Currahee is the name of a small mountain, 240 meters elevation, whose name is Cherokee for "stands alone", the motto adopted by the 506 regiment, 101st Airborne Division. Today the 101st is stationed at Fort Campbell, KY.
Every surviving member of Easy Company credits Herbert Sobel for turning them into a hardcore, effective, and elite unit. They also to a man say that had they gone to war with him still in command they would have lost a lot more people than they did.
That's it. The lesson with the lunch is that the enemy isn't going to wait for agreed times to attack, you could be under fire and need to go at any time. Shit, rough, but true.
Glad many are reacting to this masterpiece and important telling of history. I don't watch TV or movies much anymore but this was the best show i have ever watched.
Stumbled across your channel due to this series. Really enjoyed your commentary, good questions at the right time…not talking over critical dialogue etc. This generation, these men…regardless of Allied unit, have my upmost respect. My grandfather & three great uncles served; two US Army, one Air Corp & one US Navy. Absolutely love this series, which I believe is the best ever set to film. The acting, score, set design & accuracy set it apart from everything else. Although not 100% accurate it’s pretty dang close, especially with regards to the actual events that the 506th went through. Look forward to episode 2, think I’ll follow you guys along this journey. Do ask a favor, please include more footage & your comments on the veterans stories at the intro. Thanks guys, God bless.
Massive respect to your Grandfather and Uncles. It takes a person of iron will to make it in that profession. Thanks for watching. We'll try and include more of the intro stories from the vets (if we don't get blocked that is).
@Ramblers Inc there's also an outro text after the episode telling additional infos about the story told. It'd be interesting to include those and see your reactions.
E Company of the 506 Airborne Regiment was a very real unit, the older gentlemen interviewed throughout the series were some of its members. Typically, the weight of the paratroopers with full kit was in the area of 140-150 kilos. And yes, Stobel was apparently very much like how he was portrayed
@@RamblersInc Sobel was very much real. His family disliked the fact that he was portrayed as cruel and incompetent (which he was) but the show never gave him the credit that the men of Easy themselves gave him: the men interviewed said that, despite Sobel's cruelty and pettiness, they probably wouldn't have been ready for the war and would've died, had they not trained under him. Sobel also clearly had some demons he dealt with throughout his life; he never showed up to veteran reunions after the war, and he attempted suicide by gunshot in his later years. He survived, but the bullet severed his optical nerves, blinding him. He died years later, alone in a retirement home, neglected by both his family and the staff that was supposed to care for him. No memorial service was held for him.
Excellent review gentleman. I look forward to you reviewing the rest of the series. You picked up on Sobel very quickly he was a great training officer but was not very good in the field. An insteresting fact is that even though they hated him, several of Easy Company men who made it through the war credited the hard training they received under Sobel as one of the reasons they were able to make it through the war, (including several of the NCO's that tried to resign).
When you watch episode two, remember what the man complaining about everything he had to carry said. That is Joe Toye and at the end of his list, he says, "I could use a pair of brass knuckles".
Great reaction guys. Make sure you watch the slides at the end just before the credits, which often give more information/context. Yes, that was Michael Fassbender.
A paratrooper of the 101st, who also trained at Toccoa, 'Fritz Niland' was the inspiration for ' Saving private ryan' I went to the Niland graves behind Omaha Beach on my honeymoon.
Just to add to that, only two of the Niland (Ryan) brothers died, the third one was found alive at the end of the war as a POW in a Japanese prison camp and was liberated by the British.
Gentlemen, I've watched a dozen reactors watch this series. I found you two to be most enjoyable. Here is why, you both followed along with all the nuances so perfectly. You showed a wonderful comprehension for what was going on, the interplay of characters, and you had just enough historical knowledge to understand the gravity of what was taking place. Many reactors had no idea, asked silly questions, etc simply because they had no clue. What a joy to follow along with you. Well done. Signed, "A Vet"
The 101st was the second airborne division in the US army. The first was the 82nd Airborne. The 101st and 82nd both jumped into Normandy. By that time the 82nd had already conducted two combat jumps during their operations in Italy.
The 82 Airborne had already done combat jumps in North Africa and Sicily while the 101st was still training. In 1941 13,000 German paratroopers and gliderborne infantry had captured the Island of Crete from British and Greek forces. D-Day was the largest airborne operation but not the first.
Currahee is a Native American word that directly translates as “We stand alone together,” or in more modern English, “Together (as a people), we stand alone.”
I did not see anyone else mention a "fun fact" about Winters...after graduating college Winters enlisted in the Army as a Private months before Pearl Harbor in August 1941, completed his training and remained at the same camp to train other men that were drafted or enlisted after him. In April of 1942 he was selected to attend Officer Candidate School (OCS), and after becoming an officer in July, Winters volunteered to be a Paratrooper. Something to note about the rigorous training that Easy Company went through with Sobel...the Paratroopers were pretty much the most elite unit in the US Military when this series starts in 1942. It was an all volunteer force, had the highest physical fitness standards, and were the most highly trained troops early on in the war. Later on, more highly trained and elite units would be formed that were more like commandos...such as the Navy's Underwater Demolition Teams (UDTs) or Marine Raiders or the joint Canadian/US "Devil's Brigade", but in 1942 Paratroopers were the tip top. So Sobel training the men as hard as he did was actually a very good thing, even to the lengths of teaching them how to go without water for long periods...which is what they would have to endure in field in real life anyway. The men of Easy Company would give great credit to Sobel later on for how well he prepared them to be involved in the war....as other folks have mentioned in their comments. Also, somebody mentioned the U-Boat threat to troop ships traveling from the US to England in WW2, and there was some threat to the earliest units that the US sent to Britain. However, the huge majority of the actual troops that went over to England before D-Day did not make the journey until later on in 1943...AFTER the Allies had indications that they had "won" the Battle of the Atlantic against the German submarines. That is why the 101st Airborne and many many other units did not go to England until September of 1943. In addition, troops were almost always sent in the fastest ships...such as converted ocean liners...so that the convoys in which they traveled could outrun the German subs. The 101st traveled in the RMS Samaria, which belonged to the Cunard Line before and after its wartime service as a troop ship.✌
Winters seems like the perfect leader. Some of that training seemed harsh, but whatever it takes to survive the hell they'll be going through. I didn't even take into account that they'd have to outrun subs. Crazy !
Not "some"; many, many volunteered. As one of the vets mentioned, there were men who committed suicide, they were so crushed at not be able to go. Glad that you're doing this mini-series - I think that you''ll really enjoy it.
Over the course of the war, the USA had about 16 million service people...of that number, about 10 million were drafted and 6 million were volunteers. All of the Paratroopers that jumped on D-Day were volunteers, as I understand it.
@@rollomaughfling380 I was under the impression that was true for all the replacements, but that the men who formed the original cadre for the Regiments of the 101st in Normandy had all been volunteers for the military, and not just for the Airborne. I am not saying you are wrong or trying to be argumentative, but I would be really interested if there is a web source where I can read about that? I have had a hard time finding good sources for info on this subject, so you would be helping me out if you can tell me where you learned that, if it happens to be a source I can read myself? Thanks either way, this is interesting information no matter what.
My dad ran Currahee in basic in the 60’s. He didn’t have to go to Vietnam thankfully. But he said it’s the best shape he’s ever been in his life. My grandfather did recovery as a quartermaster after Omaha beach. It haunted him for the rest of his life.
I say this time and again, this is in some ways my favorite episode...if only for the thought that Captain Sobel and his ego and Army noodles with ketchup were their most pressing concerns. Whilst knowing what horror lies ahead of them. Be prepared to learn, laugh, grow and suffer endlessly with Easy Company. Currahee!!!♠
“Loosely based” eh, in some respects yes. But honestly although they combine a lot of soldier stories a lot of the big moments are 100% true sometimes to the last detail. And even more weird, some events are so unbelievable that they tone them DOWN for the series because they thought the viewers wouldn’t believe them.
@@RamblersInc This won’t spoil anything because I’ll keep it very very vague. But Spiers’ run is the main one. Like I said, they won’t make any sense now, but it will later on.
"Left add, right subtract". The lieutenant was talking about the idea that magnetic north and grid north on a map differ from each other, so you have to compensate when you orient the map. If you ever have insomnia, you can read all about it in FM (Field Manual) 21-26, Map Reading and Land Navigation. Put you to sleep in no time! Yes, getting into an aircraft with full kit and chute via the stairs is a chore. Helps to have Somebody pulling or shoving Anymore the Air Force usually has mercy and lowers the tailgate so you can waddle up the ramp. They didn't have that option with C-47 aircraft. Enjoyed your reaction.
Why are both grid and magnetic north's not the same? Or is that obvious lol Wait. So you're telling me the weight getting in (maybe lighter equipment) hasn't changed after all these years ? Wow
@@RamblersInc Ah, the many problems of navigation. Compasses point at a magnetic attraction that isn't at the geographic north pole, so they don't line up with the nice, straight grids on the map. Oh, and the magnetic pole slowly moves so the compensation (declination) diagram changes over time. To make this puzzle even more fun, maps are trying to make a flat representation of a sphere. And, because Mother Nature has a sense of humor, the sphere isn't even (bulges at the center, slightly pear shaped, etc.). Individual pieces get lighter, but the sum total hasn't changed dramatically. When ammo gets lighter, paratroopers figure "good, I can carry more rounds". Water, food stay the same, with some marginal gains through packaging. Specialized personnel like machine gunners, medics, radio operators have additional problems. Weight is a long-recognized problem (Classic military literature, "The Soldier's Load and Mobility of a Nation" goes deeply into the issue). Weight aside, locomotion is just plain awkward with a chute on your back, a rifle strapped to the side, a rucksack hanging between your legs, and web-gear that has to go somewhere. A number of D-Day paratroopers drowned in ditches that they would have easily gotten out of without the weight and entanglement issues.
Excellent reaction. This is one of the best, aware reactions of this show I have seen this far. Thanks for doing this. So many people that have don't this previously are so lost in their ability to grasp what's going on. Different generations I guess
@@RamblersInc also let me add if no one else has, when the private was sitting in his bunk and not changing into PT ( physical training) gear he was DOR. drop on request. Airborne is fully voluntary. He would have been recycled it moved to an infantry unit or whatever regular unit needed men. Airborne, special forces, rangers all are voluntary.
Looking forward to the rest of the series! I've watched other people react to this series but you guys seem to be able to pick up on the names and jargon a little easier which is nice to see.
Excellent reaction video. I can help with one of your questions: (14:49) "Magnetic declination and left-add-right-subtract (LARS) rule" refers to the fact that magnets don't point perfectly north/south for multiple reasons. This offset is known as "declination". Despite a navigation chart having perfect north-east-south-west description, you can end up in the wrong place because of your magnetic compass. The longer the distance you have to travel the more "off" you'll be from your intended destination. LARS is how you adjust your bearing mathematically as you walk to reduce this error.
@@RamblersInc An excellent question. Certainly if you have GPS to pinpoint exact locations then all of this is moot. However, I highly recommend anyone who intends to hike outside of a state park should know this process just in case your battery dies or you drop your phone in a puddle.
Great series. 13,100 Americans dropping in the German Army at half past midnight. This is W Normandy. British Commandos even more elite dropping on E Normandy.
Great reaction, I'll be following this till the end. I see a lot of things have already been noted in the previous comments, I will point out specifically that some of the men in the opening interviews are people that are portrayed in the series. They won't tell you who is who until the end. All the men represented in this were the real men in Easy Company. There are a few mistakes that happen in the story over the course of the series, but it wasn't intentional, and it doesn't diminish the quality of this series, at least not to me. I'm sure the guys will point them out as they happen.
The vets credit Sobel with making them very tough through all the training. That being said, I don’t think he got Christmas cards from the men. Sobel was from the city of Chicago. He attended a military school. This means that he knew how to award demerits and how to do pradeground drill. Many of the Easy Co men grew up in rural areas. They were poor during the depression and learned how to track animals, read the ground, and shoot a rabbit or something else for dinner. The drill skills were good for training, not useful for combat. This was not the first airborne operation. The Germans kicked things off in 1940 in Belgium. Later with the invasion of Crete German paratroopers were essential in capturing strategic positions. The Germans took such heavy losses that they weren’t inclined to do much again. The Allies didn’t know and decided to go forward. You will get to see a day light drop later in the series. The cutting of the fence was not the worst thing the men did to Sobel. I don’t want to spoil it so read Ambrose’s book.
Great reaction! You're one of the few people to react so strongly to Bill Guarnere taking the wrong jacket and reading about the death of his own brother. Some people don't even realise that the guy is reading about his own brother.
Decline is harder. It really gets your chins. A permanent pain. When the series is over, check out the book. There's so many more crazy stories from the training days, including a 115 mile march from Toccoa to Atlanta.
@@RamblersInc Yes same name. The series come about after the book. I'm reading a book about Winters as I write this. That's great too. Brilliant reaction by the way. Look forward to seeing you both watch the rest of the series👊🇬🇧
At the time David Schwimmer was still in Friends so this character was taken as a bit of a piss take. The fact of the matter was that he was perfectly cast. Not only did he resemble Sobel but all the actors did with their respective men.
Not all resembled the men they portrayed. Malarkey, Toye, Lipton, Winters, et al... Personally I couldn't care less if they looked like their counterpart. It's the acting that matters.
Loosely based? Pretty damn spot on guys. Sure some names to stories are changed cause you cant cast a whole 103 ppl per company. But very accuracte Lol😂 but thank you for reacting and learning. US Marine Corps vet Rah!
Currahee is the name of a small mountain, 240 meters elevation, whose name is Cherokee for "stands alone", the motto adopted by the 506 regiment, 101st Airborne Division. Today the 101st is stationed at Fort Campbell, KY.
Every surviving member of Easy Company credits Herbert Sobel for turning them into a hardcore, effective, and elite unit. They also to a man say that had they gone to war with him still in command they would have lost a lot more people than they did.
2 sides of the same coin I guess. Stern disciplinarian, Poor tactician.
Made for training, not made for combat?
That's it. The lesson with the lunch is that the enemy isn't going to wait for agreed times to attack, you could be under fire and need to go at any time. Shit, rough, but true.
@@Iymarra I hadn't considered it like that. Great perspective.
@@RamblersInc yep, the world isn't so black and white as people tend to think.
Glad many are reacting to this masterpiece and important telling of history. I don't watch TV or movies much anymore but this was the best show i have ever watched.
Stumbled across your channel due to this series. Really enjoyed your commentary, good questions at the right time…not talking over critical dialogue etc. This generation, these men…regardless of Allied unit, have my upmost respect. My grandfather & three great uncles served; two US Army, one Air Corp & one US Navy. Absolutely love this series, which I believe is the best ever set to film. The acting, score, set design & accuracy set it apart from everything else. Although not 100% accurate it’s pretty dang close, especially with regards to the actual events that the 506th went through. Look forward to episode 2, think I’ll follow you guys along this journey. Do ask a favor, please include more footage & your comments on the veterans stories at the intro. Thanks guys, God bless.
Massive respect to your Grandfather and Uncles.
It takes a person of iron will to make it in that profession.
Thanks for watching. We'll try and include more of the intro stories from the vets (if we don't get blocked that is).
@Ramblers Inc there's also an outro text after the episode telling additional infos about the story told. It'd be interesting to include those and see your reactions.
E Company of the 506 Airborne Regiment was a very real unit, the older gentlemen interviewed throughout the series were some of its members.
Typically, the weight of the paratroopers with full kit was in the area of 140-150 kilos.
And yes, Stobel was apparently very much like how he was portrayed
Heart breaking, those beginning interviews.
150 kg is a nightmare.
Oh wow, he was real?
@@RamblersInc He was actually a pretty tragic character after the War and very alone. Never attended any reunions.
@@RamblersInc Sobel was very much real. His family disliked the fact that he was portrayed as cruel and incompetent (which he was) but the show never gave him the credit that the men of Easy themselves gave him: the men interviewed said that, despite Sobel's cruelty and pettiness, they probably wouldn't have been ready for the war and would've died, had they not trained under him.
Sobel also clearly had some demons he dealt with throughout his life; he never showed up to veteran reunions after the war, and he attempted suicide by gunshot in his later years. He survived, but the bullet severed his optical nerves, blinding him. He died years later, alone in a retirement home, neglected by both his family and the staff that was supposed to care for him. No memorial service was held for him.
Excellent review gentleman. I look forward to you reviewing the rest of the series. You picked up on Sobel very quickly he was a great training officer but was not very good in the field. An insteresting fact is that even though they hated him, several of Easy Company men who made it through the war credited the hard training they received under Sobel as one of the reasons they were able to make it through the war, (including several of the NCO's that tried to resign).
I suppose it's one of the few professions in the world where a disciplinarian is a necessity.
"Those who can't do, teach" ?
Thanks for watching 👍
When you watch episode two, remember what the man complaining about everything he had to carry said. That is Joe Toye and at the end of his list, he says, "I could use a pair of brass knuckles".
Great reaction, lads. Looking forward to your reaction to the rest of this phenomenal series!
Thanks for watching 👍
Great reaction guys. Make sure you watch the slides at the end just before the credits, which often give more information/context.
Yes, that was Michael Fassbender.
A paratrooper of the 101st, who also trained at Toccoa, 'Fritz Niland' was the inspiration for ' Saving private ryan' I went to the Niland graves behind Omaha Beach on my honeymoon.
Must have felt surreal when you went there.
@@RamblersInc to give the complete picture, it was a part of the five day tour of Normandy D-day beaches, cemeteries and battlefield.
Just to add to that, only two of the Niland (Ryan) brothers died, the third one was found alive at the end of the war as a POW in a Japanese prison camp and was liberated by the British.
Absolutely loved your reaction. I love the way you two communicate and analyze.
Thank you 🙂
Gentlemen, I've watched a dozen reactors watch this series. I found you two to be most enjoyable. Here is why, you both followed along with all the nuances so perfectly. You showed a wonderful comprehension for what was going on, the interplay of characters, and you had just enough historical knowledge to understand the gravity of what was taking place. Many reactors had no idea, asked silly questions, etc simply because they had no clue. What a joy to follow along with you. Well done. Signed, "A Vet"
Thank You 👍
Hopefully you enjoy the rest.
You have my utmost respect.
The 101st was the second airborne division in the US army. The first was the 82nd Airborne. The 101st and 82nd both jumped into Normandy. By that time the 82nd had already conducted two combat jumps during their operations in Italy.
The 82 Airborne had already done combat jumps in North Africa and Sicily while the 101st was still training. In 1941 13,000 German paratroopers and gliderborne infantry had captured the Island of Crete from British and Greek forces. D-Day was the largest airborne operation but not the first.
I wonder how that first operation went.
I'm assuming a lot of mistakes. Wow, that's a lot of paratroopers.
Loved your commentary and reaction. Good job editing as well. Looking forward to watching the rest of the series with you.
Thanks for joining us 👍
Great, thoughtful reaction, gentlemen. The editing was good as well. Looking forward to the next one.
Thanks for watching 🙂
Just to let you know, you guy's are in for a treat. I thought Band of Brothers was the best series I've ever watched.
Currahee is a Native American word that directly translates as “We stand alone together,” or in more modern English, “Together (as a people), we stand alone.”
That is so badass
_Currahee_ means _stands alone._ It's a big hill all by itself. _We Stand Alone Together_ is an invention of the troops.
I did not see anyone else mention a "fun fact" about Winters...after graduating college Winters enlisted in the Army as a Private months before Pearl Harbor in August 1941, completed his training and remained at the same camp to train other men that were drafted or enlisted after him. In April of 1942 he was selected to attend Officer Candidate School (OCS), and after becoming an officer in July, Winters volunteered to be a Paratrooper.
Something to note about the rigorous training that Easy Company went through with Sobel...the Paratroopers were pretty much the most elite unit in the US Military when this series starts in 1942. It was an all volunteer force, had the highest physical fitness standards, and were the most highly trained troops early on in the war. Later on, more highly trained and elite units would be formed that were more like commandos...such as the Navy's Underwater Demolition Teams (UDTs) or Marine Raiders or the joint Canadian/US "Devil's Brigade", but in 1942 Paratroopers were the tip top. So Sobel training the men as hard as he did was actually a very good thing, even to the lengths of teaching them how to go without water for long periods...which is what they would have to endure in field in real life anyway. The men of Easy Company would give great credit to Sobel later on for how well he prepared them to be involved in the war....as other folks have mentioned in their comments.
Also, somebody mentioned the U-Boat threat to troop ships traveling from the US to England in WW2, and there was some threat to the earliest units that the US sent to Britain. However, the huge majority of the actual troops that went over to England before D-Day did not make the journey until later on in 1943...AFTER the Allies had indications that they had "won" the Battle of the Atlantic against the German submarines. That is why the 101st Airborne and many many other units did not go to England until September of 1943. In addition, troops were almost always sent in the fastest ships...such as converted ocean liners...so that the convoys in which they traveled could outrun the German subs. The 101st traveled in the RMS Samaria, which belonged to the Cunard Line before and after its wartime service as a troop ship.✌
Winters seems like the perfect leader.
Some of that training seemed harsh, but whatever it takes to survive the hell they'll be going through.
I didn't even take into account that they'd have to outrun subs. Crazy !
Not "some"; many, many volunteered. As one of the vets mentioned, there were men who committed suicide, they were so crushed at not be able to go. Glad that you're doing this mini-series - I think that you''ll really enjoy it.
It's heart breaking that they felt suicide was the answer.
Over the course of the war, the USA had about 16 million service people...of that number, about 10 million were drafted and 6 million were volunteers. All of the Paratroopers that jumped on D-Day were volunteers, as I understand it.
@@iKvetch558 They were volunteers for _Airborne Service._ Many of them were initially drafted, and later opted for the challenge for the danger money.
@@rollomaughfling380 I was under the impression that was true for all the replacements, but that the men who formed the original cadre for the Regiments of the 101st in Normandy had all been volunteers for the military, and not just for the Airborne. I am not saying you are wrong or trying to be argumentative, but I would be really interested if there is a web source where I can read about that? I have had a hard time finding good sources for info on this subject, so you would be helping me out if you can tell me where you learned that, if it happens to be a source I can read myself? Thanks either way, this is interesting information no matter what.
My dad ran Currahee in basic in the 60’s. He didn’t have to go to Vietnam thankfully. But he said it’s the best shape he’s ever been in his life. My grandfather did recovery as a quartermaster after Omaha beach. It haunted him for the rest of his life.
Respect to your dad and grandad. Must have been gruelling.
I say this time and again, this is in some ways my favorite episode...if only for the thought that Captain Sobel and his ego and Army noodles with ketchup were their most pressing concerns. Whilst knowing what horror lies ahead of them. Be prepared to learn, laugh, grow and suffer endlessly with Easy Company. Currahee!!!♠
I definitely feel like this was the most "lighthearted" episode and we're in for a lot of tense and heart breaking situations.
The $50 bonus for Airborne is over $1,900 today. The $10,000 life insurance policy would be $171,000 today.
Thanks for the info 👍
Why do I feel like it should be hell of a lot more. Especially in that profession. Even today.
“Loosely based” eh, in some respects yes. But honestly although they combine a lot of soldier stories a lot of the big moments are 100% true sometimes to the last detail.
And even more weird, some events are so unbelievable that they tone them DOWN for the series because they thought the viewers wouldn’t believe them.
After watching it all, I want to know the "toned down" bits.
@@RamblersInc
This won’t spoil anything because I’ll keep it very very vague. But Spiers’ run is the main one.
Like I said, they won’t make any sense now, but it will later on.
"Left add, right subtract". The lieutenant was talking about the idea that magnetic north and grid north on a map differ from each other, so you have to compensate when you orient the map. If you ever have insomnia, you can read all about it in FM (Field Manual) 21-26, Map Reading and Land Navigation. Put you to sleep in no time!
Yes, getting into an aircraft with full kit and chute via the stairs is a chore. Helps to have Somebody pulling or shoving Anymore the Air Force usually has mercy and lowers the tailgate so you can waddle up the ramp. They didn't have that option with C-47 aircraft.
Enjoyed your reaction.
Why are both grid and magnetic north's not the same? Or is that obvious lol
Wait. So you're telling me the weight getting in (maybe lighter equipment) hasn't changed after all these years ? Wow
@@RamblersInc Ah, the many problems of navigation. Compasses point at a magnetic attraction that isn't at the geographic north pole, so they don't line up with the nice, straight grids on the map. Oh, and the magnetic pole slowly moves so the compensation (declination) diagram changes over time. To make this puzzle even more fun, maps are trying to make a flat representation of a sphere. And, because Mother Nature has a sense of humor, the sphere isn't even (bulges at the center, slightly pear shaped, etc.).
Individual pieces get lighter, but the sum total hasn't changed dramatically. When ammo gets lighter, paratroopers figure "good, I can carry more rounds". Water, food stay the same, with some marginal gains through packaging. Specialized personnel like machine gunners, medics, radio operators have additional problems. Weight is a long-recognized problem (Classic military literature, "The Soldier's Load and Mobility of a Nation" goes deeply into the issue). Weight aside, locomotion is just plain awkward with a chute on your back, a rifle strapped to the side, a rucksack hanging between your legs, and web-gear that has to go somewhere. A number of D-Day paratroopers drowned in ditches that they would have easily gotten out of without the weight and entanglement issues.
Navigation definitely sounds like nightmare.
Sad that they died just due to weight.
You're a treasure trove of info. Much appreciated. 👍
I’m a year late, but this is one of the best reactions to my favorite show! Well done! Subscribed
Excellent reaction.
This is one of the best, aware reactions of this show I have seen this far.
Thanks for doing this.
So many people that have don't this previously are so lost in their ability to grasp what's going on.
Different generations I guess
Thanks for watching.
I hope you like the rest of our reactions.
🤣🤣🤣 What gave it away? the bald and the grey beard?
@@RamblersInc also let me add if no one else has, when the private was sitting in his bunk and not changing into PT ( physical training) gear he was DOR. drop on request. Airborne is fully voluntary. He would have been recycled it moved to an infantry unit or whatever regular unit needed men.
Airborne, special forces, rangers all are voluntary.
All of the episodes are crafted from memoirs and can be found in the book by the same name 😊
New sub. Great series and reaction, looking forward to the rest.
Us too. Seems like it's going to be epic.
Thanks for subbing.
Looking forward to the rest of the series! I've watched other people react to this series but you guys seem to be able to pick up on the names and jargon a little easier which is nice to see.
Thank You.
We're both the worst remembering names normally....I may have just jinxed myself 🤣
Excellent reaction video. I can help with one of your questions:
(14:49) "Magnetic declination and left-add-right-subtract (LARS) rule" refers to the fact that magnets don't point perfectly north/south for multiple reasons. This offset is known as "declination". Despite a navigation chart having perfect north-east-south-west description, you can end up in the wrong place because of your magnetic compass. The longer the distance you have to travel the more "off" you'll be from your intended destination. LARS is how you adjust your bearing mathematically as you walk to reduce this error.
The fact that they had to do this AS they were moving is crazy.
Have we invented any tech that does LARS automatically ?
@@RamblersInc An excellent question. Certainly if you have GPS to pinpoint exact locations then all of this is moot. However, I highly recommend anyone who intends to hike outside of a state park should know this process just in case your battery dies or you drop your phone in a puddle.
Please include the ending statements about the episode.
Great series. 13,100 Americans dropping in the German Army at half past midnight. This is W Normandy. British Commandos even more elite dropping on E Normandy.
Great reaction, I'll be following this till the end. I see a lot of things have already been noted in the previous comments, I will point out specifically that some of the men in the opening interviews are people that are portrayed in the series. They won't tell you who is who until the end. All the men represented in this were the real men in Easy Company. There are a few mistakes that happen in the story over the course of the series, but it wasn't intentional, and it doesn't diminish the quality of this series, at least not to me. I'm sure the guys will point them out as they happen.
I wonder who is who.
Please let us know if we miss anything in future episodes👍
The vets credit Sobel with making them very tough through all the training. That being said, I don’t think he got Christmas cards from the men.
Sobel was from the city of Chicago. He attended a military school. This means that he knew how to award demerits and how to do pradeground drill. Many of the Easy Co men grew up in rural areas. They were poor during the depression and learned how to track animals, read the ground, and shoot a rabbit or something else for dinner. The drill skills were good for training, not useful for combat.
This was not the first airborne operation. The Germans kicked things off in 1940 in Belgium. Later with the invasion of Crete German paratroopers were essential in capturing strategic positions. The Germans took such heavy losses that they weren’t inclined to do much again. The Allies didn’t know and decided to go forward. You will get to see a day light drop later in the series.
The cutting of the fence was not the worst thing the men did to Sobel. I don’t want to spoil it so read Ambrose’s book.
A daylight drop ? Sounds like fish in a barrel. I'm dreading that episode.
I love love love this show!! ❤
Great reaction! You're one of the few people to react so strongly to Bill Guarnere taking the wrong jacket and reading about the death of his own brother. Some people don't even realise that the guy is reading about his own brother.
Had to be rough, reading that. Especially when he has to be mentally prepared to fly over soon.
Hey mate's my father was 502 101 and fought through Europe but didn't actually land in the same airplane he took off in until the 50s 😂❤
Massive respect to your father. 👏
...didn't land in the same airplane he took off in ? 😳😂
Good reaction, you need to turn the volume up on the show itself though. I could barely hear it.
Thank You.
We'll try on future ones.
You guys need to watch "Saving Private Ryan" by Stephen Spielberg with Tom Hanks in it.
We've seen it. Epic movie 👌
@@RamblersInc ok, then watch Awakenings (1990) with Robert DeNiro and Robbin Williams
Decline is harder. It really gets your chins. A permanent pain.
When the series is over, check out the book. There's so many more crazy stories from the training days, including a 115 mile march from Toccoa to Atlanta.
And with all that weight. Oof.
Will check it out. Is it the same name?
A 115 mile march sounds like hell.
@@RamblersInc Yes same name. The series come about after the book. I'm reading a book about Winters as I write this. That's great too. Brilliant reaction by the way. Look forward to seeing you both watch the rest of the series👊🇬🇧
At the time David Schwimmer was still in Friends so this character was taken as a bit of a piss take. The fact of the matter was that he was perfectly cast. Not only did he resemble Sobel but all the actors did with their respective men.
Don't think I've seen him in anything other than Friends as well. Agreed. He played this quite well.
Not all resembled the men they portrayed. Malarkey, Toye, Lipton, Winters, et al... Personally I couldn't care less if they looked like their counterpart. It's the acting that matters.
Loosely based? Pretty damn spot on guys. Sure some names to stories are changed cause you cant cast a whole 103 ppl per company. But very accuracte Lol😂 but thank you for reacting and learning. US Marine Corps vet Rah!
😂The beginning interviews should have been a dead giveaway for us that it's quite accurate.
Thanks for watching. 👍