I just watched a film which impressed and touched me deeply and that I want to share with you all.
BROTHERS AT WAR is an intimate portrait of an American family during a turbulent time. Jake Rademacher sets out to understand the experience, sacrifice, and motivation of his two brothers serving in Iraq. The film follows Jake’s exploits as he risks everything—including his life—to tell his brothers’ story. Often humorous, but sometimes downright lethal, BROTHERS AT WAR is a remarkable journey where Jake embeds with four combat units in Iraq. Unprecedented access to U.S. and Iraqi combat units take him behind the camouflage curtain with secret reconnaissance troops on the Syrian border, into sniper “Hide Sites” in the Sunni Triangle, through raging machine gun battles with the Iraqi Army. Ultimately, the film follows his brothers home where separations and life-threatening work ripple through their parents, siblings, wives and children. BROTHERS AT WAR provides a rare look at the bonds and service of our soldiers on the frontlines and the profound effects their service has on the loved ones they leave behind. – www.BrothersAtWarMovie.com
Exective produced by Gary Sinise (Forrest Gump, Apollo 13) and shot as a first hand documentary, the film follows Jake, the oldest brother as he sets out to experience on some small level and gain an understanding for what his two brothers have and are going through as they fight in Iraq. This puts a real face on their experience which can only be seen as typical of the soldiers and Marines currently in harms way. As an army vet who never saw combat, this was very sobering and moving.
I have been a fan of the Transformers ever since the mid-80s when I was in middle school and they were first introduced as action figures and a half hour cartoon television series. I loved the concept and the realization of that concept. Remember how all the Autobots became relatively benign vehicles while the Decepticons always seemed to be much more dangerous – Megatron became a gun for goodness sake!
When the movie “Transformers” was released in 2007 I was there on openning day. I remember the end of the battle that pitted A-10 Thunderbolt IIs and an AC-130 gunship against Skorponok. I turned to my wife with an ear to ear grin on my face and whispered “this is fun!”. The rest of the movie was just as much of a pleasure to this grown fan of a toy from his childhood come to life on the big screen (even if Megatron isn’t a gun anymore).
Now the trailer for the much anticipated sequel, “Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen“ has been released and I could not be more pumped! Have a look and see what you think.
While I am withholding judgement on this film until more is revealed about it, I am not optimistic about the combination of Quentin Tarantino, Brad Pitt and World War II. It should definitely be noted that the film IS NOT based upon true events other than the overall World War II setting. The entire story and characters are fictional.
Premise: During World War II a group of Jewish-American soldiers known as “The Basterds” are chosen specifically to spread fear throughout the Third Reich by scalping and brutally killing Nazis. The Basterds soon cross paths with a French-Jewish teenage girl who runs a movie theater in Paris which is targeted by the soldiers.
A film critic has said that Quentin Tarantino’s new war movie, Inglourious Basterds, can turn out to be a gift for anti-Nazi viewers, as it has so much of violence against the Nazis. Harry Knowles, who visited the German set of the Harvey Weinstein-produced picture, has revealed that the picture shows hundreds of Nazis being executed in the most gruesome ways possible.
Always vigilant for cool videos, I found this gem this morning and thought I’d share. In this video the F-16s are playing the aggressor role to train and evaluate the pilots of the F-14s at the US Navy’s Top Gun School. Now that the Tomcat is retired this matchup will only be seen if the US and our allies ever end up in a shooting war with Iran. In that case it will be the Iranian F-14s as adversaries against our F-16s, in essence a reversal of roles. I hope these two mighty planes never truly come to blows, but it is fun to watch them in mock combat.
I found out just today about “The Forgotten Eagles“, a documentary by 201 Productions, released in 2008, produced and directed by Victor H. Mancilla. The film which premiered at the National Air and Space Museum in Washington DC documents the history of the “Aztec Eagles“, an elite unit of Mexican volunteers, who flew combat missions to free Luzon from the Japanese with the American 58th Fighter Group on Luzon in 1945.
Mexican Fighter Squadron 201, “Escuadron Aereo de Pelea 201” was composed of more than 300 volunteers – 36 experienced pilots and the rest ground crewmen. As of November 2003, only 10 of these 300 warriors remained. I am unclear on how many survive today. The passing of such people make the telling of their stories that much more pressing and valuable.
Equipped with the Republic P-47 Thunderbolt fighter/bomber, the Aztec Eagles flew 96 combat missions for 785 offensive sorties and 6 defensive sorties mainly in ground support/close air support roles.
I’m still trying to find a screening of this film. If you have any information about where this is playing in either the Portland, Oregon or Washington, DC areas please add your comment here.
Do you or someone you know have first hand memories of this or any other historic event, whether you served in the military or as a civilian, Flightline Fabrications Living History Project want to hear from you. Please contact our Living History Project with your rememberances. History should NEVER be forgotten. Your memories are important and should be retained and shared.
I think the video says it all. This Christmas let’s all take a moment to remember those fathers and sons, mothers and daughter, husbands, wives, cousins, brothers and sisters who aren’t home with us and instead are abroad keeping the wolves at bay. A very Merry Christmas to all of our servicemen and women and to all those loved ones left at home.
William J. “Wild Bill” Guarnere (born 28 April 1922) is a veteran sergeant of Easy Company, 2nd Battalion, 506th Parachute Infantry Regiment (PIR) attached to the 101st Airborne Division of the United States Army during the Second World War. He was portrayed in the HBO miniseries Band of Brothers by Frank John Hughes.
This great video clip shows Wild Bill Guarnere speaking at the American Veterans Center Conference which was held in Washington DC on November 9-11,2006. You will never think of Apples the same way again!
From time to time I find something in my web browsing that strikes me as interesting, well done or poignant. I found this video set to one fo my favorite songs by Nickelback and honoring Capt. Lewis Nixon of Band of Brothers fame. As this would be Capt. Nixon’s birthday, I thought today a fitting day to share the video with all of you.
Capt. Lewis Nixon served with the 506th Parachute Infantry Regiment of the 101st Airborne Infantry Division during World War Two. He was one of the few men to complete three combat jumps by participating in the D-Day invasion of Normandy, Operation Market-Garden and Operation Varsity as well as his involvement at Bastogne during the Battle of the Bulge. During the war and until his death in 1995 he was best friends with Major Richard “Dick” Winters.
Flightline Fabrications offers a wide variety of original productsrelated to the 506th PIR, 101st Airbrone, D-Day, Battle of the Bulge and World War II in general.
While there incredible discipline and training is an awe inspiring sight, those who serve as Sentinels at the Tomb of the Unknowns in Arlington National Cemetery are not mere window dressing. Members of the 3d US Infantry Regiment “The Old Guard” these soldiers are unwavering protectors of their hallowed charges – three American soldiers, known but to God.
In this brief video a civilian tourist crosses the railing and is immediately confronted by the alert sentinel.
