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Thompsons On Combat


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I just bought the newly relaesed Combat series on DVD and there are lots of Thompsons shown. Sgt Saunders Thompson was what made me want one of my own when I was about 7. Great DVD collection and now I can watch Combat whenever I want.

Thanks

Charles

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Yeah ...mine should be here soon....I can't wait.. the first season was pretty authentic as to equipment and stories.. Sgt. Saunders even carried a mag pouch and changed mags occasionally.... http://www.machinegunbooks.com/forums/invboard1_1_2/upload/html/emoticons/laugh.gif
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When did Saunders carry a mag pouch? The only time I ever saw him change mags was when he'd reach inside his jacket and pull one out. Did I miss a mag pouch scene somewhere?

Watch the scenes where the gun jams during a firefight. Vic is pulling that actuator like mad; I'll try to find which ones those are. GI JIVE, you may have the info on that.

I recall one scene, don't remember the episode name, where he had to manually eject a casing with the "sharp flick to the right" in order to shoot a German radio as he was pinned beneath a wooden beam; they didn't edit that one out.

Happy viewing; the commentaries from Tom Lowell, Pierre Jalbert, Bob Altman, and others are nice on the DVD's too.

 

Ron Mills

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Ron,

 

He carries a modified British magazine pouch (the kind they wore on the front suspenders of their web gear) on his pistol belt during the majority (not all) of the first season episodes. It may even show up on some early second season episodes. I believe he has it on in "Doughboy", which is a second season episode.

 

You never see him remove any box magazines from it, however, he just grabs them from the trusty ficticious pockets on the inside of the M41 field jacket. http://www.machinegunbooks.com/forums/invboard1_1_2/upload/html/emoticons/smile.gif

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Well you guys got me convinced. Just ordered the first 16 episodes over at Amazon.com. I think I'll watch an episode every Tuesday night and pretend it's the 1960's again. Now let's see, did the show start at 7 pm or was it 8pm on Tuesdays? Too bad the original commercials are'nt included.
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I thought those were some of the best written stories on the Combat series. I loved the one about pushing the cannon up the hill. Not sure why I liked it so much. There was also an episode where Saunders got burned. It was pretty bizarre hearing the Sarge screaming like that.
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Just bought the set last night at Best Buy. I'm peeking at 48 but don't remember much of the series except the opening "splatter" sequence. I watched the 1st episode... A day in June. Pretty cheesey. Hope it gets better but it will NEVER match Band of Brothers or Patton.
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Kyle

 

I have not seen the set yet but will assume you referred to 48 as your age and not a episode #. I am cresting over 49 and have very fond memories of that series you may have been just a little young for that show. I have also noticed sometimes when you catch an old show or movie you saw 20 years ago it seems nothig like you remembered it or thought it looked like in your mind. A lot has to do with the improvement in production and equipment throughout the years.

 

I think one of the reasons I own (semi) Thompsons is because of those memories of sgt. saunders killing krauts. By the way my M1 is expected to be on my frt. porch monday returning from Delta CO

where it has been hold up for the last 8 months. I have band of bros and saving private ryan waiting to go. My dad went up Utah beach on D Day but carried a M1 carbine due to his equipment load. He told me you had a landing craft full of guys pukeing their guts out that couldnt wait to get on ground. After that you saw this guy to the left drop and a guy to the right drop and you move your ass as fast as you can to some type of cover. He saw commander Roosevelt on the beach but said he got shot sometime after that. He also said when the airborne guys came in from behind they had a bit of crossfire from the troops on the beach and the paratroopers on the hill.

 

Hope the series gets better as you go but like you say to pop in BOB or SPR in the dvd compared to an episode of combat filmed in the 60's probally doesnt compare.

 

M1Brian

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