ship reached shore was not on the battlefield, but to do MP duty and patrol the taverns and beer halls and brothels and anywhere else an American GI could get himself into trouble. He also did a bit of battlefield cleanup duty and brought home some WWI souvenirs that he finally showed and described proudly to me just a couple years before he passed on; his stories about the MP duty were, to say the least, quite interesting.
I was fortunate enough to have him around until 30 years ago this spring; when he passed at age 90, very very few of his generation of heroes were still around. So 30 years later, we're at the same point with WWII Vets, as their #'s quickly dwindle.
Thank one soon, while you still can.
RIP Gonorrhea
There was a Band of Brothers night at a baseball game in Lancaster. PA a few years ago. Had the chance to shake the hand of Wild Bill and Babe Heffron. The actor that played Wild Bill was pushing him in his wheelchair. A few of the other actors were there. Dick Winters is also buried in a small cemetary about 10 minutes from where I live. I don't get goosebumps when I meet people except I remember getting them when I met Wild Bill and Babe. Rest in peace.
He died on D-Day, details are otherwise scarce. My mom (his niece, who was born a few months later) wishes she had contacted Dick Winters to ask about him, they lived close by during Dick's final years.
There are a lot more "hero soldiers" out there than you think. Just because there aren't any more HBO specials about them doesn't mean they don't exist!
But yes, RIP Wild Bill.
I was commenting on the general cynical tone of our times when it comes to all things war, not saying that there not more heroic soldiers than just WW2 soldiers.
That said, World War II is incontestably the most justified war we have fought in our existence.There isn't a war that compares to it in that regard,
I don't think the current mood has anything to do with the soldiers.
Personally, I think war SHOULD be viewed cynically and is USUALLY unthinking jingoism. WWII does not even remotely fall into this category.
March 10th, 2014 at 12:46 AM ^
there is a book out there about Fox Company - the Company that held Easy Company's flank. They missed the fanfare of Band of Brothers, but like countless others, they were every bit as deserving of the accolades.
David Webster, from whose post war writings Stephen Ambrose drew his inspiration for Band of Brothers, was originally in Fox Company and didn't transfer to Easy Company until after D-Day.
Thanks for your service and RIP Bill.
He flew an SB2C HellDiver off of the USS Phillipine Sea in WW2.
To this day he can tell you exactly how to fly that plane, dive and hit the target, and catch the cable to land it.
He grew up the son of a share-cropper. His mother had died in child birth. They had no electricity or running water. His sister sewed his pants from horse blankets.
He is one tough SOB. I know of nobody in my (baby boom) generation who could match his mental & physical ruggedness.
"The greatest generation", indeed!
Great paraphrase of Socrates' Lament on Youth. Your observations are shared by people in every generation since at least Classical Greek times.
at 17. He ended up at D-Day on a Higgins Boat ferrying troops to the Omaha Beach meat grinder. Never talked about it much until the 50th anniversary of the Normandy Landings. First and only time I've ever seen him in tears.
Hero.
is why they do not talk about it.
His little sister, my grandmother, had no interest in watching Saving Private Ryan or Band fo Brothers. Too close to home.
A great series on HBO, but I cannot recommend the book strongly enough. Even more insight about how amazing those men were.
Central character in series, especially Bastogne episode which is arguably the best.
It's painful as these last WW2 heroes pass away. They were truly the greatest generation. RIP Bill Guarnere. Respect.
If you haven't seen Band of Brothers, I dare you to watch it without sobbing at some point during the intros.
"The Greatest Generation" indeed.
My great uncle passed away three days ago. Had a 30 year army career starting with WWII. Fought under General Patton's Third US Army in the 94th infantry division. Was at the Battle of the Bulge, played a role in the Lippizzaner Horse rescue (a character in the Disney movie was based on him) and helped with the liberation of the Dachau Concentration Camp. Recieved a battlefield promotion from Patton. Later served in the Korean War and commanded the 808th Engineer Battalion which constructed forward airfields. Spent his later military career in the computer science field and as Deputy Commander of the US Army Computer Systems Command. Retired a Colonel with eight battle stars, two Legions of Merit, three Bronze Stars, and two Army Commendation Medals... and is in the US Amry Engineer HOF. Just an awesome guy with some incredible stories... he'll be missed but never forgotten.
March 10th, 2014 at 12:07 AM ^
Watch and listen carefully. These men do not want to be "memorialized" as heroes...they were afraid, just like today's modern soldier, but did the job given them in spite of the dangers. And they did not fight, so much, for "freedom" or justice, but for thier brothers. Hence, the title and theme. And, yes, i bought the series years ago in a fairly special commemorative tin set. It almost sounds like some on this blog believe courage and heroism and the will to fight are adjectives reserved to those who displayed them, now, 70-some years ago. I have never taken a bullet, or run into enemy fire to pick up a fallen comrade, but i read plenty and those types of heroic actions take place regularly in the wars currently being fought. I don't care if it's a Nazi 88 or an iraqi IED, it takes GUTS to face these killers on a daily basis--and that is something i will never take for granted in the men and women who have served our country at war....then and now. Thanks to all who have served this nation.
March 10th, 2014 at 12:21 AM ^
I watched "Band of Brothers" last year with my wife and 12 year old son, and absolutely loved it. Sorry to hear of Guarnere's passing.
My grandfather flew in WWI, and my father-in-law flew in WWII, dropping paratroopers at both Normandy and Market Garden. For all I know, he could have dropped Guarnere.
I'm proud of both of them, and proud that my daughter is continuing the military tradition, serving as a fire controlman in the Navy with the Aegis anti-ballistic missile defense system.