New HBO "Pacific" Series

[Mike]

Manila John was quite a guy. The video does not mention it , but when he was earning the MOH in the Solomons , Mussulini's Fascist forces were killing and crippling Americans & their allies in North Africa.

Hi, what's your point? Mike

[campperrykid]

Hi, what's your point? Mike

What's your's?





John Basilone's parents were both immigrants -- even though , at one time the exact birthplace of his Mother was open to some question. ... Details can be found in the Ambrose companion book to the HBO series.
Or , very briefly , here:
John Basilone - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.

In my view , Manila John Basilone is yet another example of the contributions that people who are not very far removed from the old country have made to the USA. That is a recurring theme in American history. Some times they face a certain amount of prejudice -- from some misguided individuals -- as they go about their lives.

[Ken C.]

I beleive that one of the young men that fought and died there with the 37th went by the name of Roger Young. Roger Young grew up in the small town of Clyde Ohio. When war broke out he tried every branch of the service and was turned down because of poor eyesight. To get into the Guard he memorized the chart and snuck in. Young covered a grenade with his body to save his brother soldiers and was awarded the CMH. The local Cemetary is named in his honor.

I remember the tune of the Roger Young song, but have forgotten most of the words. It started out "On the island of New Georgia in the Solomons"
and part said "But in every soldiers heart in all the infantry, shines the name, shines the name of Roger Young".
It was a long time ago.

[Mike D]

On July 31st 1943 a bloody round in the battle for the Solomon Islands
Was being fought in the tangled jungle of the island of New Georgia
This is the story of one of the young men who fought and died there
This song is respectfully dedicated to those heroic infantrymen
Who like Roger Young have sacrificed their lives
That their nation might remain forever free


Oh, they've got no time for glory in the infantry
Oh, they've got no time for praises loudly sung
But in every soldier's heart in all the infantry
Shines the name, shines the name of Roger Young

Shines the name - Roger Young
Fought and died for the men he marched among
In the everlasting glory of the infantry
Shines the name of Private Roger Young

Caught in ambush lay a company of riflemen
Just grenades against machine guns in the gloom
Caught in ambush till this one of twenty riflemen
Volunteered volunteered to meet his doom

Volunteered Roger Young
Fought and died for the men he marched among
In the everlasting courage of the infantry
Was the courage of Private Roger Young

It was he who drew the fire of the enemy
That a company of men might live to fight;
And before the deadly fire of the enemy,
Stood the man, stood the man we hail tonight.

Stood the man, Roger Young,
Fought and died for the men he marched among;
Like the everlasting spirit of the infantry,
Was the spirit of Private Rodger Young.

On the island of New Georgia in the Solomons
Stands a simple wooden cross alone to tell
That beneath the silent coral of the Solomons
Sleeps a man sleeps a man remembered well

Sleeps a man Roger Young
Fought and died for the men he marched among
In the everlasting glory of the infantry
Lives the story of Private Roger Young

This is an old Jim Reeves song. Found it here - Lyrics

[campperrykid]

There were a couple of posts about the Philippines . Here's a painting of the last known horse cavalry charge in US Army history. The attack was made by a platoon of the US 26th Cavalry ( Philippine Scouts ) on 16 Jan 1942.

Edwin Price Ramsey - Official Website

The map and letter on the right can be clicked for more details. The Lt was an interesting guy. He was very skinny by the end of the war and later worked in Japan as an aircraft salesman.

[campperrykid]

Some new scheduling and other info about the series.
(2010) - Episode list
Viewer ratings are very high and rising.

Lots of milsurps in this movie -- a few mistakes like 03a3's instead of 1903's on the Canal -- but still not bad for TV.

[Brit plumber]

Some nice 1917A1s too.