Marinestan

Townhall.com ^ | May 20, 2010 | Victor Davis Hanson

[wordsofearnest]

I would agree also, but from my limited knowledge I believe it captured the essence of the Pacific Theater. The distances and the fact that it was an island hopping campaign makes it very different from the eleven months from D-Day to VE day.

I’m sure we only got a glimpse of the savagery our forces had to face.

[Old Teufel Hunden]

"I’m sure we only got a glimpse of the savagery our forces had to face."

Yes, if you want to see that more, read the books it was based on. With the Old Breed by Sledge and Helmet for my Pillow by Leckie. Sometimes, a movie can only tell so much of the story where a book can get far more in depth. I felt that the series might have moved along too quickly because it was covering a lot of ground. It had to skip over a lot of important points.

[Old Teufel Hunden]

"The distances and the fact that it was an island hopping campaign makes it very different from the eleven months from D-Day to VE day."

Perhaps I'm biased because I'm a jarhead, but truly for America the war in the Pacific was far more important than the war in Europe. For one thing, it was the Japanese, not the Germans that attacked us. For another, our vital interests were being threatened far more in Asia than they were in Europe.

I'm not minimizing the war in Europe. We had to fight Hitler just for the sheer evil and atrocities that were being committed. However, from the standpoint of American interests, the Pacific theater was far more important. Germany was never going to launch an invasion on us. Hitler couldn't mount an invasion across the English channel much less the Atlantic ocean. Yet, I've always felts that in the minds of the public, the war in Europe has always been looked upon as the more important theater.

[muawiyah]

They fought their way out past the 1/15. All histories note that.

I know some Marines would like to forget that, but it wasn't a case of the Army "linking up with" them, just being there. They were there.

[Old Teufel Hunden]

"I know some Marines would like to forget that, but it wasn't a case of the Army "linking up with" them, just being there. They were there."

I'm not going to argue with you. I don't know anything about Army unit 1/15. I'm telling you that 1st Mar Div broke out of the Chosen Chinese Cordon and fought their way back to the port of Hugnam where they were evacuated by ship along with a lot of other Army units. The only support they received was fire support from X corps of which they were part of.

I'm not afraid to admit if the Army helped out the Marines. The X Corps was made up of the 7th infantry division and ROK units. So the Army did help out in fire support.

[Keith Brown]

Good point.

But we know how it was going to go when obammy insulted the Marines during his campaign.

Then the Marines blew him of when he tried to hang out with them at the K bay chow hall.

Good times.

[muawiyah]

Yes, fur shur, everybody was up to their eyeballs in Chicom troops at Chosen. DOD has a continuing series of posters that reflect various battle situations. One that struck me was a tank or mobile artillery piece firing in close proximity to Chicoms trying to overrun American troops.

I've talked to some guys who swore they were in that one ~

[Lurker]

"The U.S. ambassador to Afghanistan, retired three-star Army General Karl W. Eikenberry, reportedly made a comment about there being 41 nations serving in Afghanistan -- and a 42nd composed of the Marine Corps."

He says it likes it's supposed to be an insult or something. Hell, it's a compliment.

Semper Fi.

[Old Teufel Hunden]

"Then the Marines blew him of when he tried to hang out with them at the K bay chow hall."

3rd Marines blew him off. Who woulda thunk the Marines would not like Barry [/sarcasm]

I was in 3/3 and third Marines at different times. Love Kanehoe Bay. Love the rifle range, right along the water. Similar to the one at Quantico...

[Old Teufel Hunden]

"He says it likes it's supposed to be an insult or something. Hell, it's a compliment."

Exactly!! Semper Fi...

[Keith Brown]

Actually I think it was the Wingers who gave him the cold silence.

Never made it to K bay but was on Okinawa for 2 years.

Semper Yhut!

[Old Teufel Hunden]

One thing about K-Bay, its not a big base, but after you get in the front gate, the road goes straight down to the Regimental (I believe, I kind of forget) CO’s building. That road is the divider line. On the left as you go down is the Air Wing side and on the right is the Infantry side. And boy can you tell the difference.

I’m a weird one about Okinawa. I love Camp Schwab. It’s the camp farthest north and furthest away from society. That’s why most Marines hate it. But it has the best beaches to swim and snorkle on. That’s why I loved it. It’s just so dang hot and humid there!!

[Keith Brown]

Yeah

And I hate the rifle range at Schwab... the winds coming in from both sides of the point blow the little 556’s around at the 500 meter line!

[Old Teufel Hunden]

"And I hate the rifle range at Schwab"

I felt the best shooting I ever did was at that range. It was only about a 225, but it was during terrible tsunami like conditions. You know how it gets there. A lot of multi award experts were po'd that day because they didn't shoot expert.

Semper Fi brother...

[Keith Brown]

That happened to me there!

Shot a pizza box that day....I am still p*ssed to this day!

This wasnt in ‘91 by chance was it?

LOL!!!

[Old Teufel Hunden]

"This wasnt in ‘91 by chance was it?"

I think it was. I was in 2/5 at the time. We got back from the Gulf in May of 1991 I believe and went on that Okinawa pump to Camp Schwab in August of 1991. I want to say I went to the range about September (???) of 1991. My best score ever was a 238 on Pendleton's range. I was a multi award expert and had been a range coach numerous times. That may have been one of the lower expert I ever shot, but it was the best because of the conditions. Do you remember trying to do offhand in that? Brutal!!!!

[Keith Brown]

LOL!

I was a winger with MWSG 17 and yeah the R/O’s we trying to decide to close the range or not that day.

BTW by chance you werent a skinny dude w Calvin and Hobbs tatoos or a buffed out guy who was pissed because he was TAD to s-1?

We were in the butts together.

[Old Teufel Hunden]

Wasn’t me. Though I did always like Calvin and Hobbes. I wish that dude had not quit creating that cartoon. I wasn’t expecting them to close the range. In all my years, I never saw a range closed down on qual day. Just doesn’t happen. They’ll have you out there at midnight with lamps to light up the targets if they have to!! Seriously, I have heard of times when they cancelled it and had people come back on Saturday. Usually only happens during a thunderstorm.

[Keith Brown]

Yeah we had a typhoon bearing down on us and they didnt want to canx the range .....so we were firing into the wind...literally!

Semper Yhut!

[MinorityRepublican]

Bttt