I watched this series with my dad when I was a little boy in the 1950s. My dad, Jay B. Gregg, served as a seaman on the USS Hornet (CV12) from 1943 to 1946. He fought in 6 major engagements with the Japanese including "The Philippine Sea", "Leyte Gulf", and "Okinawa".
What puts this series in a class by itself is the way the well-chosen clips, editing, music, and narration work together to set a full spectrum of moods that draw the viewer in and let him experience the way the war felt. At the same time the events and truths of the conflict are burned into memory. Why is it not a required 13 hours of viewing in every high school senior year?
They're almost all gone now. The Victors, the men and women who brought peace to the world and ended the worst war the world has ever known. Never forget. Never stop honoring them and those who never came home. We owe that to them, those who gave us our future and our children's future. Hero's, hero's all.
Yes! My Uncle Joe, long gone, was a Lieutenant-Colonel with Patton at the end of the war. Remained in Germany to help clean things up. In the words of Roosevelt at the start of D-Day we invaded France to "liberate a suffering humanity," and that's just what we did. I hate to lose all of that generation. There are too few left.
1945 is 78 years ago now in 2023 Even an 18 yr old sailor or Marine or infantry Army back then would be 96 years old now. My dad was on the USS Edmonds DE-406 in 1944-45 Pacific battles. He's been gone for awhile now. Sorry he never talked much about his experiences but I'm happy he served.
Thank you for putting the old Victory at Sea episodes on TH-cam. When I was a little girl in the 60s the reruns were on TV. The music and narration is always soothing. My grandfather was a young electrician that was working for the navy in Honolulu on Dec. 7, 1941.
Truly one of my favorite episodes of Victory at Sea. My dad, three paternal uncles -- all Army veterans and a maternal uncle in the Navy Seabees returned from the ETO and Pacific War aboard ships. My dad was a foreign born American and Army veteran who had never been to America and who had served in North Africa, the Persian Corridor, Italy and Austria. His older brother served in the Army during the return to the Philippines, Okinawa and the initial Japan Occupation. It was truly an epic point in history -- a glorious peace that stunned the participants as readily as the cataclysmic war that their generation was plunged into just a few years earlier.
The irony never escapes me. Farm boys, factory workers, high school football players, teachers, skilled tradesmen, common laborers aka the average Joe, defeated the third Reich (the master race,) and Imperial Japan. The US military has the unique ability to take a civilian and shape them into a basic soldier within 8 weeks (12 weeks, for the Marines.) My dad was a WWII veteran. He didn't talk much about his time in the Navy (he spent 25 years in the Navy,) until I completed my tour of duty in the Navy. Long story short those average Joe's who were mostly kids between the ages of 18-22, literally saved the world. That's why they are called the greatest generation.
Thanks for putting this series up. My Mother served in the WRAF, Father in the Royal Navy and Step-Father in the RAF. All survived the war but gone now. A generation that will probably never be repeated.
Truly the most memorable of all WW2 series. As a 67 year old I remember watching with my Korean War Marine father in the early 60s and with my son (now a 20 year Navy Lt.Cdr.) in the 90s. Lots of memories for me and all of us commenting here. God bless them all!
God Bless America! Thanks for posting this series. It's been great to watch it again. I hope Victory At Sea will always be available for ensuing generations. May we never forget the meaning of WW2's victory: "Life, Liberty, and Hope".
Without the atomic bomb, I wouldn't be here. My dad was with the fleet at Okinawa and would've been in an invasion of Japan. I watched and collected both all three LPs and the video. Joined the Navy 1965-69 and served in the same waters along with Vietnam ports. Still get teary eyed when the servicemen come home to families at end of episode.
My four oldest brothers were all in the Pacific, Frank an Army infantryman, Nick a Marine officer, Charlie an Army combat medic, Willy a Navy seaman. I was born in 1940 and wouldn't begin knowing them until they returned home after the war ended. I watched the first run of this series in 1952 with my dad who was a cavalryman in 1918. I still teared up watching it again. Thank you.
The Greatest Generation - my father in New Guinea and the Philippines, an uncle flying the "Hump", an uncle in Europe with 3rd Army, a cousin on Normandy, a cousin on Corregidor and a POW for 3 years - and my mother building bombers - Thanks
To my late father and others who fought with him, the war started with D+3 day and ended with this. Light years from the way we think about our country today. They gave their lives for the preservation of democracy and freedom. We should honor them by doing the same.
To the ports of both coasts, along the west coast, along the east coast, the ships that sailed away to war and death bring back their millions to peace and life . To these men, free men owe their victory on land , their victory in the air , their victory at sea .
I was born only 6 years after these final scenes. My Dad came home before these scenes, having been wounded in France in Dec 1944. I keep looking at this, and listen to Under the Southern Cross Waltz (starts at 20:43). That was his favourite song among others.
Watched this complete series for the 3d time. STARTED when I was a little kid w my Dad on the old b/w TV - Dad was Navy enlisted Avn, loaded ammo on the aircraft and want island hoppin' w his unit. He would remark when the film show where he was - my Uncle was Army and served w GEN Patton in Italy. OTHER THAN the series, Dad never really talked about TIL I returned from Vietnam... THEIR generation saved our asses and the USA!
21:57, no cop was going to hold back that woman when she saw her husband after 4 years of war,, always think about the ones who never did come back, job well done indeed
the occupation of japan was a friendly one as macarther insisted which turned out to be the right way to go, as japan was helped to recover she became pro american and a valued partner.
Oh! thus be it ever, when freemen shall stand Between their loved homes and the war's desolation! Blest with victory and peace, may the heaven-rescued land Praise the Power that hath made and preserved us a nation. Then conquer we must, when our cause it is just, And this be our motto: "In God is our trust." And the star-spangled banner in triumph shall wave O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave!
Boy, those guys must have been really happy to come home. After all they went through to protect our nation. I wonder how many babies were born 9 months after they got home?
Flaunt out O sea your separate flags of nations Flaunt out visible as ever the various ships signals But reserve especially for yourself and the soul of man One flag above all the rest A spiritual woven signal for all nations Emblem of man elate above death Token of all brave captains and all intrepid sailors and mates And all that went down doing their duty
Thank you for posting this series. I like to think we have people like today. Ready, willing and able to commit to a greater cause. To put their politics aside, pull together and stick it out for the good of our WHOLE country but when I look at todays leader, especially in congress, I kinda doubt it.
I know 3 older men who were in Europe and came home from the war. It is too bad that those who served in Vietnam did not receive such a welcome and I must admit that I was among them to my own disgrace :(
Those who treated us badly are the ones who are also responsible for the current crap that has ruined the Republic. Women, and men who think like women.
Reminiscent of them twined from all intrepid captains young and old A pennant universal Subtly waving all time o’er all brave sailors All seas All ships
Great video. I have the whole collection. The music score is one of the best pieces ever written. Never forget. Remember pearl harbor, The Sneak Attack! Now called the Surprise attack. This phrase was used to promote anger in the American people. But when they saw the news reel destruction of our fleet at pearl and pictures of the Bataan death march. They all knew what had to be done. To the men and women who paid the ultimate price we should Never Forget them. Then came Korea, Viet Nam, Iraq, Afghanistan. Will Communist China be next? Thanks for the "Victory At Sea" documentary. JosephObe
Come home they did, and make babies.....Can you imagine The Germans, Italians, and Japanese having no clue how we could so dominate 2 fronts? The old guys, the Generals, Admirals they had to know we were going to mobilize the country's industry, and enormous man power and just kick ass.
At least Percival knew how to salute so he was good for something. 08:20. Percival was totally shunned by the British government and elites after the war due to his awful leadership.
I'd love to watch this but a few min in and i can't stand the constant cacophony🙉 even whilst the narrator is speaking!..and when he isn't we get this atrocious noise at full volume! Unwatchable
N to u people who think u own planet earth I don't think so in the second movie the day the earth stood still the secretary of defense (Kathy bates) is trying to talk to the higher self being klattu n he is panning around the room looking at the m p with the gun n bates is talking to him n he is not giving her any attention n she says why did u come to our planet then klattu finally looks at her n say's ur planet n bates says yes this is our planet n klattu says NO IT IS NOT put that in caps so idiot murders n child n women rapist can grasp those four tiny words namaste
I watched this series with my dad when I was a little boy in the 1950s. My dad, Jay B. Gregg, served as a seaman on the USS Hornet (CV12) from 1943 to 1946. He fought in 6 major engagements with the Japanese including "The Philippine Sea", "Leyte Gulf", and "Okinawa".
What puts this series in a class by itself is the way the well-chosen clips, editing, music, and narration work together to set a full spectrum of moods that draw the viewer in and let him experience the way the war felt. At the same time the events and truths of the conflict are burned into memory. Why is it not a required 13 hours of viewing in every high school senior year?
They're almost all gone now. The Victors, the men and women who brought peace to the world and ended the worst war the world has ever known. Never forget. Never stop honoring them and those who never came home. We owe that to them, those who gave us our future and our children's future. Hero's, hero's all.
Yes! My Uncle Joe, long gone, was a Lieutenant-Colonel with Patton at the end of the war. Remained in Germany to help clean things up. In the words of Roosevelt at the start of D-Day we invaded France to "liberate a suffering humanity," and that's just what we did. I hate to lose all of that generation. There are too few left.
1945 is 78 years ago now in 2023 Even an 18 yr old sailor or Marine or infantry Army back then would be 96 years old now. My dad was on the USS Edmonds DE-406 in 1944-45 Pacific battles. He's been gone for awhile now. Sorry he never talked much about his experiences but I'm happy he served.
After 65 years, this series is still the standard against which all other military documentaries are compared to.
Thank you for putting the old Victory at Sea episodes on TH-cam. When I was a little girl in the 60s the reruns were on TV. The music and narration is always soothing. My grandfather was a young electrician that was working for the navy in Honolulu on Dec. 7, 1941.
Richard Rodgers is a genius. Leonard Graves is the best narrator ever. Awesome.
No doubt about it.
Truly one of my favorite episodes of Victory at Sea. My dad, three paternal uncles -- all Army veterans and a maternal uncle in the Navy Seabees returned from the ETO and Pacific War aboard ships. My dad was a foreign born American and Army veteran who had never been to America and who had served in North Africa, the Persian Corridor, Italy and Austria. His older brother served in the Army during the return to the Philippines, Okinawa and the initial Japan Occupation. It was truly an epic point in history -- a glorious peace that stunned the participants as readily as the cataclysmic war that their generation was plunged into just a few years earlier.
The irony never escapes me. Farm boys, factory workers, high school football players, teachers, skilled tradesmen, common laborers aka the average Joe, defeated the third Reich (the master race,) and Imperial Japan. The US military has the unique ability to take a civilian and shape them into a basic soldier within 8 weeks (12 weeks, for the Marines.) My dad was a WWII veteran. He didn't talk much about his time in the Navy (he spent 25 years in the Navy,) until I completed my tour of duty in the Navy. Long story short those average Joe's who were mostly kids between the ages of 18-22, literally saved the world. That's why they are called the greatest generation.
Thanks for putting this series up. My Mother served in the WRAF, Father in the Royal Navy and Step-Father in the RAF. All survived the war but gone now. A generation that will probably never be repeated.
A tribute to all those who served in WW2. Let us never forget that Freedom is not free.
Thank You for this memorable series, Victory At Sea. 🇺🇸
Oh my goodness. I could not stop the tears at the end!❤❤
Truly the most memorable of all WW2 series. As a 67 year old I remember watching with my Korean War Marine father in the early 60s and with my son (now a 20 year Navy Lt.Cdr.) in the 90s. Lots of memories for me and all of us commenting here. God bless them all!
Easily the greatest documentary ever made.
God Bless America! Thanks for posting this series. It's been great to watch it again. I hope Victory At Sea will always be available for ensuing generations. May we never forget the meaning of WW2's victory: "Life, Liberty, and Hope".
Without the atomic bomb, I wouldn't be here. My dad was with the fleet at Okinawa and would've been in an invasion of Japan. I watched and collected both all three LPs and the video. Joined the Navy 1965-69 and served in the same waters along with Vietnam ports. Still get teary eyed when the servicemen come home to families at end of episode.
My four oldest brothers were all in the Pacific, Frank an Army infantryman, Nick a Marine officer, Charlie an Army combat medic, Willy a Navy seaman. I was born in 1940 and wouldn't begin knowing them until they returned home after the war ended. I watched the first run of this series in 1952 with my dad who was a cavalryman in 1918. I still teared up watching it again. Thank you.
A great series! I remember watching this with my father and brother in the late 50s and early 60s. Good memories and history.
The Greatest Generation - my father in New Guinea and the Philippines, an uncle flying the "Hump", an uncle in Europe with 3rd Army, a cousin on Normandy, a cousin on Corregidor and a POW for 3 years - and my mother building bombers - Thanks
I had never watched this until now. What a great presentation of the history of the war! Thanks for making these available.
My brother was born in 1943 and l in 1945.
We watched ""Victory st sea" every week.
To my late father and others who fought with him, the war started with D+3 day and ended with this. Light years from the way we think about our country today. They gave their lives for the preservation of democracy and freedom. We should honor them by doing the same.
To the ports of both coasts, along the west coast, along the east coast, the ships that sailed away to war and death bring back their millions to peace and life . To these men, free men owe their victory on land , their victory in the air , their victory at sea .
I was born only 6 years after these final scenes. My Dad came home before these scenes, having been wounded in France in Dec 1944.
I keep looking at this, and listen to Under the Southern Cross Waltz (starts at 20:43). That was his favourite song among others.
And what a brave man he was.
That song has also been my favorite for years.
Excellent series. Thanks for posting.
Watched this complete series for the 3d time. STARTED when I was a little kid w my Dad on the old b/w TV - Dad was Navy enlisted Avn, loaded ammo on the aircraft and want island hoppin' w his unit. He would remark when the film show where he was - my Uncle was Army and served w GEN Patton in Italy. OTHER THAN the series, Dad never really talked about TIL I returned from Vietnam... THEIR generation saved our asses and the USA!
You gotta admit, that's one HELL of a poem!!
I have watched all the shows in this series & I think it has stood the test of time.
It’s a good historical series.
Fascinating look at a scary time in our history. Thanks for putting this series up.
21:57, no cop was going to hold back that woman when she saw her husband after 4 years of war,, always think about the ones who never did come back, job well done indeed
1:01
The atomic bomb detention, along with the music really sends the message of the horrors of nuclear warfare home for me
the occupation of japan was a friendly one as macarther insisted which turned out to be the right way to go, as japan was helped to recover she became pro american and a valued partner.
Oh! thus be it ever, when freemen shall stand
Between their loved homes and the war's desolation!
Blest with victory and peace, may the heaven-rescued land
Praise the Power that hath made and preserved us a nation.
Then conquer we must, when our cause it is just,
And this be our motto: "In God is our trust."
And the star-spangled banner in triumph shall wave
O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave!
Boy, those guys must have been really happy to come home. After all they went through to protect our nation. I wonder how many babies were born 9 months after they got home?
John Allen none. But 10 months later - a whole lot.
Flaunt out O sea your separate flags of nations
Flaunt out visible as ever the various ships signals
But reserve especially for yourself and the soul of man
One flag above all the rest
A spiritual woven signal for all nations
Emblem of man elate above death
Token of all brave captains and all intrepid sailors and mates
And all that went down doing their duty
Slightly changed from the original that had in line 3 "but do you reserve...."
Thank you for posting this series. I like to think we have people like today. Ready, willing and able to commit to a greater cause. To put their politics aside, pull together and stick it out for the good of our WHOLE country but when I look at todays leader, especially in congress, I kinda doubt it.
I know 3 older men who were in Europe and came home from the war. It is too bad that those who served in Vietnam did not receive such a welcome and I must admit that I was among them to my own disgrace :(
Those who treated us badly are the ones who are also responsible for the current crap that has ruined the Republic. Women, and men who think like women.
My dad loved this series. He served on the u.s.s. John d. Henley ( dd-553) from 1943 to 45.
The greatest generation.
WHAT A GREAT TRIBUTE TO ALL THOSE BRAVE MEN IN WWII GOD BLESS THEM ALL!!! I SERVED IN THE US NAVY AND AM PROUD OF IT!!
What an America it was..!
I agree. Until most folks realize that there is scant chance of restoring it.
this was the REAL NAVY
18:21 with the climax at 21:59 and ending at 23:10 fills one with joy and thankfulness.
Those two bombs, instead of an invasion of japan, saved 100's of thousands of lives on both sides.
Peace at last, forever, everywhere.
Reminiscent of them twined from all intrepid captains young and old
A pennant universal
Subtly waving all time o’er all brave sailors
All seas
All ships
I born in 1951 after world war and korean war need world peace no war in any place
I see you are a fan of Finland, Sibelius - he wrote much :) I saw this series on tv in 1952 :)
"Only the dead have seen the end of war."
Robert Russell Bennett was no slouch either
Sweet Victory !!!
In the United States, they are called 'the greatest generation' . In WW1 an older friend of my dad's survived and in WW2, an uncle survived.
their is no substitute for freedom
Why don't they re-run these masterpieces of heartfelt remembrance to all our Soldiers of WW11.
In the United States of America, we say 'this was the greatest generation'
We called it the FREEDOM BIRD
My favorite episode.
Great video. I have the whole collection. The music score is one of the best pieces ever written. Never forget. Remember pearl harbor, The Sneak Attack! Now called the Surprise attack. This phrase was used to promote anger in the American people. But when they saw the news reel destruction of our fleet at pearl and pictures of the Bataan death march. They all knew what had to be done. To the men and women who paid the ultimate price we should Never Forget them. Then came Korea, Viet Nam, Iraq, Afghanistan. Will Communist China be next? Thanks for the "Victory At Sea" documentary. JosephObe
Dougie, the American ceasar. I knew a teenaged Jewish kid but I cannot recall his name which makes me sad, he was a great guy.
22:00 And so, the baby boom begins! DOB - 9/4/46
It was 2 atom bombs and another bombing of Tokyo, another fire bombing that made the Japanese surrender with one exception, spare Hirohito.
LET US ALL REMEMBER THOSE WHO MADE THE ULTIMATE SACRIFICE AND REPORTED FOR THE FINAL MUSTER GOD BLESS THEM AMEN
Where was Claire Lee Chennault ? He fought the war longer than anyone.
Come home they did, and make babies.....Can you imagine The Germans, Italians, and Japanese having no clue how we could so dominate 2 fronts? The old guys, the Generals, Admirals they had to know we were going to mobilize the country's industry, and enormous man power and just kick ass.
And to think we are turning it over to Mexican illegal alien peons! God help us.
I hear you loud and clear. We will never win any wars, make anything the world wants to buy if we allow ourselves to overrun.
At least Percival knew how to salute so he was good for something. 08:20.
Percival was totally shunned by the British government and elites after the war due to his awful leadership.
The Japanese got what was coming the them.
Who will save the west this time?
There was ayne
I'd love to watch this but a few min in and i can't stand the constant cacophony🙉 even whilst the narrator is speaking!..and when he isn't we get this atrocious noise at full volume! Unwatchable
N to u people who think u own planet earth I don't think so in the second movie the day the earth stood still the secretary of defense (Kathy bates) is trying to talk to the higher self being klattu n he is panning around the room looking at the m p with the gun n bates is talking to him n he is not giving her any attention n she says why did u come to our planet then klattu finally looks at her n say's ur planet n bates says yes this is our planet n klattu says NO IT IS NOT put that in caps so idiot murders n child n women rapist can grasp those four tiny words namaste