Photos from the set of the Green Berets

[rubberneck]

Saw this link posted on social media earlier. I wonder how many young men went on to earn their long tab after being inspired by the movie. I know several BTDT here have said as much.

Anyways they’re pretty cool.

https://www.al.com/life/2020/01/john...et-photos.html

[JJ_BPK]

The movie was released June 68? while I was attending AIT at Ft Sill(13E) pre-arty OCS.

It was a time when the war was hitting everyone
If I remember, the draft was running 50,000 a month after the TET offensive
The MSM was very anti-war and blared their sys-ops to the masses daily
Millions were using college deferment as an escape, a legal draft dodge
1/2 of each graduating OCS class came home wounded

Then, Mother decided she needed more Infantry butter bars, so I was volunteered to attend FT Benning, class 69-05.

Class started in Sept, I think we were able to see the movie around Thanksgiving, on our 1st-weekend pass.

Additionally, My OCS cadres, 1st Lt "Black Jack" Dawson(RIP, c attached) was a prior SF NCO and we had 5? SF NOC'sin the platoon, each with multiple VN tours.

I think my mind was made up after one session listening to Larry H(3-tours)

I misquote: (it was 52yrs ago :])

Do you want to play with the best team standing next to you??
The ones that will run to you when you're wounded?

Or will you play with the draftees that don't want to be there at all
and don't give a shit about you.

Larry was a good salesman, he retired as an SF O6 and his son is a current SF O6

I think about 1/3 of my class wanted SF and got SF assignments after jump school.

Our class KIA lose in VN was less than 10%, partially because the war was winding down, but I would also add, we were better mentally prepared because of the great SF classmates. The movie was just frosting on the cake.

[PSM]

I like the lifts on the soldier next to the Duke here:

[Combat Diver]

Watched that movie many times, read Robin Moore's book (help him get his Uzbekistan visa in 02 while in Germany) and listened Barry's Ballard motivated me to go SF in 83'. 24 yrs in SF before I retired and been supporting SF in Iraq/Astan last 5 yrs.


CD

[Badger52]

Originally Posted by Combat Diver

Watched that movie many times, read Robin Moore's book (help him get his Uzbekistan visa in 02 while in Germany) and listened Barry's Ballard motivated me to go SF in 83'. 24 yrs in SF before I retired and been supporting SF in Iraq/Astan last 5 yrs.

CD

Anyone who's read his excellent book on TF Dagger thanks you for that help. (All my daughter ever did when K2 was mentioned was roll her eyes then laugh about the mud.) Thanks for the intel you provide currently on other fronts (along with pics of unobtainium).

@PSM: I wonder if the kid with lifts is some photog assistant trying to see every nuance from exactly the same viewpoint as the Director next to him.

[JJ_BPK]

Originally Posted by PSM

I like the lifts on the soldier next to the Duke here:

Is that a young DeNero?

[PSM]

Originally Posted by Badger52

@PSM: I wonder if the kid with lifts is some photog assistant trying to see every nuance from exactly the same viewpoint as the Director next to him.

No. The two are extras (one may be a young DeNero) that will be in a medium shot where they are only be seen from the waist up, hence the jungle tunics that they're wearing.

[Badger52]

Originally Posted by PSM

No. The two are extras (one may be a young DeNero) that will be in a medium shot where they are only be seen from the waist up, hence the jungle tunics that they're wearing.

Ok, gotcha.
(May it please the Court, we can do without further mention of De Niro.)

[cbtengr]

Originally Posted by Badger52

Ok, gotcha.
(May it please the Court, we can do without further mention of De Niro.)

I would like to second that!

[Chucko]

Originally Posted by Badger52

Ok, gotcha.
(May it please the Court, we can do without further mention of De Niro.)

I refuse to watch the De'bag in anything, ever. I lost any respect for him that I had for him in some of his movies.

I entered basic in June of 69 and in the induction phase just previous to that I was given the opportunity to shoot for SF, should i get that far. I heard of the movie and it seemed the way to go at the time. So, 50 years today I was at Camp McKall and graduated in July 1970. I was assigned at the training group working in the trainees weapons pool for 2 years following that.

I have been wanting to watch the movie again for a couple years but I never see it on TV.

[Badger52]

Originally Posted by Chucko

I have been wanting to watch the movie again for a couple years but I never see it on TV.

It seems to be a funny thing with his movies, and not sure if it's just his estate doing it, or just serendipity, or what. But sometimes there'll be one movie they'll run the hell out of for several days (Hellfighters, McClintock, etc.), then you won't see it for a long time. Same with Green Berets. Hatari! is another one that is seldom on. The spacing is just kinda funny.

[PSM]

Originally Posted by Badger52

Ok, gotcha.
(May it please the Court, we can do without further mention of De Niro.)

Uh, neither JJ nor I said his name, you did. We said DeNero.

[mojaveman]

I like the lifts on the soldier next to the Duke here:

He was a big dude for sure. One of my Battalion Commanders had a picture in his office of he and the Duke in Vietnam. He was dwarfed by that famous American.