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» Forum Category: PT Boats of WWII
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» Forum Name: PT Boats - General
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» Topic: Historical Concern
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All;
Recently I have seen many inaccuracies portrayed on the History Channel, just who are these people hiring???
Tonight I am watching "The World Wars" and in this FDR is informed that they have broken the Japanese code and are sure the target is Midway,(this insinuates the idea that the Washington Intell types broke the code) FDR then says "Alert the fleet". This is pure historical BS! CDR Joe Rochefort and his Intel crew at Pearl broke the code. ADM Nimitz was the first to know this and he relayed it directly to RADM Spuance on Enterprise. FDR found out later that day.

I am also following this Hunting Hitler show, to actually see where it goes. Alot of what they are turning up, I already knew, because I read the biographies of men like Adolph Galland, Otto Skorzeny, etc.

It is up to us to Police PT Boat history and make sure it doesn;t get distorted or changed,
Take care,
TED



Posted By: TED WALTHER | Posted on: Dec 3, 2016 - 4:55pm
Total Posts: 3058 | Joined: Oct 16, 2006 - 7:42am



Oh now here you go!! They hit us where it hurts!
On the same show, they talk about GEN MacArthur retaking the Philippines and can you guess what speeding PT Boat's port side you see....wait for it....here it comes....you guessed it....PT 109!!!!! Which was sunk 14 months before!!!!
This is what I am talking about.

BTW they also mentioned that Hitler allocated and sent 1 million troops to Calais? Whiskey Tango Foxtrot!!! They only had 880,000 men in the western front!!!

I am out,
TED




Posted By: TED WALTHER | Posted on: Dec 3, 2016 - 5:36pm
Total Posts: 3058 | Joined: Oct 16, 2006 - 7:42am



It's been going on as long as there's been video. They need footage to fill time.

PBS has put out a couple of good documentaries...

Pearl Harbor: Into the Arizona
Pearl Harbor: USS Oklahoma, The Final Story

I think they have some more new releases scheduled for this week, the 75th Anniversary of the attack on Pearl Harbor.

Books are better. Some of our PT vets have done a nice job putting together some short reads and keeping the story real. Everyone owes it to themselves to read these.

The South Pacific Aboard Hell's Belle PT329 by William Ferguson
PT Squadron 16: World War II Memories by Thomas Hart
PT Skipper in the South Pacific by Ken Prescott
PT105 by Richard Keresey

Also finishing a good book on Guadalcanal. Neptune's Inferno by James D. Hornfischer. There are some interesting references to PT Boats there as well.

Dave

David Waples

Posted By: David Waples | Posted on: Dec 4, 2016 - 6:46am
Total Posts: 1679 | Joined: Jan 2, 2007 - 9:55pm



Glad to see someone chime in on NEPTUNE'S INFERNO. Fascinating read.

Most documentary war filmakers go the easy route and buy whatever stock footage sorta/kinda fits their narrative. How many times have we all seen SBDs protrayed as Japanese dive bombers and Higgins PTs being buzzed by P-39 "Zeros"?...and the list goes on....

Will

Posted By: Will Day | Posted on: Dec 4, 2016 - 10:47am
Total Posts: 1955 | Joined: Oct 8, 2006 - 4:19pm



The History Channel stopped being about History about 10-15 years ago. I have a hard time watching any of the "historical" shows that have reenactments because they are so bad from a historical accuracy point. But, as you have noticed (in everything) historical facts seem to be no longer relevant.

Charlie

Posted By: 29navy | Posted on: Dec 5, 2016 - 3:50am
Total Posts: 598 | Joined: Dec 28, 2006 - 3:02pm



Charlie;
Glad you mentioned that, One thing I don't understand is they spend so much money of "historical reinactment" footage, what is this trend about goofy looking uniforms?? Admiral Kimmels uniform in "Pearl Harbor: the Truth" looked like it was made for a 3rd grade school play! Also, he was in Dress Whites, when his officers were in Dress Blues....at Pearl!! The would have lost 5-6 lbs of water weight, by the end of the day, in reality.
In the show TheWorld Wars, Then BGEN Douglas MacArthur meets Lt.Col George Patton supposedly on the afternoon of September 12, 1918 at Essay, during the St Mihiel offensive,in France, The characters meet and the Patton guy says " I am Lt. Patton, 1st tank Division", who talks like that to a General? What happened to "Good Afternoon, Sir"? Not to mention that the actor is wearing the correct rank insignia of a Lt. Col, but he says "LT". The technical advisors suck!

Will;
To add to your footage statement, In while showing a training pacific fleet, they show a nice underway footage of an Arleigh Burke class DDG at sea, supposedly off Hawaii!!!

Take care,
TED



Posted By: TED WALTHER | Posted on: Dec 5, 2016 - 6:42am
Total Posts: 3058 | Joined: Oct 16, 2006 - 7:42am



I think a lot of the "reenactment" footage is made in Europe and they just put stuff together. They probably don't have the resources to put together the correct uniforms they need nor an English speaking person to write the script.

Drives me nuts.

Charlie

Posted By: 29navy | Posted on: Dec 5, 2016 - 12:05pm
Total Posts: 598 | Joined: Dec 28, 2006 - 3:02pm



You can run up a big count listing everything that is wrong with uniforms, insignia and weaponry in most "war/history" films.......

Will

Posted By: Will Day | Posted on: Dec 5, 2016 - 1:22pm
Total Posts: 1955 | Joined: Oct 8, 2006 - 4:19pm



Charlie and Will;
Now I have seen some military reenactors in Europe and Eastern Europe online on various websites and their stuff is spot on, WW2, Vietnam etc, They even buy that really good repo stuff from Hong Kong. Like they used for The Pacific and Flags of our Fathers. If they have to film in Europe why not hire these guys??
Its the same with the politico climate, they take it for granted we are ignorant and they HAVE to educate us to their point of view, which is usually distorted or just plain wrong.
Take care,
TED



Posted By: TED WALTHER | Posted on: Dec 5, 2016 - 1:56pm
Total Posts: 3058 | Joined: Oct 16, 2006 - 7:42am



Education? That's part of it but it's mostly about entertainment.

Pawn Stars. People watch pot head Chumly like they watch the Simpsons.
American Restoration. Ricks beautiful wife and crazy kid. Ehh... off the air. Not entertaining enough.
Counting Cars. Horny Mike. Would people watch without that guy?
Oak Island. Anything down in that hole?
Hunting Hitler. It's a thing. My friend from Argentina showed me several books on the topic.

It's all entertainment. I do learn things there that I didn't know before. There's only so many Kenn Burns documentaries people will watch. There are some good documentaries but they do mess up some of the details. I doubt that will ever change.

All I can say is read a book. :-)

Dave






David Waples

Posted By: David Waples | Posted on: Dec 6, 2016 - 6:13am
Total Posts: 1679 | Joined: Jan 2, 2007 - 9:55pm