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Post by randallboggs on Feb 4, 2007 15:55:32 GMT -5
Hey everyone, I know I haven't been around as much as I should be, (and yes I've offered to resign if anyone feels that my dereliction of duty was a bit much) but for right now, you fellow history buffs should find this interesting.....
I just got done interviewing Mr. Frank Perconte, a member of Easy Company which featured was prominently in Band of Brothers. He's in 9 of the 10 episodes I believe, and this was part of my Sophomore Thesis project. I'm also trying to secure an interview with Major Dick Winters, the man who was the subject of Stephen Ambrose's "Biggest Brother" book, who had commanded Easy Company in France and a part of Holland before being promoted to Battalion XO. It was highly interesting today and truly a once in a lifetime oppurtunity.
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Post by letminlt on Feb 4, 2007 16:16:52 GMT -5
That is awesome.
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Post by zarog on Feb 4, 2007 18:48:08 GMT -5
That is cool.
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Post by caserdonian12 on Feb 4, 2007 20:09:52 GMT -5
I love the Band of Brothers!
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Post by Renegade Replicant on Feb 6, 2007 20:34:43 GMT -5
Just curious, how did you come about arranging these interviews?
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Post by randallboggs on Feb 12, 2007 9:26:34 GMT -5
I contacted the Easy Company Association's website and asked the webmaster there if any of them were free for an interview Of course a lot of them HAVE retired this past year from public life and the survivors are down to only a few now. Btw Caserdonian kind of OT with that post there, ESPECIALLY since you have already posted it elsewhere.....
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Post by caserdonian12 on Feb 14, 2007 9:35:26 GMT -5
Um.... that wasnt me. I believe that was RR who decided to make that little comment!
Yeah, but that is really kind of cool.
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Post by Renegade Replicant on Feb 14, 2007 22:05:48 GMT -5
Um.... that wasnt me. I believe that was RR who decided to make that little comment! Yeah, but that is really kind of cool. It would say "last modified by Renegade Replicant on..." if I had .
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Post by randallboggs on Feb 14, 2007 22:27:05 GMT -5
Well yeah I DID consider it quite an honor.
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Post by Renegade Replicant on Feb 14, 2007 22:36:25 GMT -5
Well I'd assume so.
Its hard to even get the chance to even interview a WW II vet considering that there aren't very many left...
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Post by randallboggs on Feb 14, 2007 22:40:10 GMT -5
Yeah I know......my Joe Pesci shooin professor is gonna have a tough time doing that assingment another 10-20 years down the road. Still.....a lot of these guys are really humble about it, despite accomplishing great things.....though I guess they don't see it like that.
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Post by Renegade Replicant on Feb 14, 2007 22:43:14 GMT -5
My grandfather was just barely too young to go into the war. He could have gone in at the tail end, but made the wise choice to stick it out (he would have been sent to Iwo Jima).
He's a navy man and ended up in the Korean conflict. He was a lieutenant of sorts (I'm unsure which) on an aircraft carrier.
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Post by randallboggs on Feb 14, 2007 22:47:14 GMT -5
Yeah my maternal grandfather served in the Pacific War, though I lack details, my mom interviewed him, has it all on tape, I should ask her about it when I see her next. Never really got to talk much with him about the subject, too young back then. He's passed on of course but I am curious to learn about which vessel he served on as the Pacific War ranks second behind the Civil War in my favorite studies. Sort of a buff of em Iwo Jima eh? Do you know what Carrier he served on?
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Post by Renegade Replicant on Feb 14, 2007 22:50:55 GMT -5
I'm not sure.
He's 78 and still as active as ever around the house. He refuses to stop doing what he loves, despite his age (woodworking, carving, and the likes).
I'll have to ask him next time I talk to him.
He has some rather entertaining "war stories".
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Post by randallboggs on Feb 14, 2007 22:55:59 GMT -5
Yeah 78 WOULD be right on the cusp. My grandfather was in his late 80's when he died but yes, he too would keep right on doing activities.....stained glass windows were his thing actually. Had a shop in his garage for making them.
Yeah the war stories are always enjoyable, Just hearing how someone's been touched by these incidents from a REALLY long time ago in their lives.
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Post by Renegade Replicant on Feb 14, 2007 23:04:31 GMT -5
Yeah, its really interesting. Even though, you were never there, you get this sense of nostalgia.
My grandfather was stationed in Japan (which, to me, is friggin' awesome). His comment on Japan was, "It would have been perfect if there weren't so many damn prostitutes". (probably referring to by the docks... and he was at that time, and still is a married man).
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Post by randallboggs on Feb 14, 2007 23:09:35 GMT -5
Hah yes! And of course at that time Japan was rebuilding and getting back on its feet. Yeah I'd imagine we'd use forward bases there. Apparently the pact we made them sign after bombing them made them promise they'd NEVER again use force to solve their international problems....NEVER....that's pretty strong terms for a nation. Yet at the same time they've grown into such a conglomeration. Being there at the time must've been interesting.
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Post by Renegade Replicant on Feb 14, 2007 23:15:46 GMT -5
Yeah, that pact is actually a huge contributer to their booming economy. While we've spent billions upon billions on military, they've been able to use the money that would have otherwise been spent on military to improve their economy. We kinda screwed ourselves.
Yeah, my grandmother actually still has a kimono that he sent to her while he was there. I'm apparently supposed to inherit this beautiful music box whenever my grandfather deems it... Both are probably worth a decent amount of money.
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Post by randallboggs on Feb 14, 2007 23:18:04 GMT -5
Hah! Yeah when you put it like that that's very true Ohh yes, especially if they're from that time and the music box may be even earlier. My own grandfather left me a Stradivarius violin from the 1770's....that's gotta be worth a lot.
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Post by Renegade Replicant on Feb 14, 2007 23:23:34 GMT -5
Ooh... thats pretty cool. Yeah, the music box was apparently considered an antique at its time... so, who knows? He has some family "relics" from waaay back in his basement, I tend to look through them one of these days (with his permission, of course)...
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