I had never really watched war movies before starting this channel, and now I'm so glad I have been. Diving into Band of Brothers is something that I'm SO happy you guys convinced me to do! Patreon (full length & polls): www.patreon.com/verowak Subscribe to the channel: th-cam.com/users/verowakreacts Follow me on Twitter and Instagram for stuff and selfies: twitter.com/verowak instagram.com/verowak/
SINCE I BELIEVE THAT EVERY AMERICAN SHOULD WATCH THIS SERIES OR, ACTUALLY NOT JUST AMERICANS BUT ANY PERSON OF YOUR GENERATION AND YOUNGER, BECAUSE THIS IS A PIECE OF AMERICAN HISTORY THAT SHOULD NEVER BE FORGOTTEN!!! WATCHING THIS SERIES AND SEEING THESE BRAVE BUT ORDINARY MEN JUST DROP THEIR LIVES AND DO WHAT THEY DID IN WORLD WAR II TRULY DEFINES WHY THEY'RE CALLED THE GREATEST GENERATION!!! SHOW THIS TO YOUR CHILDREN WHEN THEY ARE OLD ENOUGH!!! THE REASON THAT WINTERS TOLD LIEUTENANT COMPTON HE SHOULD NEVER PUT HIMSELF IN A POSITION WHERE HE IS TAKING FROM THE MEN BASICALLY HAS TO DO WITH GAMBLING AND IF LIEUTENANT COMPTON WON MONEY FROM THE TROOPERS OF LESS RANK UNDER HIM THEN THE MEN WOULD NOT LOOK AT HIM THE SAME AND PERHAPS MAKE WRONG DECISIONS AS TO WHETHER OR NOT THEY SHOULD FOLLOW AN ORDER FROM LIEUTENANT COMPTON!!! OR JUST LOOK AT HIM IN A WAY THAT YOU WOULDN'T LOOK AT SOMEONE THAT DIDN'T JUST WIN MONEY FROM YOU! A LOT OF MEN DO NOT LIKE LOSING MONEY IN GAMBLING AND WOULD LOOK AT THE WINNER WITH RESENTMENT!!! SO PRETTY MUCH JUST TELLING HIM DON'T GAMBLE WITH THE MEN! DICK WINTERS WAS A VERY STRAIGHT LACED INDIVIDUAL! HE DIDN'T SMOKE HE DIDN'T DRINK HE RARELY CURSED!
You're only just beginning. This will be the most emotional ride. The highest of highs, and lowest of lows, and everything in between. Cinematically far and above all else. It will be the best military based piece of cinematic perfection you will ever see. Be prepared to feel like you know these men as if they've always been personal friends of yours. You'll laugh with them, cry with them, and get so emotionally bonded with them that you'll never forget the experience and will feel rewarded for taking this journey. Can't wait to watch all the rest with you
i was fortunate enough to meet one of the men of Easy Company. and the man i met IS portrayed in this program. i will not give a name at this point, so no spoilers. when you are done watching, if i remember, i will post the story of the meeting.
@@JohnLeePettimoreIII was he from Pennsylvania?? If so I'm pretty sure I can guess who it was!! I would have given anything to have sat down and talked with any of the survivors!!!
Agree. I cannot tell how many times I rewatched this, with emotions and teary eyes every god damn time. This has such an impact on me becoz I know all those soldiers were real man. No fictional characters or events. Such a powerfull meaning this is.
Saving Private Ryan was a fictional story taking place during historical (ish) events. Band of Brothers is an incredibly accurate portrayal of real men, not just characters. Some liberties have been taken, but by and large, this is a historical show.
17:28, yes. The Normandy landings were the most ambitious military operation to ever be conducted back then, it involved a lot of military units, not just American ones either. In fact, Band of Brothers covers Pvt. Ryan’s unit: the 101st Airborne. Next episode, you’ll see why he ended up lost behind enemy lines.
101 Airborne is the division, which is made up of regiments and in the case of the series it is the 506th regiment. In Private Ryan's film, his regiment was the 501st, but the division was the same. The 101st airborne paratroopers.
Just to add on, if Verowak wants to see the organization of the 101st, its on the wikipedia link: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Order_of_battle_for_the_American_airborne_landings_in_Normandy#101st_Airborne_Division
They also called their Airborne divisions the "101st" and the "82nd" to give the enemy the impression that there's hundreds of divisions of soldiers like that.
Former Marine infantry officer here; our Army brothers like to make things extra complicated too with how they name/number units. Us Marines can’t count/read too good, hence we logically name our infantry battalions, like 1/1 (First Battalion, 1st Marine Regiment), 2/1 (2nd Battalion, 1st Marine Regiment), 3/1…etc. I was 3/2, so 3rd Battalion, 2nd Marine Regiment
Another person begins their journey with Easy Company, we love to see it! Very excited to watch your reactions, I'm expecting plenty of tears and plenty of cheers, especially for our man Winters!
So here's the structure from smallest to largest: Easy Company (contains 3 platoons, which in turn contain 3 squads) > is one of three rifle companies in 2nd Battalion of >506th Parachute Infantry Regiment > 101st Airborne Division.
@@ryanmichael1298 Parachute Infantry Regiments don't have Weapon Platoons, as it is just extra man power carrying more heavy and cumbersome equipment that just wouldn't fit on their aircrafts. Standard US Army Weapons Platoons at the time of 1944 have an HQ element consisting of a Lieutenant, Platoon Sergeant and four Riflemen. Then you have a Mortar Section with a Staff Sergeant in command, alongside his messenger, leading three Mortar Squads with five men each. And then on top of that you have the Light Machine Gun Section commanded by a Staff Sergeant, alongside his messenger, leading two Light Machine Gun Squads that also has five men in each. That's 35 men lugging around three 60mm Mortars and two M1919A4/6 LMGs in each Company. Just doesn't seem worth it when you're a paratrooper designed to travel behind enemy lines as light as possible. Also, should be noted for clarification: in 1944, the three Squads in a PIR Platoon are made up of two Infantry Squads and one Mortar Squad. The two LMGs and three mortars that would normally be in the Weapons Platoon are integrated into the Squads. So while you have just as many LMGs and Mortars in the Platoon as before, you now have them at Squad level rather than Platoon level and so you don't need the three dozen extra men to operate them.
Also there were more than three companies. I know in one episode it mentions Able through Item. Today things tend to be organized 3-3-3. Back then there were different methods, plus being at "war-time strength," they probably had more than usual to start out knowing that many would be lost.
@@mikegoodwin2386 The mentioned of companies "Able to Item" was describing all of the companies in the 506th regiment which were nine, 3 per battalion and 3 battalions per regiment. The Airborne was adhering to the 3-3-3 configuration from squads to regiments, whereas the infantry and armored infantry were slightly different (see siranon5700 above).
The first episode does so well to introduce us to the series. It usually takes me a while to recognize the different characters, and there are a lot of people in the first episode alone
@@VerowakReactsOMG yes, i’m particularly weak in this area, and it’s a shame because this show rewards paying attention to who’s who since these are pretty much all based on real men. my first time through there were characters i the last 3 or 4 eps who were referred to as having been there from the start of training who i didn’t recognize; i couldn’t fully appreciate their arcs until like my 3rd rewatch
Real-ish. Lots of liberties taken in making this film. First, Hacksaw is not where Doss proved himself, he had already earned two bronze stars prior to hacksaw, one on Guam and on in the Philippines. The movie leads the audience to believe that Okinawa was the first time anyone realized Doss wasnt a coward, which just isnt true, but makes for good storytelling. Also, the officer and NCOs who tried to get Doss kicked out (played by Vince Vaugn and Sam Worthington) were training officers. They werent the same guys who he served in combat with. Again, liberties taken for better storytelling. The Vince Vaughn character using an MP40 in the pacific theater? I wonder where he was getting the ammo for that? Also, making Doss's dad an abusive drunk was not true to the real life person, and some of the surviving family were not happy about that aspect of the Hollywood storytelling element.
The "501st" refers to the regiment. The division is the 101st Airborne Division, which consisted of the 327th Glider Infantry Regiment, and, the 501st, 502nd, and, 506th Parachute Infantry Regiments. The card suits painted on their helmets signify which regiment they belong to. The spade on the helmets of E Company troopers mean they're part of the 506th PIR.
@@VerowakReacts All the personell and ranks is very confusing at first. It changes throughout the episodes as you probably know already. There is an old command structure post on the Band of Brother subreddit by DonbotS with pictures of the real person/actor in this series. It contains 6 pictures of Easy Company at different stages and he explains each stage with its leader.
@@earthsorneoi used to watch it once a year too. But in the past couple years i've watched it 2 o 3 times, plus a couple of this reaction videos. Its an amazing series. The Pacific is good, but you dont get the same feeling as BoB.
Such an amazing series. The fact that it's based on real events and real people makes it even more special. Absolutely one of the greatest series i've ever watched. Can't wait for you to see the next episodes!
Fun fact: The actor portraying Col. Sink is also the military technical advisor for the series and the founder of a military advisory company training people to behave like actual military personnel which the actors attended prior to the shooting of this series...
16:50 -- "Never put yourself in a position where you can take from these men." Winters is telling him gambling with his subordinates is not a good way to bond because if he wins the game, he's taking their money. it's all just a bit unseemly given he could also be ordering them to their deaths the next day. Winters always takes the responsibility of command very seriously and puts the well-being of his troops before his own
Had a great uncle that was in this campaign in France and got shot in the abdomen. He said he definitely did not want to watch these types of realistic shows and movies like Saving Private Ryan. The one thing I'll add is to remember that even though at some level they knew they would win the war they didn't really know how it would go or what was really happening, unlike today where we read and interpret it as a straightforward event.
Oh nice! This is by far the best miniseries ever made. You're gonna see a lot of famous actors. For a lot of them this was their first big roll. You're going to love this series. Bring tissues.
You'll know their names well in a few episodes, and by Ep 10 you'll never forget them. Especially when you see at the end which actor is playing which soldier shown at the beginning of each episode. This series is going to be a great watch, for you and for us! Excited to see it with you. BTW, the "4F" designation that caused 3 of the men to commit suicide because they failed the physical examination is the same 4F that Steve Rogers got in the beginning of Captain America.
Thanks! Great reaction to one of the most intense periods in human history. I love your objectivity and empathy for the difficulties people faced in that terrible period of time. The airborne's job was to secure key positions, prevent German reinforcements from getting to the landings, and then link up with forces moving in from the beaches. In Saving Private Ryan the Rangers were to secure key positions on the beaches. Their toughest job was taking out the big guns on Point Du Hoc (sp.?) There they had to climb 100ft. cliff while the Germans shot and threw hand grenades at them. Another great series is The Pacific which brings you into the hell of the war against the Japanese. The Japanese did not adhere to any of the rules of war and were as barbaric as the Nazis. Finally, to gain a prospective on the total deaths of WW2 and how it compares to other wars in history there is a great short documentary on the subject. I think it will help with your reviews as you cover other historical events.
Thank you so much!! The Pacific is a series I'll be watching also. What is the short documentary? I think being able to see the total deaths of each war will help put them into perspective
So glad to be on this journey as you experience Band Of Brothers. As an enlisted Navy man(1996-2006), Richard Winters was the perfect example of what a leader should be I would have been proud to have served under him. He is a man I wish I could have met while he was still alive just to shake his hand and say thank you.
Hello there, I enjoyed that first episode reaction, you really picked up on the dynamics of this episode. Some stuff I like to post for context, I hope it is usefull information : The interviews at the beginning are veterans of Easy company, they don't show you their names so you don't know who survived. Operation Overlord, the invasion of Normandy, is the largest naval invasion in human history (in fact WW2 as a whole is packed with actions on a scale never seen before or after in human warfare). From what I gathered over the Internet, the airborne component of Overlord had two Divisions, the 82nd Airborne Division (All Americans, 6418 men) and the 101st Airborne Division (Screaming Eagles, 6638 men). The 101st was composed of 4 infantry Régiment, 327th GIR (Glider Infantry Regiment), 501st PIR (Parachute Infantry Regiment), 502nd PIR and 506th PIR, plus a number of smaller support units: a Parachute Field Artillery Battalion, two Glider Field Artillery Battalion, an Engineer Battalion and a medical company (NB I may be missing a few, not all sources agree with each other). Each regiment had an insignia on their helmet: 327th Clubs, 501st Diamonds, 502nd Hearts and 506th Spades. Each regiment was composed of 9 fighting company of around 150 men, named A (Able) to I (Item), grouped into 3 battalions of 3 company. Easy company was part of 2nd battalion, 506th PIR. The 506th was commanded by Colonel Robert Sink, he's the one giving the speech after they get their jump wings, and dressing down the NCOs after their mutiny. The 2nd battalion of the 506th was commanded by Lt Colonel Robert Strayer, he's standing at the right side of Sink during the speech, and he's the one dressing down Sobel after the fence incident. The 101st Airborne Division was commanded by General Maxwell Taylor, he's mentioned in the show but I don't think he's ever on screen. Also, Major Oliver Horton (that Luz is imitating during the fence incident) was 2/506PIR (2nd battalion 506th PIR) Executive Officer, basically second in command. He's mentioned a few times in the show but never seen on screen. Thanks for that first episode, I will definetly come back for more.
Two scenes I've always really liked in this first episode (I mean all of it is great yada yada) 1) When our boys are flying over the English channel, and you can see the invasion fleet below steaming towards Normandie for the following morning's attack. On one of those ships would be our friends from Saving Private Ryan.. yes, they were fictional characters, but men like them anway. 2) The way Winters pulls each of his men to their feet, and he looks each and everyone of them in the eye before the board the plane. I have no idea if it happened in real life (the men would have needed some help getting to their feet), but it's a nice touch showing his leadership. :)
The 101st airborne division is the parent unit of the 506th Parachute Infantry Regiment of which the real men of Easy Company, 2nd battalion and the fictional James Francis Ryan of Baker Company, 1st battalion belonged to.
Sobel was generally hated by the men of Easy Company. But they did recognice that his incredibly harsh training probably helped many of them survive the war.
Yes, I love that about this series. Are you getting "The Pacific" requests? It's also amazing, follows the war with the Japanese in s similar format. I highly recommend that one too.✌✌@@VerowakReacts
Awesome, I'll be here. I was thinking about classics and wonder, have you seen "12 Angry Men"? Great script, directing and acting.The orig. starring Henry Fonda is legendary so you might have seen it, lol.@@VerowakReacts
The 101st is a division. The 501st is a regiment within that division. The next designated formation is a battalion. There are several battalions within the regiment. Each battalion is comprised of companies Finally, there are platoons.
I'm excited you are getting to this show! I just paused at the "pause button" part and let out a loud laugh because I never thought about his helmet being a pause button. really looking forward to the rest of these reactions.
Easy Company, of the 506th Parachute Infantry Regiment, of the 101st Airborne Division (aka the “Screamin’ Eagles”). By the end of WW2, Easy Company was one of the most highly decorated combat units in the entire European Theatre of Operations. The Airborne of WW2 would lay the foundations for what would eventually become modern day US Special Forces like the Army Rangers, Green Berets, and even Delta Force. Ryan was a fictional character who was a member of the 101st, as can be denoted by the Eagle patch on the shoulder of his combat fatigues. The 101st Airborne were dropped in Normandy the night before the D-Day Landings on June 6th. Their job was to prevent reinforcements from reaching the beaches once the landings started. All the names of characters in this show are real people, and all the events are based on real events (with some creative license to fit it all in a TV show). There’s a couple things the show gets wrong, but those items will get pointed out along the way. The old men at the beginning of each episode are the real veterans of Easy Company, and you will learn who they are at the end of the final episode. Buckle up, this show is a wild ride.
How about a quick and extremely generic breakdown of how armies (especially infantry units) are organized. Companies (like Easy Company) are designated by letters - A, B, C, etc... to avoid confusion - especially on the radio when excited - letters that rhyme with "E" can all sound alike - a Phonetic Alphabet is used. Today those terms are Alpha, Bravo, Charlie, Delta, Echo, etc etc. Back then it was Able, Baker, Charlie, Dog, Easy, Fox, etc etc. So you hear references to other companies like this throughout the series. On to unit types. - About a dozen guys make up a squad. Led by a Sergeant of some sort. - Three squads make up a platoon, commanded by a Second Lieutenant (the most junior officer grade). At the beginning of this episode, Winters was a platoon leader. (40 personnel) - Three platoons make a company. Commanded by a Captain. At the beginning of this episode, Sobel was a First Lieutenant filling a captain's position. He was then promoted to captain, and winters promoted to First Lieutenant to become Sobel's second-in-command of the company. Also, each step of the way there can be additional people such as medics, radiomen, clerks, cooks, etc. - Four companies (remember, this is very generic) plus a few other guys in speciality positions make up a Battalion, commanded by a Lieutenant Colonel. (800 personnel) Nixon, Winter's friend who likes the occasional sip of alcohol, works directly for either the Battalion Commander or the Regimental Commander (I don't remember which) as the unit's Intelligence Officer. - Three or four battalions make up a Regiment, commanded by a Colonel. (3000 personnel) Col. Sink, the big guy with the southern accent who threatened to shoot our friends and reassigned Sobel, commanded the 506th PIR (Parachute Infantry Regiment) - one of four regiments in the 101'st Airborne Division. Private Ryan was in another regiment of the same division. The Division (15,000) is commanded by a Major General (two stars on the collar). We won't see many of these hanging around. So at the start Winters leads 2nd Platoon, Company E, 2nd Battalion, 506th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 101st Airborne Division. Also, especially in wartime, the person filling the position will not be the same grade (rank) as the position calls for. Later you'll see Second Lieutenants in charge of companies and a Major commanding a battalion and a one-star general commanding a division, but that's nothing to worry about at this point. Others might point out there is also a thing called a "brigade" which falls between regiment and division, but it's not a thing in this series. Also if anyone tells you I'm wrong, they might not know the word "generic", studied military history, spent 20 years in the service, or led a platoon as a Sergeant (E-5). Enjoy the series, and keep tissue handy for the tears. Then if you watch "The Pacific", ditch the tissues and have a therapist handy. Cheers ...
This is the story of the 101st Airborne Division 506th Parachute Infantry Regiment 2nd Battalion Easy Co The fictional Private Ryan was in the 101st Airborne 506th PIR, but he was part of 1st Battalion Baker Co. Remember how no one knew where Ryan wound up? That will be addressed in episode 2. Captain Miller was Army Rangers. They were on one of the many ships the 101st was flying over.
So the fictional character of Pvt Ryan was a member of Easy company. The full designation of the Unit is Easy Company, 2nd Battalion of the 506th PIR (Parachute Infantry Regiment) of the 101st Airborne Division. This series follows Easy company from training thru to the end of the war. The men that they interview before each episode we surviving members of Easy company from WW2. This is an amazing series and I think it does an amazing job of showing the highs and lows those men went through to fight that war.
@@azrielbaz When they first met Ryan (after they took out the German halftrack) the first guy who introduced himself was from Easy Company, but that was Easy Company, 501st.
These guys trained for two years. Running up and down a hill. Shooting paper targets. Cleaning their guns. Polishing their boots. Making some airborne jumps. Two years. That's a lot of running. But let's not forget: The German soldiers in Normandy have been at war for 5 years. Some of them have been in the army for that entire time. They've been in Normandy for nearly 4 years digging trenches, building concrete forts, and preparing to be invaded. Two years of training is a very small thing against the experience and readiness of those German troops. This would have probably never succeeded, or if it did, there would have been many more American lives lost, except that the Germans were spread too thin and had limited supplies and we took them completely by surprise.
New to your channel...........these 10 episodes are some of the best television I've ever watched...........hope you enjoy it half as much as I did................thanks for posting.
Remember all the times they are running Currahee (often in full gear) that is in full summer Georgia heat! 101 Airborne Division is about 18000 men (one of the 2 Airborne Div the US used in Overlord). The 506 PIR (Parachute Infantry Regiment) is a part of that Division. Easy Company was a part of the 506 and roughly 180 men (on average, per TOE).
It's definitely a fantastic series, seeing what these men went through will make you run the gamut of emotions. Series always gets me teary-eyed no matter how many times I watch it.
@@VerowakReactsTO ANSWER YOUR QUESTION ABOUT THE SAME TIME AS SAVING PRIVATE RYAN! SO OUR BAND OF BROTHERS "EASY COMPANY" WAS FROM THE SECOND BATTALION OF THE 506 REGIMEN!! PRIVATE RYAN WAS FROM THE FIRST BATTALION OF THE 506 REGIMEN!! EVEN THOUGH RYAN WAS A FICTIONAL CHARACTER!! THEY WOULD DEFINITELY CUT FROM THE SAME CLOTH!!
@@dallesamllhals9161 No females were allowed in combat roles during World War II (and for many more years to follow). Also, during World War II, the U.S. military was racially segregated. In 1948, President Harry Truman signed an Executive Order which mandated the desegregation of the U.S. military.
Oh, I'm clicking "like" already!! So pleased to see you delve into this magnificent series. I know you'll appreciate the stories of these men of the Greatest Generation. We must keep their memories alive & Steven Spielberg & Tom Hanks have shown they truly have great respect for them. Look forward to this journey, hope you don't wait too long between episodes. (& there are alot of names so try to remember them😊)
One of the best WWII miniseries ever made! From Executive Producers Tom Hanks and Steven Spielberg. My brother and sister used to watch this every Sunday night for their history class.
Excellent review. Welcome to the best mini series ever made. Keep up the great work. About Sobel, he was a very good training officer. He could train the men well and get them ready to go to war for others to lead. The mutiny (where the sergeants) refused to serve under him actually happened. What is interesting is the fact that many of the men including some of the sergeants who rebel against him later in life admitted that the hard training they received under Sobel help them survive the war. So him being sent to a training school was the best use of the resources they had, luckily Col Sink the commanding officer realized that and made the best decision for everyone.
This, is the 506th Parachute Infantry Regiment (PIR) of the 101st Airborne Division. By size, descending, Army, Corps, Division, Brigade, Regiment, Battalion, Company, Platoon, Squad. This is the story of E Company of the 2nd Battalion of the 506th PIR, 101st Airborne Division. This regiment has 9 companies, divided into 2 battalions.
This show was the last time a WWII project held my interest. It hooked me from the first minute and it never let go. It's still fun to go back and see it all over again every few years.
@@VerowakReactsTHE PACIFIC IS DEFINITELY A DARKER SERIES THAN THE BAND OF BROTHERS! WHERE BAND OF BROTHERS FOCUSES MORE ON THE CAMARADERIE OF THE SOLDIERS AS THEY GO THROUGH BATTLE AFTER BATTLE, THE PACIFIC FOCUSES ON THE BRUTALITIES OF WAR AND WHAT IT DOES TO THE INDIVIDUAL SOLDIERS!! NOT TO MENTION THAT THE PACIFIC THEATER WAS A MORE BRUTAL AND BLOODY A THEATER OF WAR THAN WAS THE EUROPEAN THEATER!! WHEREAS THE GERMANS WOULD SURRENDER WHEN THEY KNEW THEY COULD NOT WIN, THE JAPANESE WOULD DO NO SUCH THING!!! IT'S PRETTY MUCH THE REASON WHY PRESIDENT TRUMAN DECIDED TO DROP TWO NUCLEAR BOMBS ON JAPAN!!! ANYWAY THE PACIFIC IS DEFINITELY A MUST-WATCH JUST FOR THE HISTORY LEARNING!! MANY OF THE BATTLES TALKED ABOUT ON THE PACIFIC WERE RARELY KNOWN BY ANYONE OUTSIDE OF THE MARINES THAT FOUGHT THEM!!! ALSO HANKS AND SPIELBERG HAVE COLLABORATED WITH ANOTHER, A THIRD IN THIS TRILOGY LET'S CALL IT, OF WORLD WAR II STORIES! IT'S CALLED "MASTERS OF THE AIR!" IT'LL BE COMING OUT NEXT YEAR (2024)AND IT HAS TO DO WITH THE AIR FORCE BOMBERS IN EUROPE IN WORLD WAR 2! IT FOCUSES ON ONE BOMBER CREW I BELIEVE, AND THESE BOMBER CREWS HAD TO RUN 25 BOMBING MISSIONS BEFORE THEY MOVED ON AND THEIR STATISTICS FOR SURVIVAL OF ALL 25 WERE ONE IN FOUR!!
As a retired Member of the Army after 21 years and deployments, I am glad that you are taking the time to react one of the best mini series ever created. I had a chance to meet some of these men when the series was being promoted. Meeting them was an absolute honor. I hope you glean good things from such a series. It is mostly accurate, and I think yiu will be treated in the upcoming episodes. I have seen it ever couple of years just to keep myself reminded of what came before me! Enjoy and again thank you! I love when the younger generations view such an important part of our history!
@VerowakReacts. I hope you enjoy this series! I will watch yiur reactions as they come out! I love it when younger people take the time to understand this!
Thank you for your 21 years of service! Meeting these men would have been quite amazing, I'm glad you got to experience that. I'm happy that this series is mostly accurate, since it helps us understand what kind of things actually transpired.
The writing is so good. They have the sceen of Meehan and Winters figuring it out, which leads right into the middle of the officer briefing, which intercuts the NCO briefing. It all put together so good.
As always I really like how genuine you are in your facial expressions and commentaries 😄. Band of Brothers is awesome and if anything it only progresses in quallity every time I watch it. A lot of fond memmories are attached to this series for me. In schoolvacations my brother and I would watch an episode or two a day and then going into the woods to reenact! And I do remember the many tears we shed. Brace yourself! Oh, and since we're on the topic of WW2 and me being Dutch I would give my extended Thank you to you and your countrymen for playing a huge deal in liberating my country. My grandparents lived through it as a kid and it was utterly rough. So: thanks, Verowak 😉!
I’m a former paratrooper myself and I was often told by my sergeants that there is a fine line between hardass and dumbass. So fine you often can’t see it until after you’ve crossed it. Sobel crossed that line many times like denying his troops access to the water in their canteens during the road march. Denying soldiers access to the water in their canteens would land Sobel in major trouble today and even as far back as the 1980s, especially if one of his soldiers ended up in the hospital because he was denied access to his water. Furthermore, Sobel had no choice but to promote Winters because no one gets promoted without paperwork being approved first. So Winter’s promotion would’ve already been approved. Handing him the 1st Lieutenant silver bar was little more than a formality at that point. Yes, Sobel was still an ass about it, but had he not done it, it wouldn’t have been long for Colonel Sink to notice and start asking Sobel some very unpleasant questions for which Sobel would’ve had no defense.
Now I saw someone else say, not excusing Sobel being a dick, that because no one knew where they would end up, possibly North Africa or the Middle East that he was preparing them to be possibly water deprived in combat. I say bullshit he was just being an ass.
First off, thank you for your service! Second, that's interesting information about the water. We all know that Sobel was petty and a jackass; great at getting the guys into shape, but not a leader by any stretch - still, I thought maybe that water denial tactic was just a way to prepare them for time that they'd have to go long stretches without water, not pure sadism. Thanks for your input.
I don't know about the military, but I do know about football. Drinking water during practice was considered weak. I'm not saying this thinking was smart or right, I'm just saying that's what people used to think back then, and that was in the 80s too, so I imagine it was probably the thinking in the military probably all the way up until Vietnam.
I was a Marine. During training, we were required to pour the salt from our MRE packet into a canteen and drink it down. It wasn't malicious. At the time, our training staff thought it was good for us since we were sweating a lot. I think the salt actually dehydrated us more.
6:05 - this is one of my favorite facial expressions in your repertoire! (i hope that doesn’t read as creepy, it just automatically makes me smile when you do it :0)
17:26 yes exactly. Airborne was dropped down behind enemy lines few hours before boats reached the Normandy (scenes from Private Ryan) so the soldiers from "Private Ryan" have the clear beach from huge guns which were supposed to cover the beach with fire. Those guns would have massacre the invadind US soldiers. So yeah, Airborne was created for such missions.
The real Herbert Sobol was complicated, many of Easy Company believed his training enabled them to survive the war. His attempt at suicide in 1970 blinded him and he tragically later died in a nursing home. Since we are on the subject of dying after the war, let be first to correct the record on someone the series said died of war wounds, didn't actually die until much later.
Just found your channel because of this series and subbed. I don't want to miss your reactions to Band of Brothers. I think you will really enjoy it! Also looks like I have some catching up to do on many of your previous videos too.
"you do have to get people to like you" - not necessarily, but you definitely need the men you are leading to respect you. If Sobel had been the bastard he is but a competent leader in the field - concerned about not getting his men killed - they would have followed him. Be prepared to see loss in the same way as SPR, you'll get your heart ripped out a few times in this series as they fight their way into Germany. I'd also highly recommend watching the documentary "We stand alone together" at the end of the series, it's real pictures/video of the war and interviews with the actual veterans (including those you see at the intro of the episodes).
I’m not a big reaction watching person but there’s one series I regularly just type in “Band of Brothers reactions” for because it’s just that good and for some reason I love seeing peoples reactions to something I love so much.
That's completely understandable! Seeing people experience something you love so much is really great. I love seeing people get to experience the same joy and sadness that I did for my favorites!
The timeline of this mini series is the same as that of the film "Saving Private Ryan". In the film, Private James Ryan was a paratrooper in the 101st Airborne. That same 101 Airborne from Band of Brothers.
The real 501 PIR was to land NE of Carentan and secure the la Barquette lock and destroy bridges on the Douve River. So the mission of the fictional Ryan makes sense to hold the bridge for the troops coming in off Utah Beach. The real 506 PIR (including Easy Co.) were to capture St Come-du-Mont then Carentan. Keep in the back of your mind the places visited during SPR and the early BoB episodes will make more sense. Nice reaction.
Saving Pvt. Ryan was fiction though a great demonstration of what went on the Normandy beaches. Band of Brothers is an adaptation of a non-fiction book by historian Stephen Ambrose by the sa me name. The action and name you will hear throughout are real places and people. The men who you see at the beginning of episodes are those actual people of Easy Company and they and others were interviewed by Ambrose as part of his research for the book.
Great reaction like always, I love this series its my favourite. Easily the best tv series ever made. It is faultless and beautiful from start to finish. Watched it easily 20 times over the last 20 years and it never gets old. Some of Steven and Hanks best work together and it all correlates to Saving Private Ryan as well. Lots of crossover of events happening during that war. Sobel was a weasel and a bad leader, but Easy Company credited him with getting them physically ready to jump into Normandy. Winters was the quintessential leader. He knew how to motivate his men by example. And just remember that this is a true story based on the book by the same name ‘Band of Brothers’ each episode is based off real experience from the soldiers you’re seeing on screen. Prepare yourself for some brutal and emotional scenes in foward episodes. Keep up the good work. Love it
Sobel definitely did not seem like a good leader but he sure prepared them all way more than any other division. This series is definitely at the top of my favorites
501st had a nickname of Vader’s Fist. I’m impressed you knew the number. I started watching your channel because of Star Wars. An interesting thing is that the first 2 episodes premiered on September 9, 2001. Looming war and uncertainty were in the minds of the viewership as the following episodes were aired. I didn’t have HBO at the time so couldn’t watch it. I first watched it in Baghdad in 2003. One of our section sergeants had bought the DVD set. This show felt real to us. The sounds and feelings are so faithfully acted out by this fantastic ensemble. This will always be one of the best cinematic pieces I will ever view.
Thank you for your service. Btw, I’ve never had HBO, but bought the full DVD set & watch at least once every year. Hope you enjoy all of @Verowak ‘s reactions.
I think it's fair to say, none of us could possibly imagine 1/2 of what these men actually went through.. but this series does an excellent job at giving us a small glimpse into their experiences. - Saving Pvt. Ryan is a good movie, but is a fictional story - This has the advantage of being based on the actual memories & recollections of the real men these characters are based on. The veterans shown at the start of the episodes are these men... last episode reveals who they are by name. This show is not always easy to watch, but is something everyone should see. You gave me a good laugh when Sobel (Ross) popped up in his helmet with its captains bars & you said "Pause button?" 😂
Sobel doesn’t explain anything, but he does have some good points regarding attention to detail and being ready for anything at any time. The men hated him but credited him with being in the best shape possible
Fritz Niland, whom Private Ryan was (loosely) based on, was friends with a few of the enlisted men in Easy Company. In real life, it was their chaplain who told Niland about his brothers being killed and that he was being sent home.
So you saw in the jeep, Buck Compton being reprimanded by Richard Winters. The reason why he was being scolded for "bonding with his men" is because he was actually gambling with his men. Yes, it's all fun and games, especially if your men make their winnings and love you for a good time. It's another reason if Compton had won and took his winnings from his men. That would not only make the mood sour, but also could potentially make your men resent you. As you've seen with Sobel, if your men don't respect you, they won't follow you. With gambling you're not just gambling for winnings. You're gambling trust too.
Both PVT Ryan and Easy Company are part of the 101st Airborne DIVISION. Ryan was (I believe) 501st Parachute Infantry REGIMENT whereas Easy Company (of this story) is 506th PIR. To take it further Easy is 2nd BATTALION and currently Winters is the Platoon leader of 2nd PLATOON. So 2nd Platoon, Easy Company, 2nd Battalion, 506th PIR, of the 101st Airborne Division.
Wow I can't wait to watch these reactions. I'll have to find your Patreon for this one. The Best short series ever and I promise you'll start watching more WWII movies and programs after this. It's impossible not too.
Verowak you earned a sub from me today. A few things going further. Saving private Ryan was mostly fiction. This series is 99% exactly what happened and these actors are portraying the men in the beginning. You will see by the comments that people take this series very seriously since they were the men that fought for our freedoms. I'm glad you are enjoying it. 🙂
So glad to see your reaction to BoB on youtube. From now on each episode will be an emotional roller coaster, and a couple will break your heart. However, the series is a must watch at least once in lifetime serries. We must not forget what these men did and how it shaped the world we live today. Sometimes, when life gets a bit rough and stress seems a bit overwhelming, I think about what the men of Easy company went through and how they manages to get through the hell they were in. My problems, and stressors all of a sudden don't seem that overwhelming any more. Thanks for giving this serries a watch.
My grandfather was in one of those planes. That generation, from the European to the Pacific theaters of war, were truly such a uniquely special generation. Having been raised and living through the great depression, being led by men who cut their teeth in WW1, they answered the call to save the world from true evil behavior. The title "The Greatest Generation" is well deserved. The sacrifices made so we could be here, today, living in general peace and prosperity, can never be understated.
@VerowakReacts we are to young yet as a species as a whole to not have it happen again unfortunately. It is precisely why the United States must never allow a Pearl Harbor again, the weapons of today can be catastrophic, unlike back then when we had time to build up and respond. We must be ever vigilant, and yes, that may sound sad and depressing, or, you could choose to look at it as though we are the guards, giving time for our species to move beyond such petty differences as skin color, as ethnic or religious differences. Until we learn that we truly ate our brothers and sisters keepers on a global scale, we must always be ready to answer the call. Until that day comes, it is a wise and sound strategy. From my grandfather's grandfather's to my uncles to myself , my brother, my cousins, to now my children and in the future their children, we have answered, are answering and will continue to answer the call until our species grows up enough to learn to love one another.
oh, you're in for a treat! This series and the Chernobyl one are amongst the most interesting ones and very close to reality!! There are tough moments of course, that is to be expected, but it's so worth the watch! Hope you enjoy it all :) This whole thing is happenings at the same time as saving private ryan yes. While in Ryan's movie you see they stormed the beaches of Normandy by boats, other divisions were dropped by planes all over disrupting supply lines. This whole thing, the invasion of Europe, is called the Operation Overlord (the assault phase, Operation Neptune), it involved the US, Canada and Great Britain mainly.. but soldiers from many other countries participated also (Australia, Belgium, Czechoslovakia, Denmark, France, Greece, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Poland etc.).
Indeed - during the Normandy landings, the paratroopers went overhead, to clear inland positions. In Saving Private Ryan they meet the 101st Airborne - that's where Ryan is, although he belongs to Baker company, well untill Tom Hanks comes and takes him home :D
WW2 vets and Korean war vets were my uncles and father, and the dads of my friends, it was such a different world back then. I grew up watching westerns and WW2 movies and shows; when I wasn't playing baseball or football or running all over the town and countryside on my bike. My Uncle Ernie died when his bomber was shot down over Italy. My dad was wounded in Korea. I miss them all.
My favorite episodes are (in order of preference)" Episode 7 - The Breaking Point, Episode 9 - Why We Fight, Episode 10 - Points. Plus, the defacto Episode 11 - We Stand Alone Together (documentary). In that last scene of this episode, while Easy Company was flying to jump behind enemy lines, the characters in "Saving Private Ryan" would have been onboard those ships in that scene, heading for the beaches.
This show, really no matter what anyone's viewing preferences might be, was/is just great TV. I love the consistant reactions in this episode to David Schwimmer (Ross?!?!?), who the filmmakers must have known would be a big risk, but who paid off wonderfully in the roll. It will take some time to get some of the names, and, while you don't really have to know the battles and such going in (you still get the full emotional journey of the characters), it is definately worth from a history perspective, doing a quick google search on the towns and locations after the episode to see the full context of what was going on. I so wish I could be watching this for the first time again.
so glad your doing this, It was cause how well the movie "Saving Pvt Ryan" did that they (Spielberg / Hanks) were able to do this series. this is based on 2 books the main 1 "Band of Brothers" (1992) and "Parachute Infantry" written by a member of the unit. From the time i was 17 yrs old every Jan at the Battle of the Bulge Reenactment in Fort Indiantown GAP, PA with E/ 506th living history unit we had almost all the org. Troopers with us (along with Troopers from other Airborne units) in our Barrack's and at the public battle. it was this event were i grew up Drinking Prop Blast listing to stories , laughing and singing with these Troopers. God i miss them scalawags those late night drunk Grunt to Grunt talks sitting on bunks with canteen cups of Prop blast and it was this event in 2000 were XXXX read the letter he got from Tom Hanks asking permission to do it. XXXX then asked us what we thought and we shouted a big HELL YES!! lifting our drinks 100+ Drunken Troopers cheering, them were some epic hangovers, they have all since made there Finally jump and now belong to the pages of history.
I've seen many reactations to this you'rs in the top 2. What makes it good is your authenticate reation. I'm glad you understand. As it gets farther and farther away in time it's hard to find people who want to learn. Almost all have pssed on. Thanks. oh and you said holy Murphy HAHAHA
There were two US airborne Divisions used on D-Day (and British and Polish formations at the opposite flank). The 82nd and 101st AB D. Each was formed from regiments - 501 PIR, 502 PIR, 506 PIR, 327 GIR, plus support and HQ element for the 101 AB 504 PIR, 507 PIR, 508 PIR, 325 GIR, 3/401 GIR, plus support and HQ elements for the 82 AB Regiments contain 3-4 Battalions, each of 3 infantry and a weapons company. Easy is the fifth Coy of the 506 Parachute Infantry Regt, or the lead Coy of the second Bn.
He ordered them not to drink for two reasons. 1: being able to control yourself and ration, 2: following orders. He gave them a big meal, then immediately ran them because you can never guarantee time enough to eat a big proper meal without being attacked. He probably also took some pleasure in it. Everyone of them said he's the reason they did so well, because they were well trained and bonded as a group.
The difference here is that Saving Private Ryan is a fictional story, loosely based on an actual event, but owing much to the US "sole survivor" policy, which drives the rescue. Other than that, just historical fiction. On the other hand, the actors here are playing real people, and the events depicted are mostly very accurate. All based on a book - containing the relating of events as told by the actual soldiers you see herein. Not saying Saving Private Ryan is not a good film, because it is a great film, but this is the real thing here. Real events, real people. A very excellent series. And yes, given that the men were, by definition committing mutiny in supporting Winters with their resignation letters, they could legally, and easily been killed by a firing squad. Different times, indeed. I hope you continue to enjoy it all.
I heard nothing but good things about this series and it's great to be joining you on this adventure! Everyone commenting about the 501st Parachute Infantry Regiment is clearly wrong, it is in fact the unit of clones serving under General Skywalker
Here's the breakdown of Army organization: Squad: ~12 men. Lead by a corporal or sergeant. Platoon: 3 squads. 2nd or 1st Lieutenant. Company: 3 platoons. Captain. Battalion: 3 companies (airborne). 4 in the infantry. Major Regiment: 3 battalions. Lieutenant Colonel or Colonel. Companies A, B, C in 1st battalion. D, E, F 2nd battalion. G, H, I 3rd battalion. Division: 3 regiments. Major General. Corps: 2-5 divisions. Lieutenant General. Army: 2 or more Corps. General. Army Group: 2 or more Armies. General.
I mean as tough and assholish as Sobel was, it was all to build the men into tough survivors because when they get into combat they are on their own surrounded by the enemy. There is no help, they have to rely on themselves
I had never really watched war movies before starting this channel, and now I'm so glad I have been. Diving into Band of Brothers is something that I'm SO happy you guys convinced me to do!
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SINCE I BELIEVE THAT EVERY AMERICAN SHOULD WATCH THIS SERIES OR, ACTUALLY NOT JUST AMERICANS BUT ANY PERSON OF YOUR GENERATION AND YOUNGER, BECAUSE THIS IS A PIECE OF AMERICAN HISTORY THAT SHOULD NEVER BE FORGOTTEN!!! WATCHING THIS SERIES AND SEEING THESE BRAVE BUT ORDINARY MEN JUST DROP THEIR LIVES AND DO WHAT THEY DID IN WORLD WAR II TRULY DEFINES WHY THEY'RE CALLED THE GREATEST GENERATION!!!
SHOW THIS TO YOUR CHILDREN WHEN THEY ARE OLD ENOUGH!!!
THE REASON THAT WINTERS TOLD LIEUTENANT COMPTON HE SHOULD NEVER PUT HIMSELF IN A POSITION WHERE HE IS TAKING FROM THE MEN BASICALLY HAS TO DO WITH GAMBLING AND IF LIEUTENANT COMPTON WON MONEY FROM THE TROOPERS OF LESS RANK UNDER HIM THEN THE MEN WOULD NOT LOOK AT HIM THE SAME AND PERHAPS MAKE WRONG DECISIONS AS TO WHETHER OR NOT THEY SHOULD FOLLOW AN ORDER FROM LIEUTENANT COMPTON!!! OR JUST LOOK AT HIM IN A WAY THAT YOU WOULDN'T LOOK AT SOMEONE THAT DIDN'T JUST WIN MONEY FROM YOU! A LOT OF MEN DO NOT LIKE LOSING MONEY IN GAMBLING AND WOULD LOOK AT THE WINNER WITH RESENTMENT!!!
SO PRETTY MUCH JUST TELLING HIM DON'T GAMBLE WITH THE MEN! DICK WINTERS WAS A VERY STRAIGHT LACED INDIVIDUAL! HE DIDN'T SMOKE HE DIDN'T DRINK HE RARELY CURSED!
You're only just beginning. This will be the most emotional ride. The highest of highs, and lowest of lows, and everything in between. Cinematically far and above all else. It will be the best military based piece of cinematic perfection you will ever see. Be prepared to feel like you know these men as if they've always been personal friends of yours. You'll laugh with them, cry with them, and get so emotionally bonded with them that you'll never forget the experience and will feel rewarded for taking this journey. Can't wait to watch all the rest with you
My 2 great uncles landed on Juno Beach on D-Day. Juno Beach was assigned to the Canadian troops 🇨🇦
i was fortunate enough to meet one of the men of Easy Company. and the man i met IS portrayed in this program. i will not give a name at this point, so no spoilers. when you are done watching, if i remember, i will post the story of the meeting.
@@JohnLeePettimoreIII was he from Pennsylvania?? If so I'm pretty sure I can guess who it was!!
I would have given anything to have sat down and talked with any of the survivors!!!
The best mini series ever produced for television.
It's that or *The Civil War*, but they're hard to compare because the construction is so different.
ANZACs paved the way for these shows, well worth a watch. Also based off true individual stories. A great mini series.
Agree. I cannot tell how many times I rewatched this, with emotions and teary eyes every god damn time. This has such an impact on me becoz I know all those soldiers were real man. No fictional characters or events. Such a powerfull meaning this is.
Saving Private Ryan was a fictional story taking place during historical (ish) events. Band of Brothers is an incredibly accurate portrayal of real men, not just characters. Some liberties have been taken, but by and large, this is a historical show.
17:28, yes. The Normandy landings were the most ambitious military operation to ever be conducted back then, it involved a lot of military units, not just American ones either.
In fact, Band of Brothers covers Pvt. Ryan’s unit: the 101st Airborne. Next episode, you’ll see why he ended up lost behind enemy lines.
101 Airborne is the division, which is made up of regiments and in the case of the series it is the 506th regiment. In Private Ryan's film, his regiment was the 501st, but the division was the same. The 101st airborne paratroopers.
Just to add on, if Verowak wants to see the organization of the 101st, its on the wikipedia link: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Order_of_battle_for_the_American_airborne_landings_in_Normandy#101st_Airborne_Division
They also called their Airborne divisions the "101st" and the "82nd" to give the enemy the impression that there's hundreds of divisions of soldiers like that.
So Corporal Henderson was from a different Easy company. Gotcha
Ryan was actually with the 1st battalion, 506th Regiment. So the same regiment but a different battalion.
Former Marine infantry officer here; our Army brothers like to make things extra complicated too with how they name/number units. Us Marines can’t count/read too good, hence we logically name our infantry battalions, like 1/1 (First Battalion, 1st Marine Regiment), 2/1 (2nd Battalion, 1st Marine Regiment), 3/1…etc. I was 3/2, so 3rd Battalion, 2nd Marine Regiment
I love when you called the captain bars on Sobel's helmet the "pause button" 😆
Clearly it's because Sobel needs to pause and look at a map all the time 🤣
@@VerowakReacts Well played Ma'am, well played...
Another person begins their journey with Easy Company, we love to see it! Very excited to watch your reactions, I'm expecting plenty of tears and plenty of cheers, especially for our man Winters!
I'm just glad Sobel/Ross isn't part of it anymore 😂
@@VerowakReacts He does a good job of not acting like Ross too, but then sometimes he makes a Ross face and it’s instant comedy
@@VerowakReactsum, ok. 😉🤫
So here's the structure from smallest to largest: Easy Company (contains 3 platoons, which in turn contain 3 squads) > is one of three rifle companies in 2nd Battalion of >506th Parachute Infantry Regiment > 101st Airborne Division.
Weapons platoon?
@@ryanmichael1298 Parachute Infantry Regiments don't have Weapon Platoons, as it is just extra man power carrying more heavy and cumbersome equipment that just wouldn't fit on their aircrafts.
Standard US Army Weapons Platoons at the time of 1944 have an HQ element consisting of a Lieutenant, Platoon Sergeant and four Riflemen. Then you have a Mortar Section with a Staff Sergeant in command, alongside his messenger, leading three Mortar Squads with five men each. And then on top of that you have the Light Machine Gun Section commanded by a Staff Sergeant, alongside his messenger, leading two Light Machine Gun Squads that also has five men in each. That's 35 men lugging around three 60mm Mortars and two M1919A4/6 LMGs in each Company. Just doesn't seem worth it when you're a paratrooper designed to travel behind enemy lines as light as possible.
Also, should be noted for clarification: in 1944, the three Squads in a PIR Platoon are made up of two Infantry Squads and one Mortar Squad. The two LMGs and three mortars that would normally be in the Weapons Platoon are integrated into the Squads. So while you have just as many LMGs and Mortars in the Platoon as before, you now have them at Squad level rather than Platoon level and so you don't need the three dozen extra men to operate them.
Also there were more than three companies. I know in one episode it mentions Able through Item. Today things tend to be organized 3-3-3. Back then there were different methods, plus being at "war-time strength," they probably had more than usual to start out knowing that many would be lost.
@@mikegoodwin2386 The mentioned of companies "Able to Item" was describing all of the companies in the 506th regiment which were nine, 3 per battalion and 3 battalions per regiment. The Airborne was adhering to the 3-3-3 configuration from squads to regiments, whereas the infantry and armored infantry were slightly different (see siranon5700 above).
@@siranon5700 fire and manoeuvre
Did not expect you to start this series, I am very excited to see your reaction ! ! It is really in a class of its own, in terms of quality.
The first episode does so well to introduce us to the series. It usually takes me a while to recognize the different characters, and there are a lot of people in the first episode alone
@@VerowakReactsOMG yes, i’m particularly weak in this area, and it’s a shame because this show rewards paying attention to who’s who since these are pretty much all based on real men.
my first time through there were characters i the last 3 or 4 eps who were referred to as having been there from the start of training who i didn’t recognize; i couldn’t fully appreciate their arcs until like my 3rd rewatch
Two words: 'Hacksaw Ridge'". Liked it as much as "Ryan" but very real story.
That one will be available on Patreon later this month. I'm really looking forward to it
I'm so looking forward to seeing that!@@VerowakReacts
Real-ish. Lots of liberties taken in making this film. First, Hacksaw is not where Doss proved himself, he had already earned two bronze stars prior to hacksaw, one on Guam and on in the Philippines. The movie leads the audience to believe that Okinawa was the first time anyone realized Doss wasnt a coward, which just isnt true, but makes for good storytelling. Also, the officer and NCOs who tried to get Doss kicked out (played by Vince Vaugn and Sam Worthington) were training officers. They werent the same guys who he served in combat with. Again, liberties taken for better storytelling. The Vince Vaughn character using an MP40 in the pacific theater? I wonder where he was getting the ammo for that? Also, making Doss's dad an abusive drunk was not true to the real life person, and some of the surviving family were not happy about that aspect of the Hollywood storytelling element.
The "501st" refers to the regiment. The division is the 101st Airborne Division, which consisted of the 327th Glider Infantry Regiment, and, the 501st, 502nd, and, 506th Parachute Infantry Regiments. The card suits painted on their helmets signify which regiment they belong to. The spade on the helmets of E Company troopers mean they're part of the 506th PIR.
This series is worth watching at least once a year! I hope you enjoy the rest!
I bet you spot more and more things on each watch through
@@VerowakReacts All the personell and ranks is very confusing at first. It changes throughout the episodes as you probably know already.
There is an old command structure post on the Band of Brother subreddit by DonbotS with pictures of the real person/actor in this series. It contains 6 pictures of Easy Company at different stages and he explains each stage with its leader.
Rookie numbers, got to pump it up more. 💯💯💯
@@earthsorneoi used to watch it once a year too.
But in the past couple years i've watched it 2 o 3 times, plus a couple of this reaction videos.
Its an amazing series. The Pacific is good, but you dont get the same feeling as BoB.
I've been watching this for over 20 years. I'm 33 now and it has been part of my life, I can even remember most of lines 😂
Such an amazing series. The fact that it's based on real events and real people makes it even more special. Absolutely one of the greatest series i've ever watched. Can't wait for you to see the next episodes!
Fun fact: The actor portraying Col. Sink is also the military technical advisor for the series and the founder of a military advisory company training people to behave like actual military personnel which the actors attended prior to the shooting of this series...
That IS a fun fact! I had no idea, but that's so neat, thank you!
16:50 -- "Never put yourself in a position where you can take from these men."
Winters is telling him gambling with his subordinates is not a good way to bond because if he wins the game, he's taking their money. it's all just a bit unseemly given he could also be ordering them to their deaths the next day. Winters always takes the responsibility of command very seriously and puts the well-being of his troops before his own
Had a great uncle that was in this campaign in France and got shot in the abdomen. He said he definitely did not want to watch these types of realistic shows and movies like Saving Private Ryan. The one thing I'll add is to remember that even though at some level they knew they would win the war they didn't really know how it would go or what was really happening, unlike today where we read and interpret it as a straightforward event.
The private Ryan character from Saving Ptivate Ryan was actually in the 101's Airborne.
I **love** seeing everyone's initial reaction to Ross. So many have said, "I just can't take him seriously."
That changes real quick.
Such a different role but he ends up playing it so well!! It's so weird seeing such a drastic change
Oh nice! This is by far the best miniseries ever made. You're gonna see a lot of famous actors. For a lot of them this was their first big roll. You're going to love this series. Bring tissues.
It's really quite an amazing series and I would love for more series to be made like this
I suggested the tissues as well for the later episodes
You'll know their names well in a few episodes, and by Ep 10 you'll never forget them. Especially when you see at the end which actor is playing which soldier shown at the beginning of each episode. This series is going to be a great watch, for you and for us! Excited to see it with you.
BTW, the "4F" designation that caused 3 of the men to commit suicide because they failed the physical examination is the same 4F that Steve Rogers got in the beginning of Captain America.
Thanks! Great reaction to one of the most intense periods in human history. I love your objectivity and empathy for the difficulties people faced in that terrible period of time. The airborne's job was to secure key positions, prevent German reinforcements from getting to the landings, and then link up with forces moving in from the beaches. In Saving Private Ryan the Rangers were to secure key positions on the beaches. Their toughest job was taking out the big guns on Point Du Hoc (sp.?) There they had to climb 100ft. cliff while the Germans shot and threw hand grenades at them. Another great series is The Pacific which brings you into the hell of the war against the Japanese. The Japanese did not adhere to any of the rules of war and were as barbaric as the Nazis. Finally, to gain a prospective on the total deaths of WW2 and how it compares to other wars in history there is a great short documentary on the subject. I think it will help with your reviews as you cover other historical events.
Thank you so much!! The Pacific is a series I'll be watching also. What is the short documentary? I think being able to see the total deaths of each war will help put them into perspective
@@VerowakReactsThe TH-cam film is titled "The Fallen of World War 2". It's about 18 minutes long.
best miniseries ever made, subbed…have tissues handy 😊
We clearly need more mini series like this!
So glad to be on this journey as you experience Band Of Brothers. As an enlisted Navy man(1996-2006), Richard Winters was the perfect example of what a leader should be I would have been proud to have served under him. He is a man I wish I could have met while he was still alive just to shake his hand and say thank you.
Amazing leaders are hard to find, but when you are around one, you feel lucky to be in their presence
Hello there, I enjoyed that first episode reaction, you really picked up on the dynamics of this episode.
Some stuff I like to post for context, I hope it is usefull information :
The interviews at the beginning are veterans of Easy company, they don't show you their names so you don't know who survived.
Operation Overlord, the invasion of Normandy, is the largest naval invasion in human history (in fact WW2 as a whole is packed with actions on a scale never seen before or after in human warfare).
From what I gathered over the Internet, the airborne component of Overlord had two Divisions, the 82nd Airborne Division (All Americans, 6418 men) and the 101st Airborne Division (Screaming Eagles, 6638 men).
The 101st was composed of 4 infantry Régiment, 327th GIR (Glider Infantry Regiment), 501st PIR (Parachute Infantry Regiment), 502nd PIR and 506th PIR, plus a number of smaller support units: a Parachute Field Artillery Battalion, two Glider Field Artillery Battalion, an Engineer Battalion and a medical company (NB I may be missing a few, not all sources agree with each other). Each regiment had an insignia on their helmet: 327th Clubs, 501st Diamonds, 502nd Hearts and 506th Spades.
Each regiment was composed of 9 fighting company of around 150 men, named A (Able) to I (Item), grouped into 3 battalions of 3 company.
Easy company was part of 2nd battalion, 506th PIR.
The 506th was commanded by Colonel Robert Sink, he's the one giving the speech after they get their jump wings, and dressing down the NCOs after their mutiny.
The 2nd battalion of the 506th was commanded by Lt Colonel Robert Strayer, he's standing at the right side of Sink during the speech, and he's the one dressing down Sobel after the fence incident.
The 101st Airborne Division was commanded by General Maxwell Taylor, he's mentioned in the show but I don't think he's ever on screen.
Also, Major Oliver Horton (that Luz is imitating during the fence incident) was 2/506PIR (2nd battalion 506th PIR) Executive Officer, basically second in command. He's mentioned a few times in the show but never seen on screen.
Thanks for that first episode, I will definetly come back for more.
Two scenes I've always really liked in this first episode (I mean all of it is great yada yada)
1) When our boys are flying over the English channel, and you can see the invasion fleet below steaming towards Normandie for the following morning's attack. On one of those ships would be our friends from Saving Private Ryan.. yes, they were fictional characters, but men like them anway.
2) The way Winters pulls each of his men to their feet, and he looks each and everyone of them in the eye before the board the plane. I have no idea if it happened in real life (the men would have needed some help getting to their feet), but it's a nice touch showing his leadership. :)
The 101st airborne division is the parent unit of the 506th Parachute Infantry Regiment of which the real men of Easy Company, 2nd battalion and the fictional James Francis Ryan of Baker Company, 1st battalion belonged to.
Nitpick: 'Private Ryan' was in the 501st PIR, a different regiment in the 101st Division.
Sobel was generally hated by the men of Easy Company. But they did recognice that his incredibly harsh training probably helped many of them survive the war.
I am glad you decided to do this, your wisdom and insight will make for great reactions. Like always.👍👍
I'm also going to learn a lot during the series! 😀
Yes, I love that about this series. Are you getting "The Pacific" requests? It's also amazing, follows the war with the Japanese in s similar format. I highly recommend that one too.✌✌@@VerowakReacts
@@alanh.7668 The Pacific is on my to watch for sure
Awesome, I'll be here. I was thinking about classics and wonder, have you seen "12 Angry Men"? Great script, directing and acting.The orig. starring Henry Fonda is legendary so you might have seen it, lol.@@VerowakReacts
The 101st is a division. The 501st is a regiment within that division. The next designated formation is a battalion. There are several battalions within the regiment. Each battalion is comprised of companies Finally, there are platoons.
I'm excited you are getting to this show! I just paused at the "pause button" part and let out a loud laugh because I never thought about his helmet being a pause button. really looking forward to the rest of these reactions.
Definitely not a pause button 🤣
@@VerowakReacts, even though you didn’t know it at that particular moment, Sobel got “paused” as far as the invasion goes! Great premonition. 😉
@@Ernwaldo 😂
Easy Company, of the 506th Parachute Infantry Regiment, of the 101st Airborne Division (aka the “Screamin’ Eagles”). By the end of WW2, Easy Company was one of the most highly decorated combat units in the entire European Theatre of Operations. The Airborne of WW2 would lay the foundations for what would eventually become modern day US Special Forces like the Army Rangers, Green Berets, and even Delta Force.
Ryan was a fictional character who was a member of the 101st, as can be denoted by the Eagle patch on the shoulder of his combat fatigues.
The 101st Airborne were dropped in Normandy the night before the D-Day Landings on June 6th. Their job was to prevent reinforcements from reaching the beaches once the landings started.
All the names of characters in this show are real people, and all the events are based on real events (with some creative license to fit it all in a TV show). There’s a couple things the show gets wrong, but those items will get pointed out along the way.
The old men at the beginning of each episode are the real veterans of Easy Company, and you will learn who they are at the end of the final episode.
Buckle up, this show is a wild ride.
How about a quick and extremely generic breakdown of how armies (especially infantry units) are organized.
Companies (like Easy Company) are designated by letters - A, B, C, etc... to avoid confusion - especially on the radio when excited - letters that rhyme with "E" can all sound alike - a Phonetic Alphabet is used. Today those terms are Alpha, Bravo, Charlie, Delta, Echo, etc etc. Back then it was Able, Baker, Charlie, Dog, Easy, Fox, etc etc. So you hear references to other companies like this throughout the series.
On to unit types.
- About a dozen guys make up a squad. Led by a Sergeant of some sort.
- Three squads make up a platoon, commanded by a Second Lieutenant (the most junior officer grade). At the beginning of this episode, Winters was a platoon leader. (40 personnel)
- Three platoons make a company. Commanded by a Captain. At the beginning of this episode, Sobel was a First Lieutenant filling a captain's position. He was then promoted to captain, and winters promoted to First Lieutenant to become Sobel's second-in-command of the company.
Also, each step of the way there can be additional people such as medics, radiomen, clerks, cooks, etc.
- Four companies (remember, this is very generic) plus a few other guys in speciality positions make up a Battalion, commanded by a Lieutenant Colonel. (800 personnel) Nixon, Winter's friend who likes the occasional sip of alcohol, works directly for either the Battalion Commander or the Regimental Commander (I don't remember which) as the unit's Intelligence Officer.
- Three or four battalions make up a Regiment, commanded by a Colonel. (3000 personnel) Col. Sink, the big guy with the southern accent who threatened to shoot our friends and reassigned Sobel, commanded the 506th PIR (Parachute Infantry Regiment) - one of four regiments in the 101'st Airborne Division. Private Ryan was in another regiment of the same division.
The Division (15,000) is commanded by a Major General (two stars on the collar). We won't see many of these hanging around.
So at the start Winters leads 2nd Platoon, Company E, 2nd Battalion, 506th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 101st Airborne Division.
Also, especially in wartime, the person filling the position will not be the same grade (rank) as the position calls for. Later you'll see Second Lieutenants in charge of companies and a Major commanding a battalion and a one-star general commanding a division, but that's nothing to worry about at this point. Others might point out there is also a thing called a "brigade" which falls between regiment and division, but it's not a thing in this series.
Also if anyone tells you I'm wrong, they might not know the word "generic", studied military history, spent 20 years in the service, or led a platoon as a Sergeant (E-5).
Enjoy the series, and keep tissue handy for the tears. Then if you watch "The Pacific", ditch the tissues and have a therapist handy.
Cheers ...
This is the story of the 101st Airborne Division
506th Parachute Infantry Regiment 2nd Battalion Easy Co
The fictional Private Ryan was in the 101st Airborne 506th PIR, but he was part of 1st Battalion Baker Co. Remember how no one knew where Ryan wound up? That will be addressed in episode 2. Captain Miller was Army Rangers. They were on one of the many ships the 101st was flying over.
So the fictional character of Pvt Ryan was a member of Easy company. The full designation of the Unit is Easy Company, 2nd Battalion of the 506th PIR (Parachute Infantry Regiment) of the 101st Airborne Division. This series follows Easy company from training thru to the end of the war. The men that they interview before each episode we surviving members of Easy company from WW2. This is an amazing series and I think it does an amazing job of showing the highs and lows those men went through to fight that war.
Ryan was not a member of Easy Company in the movie.
Ryan was part of the 506th, but he was Baker Company, not Easy.
I must have been thinking about another one of the people in the mix unit at the end. I swear someone in that unit mentioned Easy comany
@@azrielbaz When they first met Ryan (after they took out the German halftrack) the first guy who introduced himself was from Easy Company, but that was Easy Company, 501st.
@@nicov1837 That is where my brain got confused. Thanks for the correction.
These guys trained for two years.
Running up and down a hill.
Shooting paper targets.
Cleaning their guns.
Polishing their boots.
Making some airborne jumps.
Two years.
That's a lot of running.
But let's not forget:
The German soldiers in Normandy have been at war for 5 years.
Some of them have been in the army for that entire time.
They've been in Normandy for nearly 4 years digging trenches, building concrete forts, and preparing to be invaded.
Two years of training is a very small thing against the experience and readiness of those German troops.
This would have probably never succeeded, or if it did, there would have been many more American lives lost, except that the Germans were spread too thin and had limited supplies and we took them completely by surprise.
New to your channel...........these 10 episodes are some of the best television I've ever watched...........hope you enjoy it half as much as I did................thanks for posting.
Welcome to the channel!!
IIRC, when they first meet Ryan in the field, one of the guys in the bazooka team is from this show's Easy Company.
Remember all the times they are running Currahee (often in full gear) that is in full summer Georgia heat! 101 Airborne Division is about 18000 men (one of the 2 Airborne Div the US used in Overlord). The 506 PIR (Parachute Infantry Regiment) is a part of that Division. Easy Company was a part of the 506 and roughly 180 men (on average, per TOE).
It's definitely a fantastic series, seeing what these men went through will make you run the gamut of emotions. Series always gets me teary-eyed no matter how many times I watch it.
It always amazes me what humans go through in their lives
@@VerowakReactsTO ANSWER YOUR QUESTION ABOUT THE SAME TIME AS SAVING PRIVATE RYAN!
SO OUR BAND OF BROTHERS "EASY COMPANY" WAS FROM THE SECOND BATTALION OF THE 506 REGIMEN!!
PRIVATE RYAN WAS FROM THE FIRST BATTALION OF THE 506 REGIMEN!! EVEN THOUGH RYAN WAS A FICTIONAL CHARACTER!! THEY WOULD DEFINITELY CUT FROM THE SAME CLOTH!!
NO ♀s?
@@dallesamllhals9161 No females were allowed in combat roles during World War II (and for many more years to follow). Also, during World War II, the U.S. military was racially segregated. In 1948, President Harry Truman signed an Executive Order which mandated the desegregation of the U.S. military.
Turn Caps Lock off.@@bernardsalvatore1929
19:40 Richard Winters was an exceptional officer. Such a brave and fantastic man to lead those guys out there. He was a truely deserved hero.
He seems like a rare one, being able to lead so well and have everyone's respect
@@VerowakReacts Yes, he gave them a perfect example. I cannot imagine the disaster if they were there under Sobels command 🙉
So glad to join you on this journey. Your reactions are so endearing; I'm looking forward to the episodes ahead.
That's so kind of you to say, and made me smile!!
Oh, I'm clicking "like" already!! So pleased to see you delve into this magnificent series. I know you'll appreciate the stories of these men of the Greatest Generation. We must keep their memories alive & Steven Spielberg & Tom Hanks have shown they truly have great respect for them. Look forward to this journey, hope you don't wait too long between episodes. (& there are alot of names so try to remember them😊)
It's so confusing with all the different names at the beginning! Keeping their memories alive and what they've gone through is very important!
One of the best WWII miniseries ever made!
From Executive Producers Tom Hanks and Steven Spielberg.
My brother and sister used to watch this every Sunday night for their history class.
Excellent review. Welcome to the best mini series ever made. Keep up the great work. About Sobel, he was a very good training officer. He could train the men well and get them ready to go to war for others to lead. The mutiny (where the sergeants) refused to serve under him actually happened. What is interesting is the fact that many of the men including some of the sergeants who rebel against him later in life admitted that the hard training they received under Sobel help them survive the war. So him being sent to a training school was the best use of the resources they had, luckily Col Sink the commanding officer realized that and made the best decision for everyone.
This, is the 506th Parachute Infantry Regiment (PIR) of the 101st Airborne Division. By size, descending, Army, Corps, Division, Brigade, Regiment, Battalion, Company, Platoon, Squad. This is the story of E Company of the 2nd Battalion of the 506th PIR, 101st Airborne Division. This regiment has 9 companies, divided into 2 battalions.
It goes like this, Company E of the 2nd Battalion, 501st Parachute Infantry Regiment, 101st Airborne Division.
This show was the last time a WWII project held my interest. It hooked me from the first minute and it never let go. It's still fun to go back and see it all over again every few years.
Have you watched The Pacific? That's one that I'll be watching soon, especially seeing as it's a Spielberg/Hanks collaboration also
@@VerowakReacts I tried, but not only did it not feel the same, it didn't keep my interest at all, and never finished the first episode.
@@VerowakReactsTHE PACIFIC IS DEFINITELY A DARKER SERIES THAN THE BAND OF BROTHERS! WHERE BAND OF BROTHERS FOCUSES MORE ON THE CAMARADERIE OF THE SOLDIERS AS THEY GO THROUGH BATTLE AFTER BATTLE, THE PACIFIC FOCUSES ON THE BRUTALITIES OF WAR AND WHAT IT DOES TO THE INDIVIDUAL SOLDIERS!! NOT TO MENTION THAT THE PACIFIC THEATER WAS A MORE BRUTAL AND BLOODY A THEATER OF WAR THAN WAS THE EUROPEAN THEATER!! WHEREAS THE GERMANS WOULD SURRENDER WHEN THEY KNEW THEY COULD NOT WIN, THE JAPANESE WOULD DO NO SUCH THING!!! IT'S PRETTY MUCH THE REASON WHY PRESIDENT TRUMAN DECIDED TO DROP TWO NUCLEAR BOMBS ON JAPAN!!!
ANYWAY THE PACIFIC IS DEFINITELY A MUST-WATCH JUST FOR THE HISTORY LEARNING!! MANY OF THE BATTLES TALKED ABOUT ON THE PACIFIC WERE RARELY KNOWN BY ANYONE OUTSIDE OF THE MARINES THAT FOUGHT THEM!!!
ALSO HANKS AND SPIELBERG HAVE COLLABORATED WITH ANOTHER, A THIRD IN THIS TRILOGY LET'S CALL IT, OF WORLD WAR II STORIES! IT'S CALLED "MASTERS OF THE AIR!" IT'LL BE COMING OUT NEXT YEAR (2024)AND IT HAS TO DO WITH THE AIR FORCE BOMBERS IN EUROPE IN WORLD WAR 2! IT FOCUSES ON ONE BOMBER CREW I BELIEVE, AND THESE BOMBER CREWS HAD TO RUN 25 BOMBING MISSIONS BEFORE THEY MOVED ON AND THEIR STATISTICS FOR SURVIVAL OF ALL 25 WERE ONE IN FOUR!!
@VerowakReacts not gonna lie, that one if I can go back in time to skip, I probably would lol. It's gruesome. Way more than this one I believe
@@VerowakReactsanother phenomenal show and well worth it
As a retired Member of the Army after 21 years and deployments, I am glad that you are taking the time to react one of the best mini series ever created. I had a chance to meet some of these men when the series was being promoted. Meeting them was an absolute honor. I hope you glean good things from such a series. It is mostly accurate, and I think yiu will be treated in the upcoming episodes. I have seen it ever couple of years just to keep myself reminded of what came before me! Enjoy and again thank you! I love when the younger generations view such an important part of our history!
@VerowakReacts. I hope you enjoy this series! I will watch yiur reactions as they come out! I love it when younger people take the time to understand this!
Thank you for your 21 years of service! Meeting these men would have been quite amazing, I'm glad you got to experience that. I'm happy that this series is mostly accurate, since it helps us understand what kind of things actually transpired.
The writing is so good. They have the sceen of Meehan and Winters figuring it out, which leads right into the middle of the officer briefing, which intercuts the NCO briefing. It all put together so good.
As always I really like how genuine you are in your facial expressions and commentaries 😄.
Band of Brothers is awesome and if anything it only progresses in quallity every time I watch it. A lot of fond memmories are attached to this series for me. In schoolvacations my brother and I would watch an episode or two a day and then going into the woods to reenact!
And I do remember the many tears we shed. Brace yourself!
Oh, and since we're on the topic of WW2 and me being Dutch I would give my extended Thank you to you and your countrymen for playing a huge deal in liberating my country. My grandparents lived through it as a kid and it was utterly rough. So: thanks, Verowak 😉!
I’m a former paratrooper myself and I was often told by my sergeants that there is a fine line between hardass and dumbass. So fine you often can’t see it until after you’ve crossed it. Sobel crossed that line many times like denying his troops access to the water in their canteens during the road march. Denying soldiers access to the water in their canteens would land Sobel in major trouble today and even as far back as the 1980s, especially if one of his soldiers ended up in the hospital because he was denied access to his water. Furthermore, Sobel had no choice but to promote Winters because no one gets promoted without paperwork being approved first. So Winter’s promotion would’ve already been approved. Handing him the 1st Lieutenant silver bar was little more than a formality at that point. Yes, Sobel was still an ass about it, but had he not done it, it wouldn’t have been long for Colonel Sink to notice and start asking Sobel some very unpleasant questions for which Sobel would’ve had no defense.
It was definitely a different time, like you said if Sobel did the same things now, it would not go over well.
Now I saw someone else say, not excusing Sobel being a dick, that because no one knew where they would end up, possibly North Africa or the Middle East that he was preparing them to be possibly water deprived in combat. I say bullshit he was just being an ass.
First off, thank you for your service! Second, that's interesting information about the water. We all know that Sobel was petty and a jackass; great at getting the guys into shape, but not a leader by any stretch - still, I thought maybe that water denial tactic was just a way to prepare them for time that they'd have to go long stretches without water, not pure sadism. Thanks for your input.
I don't know about the military, but I do know about football. Drinking water during practice was considered weak. I'm not saying this thinking was smart or right, I'm just saying that's what people used to think back then, and that was in the 80s too, so I imagine it was probably the thinking in the military probably all the way up until Vietnam.
I was a Marine. During training, we were required to pour the salt from our MRE packet into a canteen and drink it down. It wasn't malicious. At the time, our training staff thought it was good for us since we were sweating a lot. I think the salt actually dehydrated us more.
I can't wait to see the rest of these alongside you! This series is INCREDIBLY well done. This and Chernobyl are two of my favorite mini-series.
I just started Chernobyl on Patreon and it is pretty amazing so far!
Wow! Your insights to the details and what you pick up on is amazing! Great reaction. Just subscribed.
Thank you, and welcome to the channel!!
Good pick. Looking forward to watching!
6:05 - this is one of my favorite facial expressions in your repertoire!
(i hope that doesn’t read as creepy, it just automatically makes me smile when you do it :0)
Not creepy at all!! I'm glad my smile/expressions can make others smile!
17:26 yes exactly. Airborne was dropped down behind enemy lines few hours before boats reached the Normandy (scenes from Private Ryan) so the soldiers from "Private Ryan" have the clear beach from huge guns which were supposed to cover the beach with fire. Those guns would have massacre the invadind US soldiers. So yeah, Airborne was created for such missions.
The real Herbert Sobol was complicated, many of Easy Company believed his training enabled them to survive the war. His attempt at suicide in 1970 blinded him and he tragically later died in a nursing home. Since we are on the subject of dying after the war, let be first to correct the record on someone the series said died of war wounds, didn't actually die until much later.
Just found your channel because of this series and subbed. I don't want to miss your reactions to Band of Brothers. I think you will really enjoy it! Also looks like I have some catching up to do on many of your previous videos too.
Welcome to the channel!! I hope you find other reactions that you enjoy 🤩
@@VerowakReacts Ty, I am watching The Green Mile reaction now and likely 1917 for bed time...
@@SnaFubar_24 Oh the Green Mile 😭
"you do have to get people to like you" - not necessarily, but you definitely need the men you are leading to respect you. If Sobel had been the bastard he is but a competent leader in the field - concerned about not getting his men killed - they would have followed him.
Be prepared to see loss in the same way as SPR, you'll get your heart ripped out a few times in this series as they fight their way into Germany. I'd also highly recommend watching the documentary "We stand alone together" at the end of the series, it's real pictures/video of the war and interviews with the actual veterans (including those you see at the intro of the episodes).
I’m not a big reaction watching person but there’s one series I regularly just type in “Band of Brothers reactions” for because it’s just that good and for some reason I love seeing peoples reactions to something I love so much.
That's completely understandable! Seeing people experience something you love so much is really great. I love seeing people get to experience the same joy and sadness that I did for my favorites!
The timeline of this mini series is the same as that of the film "Saving Private Ryan". In the film, Private James Ryan was a paratrooper in the 101st Airborne. That same 101 Airborne from Band of Brothers.
The real 501 PIR was to land NE of Carentan and secure the la Barquette lock and destroy bridges on the Douve River. So the mission of the fictional Ryan makes sense to hold the bridge for the troops coming in off Utah Beach. The real 506 PIR (including Easy Co.) were to capture St Come-du-Mont then Carentan. Keep in the back of your mind the places visited during SPR and the early BoB episodes will make more sense. Nice reaction.
Saving Pvt. Ryan was fiction though a great demonstration of what went on the Normandy beaches.
Band of Brothers is an adaptation of a non-fiction book by historian Stephen Ambrose by the sa me name. The action and name you will hear throughout are real places and people. The men who you see at the beginning of episodes are those actual people of Easy Company and they and others were interviewed by Ambrose as part of his research for the book.
Great reaction like always, I love this series its my favourite. Easily the best tv series ever made. It is faultless and beautiful from start to finish. Watched it easily 20 times over the last 20 years and it never gets old. Some of Steven and Hanks best work together and it all correlates to Saving Private Ryan as well. Lots of crossover of events happening during that war. Sobel was a weasel and a bad leader, but Easy Company credited him with getting them physically ready to jump into Normandy. Winters was the quintessential leader. He knew how to motivate his men by example. And just remember that this is a true story based on the book by the same name ‘Band of Brothers’ each episode is based off real experience from the soldiers you’re seeing on screen. Prepare yourself for some brutal and emotional scenes in foward episodes. Keep up the good work. Love it
Sobel definitely did not seem like a good leader but he sure prepared them all way more than any other division.
This series is definitely at the top of my favorites
501st had a nickname of Vader’s Fist. I’m impressed you knew the number. I started watching your channel because of Star Wars.
An interesting thing is that the first 2 episodes premiered on September 9, 2001. Looming war and uncertainty were in the minds of the viewership as the following episodes were aired. I didn’t have HBO at the time so couldn’t watch it. I first watched it in Baghdad in 2003. One of our section sergeants had bought the DVD set. This show felt real to us. The sounds and feelings are so faithfully acted out by this fantastic ensemble. This will always be one of the best cinematic pieces I will ever view.
Thank you for your service.
Btw, I’ve never had HBO, but bought the full DVD set & watch at least once every year.
Hope you enjoy all of @Verowak ‘s reactions.
I think it's fair to say, none of us could possibly imagine 1/2 of what these men actually went through.. but this series does an excellent job at giving us a small glimpse into their experiences. - Saving Pvt. Ryan is a good movie, but is a fictional story - This has the advantage of being based on the actual memories & recollections of the real men these characters are based on. The veterans shown at the start of the episodes are these men... last episode reveals who they are by name. This show is not always easy to watch, but is something everyone should see.
You gave me a good laugh when Sobel (Ross) popped up in his helmet with its captains bars & you said "Pause button?" 😂
*Captain’s bars Lieutenant’s insignia is only 1 bar (Gold for 2nd, Silver for 1st).
D'oh! - fixed the comment (I know I knew that...) thx @@Ernwaldo
@@aartsst3227 👍🏻♠️
Sobel doesn’t explain anything, but he does have some good points regarding attention to detail and being ready for anything at any time. The men hated him but credited him with being in the best shape possible
He really did help them survive. They didn't realize it at the time ,but looking back they understood
4 Infantry Divisions were made into Airborne Divisions during WWII: the 82nd, 101st, 17th, and 11th.
Great reaction to this episode. Hope you’re able to continue and enjoy the series. Thanks for sharing with us. 👍🏻
Thank you! All of Band of Brothers, then The Pacific, then Masters of the Air next year!
Fritz Niland, whom Private Ryan was (loosely) based on, was friends with a few of the enlisted men in Easy Company. In real life, it was their chaplain who told Niland about his brothers being killed and that he was being sent home.
It's happening, it's happening! I have to sub now as this is one show I instantly sub to see full reactions.
So you saw in the jeep, Buck Compton being reprimanded by Richard Winters. The reason why he was being scolded for "bonding with his men" is because he was actually gambling with his men. Yes, it's all fun and games, especially if your men make their winnings and love you for a good time. It's another reason if Compton had won and took his winnings from his men. That would not only make the mood sour, but also could potentially make your men resent you.
As you've seen with Sobel, if your men don't respect you, they won't follow you. With gambling you're not just gambling for winnings. You're gambling trust too.
Hold on to your hat young lady! you're in for a ride! The best depiction of WWII combat ever, in my opinion!
Both PVT Ryan and Easy Company are part of the 101st Airborne DIVISION. Ryan was (I believe) 501st Parachute Infantry REGIMENT whereas Easy Company (of this story) is 506th PIR. To take it further Easy is 2nd BATTALION and currently Winters is the Platoon leader of 2nd PLATOON.
So 2nd Platoon, Easy Company, 2nd Battalion, 506th PIR, of the 101st Airborne Division.
Wow I can't wait to watch these reactions. I'll have to find your Patreon for this one. The Best short series ever and I promise you'll start watching more WWII movies and programs after this. It's impossible not too.
Here it is www.patreon.com/Verowak
I'll definitely need to watch more war movies
Verowak you earned a sub from me today. A few things going further. Saving private Ryan was mostly fiction. This series is 99% exactly what happened and these actors are portraying the men in the beginning.
You will see by the comments that people take this series very seriously since they were the men that fought for our freedoms.
I'm glad you are enjoying it. 🙂
I do love it when a movie or series is accurate. It helps us see what people have gone through
So glad to see your reaction to BoB on youtube. From now on each episode will be an emotional roller coaster, and a couple will break your heart. However, the series is a must watch at least once in lifetime serries. We must not forget what these men did and how it shaped the world we live today. Sometimes, when life gets a bit rough and stress seems a bit overwhelming, I think about what the men of Easy company went through and how they manages to get through the hell they were in. My problems, and stressors all of a sudden don't seem that overwhelming any more. Thanks for giving this serries a watch.
My grandfather was in one of those planes. That generation, from the European to the Pacific theaters of war, were truly such a uniquely special generation. Having been raised and living through the great depression, being led by men who cut their teeth in WW1, they answered the call to save the world from true evil behavior. The title "The Greatest Generation" is well deserved. The sacrifices made so we could be here, today, living in general peace and prosperity, can never be understated.
Your grandfather was a brave man! I always hope that we learn from war and never repeat it. No one should have to go through this
@VerowakReacts we are to young yet as a species as a whole to not have it happen again unfortunately. It is precisely why the United States must never allow a Pearl Harbor again, the weapons of today can be catastrophic, unlike back then when we had time to build up and respond. We must be ever vigilant, and yes, that may sound sad and depressing, or, you could choose to look at it as though we are the guards, giving time for our species to move beyond such petty differences as skin color, as ethnic or religious differences. Until we learn that we truly ate our brothers and sisters keepers on a global scale, we must always be ready to answer the call. Until that day comes, it is a wise and sound strategy. From my grandfather's grandfather's to my uncles to myself , my brother, my cousins, to now my children and in the future their children, we have answered, are answering and will continue to answer the call until our species grows up enough to learn to love one another.
oh, you're in for a treat! This series and the Chernobyl one are amongst the most interesting ones and very close to reality!! There are tough moments of course, that is to be expected, but it's so worth the watch! Hope you enjoy it all :)
This whole thing is happenings at the same time as saving private ryan yes. While in Ryan's movie you see they stormed the beaches of Normandy by boats, other divisions were dropped by planes all over disrupting supply lines.
This whole thing, the invasion of Europe, is called the Operation Overlord (the assault phase, Operation Neptune), it involved the US, Canada and Great Britain mainly.. but soldiers from many other countries participated also (Australia, Belgium, Czechoslovakia, Denmark, France, Greece, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Poland etc.).
I have never heard the Lieutenant's rank insignia called a "pause button" before. That made me laugh!
Thats Captain Sobel to you PRIVATE!
Lt only has one bar
There's always a first for everything lol 🤣
@@bluebird3281 Sir, yes sir! (I'm going to have to run Curahee again now, aren't I?)
@@grumpyoldman7562I am more of a Sgt. Bilko than a Cpt. Sobel just run to the liquor store and oil up the roulette wheel.
@@bluebird3281Bilko! So good to see two “old” guys like me that remember B&W tv shows! LOL😂
Indeed - during the Normandy landings, the paratroopers went overhead, to clear inland positions.
In Saving Private Ryan they meet the 101st Airborne - that's where Ryan is, although he belongs to Baker company, well untill Tom Hanks comes and takes him home :D
WW2 vets and Korean war vets were my uncles and father, and the dads of my friends, it was such a different world back then. I grew up watching westerns and WW2 movies and shows; when I wasn't playing baseball or football or running all over the town and countryside on my bike. My Uncle Ernie died when his bomber was shot down over Italy. My dad was wounded in Korea. I miss them all.
My favorite episodes are (in order of preference)" Episode 7 - The Breaking Point, Episode 9 - Why We Fight, Episode 10 - Points. Plus, the defacto Episode 11 - We Stand Alone Together (documentary).
In that last scene of this episode, while Easy Company was flying to jump behind enemy lines, the characters in "Saving Private Ryan" would have been onboard those ships in that scene, heading for the beaches.
"pause button" at 8:48 was funny cause I know you were talking about his Captain rank on his helmet lmao
They are the 101st Airborne Division, 506th battalion, E Company.
This show, really no matter what anyone's viewing preferences might be, was/is just great TV. I love the consistant reactions in this episode to David Schwimmer (Ross?!?!?), who the filmmakers must have known would be a big risk, but who paid off wonderfully in the roll.
It will take some time to get some of the names, and, while you don't really have to know the battles and such going in (you still get the full emotional journey of the characters), it is definately worth from a history perspective, doing a quick google search on the towns and locations after the episode to see the full context of what was going on.
I so wish I could be watching this for the first time again.
so glad your doing this, It was cause how well the movie "Saving Pvt Ryan" did that they (Spielberg / Hanks) were able to do this series. this is based on 2 books the main 1 "Band of Brothers" (1992) and "Parachute Infantry" written by a member of the unit. From the time i was 17 yrs old every Jan at the Battle of the Bulge Reenactment in Fort Indiantown GAP, PA with E/ 506th living history unit we had almost all the org. Troopers with us (along with Troopers from other Airborne units) in our Barrack's and at the public battle. it was this event were i grew up Drinking Prop Blast listing to stories , laughing and singing with these Troopers. God i miss them scalawags those late night drunk Grunt to Grunt talks sitting on bunks with canteen cups of Prop blast and it was this event in 2000 were XXXX read the letter he got from Tom Hanks asking permission to do it. XXXX then asked us what we thought and we shouted a big HELL YES!! lifting our drinks 100+ Drunken Troopers cheering, them were some epic hangovers, they have all since made there Finally jump and now belong to the pages of history.
I've seen many reactations to this you'rs in the top 2. What makes it good is your authenticate reation. I'm glad you understand. As it gets farther and farther away in time it's hard to find people who want to learn. Almost all have pssed on. Thanks. oh and you said holy Murphy HAHAHA
I wish I could learn everything! But I would need several lifetimes for that.
There were two US airborne Divisions used on D-Day (and British and Polish formations at the opposite flank). The 82nd and 101st AB D.
Each was formed from regiments -
501 PIR, 502 PIR, 506 PIR, 327 GIR, plus support and HQ element for the 101 AB
504 PIR, 507 PIR, 508 PIR, 325 GIR, 3/401 GIR, plus support and HQ elements for the 82 AB
Regiments contain 3-4 Battalions, each of 3 infantry and a weapons company. Easy is the fifth Coy of the 506 Parachute Infantry Regt, or the lead Coy of the second Bn.
He ordered them not to drink for two reasons. 1: being able to control yourself and ration, 2: following orders. He gave them a big meal, then immediately ran them because you can never guarantee time enough to eat a big proper meal without being attacked. He probably also took some pleasure in it. Everyone of them said he's the reason they did so well, because they were well trained and bonded as a group.
Ooh I'm excited for this! It's quite a ride!!
The difference here is that Saving Private Ryan is a fictional story, loosely based on an actual event, but owing much to the US "sole survivor" policy, which drives the rescue. Other than that, just historical fiction. On the other hand, the actors here are playing real people, and the events depicted are mostly very accurate. All based on a book - containing the relating of events as told by the actual soldiers you see herein.
Not saying Saving Private Ryan is not a good film, because it is a great film, but this is the real thing here. Real events, real people. A very excellent series.
And yes, given that the men were, by definition committing mutiny in supporting Winters with their resignation letters, they could legally, and easily been killed by a firing squad. Different times, indeed.
I hope you continue to enjoy it all.
I started watching this for the first time a few weeks ago and tapered off. Apparently I'm going to need to get back to it to keep up with you. 🤣
Perfect timing then lol!!
Army-Corps-Division-Regiment-Batallion-Company-Platoon-Squad. Easy Company (one of none) was in the 506th Parachute Infantry Regiments
I heard nothing but good things about this series and it's great to be joining you on this adventure! Everyone commenting about the 501st Parachute Infantry Regiment is clearly wrong, it is in fact the unit of clones serving under General Skywalker
Of course that's the reason I was thinking of the 501st 🤣 Not quite the same war lol
Here's the breakdown of Army organization:
Squad: ~12 men. Lead by a corporal or sergeant.
Platoon: 3 squads. 2nd or 1st Lieutenant.
Company: 3 platoons. Captain.
Battalion: 3 companies (airborne). 4 in the infantry. Major
Regiment: 3 battalions. Lieutenant Colonel or Colonel. Companies A, B, C in 1st battalion. D, E, F 2nd battalion. G, H, I 3rd battalion.
Division: 3 regiments. Major General.
Corps: 2-5 divisions. Lieutenant General.
Army: 2 or more Corps. General.
Army Group: 2 or more Armies. General.
I mean as tough and assholish as Sobel was, it was all to build the men into tough survivors because when they get into combat they are on their own surrounded by the enemy. There is no help, they have to rely on themselves
That's very true, I wonder when the men realized that all the training Sobel had them do actually helped them out tremendously
I'm so glad you are reacting to this!!!! Can't wait for the rest!!!
Yes! a fantastic show, I hope you like it. I'm pretty sure you will have these men in your heart by the end like everyone who watched this show ...
Love your reactions. You always have great insight and a joy to watch. 👍
Thank you!! I'm glad you enjoy them!!