Man, this is really important stuff. It contextualizes the sheer volume of stuff that your average soldier had to carry ashore with them through freezing water and a hail of gunfire with seriously limited prospects for survival. Watching footage of those landings, it's really easy to forget or overlook how many things those guys were carrying with them. It really gives you an appreciation for how physically (and mentally) strong those dudes had to have been to just simply survive. Great stuff as always, have fun at D-Day Ohio!

@rob5944

11 ай бұрын

I don't know about the yanks but our paratroops and those 8n assault gliders had to help on board their aircraft that morning...

@italian_weirdo

Ай бұрын

why tf did i read “ashore” as “ass whore” 💀

God bless you son for keeping history alive especially the great generation of soldiers from World War II! As a veteran myself of the US Navy and the daughter of a World War II veteran who served as a medic in the Army, I just want to thank you for all that you do and I hope the young people are watching these videos, maybe they’ll learn here what they should be learning in school! 👍🙏🇺🇸.

As a former Paratrooper of the 82nd Airborne as well as the 4th ID, 8th ID, 3rd Armoured and 10th Mountain, and more, I can attest to the fact that we hauled a lot of gear. I began as the Ammo Bearer for the M60 MG and I had to loadout and jump an enormous amount of kit to supply the MG Gunner. Tripod, Spare Barrel, T&E, and more ammo, as well as my own kit. We operated in ALL conditions everywhere in the world. I have the utmost admiration and respect for my predecessors in all of my units that fought on any front in WWII. I even knew a guy that was in the same Platoon, Company and Battalion, (PIR), that I served in the 82nd . He made the four jumps that really mattered. Being a GRUNT was the hardest thing I have ever done. And the Most Honourable.

@Alexdagreat7714

9 ай бұрын

Yes sir we respect you risking everything in your life salute

@timf2279

3 ай бұрын

AATW SALUTE

@msaret4384

Ай бұрын

3/325 here! Now reorganized as the 173rd, but always represent the 82nd!

Makes me glad there is such a vibrant and alive ww2 history community on KZread. Makes me appreaciate what we (people alive today) have thanks to that brave generation.

@vipergtsmre

11 ай бұрын

Well said! If my Gramps didn't survive the war, I wouldn't be here, literally. He was a B17 engineer with the 301st bomber group, 419th squadron. 1942-45

“No mission too difficult, no sacrifice too great, duty first!” - 1st ID Can’t wait to see videos of the D-Day reenactment!

@SunnyVR51

11 ай бұрын

Turner

@johnh.tuomala4379

11 ай бұрын

If you gotta be one, be a Big Red One!

@libertypolden9040

10 ай бұрын

Aight nice I’m not the only one in the 1st

@libertypolden9040

10 ай бұрын

@@SunnyVR51turner and pierson

@TheSoupSHOW34

Ай бұрын

Turner.. 😥✊🫡🤧🎖️🪖

I actually lived near the Normandy beach for about 6 years and recently got to see the newest museum about the D-Day logistic, they's showcasing a lot of uniforms, mostly in perfect condition too

Back in the day when I was a young man doing War of Independence reenactment, period photographs were an invaluable resource for getting our kit and uniforms exactly right… (too bad we were half a century early to actually have any) [edit] Excellent work breaking down the gear and uniform, you are doing a fantastic job with this channel.

I idolized these veterans as a kid. I'm not that old but I'm old enough to have known a few world war I vets when they were in their older years. But a whole ton of world war II vets. Everybody that was healthy went and so there were millions of vets. Eat small town was full of vets. Then we had the Korean vets and then our national guard unit from our little town was called up for a tour of duty in Vietnam. My dad always felt guilty about having not gone to Vietnam. He signed up in the national guard because his draft number was coming up and he wanted to serve but he just didn't want to serve in the regular army. He went through basic AIT everything was great. He loved the national guard. They had some crazy experiences. I'm from Southeast Idaho and they have a lake up in northern Idaho that is so large and so deep that they did submarine training on it during world war II and I think they still do a little bit of submarine training to this day. My dad's unit were combat engineers. They were tasked with tearing down some of the Navy buildings that were still there. Long story but they pulled the cat off the trailer and hit it and didn't even Chip it. The CO back that cat up and really put some power into it. Again nothing. When they got into the building they started blasting. But they had rebar across criss-cross like every inch. It was just a mess of concrete and rebar. For two weeks they did nothing but blast 24/7. When they were done they found out they had cracked foundations and broke windows miles away. Therefore they were supremely limited on how many explosives they could use after that. My dad when he quit my grandpa's ranch he got a job in town as a butcher at a market. The national guard started making them come in two weekends a month. And it turned into three weekends a month and then it turned into every weekend plus evenings. My dad went to his commanding officer and explain the situation. He said sir I love serving in the guard and I want to be here but I signed up for one weekend a month and possibly some evenings. My day job is as a butcher at a market and I cannot get every single weekend off. I'll get fired and that can't happen. The officer said you'll have to work it out or get out. Reluctantly my dad got out. He had made sergeant and he was doing well and he loved it but he couldn't lose his day job. But what was going on is that they were getting them ready to go to Vietnam but they weren't telling them that. So coming in every weekend was just to get in extra training before they went to Nam. He always said that he realized that they were getting them ready to go into Vietnam he probably would have made a different decision. He always felt bad about his buddies going to Nam and him staying home The only reason being he couldn't get enough weekends off to keep his day job and satisfy the national guard. He has always had guilt over not going but it wasn't his fault it's not like he found out they were going to nahm and figured out a way to get out. He just didn't know what was going on. Pretty much every man that had any influence on me and on raising me was a vet. We had guys from world war I through Vietnam. My grandma's brother my uncle was one of my idols. He owned a market where my dad learned to cut meat and then he owned a jerky factory where they still processed wild game. I would work in there lots with him. He was a funny guy. I was in a good mood but a little bit on the quiet side. He wasn't arrogant or thought he was better than everybody else or something he just didn't talk unless he had something really important to say. I was from Southeast Idaho and the Snake River there caused a lot of fog and it was a wet kind of crappy day with fog and sleet etc. My uncle went to the window and you could just tell that he was somewhere else. He wasn't there his mind had completely gone to some other place. And finally shuttered a little bit and then came back to the tables. He started telling us a story about the battle of the bulge been a long time since I've heard the story so I'm trying to remember All correctly. Long story short they sent some of his buddies out on a scouting mission to probe for the enemy. They ended up getting basically cutting two by an MG42. They were pissed and they were loading up to go get these Germans. They had good officers and they stopped them and said hey we got to get a plan or you're all going to end up dead. And then they did get the Germans. But when they went to load up their buddies they couldn't even recognize them. They were frozen and some horrible way that their face was discolored and their limbs were frozen solid the way they had fallen etc. What they had to do was throw these guys on a deuce and a half and keep going. That's what you had to do. The story actually had kind of a happy ending though. Later on my uncle was working in Emmett Idaho for his brother and his market. One of his buddies walked in the store that he remembered loading onto a deuce and a half in France. Said he damn near had a heart attack. Long story short but it was a mixed up with dog tags and that kind of think of sometimes happen and my uncle was so happy to see his friend. For the whole rest of that day we didn't talk. All you could do is hear the clinking of knives off the plastic tables and the occasional grinder or saw etc. We all knew that we had heard something that would affect us for the rest of our lives. We learned just a little bit about what those guys went through. We did a lot of fishing on the South fork of the Snake River. One guy would row and two guys would fish one in the back of the boat and one in the front. The point being was to wet fly the banks while the guy in the orange was keeping the boat and you out of trouble. Sometimes my uncle would just start one of the stories at that time and It always seemed to fit somehow. We would just sit and fish and listen and we knew just to shut up and take in the wisdom. That's what was one of the big things on my agenda as a young man. Hear the wisdom of the greatest generation. Hear The wisdom of the older generation. They had plenty to give. But you had to earn the right to hear it they wouldn't tell it to just everybody. You, it's kind of hard to explain, but you had to prove that you were worth hearing their wisdom and that you would pass it on at the right time on the right place. And having the opportunity to have talked to people from world war I through Vietnam made my younger year or something special. These guys all had something worth hearing. They call it the greatest generation for every reason. These kids that went through this time were born and were working about as soon as they could walk and talk and carry any kind of weighht. I know they were still working us that hard when I was a kid. It was a good way to grow up and a good way to learn life's lessons. But these kids from the greatest generation many of them had to do things like hunt to keep their family fed. I've heard countless stories of a mother handing her son one or two bullets and saying you got to come back with some meat or your brothers and sisters won't eat tonight. Most of these guys became very good shots very quickly however they mostly were already good shots. Many of them had to drop out of school and go to work. And during their younger years the stock market crashed and economy was ruined. They were literally hunting for their family's lives. Hunting and fishing was one of the main ways that people in the country supplemented their meals. Imagine that ladies and gentlemen today. Young man sent out by his mother to hunt usually with a 22 which is one of the smaller rifle calibers made and told he needed to get a animal so his brothers and sisters could have some protein. And many of them were very smart about it. You could find a beaver that are 50 or 60 lb. It is not incredibly uncommon. And these things are not incredibly hard to hunt. You just need to get hidden by their damn and learn their habits. That's a lot of meat to bring home to your family and then you can skin them and tan the hide which is worth money. There are also casters and other parts of the beaver that are worth money. These young folks would usually have jobs sometimes what time jobs and a lot of them tried to finish school as well. Then they were asked to go and save the world literally. Hitler and his lackeys like Mussolini and other countries like Romania etc became part of the Axis powers. And of course Japan was looking to take over the Pacific. These young people who had grown up without any luxury usually whatsoever. These young people who many had grown up having to hunt and fish to keep their younger brothers fed. These people that were then sent to war until they had to save the world and did it. I'm so happy that I was able to hear some of these stories first hand. We need to remember world war II and the importance of what those young people did to win the war. But not just world war II. We need to remember world war I, Korea, these wars we fought to help keep people free. Even though we didn't technically win the Korean war the bottom half of the cream peninsula is free to this day because of the sacrifices America and our NATO allies made in protecting the southern part of Korea. We just need to never forget the sacrifices that people in the military have made.

I'm so glad you guys are keeping history alive, the amount of effort you put into looking as accurate to the soldiers of WW2 as possible is just amazing and I respect what you do and I respect all veterans.

Awesome. Glad you're portraying the 1st. I'm part of 2nd Battalion, 16th inf reg. living history in the UK. Great to see the lives and actions of these brave boys are being honoured by you and your group. Keep up the good work!

One of the things notable in SPR is the use of a bag for storing Thompson ammunition. This seems to have been a very popular choice in 1944, but not often reflected in movies. This might be because the bags had a life beyond the Thompson but pouches did not. Years ago you could relatively easily find unissued pouches

Great video! Really helpful for me if I ever wanted to re-enact a 1st ID Rifleman, Very usefull for the PT uniforms too, when being apart of living history and helping explain some of our visitors questions when re-enacting, loved it, cant wait to see you at D-DAY Ohio 2023!

To add to the boots, they served as both your combat and dress boot. Coupled with leather restrictions, there is a reason why they were made these ways until combat proved that dress boots were a bad idea.

This man is one of the most interesting guy on this platform prove me wrong

@militaryMJB1945

11 ай бұрын

I can’t

@ThatDayZKid

11 ай бұрын

@@militaryMJB1945 exactly

@brinsonharris9816

4 ай бұрын

Can’t go wrong doing WWII history. It’s not taught in schools but every American should know WWII.

This channel is so goddman entertaining I swear it made me do WWII reenactments on top of my civil war stuff (I usually portray a Major from the 1st New Hampshire rifles for the Civil War) and now I do a variety of units from the 1st ID because they went everywhere. Africa, Sicily, Italy, France, Belgium, Germany, Austria, anywhere the war took them, the Big Red One was there. I am a former paratrooper with the 1-91st and 3-61 Cav and I just wanted to thank you for keeping history alive.

I appreciate your commitment to doing everything right or as close to accurate as possible. Knowing our history is so important and a lot of it is being lost or even canceled out. Great job.

Speaking of M1 helmet netting I scored 2 bundles of uncut netting from a yard sale last month in OD3 and OD7.

What an interesting and educational video. Thanks. Interesting fact (which you probably already know 😂): as the war progressed and Germany was faced with material shortages, they also replaced their army's jackboots with ankle boots/shoes and canvas gaiters. But until recently, Hollywood always portrayed German soldiers wearing their 1939 uniforms throughout the war.

Just started watching your channel and now I can't stop !!! Very very informative...its awesome to see that you have such knowledge and respect!!!

I absolutely love these kinds of videos. I like learning about the different types of uniforms they used back in the war, so this is very interesting to watch....thank you for the effort😊

Hi i had a great great grandpa who was in ww2 and he survived till 1988

Excellent video - reminds me of the 1944 war movie set in the town of Chillingbourne.

Excellent presentation. You do a great job of research. Much respect to you.

My dad was in the 115th Infantry Regiment 29th Division on D Day and he spoke highly of Capa.

Heading to the reenactment tomorrow, so excited! Edit: Just got back from the reenactment and it was so nice to meet you! Everyone did a great job.

I love it I’m going to be there

I partook, I guess it’s called tactical reenactment in SoCal around 2008. Two days around Big Bear Lake in the summer. German troops were very impressive especially considering the extra cost coming up with WW2 uniforms and gear. I asked how do I know if I’m shot? They said if you see the muzzle flash you’re DEAD, and yes it happened just like that. Would have liked to do more but I was already 55 so felt little out of place playing a PVT. Plus war is definitely a young man’s game.

@wahoo.

5 ай бұрын

California historical group?

I just want to thank you for being loyal to you're very expensive hobby and I appreciate how you really try to make your presentation ACCURATE. WOW

I would dare that you probably know more about WW2 gear than the soldiers who were actually there. Very, very informative.

All your vids are well done, but this one is excellent. Very informative. I also try to keep a piece of history alive here on YT for future generations. So I really appreciate what you are doing. Keep it up!

This is such a great video! Thank you for keeping History alive! I really would like to see other uniform showcases from other outfits in your collection. Maybe a late war US uniform??

Very good video. I enjoy see other reenactors. You say your gear is hot as a Civil war reenactor are uniform are all 100% wool! Keep History Alive!😊🇺🇸

Amazingly well done!

Great impression and video. Love watching your vids. keep them coming.

Fantastic presentation, great channel 👍 just so good and informative. Total respect 🇬🇧

I cannot add to what your commentators say. They are so right about how important your work is. Your videos should be mandatory viewing in U.S. military history classes from middle school through graduate school. I bet there are many history teachers who are doing that. Thank you. You and your work are treasures. R. Henry, M.D.

You should try and do a 3rd armored division uniform that’s the division my granddad was in. It’s interesting to learn about this stuff. Please keep up the great work

Another great video! I'm trying to collect some reproduction stuff for a D-Day outfit myself so thank you. Can't wait to see the footage from this event.

WW2 photos show quite an evolution in how the kit was used between June 1944 and August 1944

Would be cool to see this type of video for your Airborne kit.

@garrettmckinley4062

11 ай бұрын

YES PLEASE DO THIS!

@iamsteverogersakacapamerica041

11 ай бұрын

Yes I think it would be cool as well.

Love your content! Keep it up!

Your impressions look so good, keep it up man!

I havent been to Conneaut since the 75th anniversary in 2019. When we were underway to the area for loading into landing craft, we marched in a column of 2s I remember actual veterans standing along the path reaching out to shake our hands, cheering us on as we were heading out to play pretend. Not much from that whole event stands out except that. And their hats had them from all conflicts and all branches. I could not make Conneaut this year, though i was offered a spot. Im told you met my friends Owen and Tony, on the phone this morning they spoke nothing but praises for your character. Keep up the good work

Your videos are great! Keeping history alive, thank you from Germany!

Fun video to watch. Seen a lot of military movies over the years, and don't always focus on the uniforms or the gear. Next time I am going to pay attention. Thanks for posting.

great presentation of a well researched impression of the Big Red One. Good thing there is a time lapse for the leggings, they always take so long to put on. Only thing I suggest to add would be the plastic bag for your Garand. Also I've had good luck with Snoseal for dubbing my boots. Hope it's a great experience. Going to try and make it next year for the 80th anniversary of D-Day.

Dude, I looked for you all over the camp today and could not find you haha. You guys knocked it out of the park though! I was thinking about participating in DDay Ohio next year or the year after though. I got a a bit of kid and the firearms for both sides. I went to the event to see how it looks and it had me sold. Hope I get to see you at some point! Keep up the good work brother!

Came for the full kit, stayed for the PT uniform.

This video is really awesome. Thank you for educating us on what soldiers had to go through. I actually have a question about a piece of gear; the canteens. I have been getting into reenacting recently and have two canteens, one from 1944 and one from 1918. I was curious if anyone knew if the original canteens were safe to drink from (if they contain lead or any other harmful substance)? Amazing video, and keep it up!

When you brought up the 1st ID 16 regument, during the Ohio reenactment, I asked a reenactor, who was in the 1st ID 16th regiment, how I can join. After that day, I have been in contact with them, and I will be meeting with them soon. I want to say thank you because you are the reason why I have been getting into reenactments, and now I will soon participate in one. Thank you.

I just got my haversack and the last thing I need to complete my ww2 set is the m41 jacket

I just recently started collecting stuff for an airborne ww2 costume

Awesome set up young man!

Thank you for keeping the history alive, I found your channel and have watched a lot of Brandon F and Chris the Redcoat. My Great Granddad Frank was planned to be involved in D-Day and the Normandy landings (in the Royal Artillery) but during a training exercise the artillery gun he was using exploded meaning he spent June 6th in hospital. Granddad Frank (his son) told me how they found that the shell got caught in the barrel due to a manufacturing fault. One thing I've wondered about re-enacting is how would one go about re-enacting an equipment failure? (Not necessarily the artillery gun explodes but things like rifle jamming, would that be pre-arranged or more a situation of when it happens you can then show how a jam would be cleared under fire).

@kostekrokossowski2366

11 ай бұрын

Blanks make jams a lot, so that's not an problem.

@edspace.

11 ай бұрын

@@kostekrokossowski2366 Thanks, its interesting that blanks do that more than regular ammunition (and putting real bullets in the gun is a bad idea) and so when this happens it can be turned into a learning moment (if there's a public display).

Can’t wait for the reinactment video

Was just there today and tried to find you but missed you. Hope you had a good time, the landing today was great.

Hey dude! I just saw you at conneaut, i was too afraid to ask for a photo lol but i really enjoyed the reenactment!

I almost had a heart attack when I saw this video. Keep up the good work

As a 3rd generation Veteran these videos are awesome! Great job!

I assume this is the annual dday reenactment at Conneaut Ohio. I’ve been to it. Anyone into WW2 should go at least once. It’s unbelievable how they do it and the stuff people bring. Tanks, jeeps, German armor and even a German 88 firing blanks into Lake Erie!

IM SOOO EXCITED I LOVE UR VIDS

You can try Eastman clothing in the UK for proper ww2 white T-shirts or Levi’s vintage tshirts. Eastman is the best but pricey. They also have USMC tshirts etc. I’m sure the tshirts you got are definitely cheaper but Eastman actually uses the same machines used during ww2 ( Japanese 1920s machines I think) in regards to how they were made then compared to now.

Remarkably well done presentation 👏 I am writing a story focusing on the 8th RCT, 4th ID that landed on "Utah" Beach. I have several reference books/sources about the uniforms and equipment they wore before and during the 1944 Normandy Campaign. Everything in your video matches my years of research. Well Done. Thank you for the information about the PT gear, in particular the Converse PT shoes, that is more specific than the information I have. (I tried watching your PT video, but it wouldn't play. I will try again later.) I am still researching about the US Army 1939 through 1943, in particular the "Regulars" and those Drafted in 1940 and 1941 (before 7 December 1941) remember "OHIO" (Over the Hill In October)... Because of the tragedy of the E-Boat attack during the last training exercise at Slapton Sands which resulted in some 500 American soldiers and sailors being KIA, mostly by drowning. Mostly members of 2 independent Engineer (Beach) Battalions, as well as some 4th Infantry Division soldiers; the personnel who landed on Utah Beach had retraining on the Proper wear of Lifebelts. Many of the dead were found floating Upside-down! The personnel destined for Utah Beach were in different Isolation Camps than those assigned to Omaha Beach, such as the 1st and 29th Infantry Divisions. The "incident" at Slapton Sands was classified a MILITARY SECRET for many decades. Only recently in the 21st century has more information come out! Partly it was kept secret because it was less than 30 days before June 6th. Sadly, embarrassment at highest levels in the Allied Command resulted in it being Classified: TOP SECRET far too long. Even Cornelius Ryan (author of The Longest Day, and other classics) and many other historians knew little or nothing about the incompetence and tragedy! Thanks for your excellent channel. P.S. I attended the Amphibious Warfare School in the mid-80's, when I was a young paratrooper (19). Although we used LCM-8 instead of LCVP, or LCI, we did the climb down over the side on cargo nets in predawn darkness into wave tossed LCM-8s! (We got one ride on LCACs from out of the floodable well deck of an LCD: Landing Craft Dock; a type of ship typically used for Logistics supporting an Amphibious operation. However, the Marines need the actual LHA etc., not to mention about 1/4 are undergoing maintenance, etc. so, the school uses whatever is available...

The emphasis on gas protection was real. The Allies were convinced that D-Day was the moment Hitler would order mass gas attacks to stop the landings.

Hello I love your content :)

What? No plate carrier?! Those D-Day soldiers really had it easy! *smirk 😏

My 8 year old son is a big fan of your videos. We will be at Conneaut Thurs-Sun. He's hoping we run into you around camp.

You're a goofy kid, but I have to admit, you ask all of the questions that I want to ask (in all of your videos). Subscribed.

You are doing a great job. Your videos should be in schools. Good luck with the event. Thanks

Thank You!

One of the more interesting anti-gas items is the little tetragonal personal anti-gas tent with a little window. This theoretically allowed you to take off your gas mask to eat or drink. It fitted into a little pouch in the lightweight gas mask bag. At one point the bags and little tents were plentiful, unissued, so we opened up one of the little tent packages. Also plentiful were grenade launcher sights and two and three pocket grenade bags, never issued. What was rare was the bags to hold a single rifle grenade.

I saw you this year by the tanks on Friday, felt bad I was to busy to ask. If I see you next year I’ll try to reach out and get you a patch!

Great, great video, I really enjoyed seeing it. I am curious, were there historical reasons that influenced your choice of the haversack/cartridge belt over the assault vest? I have read that the assault vest was more common in the 29th.

You are an amazing historian

Have a good time and stay safe, friend!

I’m jumping into Normandy next year. Can you offer any insight on proper placement for unit patch, rank and invasion flag for the uniform? Thanks! Great set up by the way. You know your stuff.

As a fellow Airborne Reenactor, I would love to see your impression!

Mate love your stuff can you please post some coverage of the reenactment

My son Loves your videos a Lot

Great video - hello from Denmark 🇩🇰

I'm only a few hours away from the event, but sadly I can't make it and see you there.

Maternity shirts??? Never even crossed my mind. Kudos!

At the reenactment

So exited going today

Wow this is cool!!🎉🎉

Awesome job, I'm a member of a 249th coast artillery group

Thanks!

@WorldWarWisdom

6 ай бұрын

Thank you!

I’ll be there. I’d love to see you!

I wonder when in the USA it would be best to do a D-Day reenactment that would duplicate closely the weather conditions in France on 6/6/44. I’m not sure exactly what it was like, maybe like early spring here in the USA, But certainly not conditions in June much less August in the USA

i'm 9 i love this channel i love the army 3 of my family was in the army and i respect all the reenactment's. ww11 is the goat of the wars.

Where will you be at the event, I would really love to get the chance to meet you

Never knew HBT uniforms were also wore in Europe. I always thought those were wore in the Pacific

Cool 48 Star Flag! Where did you get it?

Make sure you guys take the time to go see “Whiskey 7” which is a real WWII D-Day veteran dropping the 82nd Airborne Division.

@michaelintrieri6087

11 ай бұрын

She will be flying over the beaches in Conneaut during the reenactment. However, she will be parked at Northeast Ohio Regional Airport. About a 25 minute drive from the reenactment site. You are able to go inside the aircraft and you can schedule a ride in her at National Warplane Museum’s website.

Awesome video 👍 A quick question: I’m building my own 1st ID Impression for DDay, but have not yet come across a shop that sells these neat eyeshields. Where did you buy yours?

I’m so happy to see a young man who is interested in USA military history

Cool video! Love yor channel! How old do you have to be to participate in one of these?

Well done

Thank You ...

My grandfather got two silver stars in the 1st Infantry Division in Vietnam.