Ronald Speirs dead

[Kuniworth]

Anyone saw that Leutenant Ronald Speirs from easy company died now in april? He is depicted in the mini-series "Band of Brothers"

Damn that was one hell of a solider.

Bill Guarnere still alive though. Visit his website here:

http://www.wildbillguarnere.com/

[jon_j_rambo]

Thanks Kuni for sharing that. Camp Rambo salutes this Legend. Hope he was saved.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ronald_Spears

[Blashy]

Ah Band of Brothers, you could almost call it a documentary, what a piece of art.

I wish something like that existed for WW1, closest I have seen is The Lost Battalion (based on a true story).

Spears... a real Hero.

[ChrisND]

I think I have watched that series ten times through.

Spears was the friggin man. (The guy who played him did an outstanding act too).

[Moonslayer]

Never heard of the programme or the guy... but there are precious few veterans left these days so to lose one is sad indeed.

[ChrisND]

You've never seen band of brothers?!!! I demand you watch it immediately, or I'm never making another mod again!! :eek:

[Desert Dave]

but there are precious few veterans left these days so to lose one is sad indeed.

Come to America M8,

Take a tour of the VA Hospitals here,

LOTS of Vets,

From old and new wars - torn all to shreds,

Physically, mentally,

Or worse,

Living and dying on the street,

Nope - don't get much

Accomplished medical attention, as,

RE: recent developments revealed

About Walter Reed there in D.C.

Like in that Movie,

Which I'd recommend you see,

Once or a dozen times,

Don't matter,

You'll get the PIC, M8.

"Coming Home"

With Jon Voight

And that true,

Red white & blue American

(... who is great enough

to admit past mistakes, unlike WAY

too many who cannot - EVER get over it)

Jane Fonda.

Every week I see 'em,

When I go out there,

Help out a little, as I can,

And,

Ride on out in the Gov't Van

Friday or Saturday night,

Sometimes when it is below freezing,

TRY to talk them... home, come in

Off the street.

Some still in fatigues,

Beaten, weary, drug-stricken,

Carrying bad memories

Like empty ammo clips

Hanging off their ragged clothes.

Cartoons are one thing.

What it IS, brother,

Is... another.

Fat, tired old men

Who NEVER were in any war,

Nor their own sons neither,

Sending the young ones

Off to do their insanely

Inspired - dirty work.

It's a crime, a shame.

[Moonslayer]

Cheers, Dave, and you are quite right, of course; there are many vets still around and most are suffering still. I was referring to WWII vets specifically as one of the two last ones I know personally died recently... only my Grandfather is left now (he was a tail gunner in a Wellington).

As for band of brothers I will look out for it on the movie channels (Wouldn't want Normal Dude to quit making mods!).

[Desert Dave]

Originally posted by Moonslayer:

Cheers, Dave, and you are quite right, of course; there are many vets still around and most are suffering still. I was referring to WWII vets specifically as one of the two last ones I know personally died recently... only my Grandfather is left now (he was a tail gunner in a Wellington).

As for band of brothers I will look out for it on the movie channels (Wouldn't want Normal Dude to quit making mods!).

All the best to your Grandfather,

He served in one of the few

"Good Wars."

Haven't had many of those since,

Exceptions being

Gulf War I,

And Afghanistan

(... from American perspective, and

ONLY in my opinion - who else's should

I have?).

ALL the others, and

I DO mean... every other one,

Were notso good.

My point was, and remains, that

Our fat-*ssed politicos

PROMISE these kids - MOSTLY

Poor, with not enough "connections,"

And so - unable

To "buy" their way out of it,

Yea verily, they

Get out the jingoistic, chavaunistic

Flim-flam and sham machismo rhetoric

To promise those

Great! War glories, and yet,

Once maimed or O/W ripped all apart,

Well,

They just can't seem to find enough $$$$$

To pay for the rehabilitation necessary.

THAT's the crime

I was referring to, and, IMHO,

We should see LOTS of our past

AND current politicos

Wearing prison garb.

In a REAL prison, not enny Country Club,

So - that way they can REALIZE

The extent of their crime,

And,

Like the pot-smoker caught with

A couple joints,

Do the time, eh?

[Blashy]

Better you rent the whole set and watch them all in one day.

Band of Brothers is the must see WW2 cinema.

[Desert Dave]

Originally posted by Blashy:

Better you rent the whole set and watch them all in one day.

Band of Brothers is the must see WW2 cinema.

Haven't seen it, quite likely,

Never will.

I'd recommend:

Cabaret and Night of the Generals.

[Moonslayer]

Dave, I could not agree more. Most wars of recent times have been for dubious reasons as far as I can tell. 'To stop the spread of communism', 'To depose somebody else's dictator', 'civil (an interesting use of the term) wars' and 'wars of religion' to name but a few.

Just goes to show how far we have to go before we really become 'evolved'.

[Desert Dave]

Just goes to show how far we have to go before we really become 'evolved'.

Today is "officially"... Earth Day.

Hooray!

I celebrate that and those... 10 newly bloomed

Daffodils up on my hill-side!

IF we might - somehow, save

These hacking, gasping lands

Which belong to ALL of us,

Equally,

Maybe?

One fine, sun-beaming day?

Figure a way

To QUIT all the sense-less quarreling

Over... things.

Inside out,

It's the ONLY way it could work,

As I've discovered while

Trying to get life-long "addicts"

OFF their drug dependencies.

Then again,

MANY are the items nowadays

That we might term - "drugs."

As,

For one instance,

The War-mongering/Gun-fondling

Kind of retrograde and base "addiction"

We have TOO MUCH of... over here.

___________________________

Now,

Back to war-games - which I LOVE to play

BTW, no matter some of the things

I essay... VERY much looking FORWARD!

To the next tournament

(... I once proposed, but, gee whiz,

nobody wanted it)

Which would be... Old Slingers

VS - them Young Gunners.

IE, them over 40

Years of age - on one side,

Them 39.99 and under,

On the other.

THAT would be a shoot-out

Would surely interest me.

See if?

Us old-timers could still hold our own? LOL!

[Moonslayer]

I would go for that... if only because I would just qualify as a young gunner... and that's something that doesn't seem to happen much these days. At work we played a staff charity softball game (like baseball) and over 35 was considered to be the senior team... I had a mid-life crisis right there and then! So the chance to be a junior again is too good to pass up ;p

[Liam]

Band of Brothers is the finest WW2 Miniseries and at this time, best feel of World War II out. I suggest also Enemy at the Gates and Saving Private Ryan. To be honest aside from these flicks, there are no real true hardcore WW2 movies I'd suggest made in modern times. Perhaps Schindler's List, which is a masterpiece of Grade A Film History.. That is how it felt, I'm 110% certian of it, well, at least 105%...

I have seen the old ones too, I'm not discounting them, just saying they do not make them much anymore, much like the cowboys, a forgotton Genre...

As for the Pains of War, many of these boys volunteer to go. Many people do not question the Loyalty to Nation and to Flag... It is a hard question we have to ask ourselves, when a war is just or when a war is for an unjust cause. Or perhaps as in Iraq, taken too far, and more for Black Gold and less for the Iraqi People. Even when I was a boy, I asked, as our troops stopped outside Basrah? "WHY!? Victory is in sight? What a foolish move! George Bush what is wrong with you?"

I do not point my finger at volunteers, I do not say because you get wounded, you are nolonger a patriot. You are a casualty forgotton by your nation who has no ability to deal with mental and sinful disability. War forces normal men to sin... That is the deepest root of suffering for these souls.. I would not want to be a man sitting on a WW2 Island with my chest torn open by shraplen, God Forbid such a life, at the tender age of 18! Likely Virgins, gotton drunk since entering the service, picked up lucky strikes there too... Promises of Exotic lands and ladies and lots of Kills. There is a Gungho aspect to American Society hard to break from that.

We're no the only ones, I have a firm feeling that in WW2 Germany, the feeling was that we will prevail or we will die. I'm not saying the survivors were cowards, they cleaned up a mess and made a Nation of rubble. Though A hardline German wanted to Fight, wanted to kill, enjoyed his job. Much the mentality of Americans. There is pleasure in death. Who wouldn't want to try being a Sniper? The Thrill of the Kill? So long as your not the casualty, and killing an enemy you deem to be evil?

Only someone with such a mentality, such a hardcore sentimental in regards to their cause can inflict such Horror and devastation upon this Earth. The others we hear about as an AfterThought in the Annals of History.

[Colin I]

What about Clint Eastwood's recent duo of Pacific movies? Pretty intense and doing it from both sides perspectives was brave with an iconic moment in the raising of the US flag?

[n0kn0k]

Can recommend a few here:

Dresden http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0461658/

Napola http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0384369/

Stalingrad http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0108211/ (imho far better then the "hollywoodified" enemy at the gates)

Mussolini: The Decline and Fall of Il Duce http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0089645/

Der Untergang http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0363163/

Hidden Children (no link)

Faithless (no link)

[Desert Dave]

As for the Pains of War, many of these boys volunteer to go.

A Mercenary Army is never enny good.

Never ever ever never.

I say - bring back the draft.

NO deferments of ANY kind,

No 2-S for collegiate evaders,

No "family business" exceptions,

No "buy-outs" for rich kids,

No faked physical or mental dis-ease

(...yeah, they ARE diseased alright,

diseased with cowardice)

And! No farm boys excused

(... ain't hardly none of them little

"homestead farms" left anyhow, as my Grand Dad

had stolen by 'em fat & crass bankers during

the FIRST Great Depression... 2nd is on

the way, sad to say...)

All Congressional Reps sons & daughters

Are eligible at age 18,

You see what I mean... thatta way,

You'd cut these illegal, UN-Constitutional,

And "pre-emptive" and unjust wars

By, oh - I'd guess - 98%? :cool:

Not to mention - get rid of them

"Civilian Armies" we got now,

Working for them war-profiteering

Mega-Corps, IE,

The private mercenaries

Getting paid a King's Ransom,

Running around with NO

Professional military oversight,yep

Doing plenty of un-holy death-dealing

For the Military Industrial Complex.

Lots of those guys

Are near socio-pathic freaks. :eek:

(... good ol' Ike, General Eisenhower

WARNED us about that in 1959)

Comes down to legitimate National defense,

I'd STILL volunteer,

As I did in 1966,

NO MATTER I am over 50 years old.

O/W, fine and thoughtful

Commentary all around Liam.

[ April 23, 2007, 05:47 AM: Message edited by: Desert Dave ]

[Baron]

Man, I wish everybody was as wise as our resident poet. I think we should all stick our collective heads in the sand as the world goes to hell.

Just don't be surprised as to what happens to the end that isn't buried in the sand......

As for me I have respect for any veteran even if I don't always agree with them.

[Hubert Cater]

Couldn't agree more and it has actually been a nice transformation. Civil discourse appears to be the norm for these boards and it is nice to see that much of the early *days of disruption* seem to be mostly behind us.

Over the years I've had the pleasure of meeting some interesting people through these forums and have even had the pleasure of working with some class acts through Beta testing... Dave, Bill, Blashy and Edwin, the core group of testers, have been nothing short of solid characters and their dedication, work ethic and mostly very long volunteer hours to help ensure a quality product can never be fully described and/or properly appreciated.

Hats off to these guys and everyone else who has become part of the SC2 community... and for my part I just hope I can continue to deliver up to standard.

Hubert

[Kuniworth]

Originally posted by Hubert Cater:

Civil discourse appears to be the norm for these boards and it is nice to see that much of the early *days of disruption* seem to be mostly behind us.

What was that? partisans? :confused:

[Liam]

Lucky we've got Hubert to be so openminded with our Forum. It keeps a lot of Opinions where they belong and keeps a lot of the variety comming to these forums and feeding the game. Small Mini WW2 Tribute Community.

He's also made a great game, fine tuned by some of his aids I'm sure, but Right now the King of WW2 Sims...strategy level at least!

As for War today

"And they say this is the Golden Age, and Gold is the reasons for the wars we wage!"

[Blashy]

I have always been in favor of a mandatory 2-3 year service for everyone once you reach the age of 18.

A proper run military can instill good values and work ethic that you would not get anywhere else. It also brings you closer to your veterans, I know since my time served the most important day of the year for me is now memorial day. No other day comes close to it. I did not have this type of respect beforehand.

Even though I could not see myself making a career out of it, I thank the military of the many lessons learned... good or bad.

I served from 18 to 20.5 . Proud ex-submariner.

[Desert Dave]

Hats off to these guys and everyone else who has become part of the SC2 community... and for my part I just hope I can continue to deliver up to standard.

Ain't NOBODY - and I been around the block,

Playing these WW-2 kinda games

For a doggone long time,

Done it QUITE like Mondo Mojo has.

Yep, EVERYBODY - Jake, Juke, the Rake,

Luke... has had a cool hand

In this here premier production,

Not merely the cadre of testers. :cool:

Thing is this, as I see it:

The rest of them PRETENDERS out there,

Are,

Apparently?

So awful wring-hand

Worried about KEEPING secrets,

And preventing all the potential "modders"

From doing damn near ANYTHING

With their same-old, limping lame games,

Due to - lack of "community sharing"

Personality Trait, perhaps?

Which Mondo Mojo has

In abounding abundance?

Well,

I myself have been honored

To contribute what LITTLE I have

Thus far up & done.

EVERYBODY - going back 5 + years

Has done their persistent part, too.

And that's - mighty monumental cool. :cool:

[Desert Dave]

I have always been in favor of a mandatory 2-3 year service for everyone once you reach the age of 18.

I'd agree with that idea Blash Mon.

I'd have it, for USA anyhow, as this:

Once graduated from high school,

You'd have three choices:

1) Armed Forces

2) VISTA (... volunteers in service to America)

3) Peace Corps

You would ONLY have to do ONE year

Of whichever one you would want.

IF you decided to do the 2nd year,

THEN you'd get the "bonus benefits,"

IE, what all US Soldiers get

In the way of VA

(... NOW! Finally!

As per the common folk's wishes! Updated

To minimun modern standards, at least,

at last)

And college assistance and home-buyer

Loans and the like.

IMO, we'd soon enough see

FEWER bangers and hangers-around

And plain old nihilist punks,

And more of those have got that

Great sort of "honor & integrity"

CODE ... instilled,

Willingly - same as them Knights of Olde.

Mostly had - natural-like,

Inspirit,

Inside out. :cool: