new "Band of Brothers" type movie on the 82nd AB

[Jedburgh OSS]

www.pathfindersfilm.com This is an independent production filmed in Oregon.

 

[DutchIndo]

Most people don't realize that the 82nd has a bigger battle record than the 101st. The 82nd had made combat jumps in the Italian Campaign a year before Normandy. There is a part in BOB that kind of annoys me in "Day of Days" Winters comes across some 82nd guys. The scene implies that the 82nd
guys were new to the game. That was untrue maybe they were replacements
but the 505th (82nd) had I think 2 combat jumps by then. In fact the 504th of the 82nd was so beat up they missed the Normandy jump. Don't get me wrong I've always liked the 101 ever since I saw "Battle Ground" as a kid but the Veterans of the 101 admit they weren't the only ones.

 

[SamMarlowPI]

hopefully they get it as historically accurate as they intend...sound really good...

 

[Spitfire]

A little late for the "airborne hype" - but better late than never for the 82.

 

[MrBern]

Devils in Baggy Pants

Most people don't realize that the 82nd has a bigger battle record than the 101st. The 82nd had made combat jumps in the Italian Campaign a year before Normandy. There is a part in BOB that kind of annoys me in "Day of Days" Winters comes across some 82nd guys. The scene implies that the 82nd
guys were new to the game. That was untrue maybe they were replacements
but the 505th (82nd) had I think 2 combat jumps by then. In fact the 504th of the 82nd was so beat up they missed the Normandy jump. Don't get me wrong I've always liked the 101 ever since I saw "Battle Ground" as a kid but the Veterans of the 101 admit they weren't the only ones.

Yes, the 82nd hasnt gotten enuff recognition for OperationHusky, the invasion of Sicily. Their first combat jump.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operation_HUSKY
THEN they went on to the Italian Campaign.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Italian_Campaign_%28World_War_II%29
They were in the fight long before the 101st.

I believe that two of the 82nd's regiments that went into Normandy werent replacements, but brand new regiments.

Entry found in the diary of a German officer killed at Anzio:

"American parachutists -- devils in baggy pants -- are less than 100 meters from my outpost line. I can't sleep at night; they pop up from nowhere and we never know when or how they will strike next. Seems like the black-hearted devils are everywhere..."

 

[DutchIndo]

MrBern you are correct, the 505th and the 504th (82nd) both were in the Mediterranean. They both had extensive combat experience by Normandy. In fact the men of the 82nd looked down (naturally) at the 101st as a bunch of upstarts. Normandy was the 101st first combat. To muddle this even more the Independant 509th (Gingerbread men) made a combat jump before both the 82nd and the 101st. They did this in North Africa and later on in the war into Southern France. There were quite a few Parachute Regiments during WWII that are being overshadowed because of BOB. Again I am not dumping on the 101st.

 

[MrBern]

Well unfortunately BandofBrothers did a good job of ignoring the other divisions.
The miniseries just barely even mentioned that the 17th as well as the british jumped on the Rhine for OperationVarsity. Ike regarded it as a huge success.
The last & largest airborne operation of WWII.

I know the war photographer RoberCapa jumped into Sicily w/ the 82nd.

I think he may have done a jump in North Africa as well. The first US combat jump of WWII was in Algeria, North Africa. Im not sure if that was by the 82nd or an unattached regiment.

 

[MrBern]

pathfinders

BTW,
I read that the kid who played the young ForrestGUMP is all grown up & will have a part as a paratrooper in PATHFINDERS.

http://apnews.myway.com//article/20080510/D90IMM400.html

 

[Shearer]

BTW,
I read that the kid who played the young ForrestGUMP is all grown up & will have a part as a paratrooper in PATHFINDERS.

http://apnews.myway.com//article/20080510/D90IMM400.html

All grown up and looking pretty much the same as he did then

I hope this film does the 82nd justice.