MovieChat Forums > Combat! (1962) Discussion > Things I've learned from watching Combat

Things I've learned from watching Combat

posted 11 years ago by srubin5190
27 replies | jump to latest

Almost done with all the episodes. Started way back in the spring with the middle of the 2nd season. (on MeTV). Now back to season two. Missed one episode from season one, as the DVR screwed up, and several from season 4. So here we go...feel free to add or answer the questions.

How to take the point
All medics are named "Doc." they don't have a full name
The body can handle multiple injuries, time and time again, and yet they are never sent home.
Every French village looks alike.
There's an abundance of food in these French villages/farms, despite being occupied for close to 5 years.
American soldiers in this part of France are older than the average G.I....much older...except for Billy.
Everyone in Saunder's squad has a full name except for Littlejohn. Is that a nickname, last name???? and the medics, of course.
Replacements should be wearing red shirts.
Laying wire down is bound to get you killed.
Everyone seems to know how to drive a truck, jeep, tank, halftrack and any other vehicle. Everyone seems to know how to manipulate the guns on a tank, and every other vehicle. Cross-training?
No one bothers to fix the crooked paintings. That would drive me nuts.
Where do all the civilians go when there is fighting in their village, home, farm, church, etc.)
Saunder's, Hanley, and most of the squad are not good with languages. they should have picked up some French or German by now. (besides the obvious.)
Doc #2 has a lot more personality than Doc #1. I think he's cuter, too.
Liberation celebrations are usually premature.

[–] bigkdr 11 years ago

1. Take the point. Nothing needs to be added.
2. Doc was a very common nickname for the compny medic even in real life.
3.They are sent home as long they are not regulars to the show. Even then it took a lot to det sent home in real life. I mean a LOT!
4.Yes they do. Especially when your using a production companies back lot to shoot all of your scenes.
5.What? you want people is war ravaged Europe to look like they were starving? What kind of monster are you?
6.Just how old is the "average" GI? Not counting Billiy of course.
7.Yeah I think Little John was a nickname. As for the others, who knows.
8.What do you think this is, Star Trek?
9. Weird since you'd think laying down cable would be such a safe job in wartime.
10.You learned to do everything to survive basically.
11.Why would they want to straighten crooked paintings that will get knocked of kilter again anyway?
12.Obviously they are hiding. In real life they hid in basements, in some cases they hid in caves outside of town, sometimes a local church. Praying they did not get killed.
13.My Dad fought in Korea. He never learned Korean.
14.I guess that is your opinion.
15.Sometimes, sometimes.

[–] srubin5190 11 years ago

2. Doc was a very common nickname for the compny medic even in real life.
Yeah, I would assume that. I just wish we had a name.

5.What? you want people is war ravaged Europe to look like they were starving? What kind of monster are you?

LOL
6.Just how old is the "average" GI? Not counting Billiy of course.

someone on the Combat yahoo group said 19.

8.What do you think this is, Star Trek?

exactly LOL

9. Weird since you'd think laying down cable would be such a safe job in wartime.

You'd think.

10.You learned to do everything to survive basically.

that makes sense.

12.Obviously they are hiding. In real life they hid in basements, in some cases they hid in caves outside of town, sometimes a local church. Praying they did not get killed.

yes, that makes sense.
13.My Dad fought in Korea. He never learned Korean.
Not learn it completely. But a few phrases wouldn't hurt. LOL.

Thanks for replying.

[–] jameshoran8 11 years ago

If Hanley is in the episode early and leaves, you can be he went skeet shooting.

Sooner or later, Kirby will pop off.

Pay no attention to 60 type cars you may see in the background. The Germans were develi=oping a tank that looked like a Ford Thunderbird.

Anyone in the squad other than Caje, Kirby, Little John and Doc are going to get it.

The German machine gun shooters are really bad.

[–] drjeff21 9 years ago

The average age of US soldiers during WWII was 26.

[–] steedsfolly 7 years ago

This Thread reminds me of a previous thread titled "Combat-the drinking game...that was deleted in last year...example

"EVERY TIME Sarge yells at Kirby to "Knock it off ! "...take a drink ...

It was hilarious

[–] madmike_v40 11 years ago

No one bothers to fix the crooked paintings. That would drive me nuts.

Watch Season 3, Episode 16 - The Enemy on why you don't want to fix crooked paintings.

Also this clip from Weaponology 1.10 min in.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o8AVticEr3g

[–] notmrjohn 11 years ago

Concerning the age of GIs in WW2; I was considering posting a complaint similar to yours, not just for this show but war movies from the 40's to 60's in general, the actors all seemed too old, especially for draftees with the exception of the nervous rookie replacement ( usually a red shirt mook) But it seems we were mislead by the average age of the Viet Nam GI which was 19. The average age in WW2 was 26,
Before the draft started in 1940, the average age of the Army was over 30, the first draft had a lower age limit of 21, it wasn't until the eve of Pearl Harbor that the age was lowered to 18. So the Combat GIs aren't really that much older than reality.

As for languages, it seems in any WW2 show the Germans or at least officers are the ones with language skills, they capture allies and say, "For you the war is over." If captured, they converse freely with there captors, if fanatic Nazis the scream that the Fhurer will triumph in the end, or break down and reveal all the secret plans. The only German Americans seem to know is "Schnell! Schnell!" which they use when ever they capture a German. Apparently American GIs were frequently captured and learned this from German captors, as it seems this is the only word in any language that German enlisted men know.

' Pardon me while I have a strange interlude.'-Marx

[–] srubin5190 11 years ago

Thanks for the reply notmrjohn. (odd name. LOL)

I still find 26 young. I guess that's because I'm 53. And the actors still seemed to be a lot older. (in Combat, of course, they were. Same with Hogan's Heroes.) My father was 17 when he joined the Royal Navy. But that was England, of course. I would imagine that for each country, the average would be different.

Languages: I think as a whole, Europeans would have much better language skills. the United States has never had a decent foreign language program in the schools. I know my father said that they began learning French in England in primary school. (in the 20's and 30's.)

I recently picked up a book at a used book sale. French for american soldiers in WW2. It was handed out to the GIs. (that's not the actual title). It was quite fascinating.

[–] r651979 10 years ago

I know my father said that they began learning French in England in primary school. (in the 20's and 30's.)

Too bad they didn't get taught German!

[–] willjohn 10 years ago

My father was 28 when he enlisted in WWII. When your country is in danger of invasion it is all hands on deck.Men up to 35 years old were were enlisted or conscripted for the Australian forces.

[–] liscarkat (16483) 6 years ago

I don't know if the Army was similar, but when my dad joined the U.S. Navy in 1943 he was seventeen. He went through a couple of years on a destroyer in the Pacific and was still only nineteen at the end of the war. His case wasn't anything unusual, there were lots of guys his age.

[–] rickathedj 11 years ago

Just a couple of points I'd like to comment on.

Laying down wire is not a job I would want. Seems like very often they were laying wire to forward positions. That's not something I'd really want to do in hostile territory. It makes noise and it occupies your hands, making your weapon just a little harder to get to.

As to driving vehicles, its not that tough to drive a truck or a jeep. Its not like we're talking 18 wheelers with a dozen gears. Remember, back then virtually all cars had manual transmissions. I've had a car since I was 16 and all were automatics, but when the need came for me to drive a stick, I just got in and drove. I'd watched my dad drive a stick enough to know how to do it. I drove my first 24 foot U-Haul when I was 21 years old. Back then they didn't have automatics. Again, I just got in and drove; no big deal. I can't comment on a half track because I've never driven one, but considering they appeared to steer with the front wheels like a regular vehicle, it couldn't be THAT difficult. A tank? Yeah, that's a totally different animal and the controls for the guns wouldn't necessarily be something that "just anybody" would have knowledge of. I wouldn't think it would take long to figure it out, but I imagine much longer to become proficient.

Some people just don't have a flare for languages. I tried German in high school, but I found I have a tough enough time with English.

[–] pac52 11 years ago

Well, I noticed something the Germans never learned. That is to cover the turret tops of their halftracks with good ol' steel plate. This surely would have kept Kirby's grenades at bay.

[–] Clintessence 11 years ago

Hey pac52,

That is why the Germans lost the war. Well, that and the fact that they keep jumping up and running straight into the squad's fire. Oh, and they couldn't hit the broad side of a barn with their guns. Plus, when our guys get hit its never fatal, unless the guy is an extra.

I'm sure if I pondered it some more, I could keep going.

Clintessence

[–] pac52 11 years ago

And the Germans were especially bad at desert warfare, Clintessence. A 30-minute episode of The Rat Patrol will attest to that.

[–] stephepps-1 11 years ago

Not only that, Germans on Combat love to stand around drums of fuel during fire fights when it went up they all went up.

[–] davidwile 11 years ago

Hey Pac,

Mentioning The Rat Patrol in any discussion pertaining to the Combat! series??? Oh my, that is just bad, bad, bad. You will have to be drummed out of the Combat! fan club. Clint is in charge of doing that, so I will let that up to him. He will probably cut the buttons off your fatigues or break your bayonet or something.

Best wishes,
Dave Wile

[–] Clintessence 11 years ago

Hey Dave,

I had no idea that I was in charge of drumming people out of the "Combat!" fan club. I think we need to enlarge the fan club as much as possible. Mentioning "The Rat Patrol" isn't too bad (liking it might be a problem, though).

You should make a list of your top ten favorite "Combat!" episodes, and see how they compare with mine.

Best wishes,
Clintessence

[–] davidwile 11 years ago

Hey Clint,

Maybe we should not drive Pac out of club. After all, Pac's the only one who knows one of our 1950s tanks from another. I know what a Sherman looks like, but I can't tell the difference between a Patton and a Walker Bulldog. Ever since Pac told us they were using a Walker Bulldog in one of the shows, I now am very pleased to quite nonchalantly tell Judy, "That's a Walker Bulldog they're using."

I simply act as if I have known this all my life, but since Judy has known me almost all my life, I wouldn't be surprised if she knows I am full of bull crap. Oh well, I enjoy telling anyone who may be around when I am watching a show they are seeing a Walker Bulldog.

Accordingly, I do not think you should be too harsh with Pac. The fact is we need him. Perhaps you should just inform him of hi faux pas in mentioning The Rat Patrol in any manner that might suggest it was in any way comparable to the whole Combat! experience.

As to picking my top ten Combat! episodes, wow, that will take some real consideration. I just finished watching all 152 episodes since late June, so I will have to give it some thought and get back to you on it.

Best wishes,
Dave Wile

[–] Clintessence 11 years ago

Hey Dave,

I can just see Judy's reaction to your statement that they are using a Walker Bullldog. She would simply say, "What are you talking about? There's no dog in that show."

"Walker Bulldog" sounds really good however, it just kind of rolls of the tongue and sounds like you know what you're talking about. I will have to use that line myself. My motto has always been, "if you don't know what you're talking about, make it up as you go." My children can attest that I have lived by that mantra.

You are right -- we need Pac, so I will inform him of hi faux pas and give him a faux moue.

Best wishes,
Clintessence

[–] davidwile 11 years ago

Hey Clint,

I'm glad you're taking care of Pac and his faux pas, but what the heck is a faux moue that you are planning to give him? Faux moue??? Are you losing it?

Hey Pac,

Have you ever met my buddy, Clint? He's old, but he's a pretty good guy in spite of his age. Like myself, he knows a Sherman tank when he sees one, but he wouldn't know a Bulldog if it ran over him. Both of us are grateful for your pointing it out to us. I know it gives me a good feeling to be able to tell my wife, "That's a Walker Bulldog tank." If I do it too many more times, I think she might clonk me.

Best wishes to all,
Dave Wile

[–] tswan1970 10 years ago

The Germans had better tailored uniforms than the Americans, and the material was of a higher quality. Even the German helmets were shinier than the American helmets.

The American uniforms always dirty, wrinkled and one or two sizes too big. What was up with that? I thought superior equipment was one of the reasons we won the war? A German liutenant would never look slovenly like Liutenant Hanley. He always had a 5 o'clock shadow.

This struck me as odd because in Civil war movies, the Union soldiers have better uniforms than the Confederates.

In westerns, the cavalry is always well dressed.

I must admit, when it came to weapons, the Germans Schmeisser was not as cool as Saunder's Thompson, and the BAR was awesome. I'd have to give the edge to the American Grenade which was more lethal looking with it's fragmentation cover. Much better than the German potato masher style grenade.

Even though the American 45 Automatic pistol was better designed than the German Luger, The Germans weren't interested in taking one home as a souvenier, but they knew the Americans lusted after the Luger, and frequently would booby trap one to kill an American soldier looking for a souvenier.

[–] phillyflash6 10 years ago

I've learned that, while getting killed or blinded is a possibility, losing a body part or getting permanently paralyzed is almost nonexistant!

[–] r651979 10 years ago

I've learned that you don't have to extinguish the oil lamp when you leave the abandoned cave. (Good thing the last miner to leave filled them before he left!)
Entombed.

A great show with some odd quirks.

Good thread! I was wondering where the red shirts were, too! Lol!
Yeah - I'm just a 'kid' - 57.

[–] luvthemflicks 10 years ago

I was in the Army from the mid-70s to early 90s and we always called the medic "doc". It's tradition!