carlos is right. Charles durning landed in Normandy but not with the Rangers. And his character in NCIS, Sgt Yost, was a Marine on Iwo, who also fought and was wounded in Guadalcanal. I love the last scene where they meet up with an old Japanese who also fought on the 'canal!

I am always amazed at how many actors were in the war. James Doohan of Star Trek fame (Scotty) landed in Normandy as well. Julia Childs was a Maquis who also served as interpreter for Gen. Eisenhower.

No. The Rangers were a very small force and did not have the high rotational replacement rate of regular line units. While many actors of that era served, and a good portion of those saw combat, only a handful served in any of the Allied WWII elite units. I don't think that I have read of any served with any of the 6 US WWII Ranger Battalions. I do know that Aldo Ray was a UDT in the PTO, and Rod Sirling was with the 11th Airborne in the Phillipines. But they did not become entertainers until postwar.

wasn't there an actor who landed with the rangers? i know a lot of post ww2 actors were in the war..

No, Charles Durning was not one of Rudders Rangers. But IIRC, he did land in Normandy and end up fighting at least thru the Ardennes. Any soldier to have survived either of those campaigns, let alone both, is a fortunate man indeed.

hey DUKE

i think Charles Durning landed with the rangers at Normandy. in the NCIS episode his character was a marine at Iwo Jima but we find later in the episode he had been wounded earlier at Guadalcanal.

Yes, those were some hardy troops. Their exploits that winter are those that rank with other battles through the ages. Above and beyond.

Good to remember. I was watching an episode of NCIS where Charles Durning plays an old Marine MOH recipient who comes in to turn himself in for a murder he thought he committed in 1944. Later on I found out that Charles Durning actually fought in the Battle of the Bulge and was one of the survivors of the Malmedy Massacre. Amazing man. All of them are amazing men who fought the Germans to a standstill in those conditions.

BULGE is always one of my favorite wargame scenarios; campaign and individual battles, computer and board games (WACHT AM RHEIN). i drove though there with my frau on holiday when i was stationed in 3AD in germany in '76. winding roads leading down across a bridge to a town in summer and imagining doing it at nights in the snow in a king tiger. oh and  turning the corner into the town square roundabout and coming face to face with a king tiger.

Yes,the delaying action fought by the 10th Armored on the approaches to Bastogne allowed the 101st Airborne to take up positions that would lead to their famous stand (with help from other less famous units).

And the actions fought at the twin villages of Krinkelt and Rocherath on the nothern shoulder of the Bulge in the opening phase so disrupted 12th SS panzers advance timetables, that other units had time to get to blocking postions and 12th SS was held in check. Those brave unsung men should always be remembered.

Bless all who fought in the Battle of the Bulge.

With a special thanks to the unsung hero's of Bastonge, Combat Command B of the 10th Armored Division.They fought like the tigers they were.

My friend Jim's dad was a driver in the Red Ball Express. He's been back twice to visit the battlefield where his dad was surrounded. He was not African American, he was a Cherokee.

Raualduke -

I'll never forget it either.

NUTS!

Thanks SP, didn't even think about it till your reminder!

Makes me want to watch the BoB "Bastogne" episode again.

Joe Toye "we didn't need to be fu*$+k*n rescued by Patton ! got that ?" loved it

Many great unsung heroes.....TRUE heroes!  A great appreciation for their service and sacrifice!  THANK YOU!

Eagle90

I just realised this last night but was on my way out. Thanks for reminding everyone Stik.

And we can't forget the now famous reply to German surrender command.

Hear! Hear!

I just changed my way of thinking about that battle. I knew of it, of course, hard to be a tank wargamer back in the old days and not have studied it.

But, I never before realized that it was sort of the "Army's Iwo Jima" when it comes to a place to point to and say "that is what this service can do".

Let's all raise our glasses to Infantry that can hold off Armor for that long until their own Armor can get there,,,,,,,,,,and in those conditions.

Rex

It started before first light on December 16, and was not considered over until January 22 or 23, IIRC.

I knew The Battle of the Bulge was in December but couldn't remember the exact date. Now I know.

Yes, from the lowest Privates, to the commanding Generals, there are numerous examples of determination, courage, and improvisation under severely adverse conditions...

Thanks for bringing this up. it was a prominent  turning point of the war . It also showed that the unheard of could be done.