The Pacific

[Bubblehead1980]

Somewhat related but finished Band of Brothers on Hulu recently(amazing as ever) and now on the Pacific, which is excellent, especially if ever read Sledge's memoir "With the Old Breed".

I know there is a forthcoming series about 8th Air Force, but really do wish Hanks and Spielberg could get passion for a WW II pacific sub series with the authenticity and quality of BOB and The Pacific. I mean, Greyhound was excellent, except for few things...namely uboat commander taunting on radio, subs surfacing in daylight to fight it out. Imagine a series along the lines of BOB and The Pacific, but focused on WW II sub warfare in the Pacific, with O Kane, Fluckey etc. books as source material.

[les green01]

great movie i got the dvd set base on 3 books thing i like about sledge book he didnt sugarcoat nothing i got to get his other book that he wrote about being station in china after the war BOB and The Pacific, but focused on WW II sub warfare in the Pacific, with O Kane, Fluckey etc. books as source material. would be awsome

[Bubblehead1980]

Originally Posted by les green01

great movie i got the dvd set base on 3 books thing i like about sledge book he didnt sugarcoat nothing i got to get his other book that he wrote about being station in china after the war BOB and The Pacific, but focused on WW II sub warfare in the Pacific, with O Kane, Fluckey etc. books as source material. would be awsome

Never read China Marine, yet but look forward to it. Being I grew up in Florida just over the state line, I have a lot of ties to Mobile. I had the pleasure of meeting Dr. Phillips (Sid) , who was Sledge's friend and is feature in the series before he passed in 2015. Also, met some relatives of Sledge.

A 10-12 part series with each episode 2 hours on HBO produced by Hanks and Spielberg would be perfect, about only ones can trust to do it correctly. Few episodes could focus on different subs, characters or do a compilation like The Pacific about Leckie, Basilone, and Sledge. Would want it to tell some of the lesser know but just a heroic and amazing stories of silent service. The Salmon's brush with death on October 30 1944 for example. Same escort(CD-22) that helped sink Harder in August, nearly finished the Salmon. Sub was so badly damaged, forced to battle surface, killed everyone topside with machine gun and 20 MM fire on bridge on one of the escorts, skirted away into a squall. Damaged so badly spent rest of war as a training vessel. USS Haddock, a victim of MAD in November 1944. Made it home but was a total constructive loss, there are a ton of other stories to tell.

[Macgregor the Hammer]

"With the Old Breed" was published toward the end of my enlistment in the Marines. I read it. What the Marines endured in the South Pacific was unbelievable. My friends and I had a new perspective on the legacy we had to live up to. Made me proud to be a Marine! Still does....

The other half of me is Navy. My dad retired a Senior Chief Machinist's Mate. He was a WW2, Korea and Viet Nam vet. Serving in the military is one of the best ways to honor our liberty's and freedoms!

[KaleunMarco]

Originally Posted by Macgregor the Hammer

"With the Old Breed" was published toward the end of my enlistment in the Marines. I read it. What the Marines endured in the South Pacific was unbelievable. My friends and I had a new perspective on the legacy we had to live up to. Made me proud to be a Marine! Still does....

indeed.
my uncle jim served with the 2nd on Guadalcanal and Tarawa. Second bravest man i ever knew. also one of the kindest men i ever knew. give you his last $5 if you needed it for cab fare and then he'd walk home.

[Schnee]

Originally Posted by Bubblehead1980

Somewhat related but finished Band of Brothers on Hulu recently(amazing as ever) and now on the Pacific, which is excellent, especially if ever read Sledge's memoir "With the Old Breed".

I know there is a forthcoming series about 8th Air Force, but really do wish Hanks and Spielberg could get passion for a WW II pacific sub series with the authenticity and quality of BOB and The Pacific. I mean, Greyhound was excellent, except for few things...namely uboat commander taunting on radio, subs surfacing in daylight to fight it out. Imagine a series along the lines of BOB and The Pacific, but focused on WW II sub warfare in the Pacific, with O Kane, Fluckey etc. books as source material.

I've never understood why a series / movie hasn't been done on the Silent Service. Dunno if it would come close to Das Boot, but reading Blair's Silent Victory indicates that US Subs had to pull off stuff as scary as what Uncle Karl's flunkies had to do.

[KaleunMarco]

Originally Posted by Schnee

I've never understood why a series / movie hasn't been done on the Silent Service. Dunno if it would come close to Das Boot, but reading Blair's Silent Victory indicates that US Subs had to pull off stuff as scary as what Uncle Karl's flunkies had to do.

Because the USN calls it "The Silent Service" for good reasons.

And also, because that generation of skippers and seamen are lost to the ages, there will probably never be a counterpart Hollywood production of Band of Brothers or The Pacific that will focus on "The Silent Service".

there was a 1950's TV series titled The Silent Service, i believe. couple two three seasons. the episodes were 30 minute (?) vignettes of action in the Pacific. i think they are available via YouTube.

[Bubblehead1980]

Originally Posted by Schnee

I've never understood why a series / movie hasn't been done on the Silent Service. Dunno if it would come close to Das Boot, but reading Blair's Silent Victory indicates that US Subs had to pull off stuff as scary as what Uncle Karl's flunkies had to do.

Well, a lot of it has to do with during the war and even after their role as the decisive strategic element in the Pacific War, actually accomplishing what Germany attempted to do in both world wars, was not as publicized as naval aviation etc. This was design, the silent service, political considerations as well.

Also, to the masses, submarine warfare is not as eh "sexy" as say aviation, or storming the beaches of pacific island or Normandy at first glance, but was in its own way just as brutal etc and plenty of potential for excitement. Honestly, I believe it is because many still lack the awareness of how vital the US submarine services role was in holding the line after Pearl Harbor and then achieving victory, so are not aware of the stories to be told.



A side project I plan is to write a screenplay and try to get it picked up , took a few classes in college on writing screenplays, but no time at the moment in life.

I've authored letters and sent copies of books such as CLEAR THE BRIDGE, and THUNDER BELOW, to address of Hanks and Spielberg's agents before, knowing it was a long shot but figured worth a try. Thing is, I would only want a movie or series made if it is done properly such as BOB or the Pacific, Saving Private Ryan, no cliche's, no clunky dialogue etc. 2019's Midway for example, while overall a great movie, some of Hollywoodesque nonsense they could not resist including just hurt its credibility. Also, noticed did not see one F4F Wildcat fighter in the movie lol or PBY's role in discovering the japanese carriers and invasion forces.

[Schnee]

The only reason I can think about is the missions , while including awesome excitement and bone chilling terror had long long intervals of boredom and nothing happening. Tough to design a screenplay around maybe.


But yeah, bottom line is the lack of understanding among the general populace how how critical the subs were to victory in the Pacific and the disproportionate damage they caused.

[Bubblehead1980]

Originally Posted by Schnee

The only reason I can tink about is the missions , while including awesome excitement and bone chilling terror had long long intervals of boredom and nothing happening. Tough to design a screenplay around maybe.


But yeah, bottom line is the lack of understanding among the general populace how how critical the subs were to victory in the Pacific and the disproportionate damage they caused.

Agreed which is why I believe a mini series along the line of Band of Brothers would work best, hour and half episodes. Some of BOB's best moments was when they not in combat but in training but the development of the characters, i.e. when they tricked Sobel into cutting the fence lol etc. . Read enough memoirs and interviews with sub vets, plenty of room for character development, man sub sailors (especially then) were characters.

[mikesn9]

Originally Posted by Schnee

The only reason I can think about is the missions , while including awesome excitement and bone chilling terror had long long intervals of boredom and nothing happening. Tough to design a screenplay around maybe.

I've read what happened out there was: " weeks of boredom punctuated by hours of terror"

[KaleunMarco]

Originally Posted by mikesn9

I've read what happened out there was: " weeks of boredom punctuated by hours of terror"

that is exactly what occurred...that does not play well on the big screen.
people do not go to the movies to witness watch section after watch section scan the skies for planes or to watch a sub creep very slowly underwater during the daylight hours while the sonarman listens intently, trying to separate biologics from manmade sound. no one wants to watch endless hours of drilling: fire fighting, targeting and firing, flooding, every seaman learning about all of the machinery that makes a submarine an effective weapon. no one watching a movie and can understand how everything below decks smells and tastes like either diesel fuel or diesel exhaust. or what it is like to live very, very closely with 80 other humans for two months at a time under the conditions described above. i am going to stop now. i've depressed myself enough for a Monday morning. now i get to go back to work.