01-19-2021, 11:23 PM
Go For Broke (1951)
This really deserves its own thread because it's actually a better film than Only The Brave. But I'm posting it here because it tells the same story - the rescue of the Lost Battalion by the 100th/442nd. This is a B&W version that incorporates a lot of real WWII footage. It follows the 442nd from basic through Italy and France. The cast is predominantly Japanese except for Van Johnson, who is their white trainer for a while.
I found myself looking for my grandfather in the footage although I don't think he was in it. At this point, the 100th/442nd had become part of the 34th. The 34th had a distinctive red bull insignia which the soldiers were wearing in the final battle. My grandfather gave me his when I was very young, preteen maybe. He gave me a box of his military memorabilia - patches, pins, his captain's bars - I'm not sure where all of that is now. Stored in odd places at my mom's, at the bottom of boxes and such.
I have two items I've kept in a special place. My grandfather's Purple Heart medal in its presentation case and his binoculars. There's this story about his binocs. He felt the strap hung too low so he modified it so it sat higher on his chest, over his heart. After one skirmish, he found a bullet lodged in them. Given the location, his modification saved his life. The binocs I have were the replacements. He had the strap modified, like his original, but it was leather and it got moldy so I discarded it. The binocs still work - solid metal case. They built gear to last in WWII.
DOOM recommended.
Both of these films are on Hoopla.
This really deserves its own thread because it's actually a better film than Only The Brave. But I'm posting it here because it tells the same story - the rescue of the Lost Battalion by the 100th/442nd. This is a B&W version that incorporates a lot of real WWII footage. It follows the 442nd from basic through Italy and France. The cast is predominantly Japanese except for Van Johnson, who is their white trainer for a while.
I found myself looking for my grandfather in the footage although I don't think he was in it. At this point, the 100th/442nd had become part of the 34th. The 34th had a distinctive red bull insignia which the soldiers were wearing in the final battle. My grandfather gave me his when I was very young, preteen maybe. He gave me a box of his military memorabilia - patches, pins, his captain's bars - I'm not sure where all of that is now. Stored in odd places at my mom's, at the bottom of boxes and such.
I have two items I've kept in a special place. My grandfather's Purple Heart medal in its presentation case and his binoculars. There's this story about his binocs. He felt the strap hung too low so he modified it so it sat higher on his chest, over his heart. After one skirmish, he found a bullet lodged in them. Given the location, his modification saved his life. The binocs I have were the replacements. He had the strap modified, like his original, but it was leather and it got moldy so I discarded it. The binocs still work - solid metal case. They built gear to last in WWII.
DOOM recommended.
Both of these films are on Hoopla.
Shadow boxing the apocalypse