When I first saw the original movie back in the 80's I never did quite warm up to it, perhaps the 'Zag' character played by young Carradine bugged me, I don't know. In looking at it now, especially with the additional 47 minutes it has become a favorite of mine. There is one scene in the reconstructed version that I could have really lived without....the Homosexual Kraut doctor kissing Lee Marvin on the lips...... Not my cup of tea, and I don't really think it added anything to the movie. The scenes between Marvin and the small boy from the KZ lager are among the most powerful of any war drama I've ever seen...so sad.

Jim

I caught the last 10 minutes of the Omaha Beach one on on our public access channel this evening and MAYBE just MAYBE if our dang TV guide channel was brodcasting the listings instead of American Idol I would have known it was on!!

http://veteranshistory.org/order05.htm

This morning I received a letter from *Dee Eberhart, local veteran of the 42nd "Rainbow" Div. and guest lecturer. I thought it was worth passing on...

Dear Jim,

Last Saturday Morning, at my relatively short Dachau presentation to the D.A.R. in Yakima, I intended to bring to their attention recent articles about Gunther Grass, Nobel Prize Winner, and author of "The Tin Drum, and other books, who by his own recent admission was a member of the Waffen SS (10th SS Panzer Division), but I had run out of time and wasn't able to do so. In an article in The National Review (Sept. 11,2006), the columnist stated that "he (Grass) dismisses his failure over the past 61 years to acknowledge his past, and shows not a trace of remorse or contrition....the scale of hypocrasy is monstrous. Since 1945, Grass has been living a lie, and everything he has said and done is morally suspect."

It was the 10th SS Panzer troops which attacked our regiments 2nd and 3rd Battalians on Jan. 25,1945, along the Moder river in Alsace. After heavy casualties, we contained their attack, and what was left of my platoon captured about as many of them as there was left of us, and I then marched the bunch of them into Haguenau, where our company CP was located. I doubt if Gunther Grass was one of them, but who knows?

Best Regards,

Dee

* I have ordered a DVD of Dee Eberhart's Dachau presentation, which I will also be sharing excerpts from. He has written and had published several books of Poetry based on his WWII experiences and is a frequent guest speaker at schools and other organizations.

-Jim

Just received this from Bill's wife this morning. My condolences to her and the entire family.

Marion, just a quick line or two, Bill passed away on Wednesday September 20, the Lord called him home. Services will be held at 10AM on Friday Sept. 22nd at St. Peter and Paul Catholic Church. All the family will be here even the 4 great-grand babies. We will wake the body of Bill at Delhomme Funeral Home in Scott, La. On Marie St. 70583. We will miss him very much. I will get back to you later. Love, Mit

Hello,

I hope all is going well for you !

If some persons, need some helps, about the Vosges moutains, for example photos, maps address.... , don't hesit to ask me, it will be an pleasure for me.

A bientot,

Gerome