tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7684531976778247960.post3153986516611161303..comments2024-03-28T16:26:35.679-07:00Comments on Chant du Départ: Good News, Bad NewsOldAFSargehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15935839956936191547noreply@blogger.comBlogger20125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7684531976778247960.post-66987794883105964072020-10-05T04:07:09.849-07:002020-10-05T04:07:09.849-07:00The city or the forest? The frying pan or the fire...The city or the forest? The frying pan or the fire? Neither is a good choice.OldAFSargehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15935839956936191547noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7684531976778247960.post-89361922413620152722020-10-04T20:45:19.782-07:002020-10-04T20:45:19.782-07:00The credits from the movie made me think, a) they ...The credits from the movie made me think, a) they misspelled Zweifall, and b) what was Black Entertainment Television (BET) doing there in WWII? Then I thought BET must stand for something else but have no idea what.<br /><br />Another good episode - maybe they'll wish they had been sent to the city instead of the possible poop they are going to encounter in the forest.Tom in NChttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03576958446243001152noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7684531976778247960.post-6805097381942417782020-10-04T13:06:37.752-07:002020-10-04T13:06:37.752-07:00I believe it was.I believe it was.OldAFSargehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15935839956936191547noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7684531976778247960.post-58274814158360457292020-10-04T12:46:56.100-07:002020-10-04T12:46:56.100-07:00I watched the video on the desktop. What a miserab...I watched the video on the desktop. What a miserable job using a hatchet to clear trees for the tank. I thought this was a re-enactment until I saw the Germans surrendering. Those little fires - was that sterno - GI issue? Williamhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05720206407574457665noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7684531976778247960.post-18888588101815545182020-10-04T10:56:50.184-07:002020-10-04T10:56:50.184-07:00Well, that accomplishes a couple of my objectives:...Well, that accomplishes a couple of my objectives: entertain and enlighten.<br /><br />Now if I could make it remunerative, it would accomplish the mission in toto.OldAFSargehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15935839956936191547noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7684531976778247960.post-65233158633571844372020-10-04T10:55:29.795-07:002020-10-04T10:55:29.795-07:00Indeed!Indeed!OldAFSargehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15935839956936191547noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7684531976778247960.post-20890699779563578302020-10-04T10:54:06.485-07:002020-10-04T10:54:06.485-07:00Not to mention the other chaps shooting at you.Not to mention the other chaps shooting at you.OldAFSargehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15935839956936191547noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7684531976778247960.post-23434972514785864622020-10-04T10:50:31.654-07:002020-10-04T10:50:31.654-07:00The story is great, well told, and engaging.
The c...The story is great, well told, and engaging.<br />The carefully selected images really add a lot, and I hope the print edition will be able to include most of them. <br />The video was especially appropriate. Thanks for the extra effort to find and include these.<br /><br />Stuff like that take this from "entertaining" to enlightening and understanding, and deeper respect for the actual people who were there.<br />John BlackshowAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7684531976778247960.post-2528649319053713932020-10-04T09:43:50.864-07:002020-10-04T09:43:50.864-07:00It's even more awe-inspiring when you have the...It's even more awe-inspiring when you have the correct kit for the weather. Not so awe-inspiring when you are frozen to the core and damp with no warm food or drink, not being able to keep a fire.Beanshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15293778848879361153noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7684531976778247960.post-90330295058937818752020-10-04T09:42:16.751-07:002020-10-04T09:42:16.751-07:00For once I read all the comments before commenting...For once I read all the comments before commenting, but...<br /><br />As you noted, by October, our ability to resupply and re-equip was fragile. Didn't help that winter gear wasn't seen as a priority item until, oh, around DECEMBER!. We experienced the same thing Rommel's troops did in their dash across France. Worn equipment, at the arse end past the edge of resupply.<br /><br />And no hot meals? Unheard of! Spoiled children these Ami be (which is how a lot of Germans, French and some Brits felt about us, the jealous little snots...)<br /><br />So. The movie. <br /><br />The woods look like almost a rain-forest, moss-covered ground covered by pine needles. Not the place for US tanks with road-tracks on (our tracks had rubber pads on each plate so as to get better traction and wear the metal part less when on roads. The rubber did not give as good traction in wet slimy conditions like mud or, well, mossy forest floor.)<br /><br />That one guy who almost became one with the tree via tank? Lucky. He should have crossed on the other side of the tree away from the tank. And... weird. Each M4 was equipped, from the depot, with a shovel, an ax, a pickax and 2 massive prybars. So why do they have some infantry going 'tink, tink, tink' with a camp hatchet? Just shows the effect of scrounging and equipment loss once the tank leaves depot, doesn't it.<br /><br />And that one tank that falls into the hole, can you tell what it fell into? Looked like to me some ancient stone cellar, but was it some forgotten haunted tomb of some unspeakable horror?...<br /><br />As to the guys warming their food, well, they should have dug shallow holes so the fire was below the ground level. Bad enough they're just sitting around facing away from any possible enemy contact, but to have open fires (even small ones) is just too much. Bad boys. You'll learn. Oh, you'll learn.<br /><br />Back to the story... no winter gear. Gets downright cold in late October it does...Beanshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15293778848879361153noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7684531976778247960.post-49914835108134328722020-10-04T08:24:24.532-07:002020-10-04T08:24:24.532-07:00There is a rare beauty in such a thing, as uncomfo...There is a rare beauty in such a thing, as uncomfortable as it might be, it's still awe inspiring.OldAFSargehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15935839956936191547noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7684531976778247960.post-40137191397063972302020-10-04T07:49:11.348-07:002020-10-04T07:49:11.348-07:00Wow, that video brings back some memories. It was ...Wow, that video brings back some memories. It was only 16 years later that I found myself eating c-rats and drinking coffee from a canteen cup in those woods. First time out to our alert area I was the "new guy" so I wound up on KP. November in Germany, in the woods, sleeping in the snow. Priceless.Flugelmanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00158548139451148587noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7684531976778247960.post-6573262939355493332020-10-04T07:11:08.330-07:002020-10-04T07:11:08.330-07:00The fall of 1944 along the western border of Germa...The fall of 1944 along the western border of Germany was no place to be for all the reasons you mention.<br /><br />Still, the troops got it done.OldAFSargehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15935839956936191547noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7684531976778247960.post-35142977206913019712020-10-04T07:03:22.963-07:002020-10-04T07:03:22.963-07:00"Be All You Can Be"... "Army of One..."Be All You Can Be"... "Army of One"... "Army Strong"..."What's Your Warrior". Of course back in WWII there was a draft, been a need to entice volunteers since 1973. Like TB above said, summer clothing, cold rations, only ammo what you have ON you, no arty/air, and in the forest......with rain dripping.... oh boy. Nylon12noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7684531976778247960.post-29665918266630966042020-10-04T06:31:52.197-07:002020-10-04T06:31:52.197-07:00All good thoughts. Thanks William.All good thoughts. Thanks William.OldAFSargehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15935839956936191547noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7684531976778247960.post-74073558013168427672020-10-04T06:31:10.228-07:002020-10-04T06:31:10.228-07:00Heh, enlist they said, it'll be fun they said....Heh, enlist they said, it'll be fun they said.<br /><br />Or something to that effect...OldAFSargehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15935839956936191547noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7684531976778247960.post-39601435029445519402020-10-04T06:30:33.191-07:002020-10-04T06:30:33.191-07:00Argh! Thanks for bring that to my attention Patric...Argh! Thanks for bring that to my attention Patrick. I think I'm getting dyslexic or something. I have autocorrect turned off (as Google isn't that smart) but sometimes my fingers will type something other than what I had in mind. D'oh!<br /><br />I really want to come at this story from both sides of the war. Regardless of the ideologies involved, both sides were made up of people, good and bad.OldAFSargehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15935839956936191547noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7684531976778247960.post-22152560510189735752020-10-04T06:26:01.025-07:002020-10-04T06:26:01.025-07:00Cold, wet, no resupply, no support. What could po...Cold, wet, no resupply, no support. What could possibly go wrong?Toirdhealbheach Beucailhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14872794169534403463noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7684531976778247960.post-75316612400430051162020-10-04T03:33:51.863-07:002020-10-04T03:33:51.863-07:00Great Siri Sarge I wake up from insomnia at 0331 a...Great Siri Sarge I wake up from insomnia at 0331 and this is the first place I go<br /><br />Some thoughts as I read that<br /><br />As you conveyed what a horrible thing it would be to see all that carnage from the artillery, even if it is your enemy <br /><br />What a horrible thing it would’ve been for those Germans to see their COkill himself<br /><br />If I were in that unit stuck out in the dirt and the filth in the blood about that time I’d wonder how navy life is. <br /><br />Except the thought of being torpedoed while your five decks below is not appealing either<br /><br />And where are those Germans going to go fleeing the city?<br /><br />A rhetorical question I believe<br /><br />I wonder how long the average infantry man had to march every day during this time?Williamhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05720206407574457665noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7684531976778247960.post-918184004819375002020-10-04T03:18:52.567-07:002020-10-04T03:18:52.567-07:00"separation being the living and the deceased..."separation being the living and the deceased" Pretty sure you meant "...between...", Sarge.<br /><br />Thanks for plugging away at it. On the one hand it's entertainment, but on the other hand, it's the age old therapy for the warrior to see the suffering and destruction beyond what he or she has personally experienced. Puts things in a different perspective to have to look past you own plight to that of others and see that you maybe haven't had it quite so bad as you thought.<br />Have a righteous Sunday!Tank Killerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01955019760069183088noreply@blogger.com