11-016 Garand Picture of the Day -Saipan, Marianas Islands

[Mark in Rochester]

American soldier pointing rifle into bunker during fighting in final days of invasion.
Location: Saipan, Marianas Islands
Date taken: 1944
Photographer: W. Eugene Smith

Information

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[Bob Seijas]

FWIW, I didn't think "The Pacific" was nearly as good as "BoB" -- the Pacific war was jus slogging through, as your photo shows. Besides, who could be a better bad guy than the SS?

[browningautorifle]

I didn't find Pacific nearly as good as BOB. I still can't figure why I didn't think it was as good. But I deleted it from the PBR and kept BOB.

[Bob Womack]

Part of it might have been the "war is hell and then you die" attitude that ran through it. Another part may have been the fact that they didn't communicate respect for the characters. And then, of course, they didn't show much of the heroism of those involved. When there was heroism, they didn't glorify it but just kind of recorded it,click, click, click. Instead they seemed to wallow in the faults, failings, heartbreak, and ugliness. More time spent on an Australian affair than on heroism.

Remember that the book, Band of Brothers, was a study by Ambrose of a very close-knit group of men who never stopped being a close-knit group of men. There was virtue and hard-won mutual respect there that survived the decades. They didn't choose a similar book for "The Pacific," with the result that we got "TV is hell and then your interest dies." My own little review.

Bob

[browningautorifle]

On the other hand, I do have both books here written by Sledge and Leckie. Read them years ago so when they appeared I knew immediately who they were. I didn't know about the other book. I had never heard of 506 PIR specificly. And yes, far too much time spent on an Austrailian affair.

[ledge]

Want to destory a possible good war movie just throw in a love affair, kills it every time.

[Bob Seijas]

Amen, ledge, don't try to appeal to women by putting a romance angle in a war movie, they just don't like 'em and the guys get bored.

I agree with all the review comments above, and even the combat scenes were far inferior to those in BoB. I read both books, too, and while they were good, they had too much Australa and Pavuvu in them. Five minutes of how Basilone earned The Medal and 30 minutes of his selling war bonds?

I sure wish the BoB team would make a movie on "The Last Stand of Fox Company."

[TerryS]

That hot brass in the face is going to smart.

[Bob Womack]

Did anyone notice that this is a reversed negative? Op rod handle on the left.

[browningautorifle]

Maybe it's one of those ultra rare left hand Garands we hear about.