Starbuck wrote on May 18^th, 2010 at 6:54pm:




Pacific- sorely underecognized, plus my dad served in that theatre and spoke of it very little..........

Good thread (just in time for Memorial Day).

I must admit that I haven't seen one episode of 'The Pacific' yet (no HBO), though a buddy has told me that it moves at a much faster clip than 'Band of Brothers'- less inter-personal dynamics, fewer lead characters, more prolonged combat sequences, etc.

'Band of Brothers' was brilliant. And not to highjack this thread, but my dad contacted Dr. Stephen Ambrose (the author of 'Band of Brothers') shortly before Ambrose's death for help/advice in publishing/promoting his own World War II memoir, "Shavetail: The Odyssey of an Infantry Lieutenant in World War II". (My dad served in E Co., 330th Infantry Regiment, 83rd Division in Western Europe- France, Belgium, Luxembourg, Germany; 2 Purple Hearts and 1 Bronze Star).
The book was eventually published by North Star Press of St. Cloud, MN. The book is available, signed by the author-my dad- for $18 (US) by PMing me or contacting [email protected]. And he will be speaking at a couple functions in the Twin Cities next week for Memorial Day.
Here are some reviews from a poster I made up for a speaking engagement at Garrison Kelliors Common Ground bookstore in St. Paul:

         Praise For “Shavetail”

“It is a brutally honest recounting of what war is all about...It is an excellent book for anyone with an interest in the history of the military profession or World War II, and especially for cadets or young officers.”
-Editors Shelf, Parameters: US Army War College Quarterly, August 2003

“Vivid, clear, riveting...one who reads it could not easily forget it or not be moved by it. It brought me to tears many times for the sheer light it cast from the soul. ‘Shavetail’ reminds me of ‘All Quiet on the Western Front’, ‘A Bell For Adono’, but most of all ‘The Red Badge of Courage’, all works that I have taught.”
-Patricia G. Bard, ED.D, English teacher at Walnut Hills High School, Cincinatti, Ohio.

“I could not put ‘Shavetail’ down...and craved more when it was finished...it is a volume that could be read over and over again.”
-John J. Koblas, author of “Jesse James: Confessions of the Ninth Man”, and many others.

“Devitt’s book is a valuable addition to our understanding of what it means to lead soldiers in battle...the reader is treated to a first-rate story about the metamorphosis of a young man from a raw, sheltered youth to proven combat leader.”
-John McManus, March 2004 issue of ‘World War II’ magazine.


Twelve references to “Shavetail”, including a photo of Mr. Devitt, are included in Sir Max Hastings best selling 2004 book “Armageddon: The Battle for Germany 1944-45"                                 

I don't get HBO, so I'll wait for the DVD release.

In the meantime, you don't need HBO to see this: http://www.youtube.com/watch_popup?v=vcnH_kF1zXc&feature=player_embedded

Melbourne!

Dude, i didnt even realise they showed Australians fighting! It's like the Yanks were the only ones.

It's ratings are dropping and i put this down to the "violent porn" that Hanks/Spielberg think is the only way to convey the horrors of war. It's like every week we get the 1st 20mins of "Saving private ryan" all over again.

And for what its worth, i totally reject the Bush doctrine mind spin of these peopel as the "Greatest Generation".

Man, MY GENERATION BABY!