E. Company, 101st Airborne

[EKman]

Greetings friends,

We just had a special treat over here. The USO brought out four of the 101st Airborne vets for a special presentation. We got to hear each one of them speak and then meet them after the program.

I have a friend who works for the services squadron on base and so I was able to "volunteer" to help set up for the event. That meant that I got to be there when these guys arrived and meet them all before the program began. It was quite interesting to say the least.

Anyway, I thought I would show you all my little souvenir of the day.

[F L Clemens]

A special event and a nice keepsake.

Did you vote for them or the NFL Cheerleaders to visit?

[EKman]

A special event and a nice keepsake.

Did you vote for them or the NFL Cheerleaders to visit?

Vote? What vote? We're here to defend democracy not practice it! If I had had a vote, I think I would still have voted for the 101 Vets, the cheerleaders would have been nice, but pretty girls I can see anytime--I'm married to one after all.

[Daniele C]

EKman!i finishd to watch band of brothers for the 100th time few days ago!are those men of easy who were interviewd in the serie still alive?all of them?

The Real young Buck Compton in the pic looks like the actor that did MUCK in the film(the one killed with Penkala in Bastogne by a mortar)

[EKman]

EKman!i finishd to watch band of brothers for the 100th time few days ago!are those men of easy who were interviewd in the serie still alive?all of them?

The Real young Buck Compton in the pic looks like the actor that did MUCK in the film(the one killed with Penkala in Bastogne by a mortar)

Congrats my friend on wathcing Band of Brothers so many times. Believe it or not, I have never seen it all the way through, I don't have a copy and can never catch all of it on the History Channel. Yes, all four of these vets were here, I assume that all of them are still living as this was just a little while ago. The original plan was for the USO to bring in the four veteran pictured above as well as the actors who played them in the movie. I think that would have been great, but from what I hear, some of the actors had other obligations, and the ones who were available turned out to be just too expensive. Oh well. It was far better to meet these four guys than the actors any day.

[F L Clemens]

It was far better to meet these four guys than the actors any day.

Yes, the actors would have rated lower than the NFL cheerleaders in my estimation. Imagine that the actors were there and you had to listen to them talk about how it "felt" to play the vets. What a waste of time!

I have only seen 15 minutes of the BoB series. I am waiting for the set to dop to $20 before I buy it. After all, it is only a TV series series. Ultimately, my time is better spent reading real after action reports.

[KevinS]

Fantastic keepsake, EKman!

Darrell "Shifty" Powers is from Clinchco, VA which is only about 30 miles (50km) from my home. I was able to meet him once about 2 years ago. I have the highest respect for all who served during that conflict and it was an honor to meet "Shifty".

If you've read the book, not just seen the HBO series, there's a very interesting incident where Shifty notices a new tree in the German lines some distance away and that leads to the US troops finding a German artillery position that's being set up behind a fake tree (I'm recalling from memory so I may have a detail or two slightly incorrect). In any event, it's a great account!

I wish I had thought to ask for his autograph.

Thanks for sharing!

-Kevin

[Daniele C]

The series in DVD is great also cos there s an extra dvd where the men of band of brothers talk about wot happend wen they were in the war and u can see Bill guarnere without his leg like the film shown!i wish i cud talk to one of them!i have a lot of respect for them and for any soldier who fought in that bloody war!
Kevin if i was you id go to his home and try to talk to Shifty powers again!

[Daniele C]

The actors didnt come cos they askd for too much money?pricks

[PZIV]

Seriously. What is up with that?

[Homer Hodge]

I have only seen 15 minutes of the BoB series. I am waiting for the set to dop to $20 before I buy it. After all, it is only a TV series series. Ultimately, my time is better spent reading real after action reports.

FL, You're right; it's only a TV series. However, I consider it probably the best, most accurate combat series or film, I've ever seen. Spielberg deviates a little bit from the book, but, as the kids say today, it is awesome! You really should see it.
By the way, I see we are almost neighbors; I live right near the Chantilly-Fairfax line.....

[Homer Hodge]

Ekman, I, too, really appreciate that you posted this. And meeting the real vets is far better than meeting actors; actors are just yahoos pretending to be somebody else. In this case, pretending to be folks that are better than them!

[F L Clemens]

FL, You're right; it's only a TV series. However, I consider it probably the best, most accurate combat series or film, I've ever seen. Spielberg deviates a little bit from the book, but, as the kids say today, it is awesome! You really should see it.
By the way, I see we are almost neighbors; I live right near the Chantilly-Fairfax line.....

I'll take your recommendation on BoB. Now if I can just get the wife to do the same!...Actually, she watched "Downfall" with me and enjoyed it so maybe she will go for BoB.

The DC area seems to be well-seeded with warmongers like us. My email is panzerbaer@aol.com and if you feel like discussing topics/projects feel free to drop me a line.

[Jim Baker]

Ahhhh.........

The man with the white cat.

How you been brother? Still in beautiful Hawaii?? Hope all is well. Excellent post. I'd love to have met these guys.

FL, Homer is right. BoB is great as are the books. Watching it 100 times might be a little much, but sure worth a few times.

[EKman]

Ahhhh.........

The man with the white cat.

How you been brother? Still in beautiful Hawaii?? Hope all is well. Excellent post. I'd love to have met these guys.

FL, Homer is right. BoB is great as are the books. Watching it 100 times might be a little much, but sure worth a few times.

Jim! Long time no see...so to speak. Things are good. Yes, still toiling away for Uncle Sam here in Hawaii, but my sentence is over next October. Then it's back to Arkansas and the wonderful world of public school teaching.