| Korvessa | 09 May 2024 10:27 a.m. PST |
I just recently watched the TV series, again, for like the zillionth time. There's one thing that has always puzzled me. As a front note, I have SOME basic training experience. I went through ROTC basic (1984) and was in the US Army Reserves for about 5 years (+ 2 more as a cadet) in basic training units. It seems to me that Cpt Sobel conducts himself more as a drill sergeant than a company captain. Although I knew who mine was, we really didn't interact with the officers very much, it was always the sergeants. Same thing when I was an XO or in command of a basic training company, it was the sergeants who did all the heavy lifting.
So much so that when I was a court investigator the one question I always asked to test someone claimimmg a military history was . "Who was your first drill sergeant?" I couldn't tell you my captain's name, but my drill sergeant's name was SSG Ogg (one never forgets that – even after 40 years) Were thing sthat different in WWII? Or was this a jump school thing? (never went to jump school myself)Or is this just another Sobel thing? |
 Stosstruppen  | 09 May 2024 10:56 a.m. PST |
Since they were already a unit rather than a bunch of guys just going to jump school It is certainly a different circumstance. I went to jump school right out of basic/AIT at Benning. I never once saw my CO for my jump school company. The cadre had little to do with training at jump school. Most of it was done by the "Black Hats" jump school NCOs. Easy Co et al were established units going to jump training. I think that is really the primary difference. |
| advocate | 09 May 2024 11:28 a.m. PST |
Well, it's easier to establish his character by giving him interactions with the men, and not just the officers and senior NCOs. So maybe a bit of artistic licence. |
| pzivh43 | 09 May 2024 5:48 p.m. PST |
Maybe, advocate, but these were the first airborne units, so things might have been different. How true was the movie to the book, cause I expect the author would have taken pains to get it right. |
| bobspruster | 10 May 2024 7:21 a.m. PST |
My first drill sergeant? SSG Hughley. The other drill sergeants called him "Woof". I never did. That was 50 years ago. |
| Raynman | 10 May 2024 8:17 a.m. PST |
My first drill sgt was SSG Frye. She was about 4"11" and everyone in our squad was over 6' tall. It was everything we had to keep from busting out laughing when she was standing there looking up at you jumping in your poop. God forbid you start laughing! |
| advocate | 10 May 2024 10:27 a.m. PST |
PzIVh43, I couldn't comment on the closeness of the series to the book. I'd definitely go back to the book to see what is said there, but even that is reminisce after the passage of time, so one has to be careful. I'm aware that Stephen Ambrose has a slightly mixed reputation for accuracy in some of his books |
| King Monkey | 10 May 2024 10:48 p.m. PST |
There was an interesting podcast about the accuracy of Band of Brothers a few years ago. YouTube link |
| charles popp | 11 May 2024 7:34 a.m. PST |
the 506 was raised as a unit,so Sobel was no training regular recruits. He was training the future NCO and officers for the company |
| 14Bore | 12 May 2024 3:55 a.m. PST |
There are lots of videos on BoB, locations and people, watched many, not the one of Capt Sobel, and there is one.
Seems quite a bit of artistic work.
Still a excellent series |
| 14Bore | 13 May 2024 4:49 p.m. PST |
Watched a couple videos on BoB vets, I think there is one on everyone of them |
