Veteran Bands & Forgotten Brothers

So as I type and type at my computer crunching numbers I have a wonderful WWII miniseries playing in the background. Its Band of Brothers, which was excellently made and an instant classic. Besides being a truth to authenticity, its further impacting since throughout the series there are interviews from the remaining members of the prestigious Easy Company, which the series features. Easy Company was the 5th company of the 506th Parachute Infantry Regiment, U.S. 101st Airborne Division during World War II on the frontlines in the European Theater. Apart from landing on D-day, Operation Market Garden, and freeing victims of the Holocaust, they also held out at Bastogne in the Battle of the Bulge. I'm currently watching the Concentration Camp episode titled "Why We Fight" which is less battle heavy and much more sorrowful. Besides the media glorification of this group, the shiny veneer is kept to a tedium with the truer aspects of the history with the interviews and the dramatic realities of their time.

I remember getting into war films as a kid through Patton. He's credited with saving the 101st from Bastogne. Easy Company sees this history as a false truth. Unfortunately, for a long time I was enamored with "heroic war", in retrospect with my little maturity I am understanding that war is a necessary evil at times. War is not pretty but heroes come out of that darkness. There are a lot more truths than what we are able to see on screens.

Its always a lot easier to revere the movies and action, its a lot harder to notice reality and history. I moved out of my family's traditional home last year. It's the place where 4 generations of my family (maybe 5 now) have grown up and lived together. Its mainly a holiday house now as many old homes become. I had the attic room for a while and there were medals and an old Army hat. I found out it was my great-grandfathers from WWII, and I started to remember that I've taken for granted that several of my family members were in the Armed services over that same time period. The hat got lost in the shuffle when I moved out and my cousin moved to NYC. She was upset since she wanted to take it with her as a touchstone. We'll find it again. As with the movies, history forgets my Uncles and forefathers. In 1934 Filipinos were drafted by the U.S. government. We were after all U.S. citizens as part of the Commonwealth not foreigners, which is why we have a long-standing history in Seattle. Of the troops from 66 countries recognized for their military service under the U.S. flag, American Filipino soldiers are the only group yet to be fully recognized. In a means to correct this with legislation over the latter part of the century Congress has denied recognition to American Filipino veterans several times since.

In my church I had a brief but interesting conversation with Gene. Remarking on his jacket's many buttoned regalia we started talking about WWII and Patton. I found out he's also part of a lesser known group: the Veterans of Underage. This is extremely remarkable as I'm sure with the fervor of patriotism and the lack of I.D. many young people could willingly just walk into a draft office. I was just excited about getting a license at 16 and getting a date for Tolo. These guys became men by choice ahead of their time through duty. Yet, its another sad fact of obscurity; What do we choose to notice in society? - whether it be political or social filtering. So in passing of Veterans Day this weekend, and in viewing of Easy Company's exploits, I'll be reality checking and considering service done by those less recognized and knowing that Armed Service is much more than glory and blood and brotherhood. Service leaves a legacy that deserves to be remembered with respect.