The Last Patrol | BAND OF BROTHERS | Reaction Episode 8 

Sgt. Martin stares angrily at Webster because Webster gave Jones the idea of replacing Malarkey. Instead of Malarkey, who was supposed to lead the patrol, Martin now has the "pleasure", because nobody trusts Jones to lead the patrol himself and the lieutenant is only there as an observer.

They took some liberties with Webster's story in this episode, I think to illustrate how much Bastogne was a bonding experience for the unit. There wasn't any hostility when he came back after some confusion got cleared up. A few guys were mad because they thought he was lightly wounded and had been in a field hospital, so they thought he could have come back sooner like some of the others. In reality he had been wounded pretty badly in both legs and was evacuated all the way back to England where he spent around 3 months in rehab at the hospital. There's no way he could have come back early like the others since he was all the way back in England instead of a nearby field hospital. Once they realized that it wasn't an issue.

23:45 yes, in that scene, Winters recieved his promotion to Major.

I'm just an old fart but I really enjoy your heartfelt reactions to this show. You two are absolute treasures.

The book describes Winters thinking. He did think the second mission was too risky to his men. The second night was clear skies (meaning moonlight) and it had gotten much colder so the snowy ground would be crunching under their feet making it harder to make the approach quietly. He also knew that there was a bottle of whiskey among Sink and his staff. Given that Sink’s unofficial nickname was “Bourbon Bob”, Winters knew that Sink would be asleep long before the scheduled patrol and wouldn’t be anywhere close enough to be woken by any gunfire. He was also finally made a Major after serving for months in a role (as a Captain) that normally was held by a Major. He was respected by his men but being outranked made his work more difficult.

That Lt isn't going to "rat" on Winters. That Lt KNOWS who and what Winters is- That Lt is now learning what LEADERSHIP really is.

After the war, Webster wrote not only a book about sharks but also about his experience in WW2. However, the publishers refused it based on the fact that it was not a heroic book. Publishers wanted The Lone Wolf soldier as a hero book, not a memoir about the war. When Stephen Ambrose was writing Band of Brothers, he discovered that Webster wrote the book and got permission from Webster's family to publish it. Some of what you see in the series came from Webster's book, but a lot was not put in there. He was very honest about his thoughts on the officers (for the most part he thought they were terrible) and on other issues in the war. The title of the book is "Parachute Infantry: An American Paratrooper's Memoir of D-Day and the Fall of the Third Reich" by David Kenyon Webster. It was a great read.

If you remember.. Websters was the soldier who gave chocolate to a little boy in Holland. He got shot and was sent to England to recuperate. That's why he couldn't return to Easy co. like other guys did, and missed Bastogne.

the end of this episode always gets me "I wondered if the people back home ever know what it cost the soldiers to in this war"

Webster was the one in “Crossroads” who said “they got me” when he was shelled on the road. He was embarrassed that he used such a lame line.

What I've read said that Webster was given a little teasing over missing Bastogne, but it wasn't as severe as was shown in this ep. Fact is, Webster's wound was pretty severe and he was recuperating in England, so he couldn't have "snuck off" to rejoin Easy.

21:53 If there was any doubt left in your mind that Winters was the reincarnation of the mythical Giga-Chad, this should put them to rest. Winters was taking an enormous risk here. If regiment had found out what he did, he could have been court-martialed, dishonorably discharged, and faced serious jail time. But he was willing to go that far for his men. This episode is generally accurate, historically speaking. The main differences from reality were some of the men who went on the patrol, and also the fact that the men weren't actually angry with Webster when he came back from the hospital. Webster said in his memoirs that the men were happy to see him, welcomed him back with open arms, and were actually glad that he was spared from the hardships of Bastogne. Any flack he got about not going AWOL from the hospital was just good-natured ribbing.

The LT graduated from West Point, which is the US military school for the Army. Everyone who graduates from there is automatically an officer.

The constant banter between the guys always strikes me as so accurate. It's one of the reasons it's so hard to leave the service for some. You'll never have a closer, more ridiculous, family than the folk you serve with. You don't even like all of them but you still feel like family. It's hard later in life when you miss that camaraderie.

Lt Jones is Tom Hanks son. Those were tin cans with rocks in them, hung on the barbed wire to make noise as an alert of the wire being cut and the enemy penetrating the area. Gold Oak Leaves, Winters was promoted to Major.

Ladies, as a combat veteran myself, I'm just so impressed by the two of you regarding how you have embraced this series and the amazing men portrayed in it. As the last of our wonderful WWII vets start to die off, it is so important that we remember and honor them for all they did for us. Seeing young people such as yourselves recognizing them and being moved by them gives me hope that they will not be forgotten.

If you didn't notice, Jones is Tom Hanks's son, Colin.

It was Websters Idea to replace Malarkey with Jones and thats the reason why Martin is on the Patrol. You can see at 12:02 how he realises - thats why hes pissed.

Every 4th round is a tracer. So if you think the firefight already has a lot of lead flying around, multiply it…

If you look closely at the end, Cobb, who was drunk, was riding out in a Military Police Jeep. It was not for his insubordination as shown but had drunkenly struck Lt Foley. Cobb actually had Combat experience before Taccoa and served in Africa in ‘42. So he actually had a bit more experience than most innEasy.

Lt Jones was killed in a Jeep accident in 1947.

Fun fact is that the reception of Webster was inaccurate in this show. According to the men themselves in documentaries and books they've written, when Webster shows up in Hagenau, they were actually happy to see him and they were actually glad he wasn't in Bastogne and didn't see the horrors they saw. Men back then were freaking incredible.

23:50 "Oak Leaves. What does that mean? But I love it" 😂

David Webster is an interesting character. He was from a wealthy family and grew up outside of New York City. He probably could have used his family's connections and influence to secure a less dangerous posting, but he very much wanted the life experience of being a common soldier so he volunteered for the paratroops. He considered his service as a study of sorts. He made a decision early on to never volunteer for anything - he would go where he was told and do what he was told to do. He was one of the relatively few original Toccoa men to never make the rank of Corporal and remained a private through the war. After an untimely death in the 1960s, his widow compiled and published his collected memoirs of his time from Toccoa to the end of the war. It's one of the best first-person accounts by an Easy veteran and provides a very detailed account of their activities in Europe.

I think time magazine actually did an article in the 1950’s where a man who fought in the European front against Germany took his wife to Europe and showed her the places he went/fought. He even took her to the graves of some of his buddies. It’s really cool, and have to google about it. By the way Richard Winters was like only 26 years old when this was all happening. It blows my mind when I learn that. Mid 20’s being a hell of a leader.

I've known this show for 20 years and I still have tears rolling down my face after a short clip in a reaction video. This stuff is so good. You guys are awesome.

23:42 "Congratulations maj...OAKLEAVES? WHAT DOES THAT MEAN?" 😂🤣

Webster's book is really good. It delves into so much more detail about the experience for the ordinary guys and he was a genuine hero.

this is no doubt the best TV series of all time

If I can suggest anything it would be to accept the storyline as it goes along. Lt. Jones was fully trusted within the ranks and was considered one of the best graduates of the West Point Class of '44. He was smart and a good soldier/leader in his short career. I say short because Jones was killed in a car accident in 1948 in Germany. I think he would have gone far with the Army and been very successful.

The gun you see at 17:05 is a M16 self propelled anti-aircraft vehicle. That's four M2 .50 cals on a half track. That's 37 rounds as big as your thumb being fired every single second. That'll chew a concrete wall apart in seconds. Winters really did give them all the suppressive fire he could muster. How much do I want to bet on the LT NOT telling on Winters? 10,000. Easiest money in my life lol It was also made easier because that night, Sink got blackout drunk with another officer and passed out, thus having no way to know that Winters did not order that second patrol. Fun fact: Winters' grave is open to the public and the church very much knows how important he is, even having signs directing you to his family plot. It's right off the PA turnpike, a road I use every week to go to and from work. I made my trip and paid my respects. Beautiful area. I also just realized the episode. Oh BOY are you in for it next time.

Both of my grandfather's served in the second world war. One of them, though wasn't at Bastogne, did fight at the Battle of the Bulge. The other was in the Navy but still experienced some horrfying things. He mentioned one time that one of the ships he was on was attacked by German planes and of course there were plenty of U-boats he needed to deal with.

Before "Band of Brothers", "Lonesome Dove" was generally regarded as the best mini-series ever made, and is still near the top. Robert Duvall and Tommy Lee Jones star as a pair of retired Texas Rangers who embark on a dangerous cattle drive from South Texas to Montana. There is large cast of characters who will have you rolling with laughter and crying your eyes out. This epic Western is not to be missed!

Ladies, you'll need tissues for the next episode. I've watch this series yearly since it was first aired. Why We fight still puts tears in my eyes. The reason for the second patrol.that never happened. Was all about politics. The General that ordered it simply wanted to boast about it.

Cobb gets a pretty raw deal from the series. Webster liked him, described him as good natured. He'd been with the Army in Africa and his troop ship was torpedoed on the way back to America. On D-Day he had swapped places with George Luz, who was worried that he'd be hit before the jump, and got himself. From Webster's description he wasn't popular with officers but had friends in the lower ranks. The drunk rant did occur but it was directed at another officer. However, it should be pointed that he had his merrits as a fighting soldier. The men of Easy wanted to kill the wounded German on the river bank to prevent him giving away their location. Several had tried , including Webster, but it was Cobb who was eventually able to do it, with a well thrown grenade. Also, whilst at least some of the officers dislike Cobb, and was given a dishonourable discharge, they didn't do that until the war ended. They kept him fighting to the end, then they punished him.

There's basically two completely seperate paths you can take when you sign up for the military, either you sign on as enlisted and go through boot camp, or you sign on as an officer and go through a military college for the leadership and organization skills needed, west point being one of them. On graduating, enlisted men start as privates and the highest ranks they can get are various types of sergeant, officers start off as lieutenants and can get all the way up to generals and field marshals. Even though they technically outrank them, you'll often see sergeants advising lieutenants in the army, as the sergeants are the highest enlisted rank while the lieutenants are the lowest and least experienced officers. At the end of last episode you say 1st sergeant Lipton, an enlisted man be promoted to a lieutenant. This is the exception and as was said Winters had to personally recommend him for a "Battlefield commission", effectively an honorary degree to allow him to become a true officer.

Cobb was court martialed for his actions IRL. As a nod to this in the show in a blink-and-you'll-miss-it moment, as they are getting in the trucks at the end you'll notice Cobb is alone in a jeep with 2 MPs.

If Ever Someone Doubts How Dedicated WINTERS was to His Troops! All they have to do is See the Decision he Makes about sending his Guys on a Second Patrol!! And Then gets Promoted to Major! The Man is the LITERAL Master Mold for what a Military 🪖🎖️ Should Look like!

You ladies are so kindhearted, and I appreciate you taking the time to watch this series and learn about real-life heroes. David Kenyon Webster wrote a memoir about his time with Easy Company called “Parachute Infantry.” He said that when he returned to his platoon, he noticed that there were only 11 men left. He was stunned thinking “Where’s the rest of the platoon?” Because there were suppose to be 40 men. It then dawned on him how much of a terrible toll that the Battle of the Bulge had inflicted on Easy Company. Standing in the middle of that muddy road in Hagenau, he said he could have cried. This episode of the series may be slightly exaggerating the depth in which Webster was viewed as an outsider. In his book, Webster talked about being warmly greeted by a number of the men in Easy Company, who were glad to see him, and vice versa. They might not have been as cold towards him as depicted in this episode. The reason Martin angrily stares at Webster is because he didn’t want to go on the patrol, let alone lead it. Malarkey was originally suppose to lead the patrol, but Webster and Jones convinced Winters to give him a much needed break. Even though Lieutenant Jones was the highest ranking soldier going on the patrol, he was way too inexperienced to lead it, so he would go along as an observer. Since they needed a competent and experienced leader for the patrol, Sergeant Martin was chosen to replace Malarky. Now in real-life, Webster didn’t go on the patrol. He was perched atop a balcony in Hagenau overlooking the river, while manning a heavy machine to provide support for his comrades who went on the patrol. Also, Sergeant Martin wasn’t the one who led the patrol. It was entrusted to another very dependable Sergeant named Kenneth Mercier, who unfortunately isn’t a character featured in the series, but he’s mentioned frequently in Webster’s memoir. You both were afraid that Lieutenant Jones would snitch on Easy Company for not doing the second patrol. I don’t believe that’s the kind of person he was. In his West Point yearbook, Lieutenant Henry Jones was described as someone who “preferred to gain most of his education outside the academic course, through his diligent study of men and books. His knowledge of tactics, firearms, and judo, as well as his open and inquisitive mind will enable him to become a valuable and resourceful officer. His companions will always know him as an original thinker, and a sincere and unselfish friend.” He had a promising career ahead of him in the US Army. In 1947, he was severely injured in an automobile accident while stationed in Germany. He was sent to Berlin to undergo an operation for his injuries, but it was unsuccessful, and he tragically died of complications on July 21, 1947. (15:39) I think in the heat of the moment, when your adrenaline is pumping and you are going off instinct, he probably wasn’t thinking clearly in the high energy of the moment. It’s the sad reality of up-close and personal combat when the slightest mistake can be fatal. It a big part of what made the death of Private Eugene E. Jackson so tragic. (23:30) You two are way too lovable for words. Nixon is telling Winters that he’s being promoted to Major. Good Oak Leaf’s worn on the collar or helmet signifies the rank of a Major. The next episode “Why We Fight” is going to be very hard. So please be prepared ladies. Sending my very best wishes out to you both!!

A lot of talking over explanations you're asking each other for while it's being explained in the episode. My parents do that endlessly and it drives me nuts as I keep having to then talk more over the actual show/movie to explain to them the thing that was just being explained while they were then talking over it 😂 Eg, Winters: "Oak leaves..." - You: "What does that mean??" You were turning away and saying this just as Nix was saying, "Congratulations, Major." Good writers and productions carefully craft their work so everything that needs explanation is done so artfully, but constantly talking over the show will lead you to miss some of the very things you're curious about. Ask the show by being quiet and paying attention, particularly when characters are in dialogue, and you can do your attention-grabbing reaction stuff in between. Too much interrupting also just generally harms the immersion you'll enjoy to some extent. The most deeply absorbed and blown away I've been by any film or tv show has always always been watching for the first time by myself, knowing nothing about it beforehand and just being quiet and paying full attention the whole time. Even not so good things are a lot more enjoyable like that, because if there is any proper craft and art to it, however simple or silly or otherwise, it will only make a full impression on you when you're absorbed in it fully. There is an art of watching, not just of making things, and that is sadly something reaction videos almost completely miss out on, but I understand you have to try and make money so can't just sit and be quiet and react inside yourself, you have to act out the whole time for a third-party audience watching you.

Lieutenant Jones believed he needed the experience to be a good staff officer (which he became later), not only because the War in Europe was not yet over, but also because it was believed the hardest part of the war, in the Pacific against Japan, was still up ahead, and it was believed many of the officers and men fighting in Europe will be sent to the war with Japan after Germany surrenders. Having recently graduated from West Point he was probably thinking a lot about what was required from him as an officer and that's why he wanted to join the patrol. He wasn't going to endanger anyone in vain and he realized what state the men were in. He later served in regiment headquarters and remained in West Berlin as part of the American forces stationed there after the war, being promoted to Captain. He died after an operation following an automobile accident in Berlin on 21st July, 1947. He was only 23.

I adore you trying to breathe quietly during the mission. Years ago I watched a movie called "The Big Blue" about freedivers. During one movie dive, after a minute or so, I realized I was holding my breath and that it was actually okay for me to breathe.

Gold oak leaves is the rank insignia for Major while silver oak leaves is the rank insignia for a lieutenant colonel. Winters was promoted from Captain to Major so he received gold oak leaves from Nixon.

Here's a little bit of trivia about 1st Lieutenant Henry Sweet "Hank" Jones jr, like Webster he never actually went on the patrol, after the war he stayed in the army and stayed in Germany where sadly he was killed in a car crash on 21st July, 1947. He is buried at Arlington National Cemetery.

Webster was the one who you guys thought was Spiers when he gave the kid the chocolate in "replacements".

You completely misread the young guy, Jones's character at the end. He was not nodding because he was angry with Winters not letting him go to action again. He just acknowledged - as a newbie officer - that good leadership sometimes means that you need to be aware of your people's weariness and general state of mind and you need to take care of them when they are ordered to do something thats pointless.

I can see by watching your reactions that you both have learned a lot from this series about war, about this specific war, and about the military in general. Easy Company experienced several of the key infantry battles of the war, but there were other units in other places who also experienced such intense combat. The war as a whole was also much larger than any small unit could fully comprehend. This series does a fantastic job of showing the nitty gritty of the infantry experience. The broad sweep of events can be gotten from other, less emotionally taxing sources.

My favorite episode of the series. The writing in this episode was top notch making all the soldier personal interactions so memorable.

The later M10A3 had a delay of 4.5 to 5.3 seconds. In 1944, the M6A4C was replaced by the silent and more reliable 4 to 5-second delay M204 or M204A1 fuse. Due to the large number of grenades already issued, few grenades with the new fuses were used in combat during WWII.

You NEED to watch, we Stand Alone Togeather! You will meet and hear the men describe their experiences, from training to the end of the war and beyond. A must view!!!!

The way you were so genuinely happy for Winters when he got oak leaves even tho you were not sure what it means (promotion to Major) was so pure and beautiful. Thank you for the upload, I enjoy and appreciate.

Well ladies, you are getting close to the end. If you get a chance, watch Kenneth Branagh’s delivery of the speech in Henry V. In it, Shakespeare coined the phrase “ Band of Brothers”. Very stirring, inspiring speech.

@23:40 Oak leaves basically means he got promoted from Captain to Major.

this is always great seeing people watch a series you love for the first time. i watched it originally when it came out on tv, and i think ive watched the entire series at least 5-6 times a year since.

Sgt Martin is giving Webster that look because he was chosen to replace Malarky in leading the patrol. Martin wasn't originally meant to be going.. Winters got promoted to Major. Oak leaves are what he wears on his shoulder to signify that

Rank insignia for US Army officers is: Single gold bar: 2nd Lieutenant Single silver bar: 1st Lieutenant 2 silver bars: Captain Gold oak leaf: Major Silver oak leaf: Lieutenant Colonel Silver eagle: Colonel 1 silver star: Brigadier General 2 silver stars: Major General 3 silver stars: Lieutenant General 4 silver stars: General 5 silver stars: General of the Army; only awarded to 5 individuals, Dwight Eisenhower, George Marshall, Douglas MacArthur, Henry Arnold (who is the only 2-time 5-Star General, Army and Air Force), and Omar Bradley. George Washington and John Pershing were technically 6-Star Generals of the United States, Washington posthumously and Pershing in 1919.

I’m a high school US History teacher, I use clips from this show when I teach WWII. Great reaction and review

Did you pick up on that Lt. Jones was played by Colin Hanks? He is Tom Hanks son. The guy holding the lighter on the front sight of his rifle, is causing soot to darken the sight so there is no shine. A matte black sight is easier to see against snow. A helmet, even today, will NOT stop a bullet . They are good to protect from shrapnel, and other glancing projectiles, as with the one that hit Nixon's helmet earlier. "Gold" Oak Leaves is the rank insignia of a Major (O4). It goes: 2nd Lt. (single gold bar), 1st Lt. (single silver bar), Captain (double silver bars), Major (gold oak leaf), Lt. Colonel (silver oak leaf), Colonel (silver eagle), Brigadier General (one silver star), Major Gen. (two silver stars), Lt. Gen (3 silver stars), General (4 silver stars). During War Time, there a also a General of the Army (5 stars in a circle).

11:34 Winters and Spiers were good friends and worked together extensively. This moment captures some of that comradery. Spiers had the longest term in command of Easy Company, longer than any other before him, even Winters.

"I don't know what that means but I love it" in reference to Winters being promoted brought a smile to my face. Thank you for respecting these men and what they have gone through

One thing many miss, understandably, is at the end, you can see Cobb getting into an MP jeep. That's because he was arrested for insubordination. Also, consider this. For the rope to be placed across the river, someone had to swim it over and be tied off.

Tom Hanks even enlisted his own son into the War...This is when Winters essentially "Dad arms" and protects his men of Easy Company in anyway he can, even by lying to command. I love the way they express so visually the soldiers experiences by the appearance of their uniforms. Webster's guilt is what leads him to volunteer for the patrol and earn respect from the men again... Currahee ♠

Oak Leaves means Captain Winters was promoted to Major Winters. You can see an oak leaf on his helmet in the next episode

18:30 you ladies have done so well. You can even tell it's Eugene by his voice and him being a medic.

My Uncle said of those rafts they used to cross the river, he wouldn't get in them but would only hold on to the side and stay mostly in the water. He said he felt that made him a harder target for German machine gun fire. He didn't care how cold it was...

Sadly, you gals are almost finished with this series. I do hope you will continue with "The Pacific" and the new "Masters of the Air." I do enjoy your reactions a lot and how you have some really good questions. It shows how smart you both are that you understand how little you know and understand about some events. Wanting to know more about a subject doesn't make someone unintelligent ( i won't use the word stupid), but an unwillingness to learn definitely does!

I love what Winters did at the end of the episode when he told the men to get a good night of sleep instead of going on a second patrol. The Veteran in me really respects him for that. That was Tom Hanks son, Colin Hanks, who played Lt. Jones. Have some tissues for the next episode.

Just in case you need further context, Webster here is the same soldier who gave the little kid a chocolate bar in Holland in episode 4. "He's never tasted chocolate." "It's pretty good, isn't it?" The kid's smile kills me every time. Wonderful little moment in the series.

Jones was actually remembered as being a personable and responsible officer, however, neither him or Webster participated in the patrol. He was with the men for longer than it appears in this episode until being promoted up in the regiment. Unfortunately he never made it back to the states as he died from surgery complications in Europe following an automobile crash after the war had ended.

Winters, at the end of the episode wasn't getting an award or medal, but was promoted to Major: Basically speaking, the enlisted ranks are (in order) as follows: Private - Corporal- Sergeant (with a lot of different forms of Sergeants). Officer Ranks (those who must start with college degrees and go through a different type of training (unless promoted in the field to officer from the enlisted rank as a Sergeant which is very rare (like Lipton in this episode) are (in order): Lieutenant - Captain - Major - Lt. Colonel - Colonel - General (1, 2, and 3 stars - up to 4 stars) - General with 5 stars runs the entire Army - answers directly only to the president of the US. (There are slight variations/versions to some of each rank, but those are the main ranks.)

Always enjoy your videos and interactions. @23:45 Gold Oak leaves are the officer insignia of a American Major (Lieutenant Commander for the Navy/ Coast Guard). In the In the US military officer rank insignias are: 2nd Lieutenant/ O-1 (Gold bar aka "butter bar" lowest ranking junior officers from any service academy, OTS, or College ROTC) 1st Lieutenant/ O-2 (Silver bar) Captain / O-3 (Two Silver Bars aka "Railroads") Major / O-4 (Gold Oak Leaves - Winter's promotion) Lieutenant Colonel O-5 (Silver Oak Leaves) Colonel O-6 (Silver Eagle or "Silver Chicken") The Navy and coast guard use nautical ranks for their officers but I'll spare you the structure. Be prepared for Part nine, "Why We Fight" Have Tissues at the ready.

Winters' loyalty was to his friends first, those guys were lucky to have him as a leader. Oh did you guys notice that Lt. Jones was played by Tom Hanks' son?

Whilst a lot of the _meaning_ in this episode and the sentiment, the actual patrol was quite different from that depicted. I can understand why. Depicting the patrol more accurately would have involved introducing new characters who would have left just as quickly. It also may have muddied the story a bit and the points they were trying to make. You might say they condensed it down, using people we have become really familiar with who weren't across the river in order to be able to follow the story a bit better. Just thought I'd mention that. The RU-vid channel The Operations Room, which chronicles the step by step account of what happened in many Easy Company assaults (and many many other military engagements) has a great video on this. In it, again, you'll hear a lot of unfamiliar names, so I really can understand why they changed it. I have mentioned before, but after your done with the 10 episodes, I really recommend the documentary We Stand Alone Together. If it's not available for you, it is on RU-vid. You're looking for the video that's about 1 hour 17. The interviews with the real men are taken from this documentary.

There’s a reason they are called the greatest generation ever.

What happened to Jackson is known as "grenade fever." I've seen guys do this in MOUT training while at Ft. Benning with dummy grenades (no explosive, just a detonator).

In the book Ambrose describe the WPPS, short for the "West Point Protection Society" where young officers straight out of West Point were given limited combat duty towards the end of the war. So many officers had been killed by then that the brass knew they needed a lot of officers to staff the post-war army. This practice caused a lot of contempt from the sergeants the brass considered expendable, Malarky and Martin especially.

The no helmet order was because 1. they are metal and may reflect moonlight or other light sources and 2. Helmets can rattle and give away the patrol who are trying to be stealthy and quiet.

The problem illustrated with Lt. Jones was one of the biggest problems the US Army had during the Vietnam war: units stayed for a year but officers were rotated in and out every 6 months, because they were supposed to gain experience both on the front lines and in staff work in headquarters. While the idea isn’t bad per se, it does mean that young officers fresh out of training would have to be accepted and then lead experienced soldiers. And, even worse, if the officers wanted to pursue a career they only had a short time on the front to get as much experience as possible, which meant they were more willing to take risks and expose their men to risk. During the Vietnam war this became a real problem and quite a few young officers ended up getting “fragged” (killed or wounded by an “accidentally dropped” grenade) by one of his own men.

The golden oak leaves are the insignia of a Major. He was promoted from Captain to Major, which means he's no longer the leader of only Easy company but to the battalion (probably encompassing Dog, Easy and Fox companies).

Bear in mind that Webster has everyone pissed at him simply for being the guy who actually did what the army told him to do. Mark against his intelligence if you will.

The voice of the hollering wounded German soldier left on the other bank of the river is that of Tom Hanks.

Episode 9 is a tough watch, but you will be rewarded with a masterpiece ending in 10

Regarding your comments about how intense it looks with the bullets (17:35), keep in mind that with those tracer rounds they're firing (the bullets that "glow" so you can see where they are going), that's one tracer round in four rounds. So that means that for every bullet you see, there are three that you don't.

Haylo & Kiss you were wondering at the end of this episode what was going on when Nixon handed Winters "Oak Leaves." The brass Oak Leaf pin is the rank of Major. Winters was getting promoted to Major. He would no longer wear the two silver bars of Captain that Nixon and Spears were wearing. The officer ranks from lowest to highest starting with 2nd Lt (1 brass bar, which is what that new West Point graduate 2nd Lt Jones was), 1st Lt (1 silver bar, Which was Buck Compton and Lt Dike who died., Captain (two silver bars which were Nixon and Speirs., Brass Oak Leaf (Major Winters), Silver Oak Leaf (Lt Colonel), Eagle (Full Colonel Cink), 1 Star (Brigadeir General, 2 Star (Major General Taylor), 3 Stars (Lt General Omar Bradley), 4 Stars (General Eisenhower. )

Haylo & Kiss Lt. Jones is played by Colin Hanks, Tom Hanks' oldest son from previous relationship.

I was born 1969. I learned this history as A third grader. My teacher. MR Baxter fought. In that war.

Yes Webster missed Bastogne becuase he was wounded and still in the hospital, but to say he didn't see much combat or the worst of it is way off. The series down plays the combat these men went through. Webster jumped on D Day, was at Carentine, jumped on Operation Market Garden and the combat Easy Company so during that operation was way down played in the TV series. It was brutal.

I finished my second re-watch of the show, and wanted to feel all the emotions with somebody. You guys are the type of friends I wished I had to watch shows with. Easy subscribe :)

Private Cobb was actually regular army instead of Army of the United States. He had enlisted back in the 1930s and was actually a combat veteran of North Africa before volunteering for jhe paratroopers. If you look closely at the end of the episode he is getting into a jeep with MPs. He was court martialed for insubordination. I believe Colonel Sink said he should have been shot.

Winters getting Gold oak leaves means he was promoted from Captain to Major, that's why Nixon remarked that his uniform was not befitting of his rank. 🙂

Great reaction ladies! You are nearly there, but be warned that episode 9 is probably the toughest of all to watch. Proud of you both! :)

If I remember correctly from the book, lieutenant jones was unfortunately killed in Germany when the vehicle he was in drove over a land mine. I may have him confused with someone else, but I’m sure it was him

There is a common thread when I watch multiple reactions to this episode; more often than not, everyone thinks Jones is going to be a whistleblower (figuratively speaking). The first time I watched this episode, I didn't read his expression that way at all. How I interpreted is this young officer is intelligent and thoughtful. He realized he just got a tiny taste of what the hardened soldiers had gone through. He witnessed first hand their courage, dedication and loyalty...and he also witnessed Winters' loyalty to his soldiers. Jones got the masterclass example of Leadership.

Fantastic reaction, ladies. Y’all are so empathetic, smart and kind. Thank you for sharing.

You might like the Ken Burns documentary mini-series about World War II titled "The War" - it included a lot of interviews with veterans and also with civilians. One woman, whose family were taken prisoner by the Japanese right after Pearl Harbor and spent the rest of the war in a prison camp (she was a child at the time), described how near the end of the war, people in the camp were dying of starvation - then when they got back to the U.S. after the war, they had to listen to people say they knew what it was like to be starving, because some food items had been rationed. Can't recommend that documentary series highly enough. Seven episodes following people from four communities in different parts of the U.S., along with contemporary news coverage. If you ever saw his mini-series on the Civil War, or the one he did on the Vietnam War, it's just as good as those.

You guys missed the line that Nixon said to Winters when he threw him the box with the oak leaves. He saluted and said "Congratulations Major." Winters was promoted from Captain to Major. Oak leaves are the military rank symbol of Major.

Martin and Webster were actually good friends. Martin was glad to see him get back with the unit.

Jones was West Point so he was regular army which means the army was his career. The others signed up for 'the duration' which meant when the war was over they'd be gone. The army was protecting and nurturing the officers who would be the core of the peace time army. Give them a bit of combat experience on their record and then keep them safe. The military is always preparing for the next war. They didn't know it was only 5 years away in Korea, but they were making sure they had the experienced officers to train new draftees.

Not every round will be a tracer round, so for every tracer you see whizzing through the air brightly at night, there's a lot more bullets flying that you can't see.

Lieutenant Jones was played by Tom Hanks son, Colin. The symbol for the rank of major is gold oak leaves.