Veterans Day Stuff - Part II
Continuing to salute our nation's veterans
Some of the famed Tuskegee Airmen.
Chappie James did not see combat during WWII but he did during Korea and Vietnam. He also became the first African-American to be promoted to four-star General.
Trailer for the 2012 movie Red Tails.
A B-25 bomber like the 16 that bombed Tokyo in the famed "Doolittle Raid."
Second from left is then Lt Colonel Jimmy Doolittle. He was awarded the Medal of Honor for leading the bombing raid on Tokyo. He would ultimately rise to the rank of Lt. General. Worthy of note is that General Doolittle was one of the earliest proponents of desegregation of the military.
Trailer for the 1944 film Thirty Seconds Over Tokyo, telling the story of The Doolittle Raid
A landing craft about to deliver troops to the beach during the D-Day invasion of France
Trailer for the 1998 film Saving Private Ryan. This movie contains one of best depictions of the violence, death and bravery seen as the Allies invaded Normandy. Steven Spielberg won the second of his two Best Director Oscars for this movie.
U. S. Marines making an amphibious landing at Inchon during the Korean War
I wanted to include a clip of the 1982 film Inchon! but couldn't find one that was of good enough quality to share. Produced by the Reverend Sun Myung Moon, it was the biggest war film flop in history when released.
Then Colonel Lewis B "Chesty" Puller during the Korean War. The only person in the history of the U. S. military to be awarded six Distinguished Service/Navy Crosses. Two of those were earned during the Korean war, one of them for his actions during the Battle of Chosin Reservoir
.
Trailer for the brilliant 1970 film M*A*S*H.
Trailer for the 1953 film The Bridges at Toko-Ri.
Last sequence of The Bridges at Toko-Ri. The quality of the video is poor, but the scene is so powerful it's worth a view. This is my personal favorite performance of Mickey Rooney.
The helicopters of the Vietnam War. Their first use as life-takers rather than life-savers, although many American lives were saved by the brave men who were chopper pilots during Vietnam.
Major Bruce Crandall was awarded the Medal of Honor for making 14 helicopter flights in an unarmed chopper into a firefight during the Battle of Ia Drang. He evacuated at least 75 casualties from the battle while delivering critical supplies and ammo.
John Vast, a Green Beret during Vietnam with Montagnard soldiers during the Vietnam War. 40 years later, he would arrange for the return of a North Vietnamese soldier's helmet to the family of the man who died wearing it. He'd taken it as a souvenir.
This is a clip from the 1968 movie The Green Berets. Jim Hutton as "Sergeant Peterson" dies a horrific death as he's caught in a booby trap.
Marine Corps Gunnery Sergeant Carlos Hathcock. He was a Scout/Sniper during Vietnam who had 93 confirmed kills. Gunny Hathcock estimated his actual kill total at between 300 and 400.
2nd from left is Colonel Arthur "Bull" Simons. This is from the press briefing following the Raid on Son Tay, which was planned and led by Colonel Simons. He was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross personally by President Nixon. He gained more fame later in life when he organized the rescue of some of H. Ross Perot's employees from Iran before the U. S. Embassy was seized.
A replica of the "unofficial" unit patch of the Son Tay Raiders. KITD = Kept In The Dark. FOHS = Fed Only Horse Shit.
A clip from the 1987 movie Good Morning Vietnam. The late Bruno Kirby was outstanding as straight-man to Robin Williams. Did you know that Wheel of Fortune's Pat Sajak was a real AFVN DJ during Vietnam?
January 1973, the U. S. POWs are released.
U.S. Air Force pilot Lance Sijan. Shot down on his 52nd combat mission, he managed to escape capture for 46 days in spite of a fractured skull, a compound fracture of his left leg and having no survival kit. After he was captured he managed to incapacitate a guard and escape, only to be recaptured hours later. He received the Medal of Honor for his bravery, posthumously. The USAF now has the Lance Sijan Award, for outstanding leadership.
One of the last helicopters evacuating people from a building often misidentified as the U.S. Embassy as Saigon falls on April 30, 1975. It was the largest helicopter evacuation in history.
The haunting beginning of the 1979 film Apocalypse Now. It marks the end of Part II of Veterans Day Stuff. The third and final part coming soon.
Some of the famed Tuskegee Airmen.
Chappie James did not see combat during WWII but he did during Korea and Vietnam. He also became the first African-American to be promoted to four-star General.
Trailer for the 2012 movie Red Tails.
A B-25 bomber like the 16 that bombed Tokyo in the famed "Doolittle Raid."
Second from left is then Lt Colonel Jimmy Doolittle. He was awarded the Medal of Honor for leading the bombing raid on Tokyo. He would ultimately rise to the rank of Lt. General. Worthy of note is that General Doolittle was one of the earliest proponents of desegregation of the military.
Trailer for the 1944 film Thirty Seconds Over Tokyo, telling the story of The Doolittle Raid
A landing craft about to deliver troops to the beach during the D-Day invasion of France
Trailer for the 1998 film Saving Private Ryan. This movie contains one of best depictions of the violence, death and bravery seen as the Allies invaded Normandy. Steven Spielberg won the second of his two Best Director Oscars for this movie.
U. S. Marines making an amphibious landing at Inchon during the Korean War
I wanted to include a clip of the 1982 film Inchon! but couldn't find one that was of good enough quality to share. Produced by the Reverend Sun Myung Moon, it was the biggest war film flop in history when released.
Then Colonel Lewis B "Chesty" Puller during the Korean War. The only person in the history of the U. S. military to be awarded six Distinguished Service/Navy Crosses. Two of those were earned during the Korean war, one of them for his actions during the Battle of Chosin Reservoir
Trailer for the brilliant 1970 film M*A*S*H.
Trailer for the 1953 film The Bridges at Toko-Ri.
Last sequence of The Bridges at Toko-Ri. The quality of the video is poor, but the scene is so powerful it's worth a view. This is my personal favorite performance of Mickey Rooney.
The helicopters of the Vietnam War. Their first use as life-takers rather than life-savers, although many American lives were saved by the brave men who were chopper pilots during Vietnam.
Major Bruce Crandall was awarded the Medal of Honor for making 14 helicopter flights in an unarmed chopper into a firefight during the Battle of Ia Drang. He evacuated at least 75 casualties from the battle while delivering critical supplies and ammo.
John Vast, a Green Beret during Vietnam with Montagnard soldiers during the Vietnam War. 40 years later, he would arrange for the return of a North Vietnamese soldier's helmet to the family of the man who died wearing it. He'd taken it as a souvenir.
This is a clip from the 1968 movie The Green Berets. Jim Hutton as "Sergeant Peterson" dies a horrific death as he's caught in a booby trap.
Marine Corps Gunnery Sergeant Carlos Hathcock. He was a Scout/Sniper during Vietnam who had 93 confirmed kills. Gunny Hathcock estimated his actual kill total at between 300 and 400.
2nd from left is Colonel Arthur "Bull" Simons. This is from the press briefing following the Raid on Son Tay, which was planned and led by Colonel Simons. He was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross personally by President Nixon. He gained more fame later in life when he organized the rescue of some of H. Ross Perot's employees from Iran before the U. S. Embassy was seized.
A replica of the "unofficial" unit patch of the Son Tay Raiders. KITD = Kept In The Dark. FOHS = Fed Only Horse Shit.
A clip from the 1987 movie Good Morning Vietnam. The late Bruno Kirby was outstanding as straight-man to Robin Williams. Did you know that Wheel of Fortune's Pat Sajak was a real AFVN DJ during Vietnam?
January 1973, the U. S. POWs are released.
U.S. Air Force pilot Lance Sijan. Shot down on his 52nd combat mission, he managed to escape capture for 46 days in spite of a fractured skull, a compound fracture of his left leg and having no survival kit. After he was captured he managed to incapacitate a guard and escape, only to be recaptured hours later. He received the Medal of Honor for his bravery, posthumously. The USAF now has the Lance Sijan Award, for outstanding leadership.
One of the last helicopters evacuating people from a building often misidentified as the U.S. Embassy as Saigon falls on April 30, 1975. It was the largest helicopter evacuation in history.
The haunting beginning of the 1979 film Apocalypse Now. It marks the end of Part II of Veterans Day Stuff. The third and final part coming soon.
posted by me at 8:31 AM
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