HBO's The Pacific

[FurnaceFace]

Originally Posted by 3 Justin 3

Next episode will be Peileliu as well, so I am thinking this series won't slow down like BoB did. Because they will still go over Iwo Jima which could be 2 episodes long, and with 4 left (1 for Peileliu, say 2 for Iwo Jima), looks like a lot more action.

The remaining episodes are:
Peleliu Hills
Iwo Jima
Okinawa
Home

Originally Posted by burn_baby_burn

I wonder if Leckie's time in the Pacific theater is over?

He never returned to combat. I believe you won't see him much until the final episode.

[burn_baby_burn]

Found this is Widepedia about Eugene Sledge.

Sledge describes in detail the sheer physical struggle of living in a combat zone and the debilitating effects of constant fear, fatigue, and filth. "Fear and filth went hand in hand," he wrote. "It has always puzzled me that this important factor in our daily lives has received so little attention from historians and is often omitted from otherwise excellent personal memoirs by infantrymen." Marines had trouble staying dry, finding time to eat their rations, practicing basic field sanitation (it was impossible to dig latrines or catholes in the coral rock on Peleliu), and simply moving around on the pulverized coral of Peleliu and in the mud of Okina

[Cowperson]

The Peleliu Hills episode might be bloodier than the one crossing the airfield.

From a Wikipedia description, describing events yet to come in this series

One particularly bloody battle on Bloody Nose came when the 1st Battalion, 1st Marines, under the command of MajorRaymond Davis, attacked Hill 100. Over six days of fighting, the battalion suffered 71% casualties. Captain Everett Pope and his company penetrated deep into the ridges, leading his remaining 90 men to seize what he thought was Hill 100. It took an entire day of bloody fighting to reach what he thought was the crest of the hill, but ending up being the nose of yet another ridge, occupied by more Japanese defenders.

Trapped at the base of the ridge, Pope set up a small defense perimeter, which was attacked relentlessly by the Japanese throughout the night. The men soon ran out of bullets, and had to fight the attackers off with knives and fists, even resorting to throwing coral rock and empty boxes of ammunition at the Japanese. Pope and his men managed to hold out until dawn. When they evacuated the position, only 9 men remained. Pope would receive the Medal of Honor for his actions.

The Japanese eventually inflicted 60% casualties on Puller's 1st Marines, who lost 1749 out of approximately 3000 men.

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

The landing on a hot beach and the World War I-like frontal assault crossing of the airfield were suitably terrifying. No body armour in those days, which makes it all the more amazing.

I was trying to find out how many killed and injured there were in the airfield crossing but wasn't able to find it. It's a simple thing but something that might be missing from this series that you saw in BoB . . . . some historical context in a paragraph or two at the end of the episode.

Cowperson

[CaptainCrunch]

Originally Posted by Cowperson

The Peleliu Hills episode might be bloodier than the one crossing the airfield.

From a Wikipedia description, describing events yet to come in this series

One particularly bloody battle on Bloody Nose came when the 1st Battalion, 1st Marines, under the command of MajorRaymond Davis, attacked Hill 100. Over six days of fighting, the battalion suffered 71% casualties. Captain Everett Pope and his company penetrated deep into the ridges, leading his remaining 90 men to seize what he thought was Hill 100. It took an entire day of bloody fighting to reach what he thought was the crest of the hill, but ending up being the nose of yet another ridge, occupied by more Japanese defenders.

Trapped at the base of the ridge, Pope set up a small defense perimeter, which was attacked relentlessly by the Japanese throughout the night. The men soon ran out of bullets, and had to fight the attackers off with knives and fists, even resorting to throwing coral rock and empty boxes of ammunition at the Japanese. Pope and his men managed to hold out until dawn. When they evacuated the position, only 9 men remained. Pope would receive the Medal of Honor for his actions.

The Japanese eventually inflicted 60% casualties on Puller's 1st Marines, who lost 1749 out of approximately 3000 men.

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

The landing on a hot beach and the World War I-like frontal assault crossing of the airfield were suitably terrifying. No body armour in those days, which makes it all the more amazing.

I was trying to find out how many killed and injured there were in the airfield crossing but wasn't able to find it. It's a simple thing but something that might be missing from this series that you saw in BoB . . . . some historical context in a paragraph or two at the end of the episode.

Cowperson

The day by day breakdown and battle reports

http://www.peleliu1944.com/aar.html

[burn_baby_burn]

Found this in Wikipedia about the aftermath of Peleliu.

The reduction of the Japanese pocket around Umurbrogol mountain is considered[4] to be the most difficult fight that the U.S. military encountered in the entire Second World War. The 1st Marine Division was severely mauled and it remained out of action until the invasion of Okinawa on April 1, 1945. In total the 1st Division suffered over 6500 casualties during their month on Peleliu, over a third of their entire division. The 81st Infantry Division suffered over 3000 casualties during their tenure on the island.
The battle was controversial due to its lack of strategic value. The airfield captured on Peleliu was of little use for the attack on the Philippines. The island was never used for a staging operation in subsequent invasions; the Ulithi Atoll, in the Caroline Islands north of the Palaus, was used as a staging base for the invasion of Okinawa. In addition, few news reports were made on the battle. Due to Rupertus' "3 days" prediction, only six reporters bothered coming ashore. The battle was overshadowed by MacArthur's return to the Philippines and the Allies push towards Germany in Europe.

[Cowperson]

Originally Posted by CaptainCrunch

The day by day breakdown and battle reports

http://www.peleliu1944.com/aar.html

Didn't really see what I was looking for in there, as interesting as it was. Just absolute numbers.

Found this:

The ghastly horror of D-Day, left 210 of the 1st Marines dead with an additional 500 casualties.

The second day brought hand-to-hand combat in a former barracks near the airfield.

By the end of day two the airfield was seized. The 1st Marines were already depleted by 33 %.

By the 17th, they suffered 1,000 of the total 1,500 casualties and were now facing the Umurbrogol Mountains where the Japanese had pulled back into the 500 intricate, well camouflaged caves and pillboxes.

http://www.visit-palau.com/60thanniv/history.html

Another very descriptive link says 200 dead and 900 wounded by 1st Marines on D-Day. http://wapedia.mobi/en/Battle_of_Peleliu

Still doesn't tell us how many died or were injured in the run across the airstrip, the emphasis of the battle depicted in the last episode. Just curious.

Another interesting stat:

The costs at Peleliu held warnings aplenty for the remaining Allied operations to be conducted across the Pacific to Japan. Even with total local air and naval superiority, with lavish naval gunfire and bombs, with the dreaded napalm weaponry, and with a 4:1 troop superiority, the seizure of Peleliu consumed one American casualty and 1,589 rounds of heavy and light troop ammunition for each single Japanese defender killed or driven from his prepared position.

http://www.nps.gov/archive/wapa/inde...7-00/sec11.htm

Cowperson

[Sainters7]

Originally Posted by burn_baby_burn

I could not believe that Leckie was ordered to go back across the airfield to find communications and bring it back. I know that communication is important on the battlefield. But it seemed like a miracle that you would make it to that point across the airfield. Then to be expected to run across that airfield two more times seems virtually impossible. Which it was. I wonder if Leckie's time in the Pacific theater is over?

Ya I wonder this as well. He looked pretty bunged up at the end there, and with only 4 episodes left he could be done, at least in a fighting role(I wonder if he'll make a later appearance just for moral, like Buck Compton in BoB). I didn't really like Leckie the first few episodes but he's really grown on me the past 3, dude's just had such a tough go that its hard not to emphathize with him at least a little.

Another question I have about a character, what ever happened to "Chuckler", the really tall, kinda weird looking dude from earlier episodes? He seemed like he'd develop into a main character in later episodes, I kept waiting to see an episode about him but it hasn't come to this point. I didn't even notice him the past two episodes, and he was always hanging out with Leckie and the guys in earlier ones. Perhaps he died on the beach in episode V and I didn't notice. Is this what happened?

Another great episode, its definitely starting to peak. In hindsight I actually like how many episodes were slow and character building, as I think that means down the stretch its going to be mostly great action, which I'm looking forward to. I found BoB kinda petered down the stretch, I can't see that happening with Pacific though, given there's still that mountain they have to take in Peleliu, and Iwo Jima's still on deck. I love this series.

PS- absolutely incredible stats you guys are posting there. They finish with only 9 people on that mountain?? Wow...

[Sainters7]

**nm double post**.

[burn_baby_burn]

From what I have been reading the First Marines were not at Iwo Jima. It sounds like the Marine who won the Congressional Medal of Honor comes back to take part in that battle. For the First Marines, which is basically Sledge now that Leckie's combat time is over, they have to finish taking Peleliu. Then they get shipped back to Pavuvu for rest. Then off to Okinowa.

[3 Justin 3]

Originally Posted by burn_baby_burn

From what I have been reading the First Marines were not at Iwo Jima. It sounds like the Marine who won the Congressional Medal of Honor comes back to take part in that battle. For the First Marines, which is basically Sledge now that Leckie's combat time is over, they have to finish taking Peleliu. Then they get shipped back to Pavuvu for rest. Then off to Okinowa.

You're probably right. Basilone is a major 3 and he has been in like 3 of the episodes? Next ep. will be Sledge and him I think, then Basilone in Ep. 8, then Sledge in Ep. 9, then all of them in the end.

[Sainters7]

I know my last post was long so my Q may have been skipped(I'm bad for skipping long ones too). But whatever happened with "Chuckles", the really tall, kinda scrunch-faced looking dude who used to hang out with Leckey? He was in the first 4 a lot. Did he die during the beach raid?

[3 Justin 3]

Originally Posted by Sainters7

I know my last post was long so my Q may have been skipped(I'm bad for skipping long ones too). But whatever happened with "Chuckles", the really tall, kinda scrunch-faced looking dude who used to hang out with Leckey? He was in the first 4 a lot. Did he die during the beach raid?

I don't know which one you're talking about, was he the actor who was in Eurotrip, or the other guy who gets promoted in the first episode (after the Japanese raid)? Those are the two he hung out with most.

[burn_baby_burn]

Originally Posted by Sainters7

I know my last post was long so my Q may have been skipped(I'm bad for skipping long ones too). But whatever happened with "Chuckles", the really tall, kinda scrunch-faced looking dude who used to hang out with Leckey? He was in the first 4 a lot. Did he die during the beach raid?

Was he the guy that got hit in the leg during the landing at Peleliu? Leckie asked about him on the island, then he asked his buddy on the ship at the end of episode.

[Sainters7]

Originally Posted by burn_baby_burn

Was he the guy that got hit in the leg during the landing at Peleliu? Leckie asked about him on the island, then he asked his buddy on the ship at the end of episode.

This guy(can't find an in-character pic of him that doesn't destroy the page width. I refuse to be "that guy"). Sorry bout the vertical length, all his pics are like that. Guess he's kind of a big deal.

PFC Lou "Chuckler" Juergens (aka actor Josh Helman)

[3 Justin 3]

Not sure what happened to him. Re-watching parts of Part 5 I can see the guy from Eurotrip got killed/or was wounded. Can't find out what happened to him by skimming.

[H2SO4(aq)]

they call him chuckler? i was calling him jaromir jagr.

[FurnaceFace]

For those supposing what's going to happen in each episode I direct you to the source.

http://www.tv.com/the-pacific/show/76289/episode.html

[nik-]

jesus christ with the spoilers guys.

At least have the decency to make it white text and flag it a spoiler ffs.

[3 Justin 3]

Originally Posted by nik-

jesus christ with the spoilers guys.

At least have the decency to make it white text and flag it a spoiler ffs.

n00b

[Komskies]

Can it even be a spoiler if it took place 66 years ago?