gdp's Comments

Big Peace : The U.S. Open, Flash Gordon, Inglorious Basterds, and the Commando Raid to Kill Bin Laden

Sun, 19 Jun 2011 02:32:34 +0000

I noticed you mentioned "No True Glory" a great overview of the Battle of Fallujah. I have never met a finer group of Americans then when I was in 1st Platoon in the battle. We Were One (www.wewereone.com) captures the srory of that American platoon. I’m reflective on that expiriece since another member of the platoon was severally wounded in Afghanistan the other day. Good luck on your journey through American history and your feedback on my efforts.

Big Peace : The U.S. Open, Flash Gordon, Inglorious Basterds, and the Commando Raid to Kill Bin Laden

Thu, 16 Jun 2011 21:35:52 +0000

Please check out my post called: The First SEALs. The article captures the link between UDT Teams and OSS. Best wishes, Patrick www.patrickkodonnell.com

Big Peace : The U.S. Open, Flash Gordon, Inglorious Basterds, and the Commando Raid to Kill Bin Laden

Thu, 16 Jun 2011 21:32:22 +0000

Thank you.

Big Peace : The U.S. Open, Flash Gordon, Inglorious Basterds, and the Commando Raid to Kill Bin Laden

Thu, 16 Jun 2011 21:31:51 +0000

Thank you for your feedback. Hand-to-hand is an interest of mine. I've mined the archives on it, and even had a chance to practice Fairbairn and Applegate's techniques in a dojo that mastered the stuff -- It works.

Big Peace : The U.S. Open, Flash Gordon, Inglorious Basterds, and the Commando Raid to Kill Bin Laden

Thu, 16 Jun 2011 21:25:23 +0000

The OSS was not a "secret police" force and didn't operate on American soil against American citizens but overseas against the Nazis and Japanese. George Washington, arguably our great President, appreciated espionage and had a very effective spy ring and even launched an aggressive spec ops-like mission to capture Benedict Arnold.

Big Peace : The U.S. Open, Flash Gordon, Inglorious Basterds, and the Commando Raid to Kill Bin Laden

Thu, 16 Jun 2011 21:18:08 +0000

I'm glad you enjoyed it. Yesterday I went to the US Open with the veterans of the OSS who trained at Congressional 68 years ago. One veteran offered a fitting toast: "Gentleman welcome to Congressional Country Club. Welcome back."

Big Peace : The First SEALs

Wed, 25 May 2011 04:14:16 +0000

Thank you for your praise and mention of my time with 3/1 in Fallujah www.wewereone.com Tragically, yesterday, I was informed that another one of 1st Platoon's Marines (who was in Fallujah with me and on the jacket photo of the book) was severally wounded in Afghanistan by a mine and may lose his leg and arm. This brave and noble Marine has thanklessly served his country and deployed as an infantryman to Iraq and Afghanistan at least five times. Surviving many brushes with death, he was the only survivor of his four-man fire team in the Battle of Fallujah. Please direct your prayers to Sergeant Garza. Here’s what the mayer of his hometown had to say: http://www.texasborderbusiness.com/news/1009927 Semper Fi, Get well soon Brother. Edit Delete Report

Big Peace : The First SEALs

Tue, 24 May 2011 19:32:34 +0000

OSS's Greek OGs (Uniformed Commandos) were also very effective in something called Operation "Smashem."

Big Peace : The First SEALs

Tue, 24 May 2011 19:28:46 +0000

KCK, Thank you for your praise of the Brenner Assignment and your father's service in Northern Italy. No doubt the 5th a key role in breaking the Gothic Line, I'm referring the breach that occurred during Operation Olive. The actionable intel came from the Packard Mission. Packard included several men from the San Marco Battalion who were now working with OSS’s Maritime Unit under the command of Lt. Kelly. I’d love to do more on Operation Sunrise -- very interesting topic. Feel free to drop me a line my email is in my website: www.patrickkodonnell.com

Big Peace : The First SEALs

Tue, 24 May 2011 19:17:52 +0000

Bill, Thanks for the informative post and the nod on The Brenner Assignment -- my favorite book. Brenner is its own world. Hunted by the SS — Steve Hall parachutes behind the lines to destroy portions of the Brenner, and almost immediately nothing goes according to plan. The book is based on Hall's diary he buried in a wine bottle on the side of house deep in the Dolomites and oral histories and mission reports from the commando (OG Team) that tried to save him as well as the German and Italian records. For a look behind the lines into lives of Steve Hall, Howard Chappell, and the Countess: www.brennerassignment.com

Big Peace : The First SEALs

Tue, 24 May 2011 19:07:14 +0000

Decima Mas and the San Marco Battalion were Italy's elite.

Big Peace : The First SEALs

Tue, 24 May 2011 19:05:50 +0000

Another OSS rescue of note was the Halyard Mission where the OSS saved over 250 downed fliers in Prajane, Yugoslavia, about 80 kilometers outside Belgrade. The OSS worked with Mihailovic’s troops who hacked out a rough airstrip. Mihailovic’s Chetnik’s not only fought the Germans but also sheltered hundreds of downed allied airmen. If you are interested, more is in an oral history of the OSS titled: Operatives, Spies, and Saboteurs. PKO www.patrickkodonnell.com

Big Peace : Chinese Duplicity Returns Again

Tue, 1 Feb 2011 21:06:45 +0000

The full story of George Company 3/1 and Rocco Zullo, a "Band of Brothers on Korea," can be found in Give Me Tomorrow: The Greatest Untold Story of the Korean War -- The Epic Stand of George Company www.givemetomorrowbook.com or my author website: www.patrickkodonnell.com

Big Peace : Chinese Duplicity Returns Again

Tue, 1 Feb 2011 07:09:30 +0000

Thank you for your feedback. I've conducted about 4,000 oral history interviews with combat veterans. The toughest group to get to talk has been Korean War veterans. Through the story of George Company, GIVE ME TOMORROW, I hope to tell the larger story of Korea and get other individuals to dig into the stories of Korean War veterans in their own families. Patrick K. O'Donnell Author Www.givemetomorrowbook.com Www.patrickkodonnell.com

Big Peace : Chinese Duplicity Returns Again

Tue, 1 Feb 2011 06:59:02 +0000

So true on the "forgotten war." I've spent most of my life following WWII. Korea is largely untouched by historians. Korea was America's Russian front -- outnumbered and temperatures that dipped into minus 40. I wrote a Band of Brothers treatment on George Company called GIVE ME TOMORROW which features Rocco Zullo and his Marines. Www.givemetomorrowbook.com Best wishes, Patrick K. O'Donnell Www.patrickkodonnell.com