Weekend Wanderings, Early October 2011
2 October 2011, 11:30
Filed under: 501st, Leadership, Marines, Paratroopers | Tags: 1st Polish Independent Parachute Brigade, 2/501, Battle of the Bulge, Failure, Poland, Sleep talking
Filed under: 501st, Leadership, Marines, Paratroopers | Tags: 1st Polish Independent Parachute Brigade, 2/501, Battle of the Bulge, Failure, Poland, Sleep talking
I was a Scoutmaster for 14 years and one of my Eagle Scouts had joined the Marines. He spent some time outside of Ramadi and is now medically retired from the Marine Corps. We’re celebrating his service this weekend (if only I could find a Marine NCO sword – they’re back-ordered everywhere!), but he’s some good links to share:
- I’ve always been taught that one learns more from failure than success. Success doesn’t cause you to examine what happened or why, but failure sure as heck does. Over at One Marines’ View, we get a good reminder of that.
- Mark Stephenson interviewed a number of veterans of the 2nd Battalion, 501st Parachute Infantry Regiment and produced a very good narrative of the Battalion’s participation in the Battle of the Bulge. His maps are hand-drawn and very well done. There are a number of photos and it is well-worth your time to visit and learn.
- Marysia Lachowicz has published some photos on the Polish Army’s time in Fife, Scotland and produced a nice blog entry on the 1st Polish Independent Parachute Brigade.
- I nearly rolled out of my chair when I listened to the recordings of one sleep-talking Brit.
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Weekend Wanderings, Late September 2011
25 September 2011, 11:30
Filed under: Band of Brothers, Books, Leadership, Marines, Weekend Wanderings | Tags: Easy Company, English Bulldog, Mascot, Poland, SAS, Westerplatte
Filed under: Band of Brothers, Books, Leadership, Marines, Weekend Wanderings | Tags: Easy Company, English Bulldog, Mascot, Poland, SAS, Westerplatte
The weather has started to turn cold and I’m still in the midst of trying to put the Operation Dragoon seminar sessions onto DVDs. The Colmar Pocket Seminar (8-11 December) will likely arrive before I finish. Of course, the good news is that Alex Apple should be on the team full bore by then, so progress should be more steady. Fortunately, I’ve still been finding more interesting things on the internet to share.
- Marcus Brotherton has begun blogging! His blog is titled “Men Who Lead Well” and, while it is brand-new, should provide interesting things every Wednesday. For those who don’t immediately recognize his name, Marcus has written three books on Easy Company men (Shifty’s War
, A Company of Heroes
and We Who Are Alive and Remain
) and co-authored Buck Compton’s autobiography (Call of Duty: My Life Before, During and After the Band of Brothers
). Since Marcus self-identifies himself as low tech, it should be interesting to see how he adapts to the technology.
- Patrick Bury, who wrote Callsign Hades
based on his experience as a Captain in the Royal Irish Regiment in Afghanistan, is also blogging. He’s joined a campaign to raise awareness of two SAS men killed during a serious fight in 1972 who ought to have been awarded the Victoria Cross, but were not, because a posthumous VC would have exposed the fact that the SAS was involved in a ‘secret war’. I urge you to read Patrick’s post and spread the word.
- I’ve a soft spot for mascots and animals in general, so it brings a tear to my eye to have to report that Parris Island’s English bulldog mascot, Sgt. Archibald Hummer, died in his sleep earlier this month. Semper Fidelis, Sergeant.
- The LA Times reported on the cast of Band of Brothers, revealing that they were, and still are, a successful, tight knit unit. Hat tip to John from the E/506 reenactors.
- Joanna provided some insight on the 72nd anniversary of the Nazi invasion of Poland. The Poles fought far longer and harder than people generally imagine.
