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Posted on 08/12/2005 10:34:36 PM PDT by snippy_about_it
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 are acknowledged, affirmed and commemorated.
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| Our Mission: The FReeper Foxhole is dedicated to Veterans of our Nation's military forces and to others who are affected in their relationships with Veterans. In the FReeper Foxhole, Veterans or their family members should feel free to address their specific circumstances or whatever issues concern them in an atmosphere of peace, understanding, brotherhood and support. The FReeper Foxhole hopes to share with it's readers an open forum where we can learn about and discuss military history, military news and other topics of concern or interest to our readers be they Veteran's, Current Duty or anyone interested in what we have to offer. If the Foxhole makes someone appreciate, even a little, what others have sacrificed for us, then it has accomplished one of it's missions. We hope the Foxhole in some small way helps us to remember and honor those who came before us.
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 COMBAT! was TV's longest running WWII drama, honoring the frontline U.S. infantryman. On ABC from 1962 through 1967, Combat! starred Vic Morrow as Sergeant Saunders and Rick Jason as Lieutenant Hanley. Background:  About Combat! by Jo Davidsmeyer BROADCAST HISTORY Combat! premiered on ABC in October 1962 and was broadcast for five seasons. TV's longest-running World War II drama, "Combat!" aired 152 hour-long episodes. The first four seasons were produced in black and white, with the final season (25 episodes) filmed in color. The show enjoyed great success in its first run; it was often among the top-ten network shows. Combat! also had world-wide distribution, popular in Spanish-speaking countries and the Far East. Since its cancellation in 1967, Combat! has been in continuous syndication. "Combat!" currently airs on Encore's Action Channel and in many local markets, including Los Angeles where it is broadcast in both English and Spanish. It is one of the most popular syndicated shows in Japan. DESCRIPTION "Combat!" is a realistic, mud-splattered World War II drama that presents intimate character studies of men at war. It was the only American television show to feature the frontline infantryman. THE STORY "Combat!" follows the fighting men of King Company's second platoon as they battle their way across Europe from the beaches of Normandy. Second platoon (King Two) is commanded by Lt. Hanley. The action often centers around first squad, lead by Sergeant Saunders. The first season episodes show a progression of events that trace the history of the Normandy campaign. Events of season one cover D-Day, Falaise, the assassination attempt on Hitler, and the battle around Avranche. Season Two starts with the battle of Chalons. All the action in season two takes place after the liberation of Paris. Any attempt at tracing historical events in a straight timeline collapses in season two. Season three has a winter episode, " Silver Service," that deals with events similar to the Battle of the Bulge, but action after this episode returns to pre-Bulge events. Season three has another episode about the Falais Pocket, which was summer of '44. Though the Allied campaign in Europe lasted less than ten months, Combat! lasted five years and the squad never fought their way out of France. Combat! presents an unvarnished view of men in armed conflict. This was not a series that glorified war, but it was a tribute to the civilian soldier, the average G.I. who fought (and died) on the front lines of Europe. Combat! never dealt with the big picture; it showed war in microcosm and always put a face to the devastation and slaughter. In Combat! war is a furnace that either consumes and destroys a man, or tempers him like hardened steel. Combat!, at its best, shows men struggling to find and keep their moral center in the midst of a world torn apart by war. ABOUT THE MAIN CHARACTERS SERGEANT SAUNDERS  Saunders is a buck sergeant in the infantry. By D-Day, he is a battle-hardened veteran with experience in North Africa and Italy. At some time in his military career he was busted back to the rank of private (at least once), but he had his stripes again when he waded ashore at Omaha Beach. He's a "tough-as-nails" leader, described in the show's press releases as "strong but sympathetic." He demands the best from everyone--anyone who gives less earns his ire and, sometimes, his contempt. Yet he often considers the death of men under his command his own personal failure. Like the men he leads, he's not a professional soldier. Saunders has a mother and little sister (Louise, "The Brat") waiting for him at home. One brother is a Marine in the Pacific. Some time after D-Day his younger brother, Chris, left school and joined the army. Saunders may have a kid brother named Joey; in the episode " Survival," Saunders discusses Joey's death in a delirium, so it is uncertain whether Joey is real. In different episodes, he has claimed to be both from Cleveland and from Illinois. To his family, Saunders is known as "Chip". To his men he is "Saunders,""Sarge," or, most often, "THE Sarge," the man they look up to and depend on for their survival. Saunders is five foot, eleven inches tall. This blond, blue-eyed Mid-Westerner is a man of few words, with a fierce loyalty to his men and to his lieutenant. He wears a distinctive camouflage helmet and carries both a Tommy gun and a Colt .45 sidearm. LIEUTENANT GIL HANLEY  Hanley commands King Company's second platoon. He was a tech sergeant when he lead his men ashore on D-Day. Since he has no campaign ribbons before D-Day, the action at Omaha Beach was probably his first time under fire. Soon after D-Day he received a battlefield commission, obtaining the rank of 2nd lieutenant. When he and Saunders were sergeants together, they were friendly rivals for the attentions of women. Hanley's promotion has put a professional distance between Hanley and Saunders. Hanley depends on Saunders; the whole company knows that Saunders is Hanley's right hand man. Six-foot, four inches tall, with dark hair, green eyes and sophisticated good looks, Hanley appears to be a ladies man. He has a bright smile and an easy-going manner — but don't cross him, there's steel behind the smile. He is usually armed with a carbine, bayonet, and Colt .45. Hanley is a college graduate. His college roommate was a French exchange student who hosted Hanley for a vacation in his home in France after graduation. During the war, Hanley learns that his roommate had been killed by the Gestapo; working behind enemy lines, Hanley helps his roommate's family escape to Switzerland (episode "The Quiet Warrior"). This is the only background on Hanley ever given in the show. We know nothing about his family (or even if he has family) or his pre-war life. Follow the rest of this fine website here if you like.   PFC Paul ("Caje") LeMay is the dark-haired Cajun from New Orleans who usually acts as the platoon's French translator. He moves with the lithe grace and agility of an athlete. He often is tasked to scout ahead and to take the point while on patrol. He is five-foot ten inches tall with hazel eyes, slight and wiry. Caje is gregarious and friendly. He is possibly a bit of a philanderer: he's received three "Dear John" letters while in Normandy.  At six-foot, six inches tall, Littlejohn is the gentle giant of Company K. Kind-hearted and friendly, Littlejohn finds some good in everyone he meets. Though he seems a hayseed, he's perceptive about people and is hard to con. This Nebraska farmboy is everyone's friend, except Kirby's (though even their antagonism fades after second season). His closest association is with Billy Nelson. The two are inseparable buddies. He and Billy both landed on Omaha Beach on D-Day, though they were at that time not in Saunders' squad.  DOC (seasons 2 through 5)...The squad's second medic is a man of action who does not always meekly accept his non-combatant role ("Bridgehead", "The Hostages"). He speaks with a southern drawl and claims in one episode to be from Arkansas. (Though this is likely from his accent, this statement was made in a situation where Doc was lying about everything, so personal data from the episode "The Hostages" is suspect.) Five-foot, eleven inches tall, this PFC has light brown hair and blue eyes. Before being drafted, he was a clerk in a grocery store. He wanted to be trained as an army cook so he would have a good trade after the war, but the army made him a medic. He drinks, has been seen to smoke only once in the show, and doesn't gamble. He has an easy-going southern charm and good foxhole-side manner.  The All-American boy-next-door, Billy is Littlejohn's side-kick and the youngest member of the squad. He has a charming, boyish grin, a beautiful face, and is rather gullible. The squad uses his helmet to make coffee in and to boil the occasional chicken. If going by the book, this private is not a good soldier, always getting things wrong and mis-handling his equipment. But in the field he's a man you can count on to watch your back. He is short, with light brown hair and blue eyes.  The Cast (all five seasons): Vic Morrow as Sgt. "Chip" Saunders Rick Jason as Lt. Gil Hanley Jack Hogan as William G. Kirby Pierre Jalbert as Caje Dick Peabody as Littlejohn Other Regulars: Shecky Greene as Braddock ... Season 1 Steven Rogers as Doc ... Season 1 Conlan Carter as Doc ... Seasons 2 through 5 Tom Lowell as Billy Nelson ... Seasons 1 and 2 William Bryant as McCall ... Season 5      |
I watched some of the later seasons, and I have seen some of the earlier shows in syndication, but it was not one of those must-watch shows at the time. Perhaps there was something that came on opposite it that was usually watched, or perhaps it came on at meal time. It did lose something when it went from B&W to color.
Do like "Porco Rosso", a good "after the war" war movie.
You want to try something amazing, try a search on
http://print.google.com/
I get thousands and thousands of hits on "6th Armored Division". This can become the greatest thing the Internet has accomplished. The greatest research tool, period. For sure and all the greatest historical resource.
Enthusiastic?? Yeah.
Can't img src the google files, it seems. Pity.
Up until about 8 months ago, the History channel up here was running "Combat!" consecutive episodes 3 times (one per day) daily, in consecutive order.
They ran through the whole series about six times before replacing it with "Twelve O'Clock High" on the same schedule.
Neither show is very realistic, but the drama was more the point. The acting was sometimes pretty bad, but both series had standout performances and excellent writing on occasion.
We're nearing the colorization transition for the 4th time in TOH, so perhaps they'll bring back "Rat Patrol" again. That was a fun and entertaining series, except when they got preachy.
Apparently my parents tell the stoy that when I was younger, I wanted to go to Germantown (A small town near where I grew up) and kill all the germans.
And I'm german! (Youthful indescretion)
I actually saw it for the first time in years, while on vacation in Maine. I only watched a few minutes of it, and then had to get going.
A couple of humorous pics for the Saturday Foxhole
How about some armor from the show "Combat"
Well off to work I go, I will be boiling water for the next couple of weeks.
Regards
alfa6 ;>}
Do you remember "The Lieutenant?".started Marty Millner..later of Adam-12....playing a Marine Lt..That's what first got me thinking about the Corps..
Oops..memory plays tricks..just went to IMDB..it wasn't Millner.but Gary Lockwood...whoever he was
Good morning Snippy and everyone at the Freeper Foxhole.
Be sure to click on my screename and then "In Forum" to read my comments about the Sheean ordeal.
Good morning ALL.
Does that ever bring back the seventies (when I was a youngster)! Back before they came up with this new-fangled thing called cable and there were only FOUR channels that tuned in on the old TV box, two of them used to compete with each other on late Saturday night in my neck of the woods with dueling genres: one would run a couple of horror movies in a format hosted by this character called "Count Gregoire"; the other would run a war movie bracketed, or sometimes followed by, a couple of episodes of "Combat!". IIRC, "Combat!" also used to run occasionally just before shutting down time on Sunday evenings, when a guy would come on and explain that the station was "ending our broadcast day," followed by the Star-spangled banner or footage of a jet fighter going through maneuvers while a poem was recited by a deep voiced narrator; but this Cad wouldn't know anything about that because he was supposed to be sound asleep...you betcha.
Well, I've gone on too long but remembering that show brought back a flood of memories, all of them good. I'd forgotten all about "Combat!" in these intervening years, but checking my cable guide here I see it's on EACTE. More proof of how much life has changed: it's on a channel in the 200's, from FOUR stations available to hundreds. My kids simply shake their heads in disbelief whenever the subject comes up and I mention that, at one time, there were only four channels on television, and even they went off the air early in the morning. They've never seen a test screen. Anyway, thanks for the thread; it really brought back some memories!
This photo provided by Jeep shows 140 vehicles positioned by Jeep owners in the form of an American flag Thursday, Aug. 11, 2005, in Mount Pocono, Pa., to promote the National Anthem Project, a national effort to re-teach Americans the words to 'The Star-Spangled Banner.' Two out of three Americans do not know the words to the National Anthem, according to a Harris Poll survey. The flag, measuring 73 feet wide by 191 feet long, was created to celebrate the first year of this multi-year national education initiative of which Jeep is a national sponsor. (AP Photo/Jeep, Stuart Ramson)
On This Day In History
Birthdates which occurred on August 13:
1422 William Caxton 1st English printer (Histories of Troy)
1655 Johann Christoph Denner inventor (clarinet)
1802 Nikolaus Lenau Hungary, German poet (Faust, Die Albigenser)
1814 Anders Jonas Angstrom Sweden, physicist, founded spectroscopy
1818 Lucy Stone pioneered women's rights
1820 Sir George Grove London, England, biblical scholar/musicologist
1860 Annie Oakley Drake Ohio, frontierswoman (Buffalo Bill's Wild West)
1888 John Logie Baird Scotland, inventor (father of TV)
1898 Jean Borota France, tennis champ (35 Wimbledons between 1922-64)
1899 Alfred Hitchcock London, director (Psycho, Birds, Rear Window)
1902 Felix Wankel Germany, inventor (Wankel rotary-piston engine)
1902 Regis Toomey Pitts Pa, actor (Burke's Law, Petticoat Junction)
1904 Charles "Buddy" Rogers actor (Wings)
1907 Alfred Alwin Felix Krupp Essen Germany, arms manufacturer
1908 Gene Raymond NYC, actor (Paris 7000, Fireside Theater)
1912 Ben Hogan Dublin Tx, PGA golfer (US Open 1950, 51, 53)
1912 Rita Johnson Worcester Mass, actress (All Mine to Give)
1919 Rex Humbard televanglist
1920 George Shearing London, blind pianist/composer (Lullabye of Byrdland)
1921 Neville Brand actor ("Laredo")
1927 Fidel Castro Ruz Cuban political leader (1959- )
1929 Pat Harrington Jr NYC, actor (Danny Thomas Show, 1 Day at a Time)
1930 Don Ho Hawaii, ukulele player (Tiny Bubbles)
1931 Norman Read NZ, 50K walker (Olympic-gold-1956)
1934 Gary Davidson founder of ABA, WHA, WFL
1942 Robert L Stewart Wash DC, Brig Gen US Army/astronaut (STS 41B, 51J)
1943 Gary Ilman US, 100m freestyle (Olympic-4th-1964)
1947 Gretchen Corbett Camp Sherman Ore, actress (Beth-Rockford Files)
1948 Kathleen Battle Portsmouth Ohio, soprano
1949 Bobby Clarke Manitoba, NHL player/coach (Phila Flyers)
1951 Dan Fogelberg Peoria Ill, rocker (Same Auld Lang Syne)
1955 Betsy King LPGA golfer (1990 Dinah Shore, 1990 US Women's Open)
1959 Danny Bonaduce actor (Danny-Partridge Family) (1959 approx)
1959 Mark Nevin rocker (Fairground Attraction-Find My Love)
1963 Tigg Ketler Chula Vista Ca, drummer (Bang Tango-Dancin' on Coals)
1964 Ian Haughland heavy metal rocker (Europe-The Final Countdown)
1967 Quinn Cummings LA Calif, actress (Annie-Family, Goodbye Girl)
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