Been watching Band of Brothers (and reading the book)...

[AJMD429]

.
...but came across this interview - https://youtu.be/1Zyxh0gvdGA

Pretty interesting - he reminds me of the likes of Elmer Keith or Charles Askins.

A podcast about him - but I found the interview above more interesting - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ucJDzgc8_cI

The 20th Century was an amazing mix of old-school badassery, and new-fangled technology. I know a friend whose grandfather remembered as a child when Custer was killed, yet lived long enough to see men land on the moon, so pretty huge cultural transition...!

[JimT]

I was a good friend with Jim Hardy and his wife of Cave Creek, AZ. Jim was born in 1875 and died in 1978 at 103. He was sharp all his older life, ran a trapline until he was 101. He drove his jeep around Cave Creek but when he went to Phoenix to shop he had my wife drive them. We took him to the DMV to renew his drivers license in 1973. The guy waiting on him said, "There's a misprint on your birthday." And Jim asked what it was. The guy said, "It says you were born in 1873." and Jim said, "So? I was." They restricted him to driving within 3 or 4 miles of his home, which was fine with him. He just wanted to go to the store and Post Office.

He was in the Army during the war in the Philippines, fought in Cuba during the Spanish/American War, went with Pershing into Mexico after Pancho Villa and fought in WWI. He was a US Marshall in Arizona Territory and had been in quite a few scrapes. I helped take care of him a few times and with his shirt off there were a few obvious bullet and knife wounds.

He told me about following a bandit up to Bumblebee, AZ and losing track of him. On the way home the bandit ambushed him and shot him off his horse. I asked, "What did you do?" and he said, "NOTHIN'! I just laid there until he rode away. If I had moved he would've shot me again!"

This is a photo of him at over 100 leading the parade in Cave Creek, sitting a Vadelia saddle that he rebuilt himself from the tree up they year before.

jim_hardy.jpg

[GunnyMack]

Truly the best this country ever produced were those that fought the two world wars.( not to mention your friend Jim!)
Easy Company were just one company that had to deal with , endure the unthinkable and survive. Each and every soldier, marine went through stuff our imagination can't begin to fathom.

[Paladin]

I watched all of the Band of Brothers in one sitting on a day off in Africa in 2003. It was the last time, I guess I am due. They were still teaching Lt Winters tactics on the gun positions in IOBC (Infantry Officers Basic Course) in 1987 when I went through it.

[KWK]

I was a good friend with Jim Hardy and his wife of Cave Creek, AZ. Jim was born in 1875 and died in 1978 at 103. He was sharp all his older life...

Interesting read that.

[TraderVic]

Early in my career with USDA, Soil Conservation Service, we had an older gentleman who was our State Forester (Wisconsin), George Alley.
George retired quite some time ago. Fast forward to several years ago, I read George's obituary (he made it to 95) and was floored to say the least.
George was a paratrooper with the 506th PIR.
He was a soft spoken man, worst handwriting ever, loved his work in our agency. He never spoke of WW II or anything about it.

Truly one of the many heroes !!

[gamekeeper]

Time Team dig the Band of Brothers camp in England.
https://youtu.be/f_RRt6B-dxY

[OldWin]

My wife has a cousin that lives in South Philly. Her husband is a retired history teacher and had lived in the neighborhood all his life. It happened to be the same neighborhood that Babe Heffron and Bill Guarnere lived in and he knew them well.
We went to visit them one time and Johnny took me to meet Babe Heffron. We sat in his church and shot the bull for quite awhile. It was an unforgettable experience. And I treasure every second. He was an incredible man, and still full of vinegar, even at his advanced age.
Wild Bill was busy that day, so I didn't get to see him. Sadly, he passed before I got back down there again.
I brought Babe and Bill's book along, and Babe signed it for me.

[Rube Burrows]

Band of Brothers and Lonesome Dove are my top two mini series ever.

I really like how Band Of Brothers takes you from boot camp through the end of the war. Lets you get to know the people in the show and grow to like them. When/if something happens to one of them you feel a sadness. Like losing someone you know. The interviews at the beginning of each one really drives home that its not just a movie but a real life story of great men. Pretty amazing.