Citizen Soldier
Someone sent us information on this new film which opened in select theaters yesterday and it’s due to open nationwide August 30th entitled “Citizen Soldier” about the Oklahoma National Guard’s 45th Infantry Brigade Combat Team and their deployment to Afghanistan during the surge there;
CITIZEN SOLDIER is a dramatic feature film, told from the point of view of a group of Soldiers in the Oklahoma Army National Guard’s 45th Infantry Brigade Combat Team, known since World War II as the “Thunderbirds.” Set in one of the most dangerous parts of Afghanistan at the height of the surge, it is a heart-pounding, heartfelt grunts’ eye-view of the war.
A modern day Band of Brothers, Citizen Soldier tells the true story of a group of young Soldiers and their life-changing tour of duty in Afghanistan, offering an excruciatingly personal look into modern warfare, brotherhood, and patriotism. Using real footage from multiple cameras, including helmet cams, these Citizen Soldiers give the audience an intimate view into the chaos and horrors of combat and, in the process, display their bravery and valor under the most hellish of conditions.
Here’s the trailer;
And one clip from the movie;
Category: Terror War
On their very first mission, an E-6 from TF Ponca ND’d a MK-19 round into the middle of Mehtar Lam. They were the battlespace owners in Laghman province, and we pulled plenty of QRF missions for them. They denied us illum rounds one night because we didn’t have positive PID on the target. Think on that for second. Their S-2 SGM told one of our squad leaders not to worry because “the real cowboys are here now.”
This ought to be interesting.
Trailers are usually the best stuff in a movie. I was bored.
I’m looking forward to seeing that movie, as my biological brother (we were adopted, and found each other as adults) lives in Sapulpa, a suburb of Tulsa.
Being the Oklahoma National Guard, the 45th Infantry Division are rightfully proud of their American Indian heritage.
Yes, they are known as the “Thunderbirds”, and their current unit insignia depicts a yellow thunderbird on a red diamond.
However, prior to the Second World War, their unit insignia was another traditional American Indian symbol, the swastika.
The swastika also used to be featured on Arizona highway signs, and was a symbol once used by the Boy Scouts of America, all in honor of the American Indian.
It is still used by the Finnish Air Force (in one of their training units?).
And I reckon just about everybody knows the swastika was used in India for millennia, and that may in fact, have been who the National Socialist German Workers’ Party was originally copying.
I really wish we’d put Adolf Hitler and the Third Reich behind us and return the swastika to the American Indians, so they can have their full heritage restored.
Oh, by the way, as for Nazi misappropriation of ancient symbols which we are no longer allowed to use (because the Nazis won the war, right?), the Roman Salute also once was in common use here in the United States of America when saluting our flag and reciting the Pledge of Allegiance.
How do we get that restored – – – , or can we?
“the Roman Salute also once was in common use here in the United States of America when saluting our flag and reciting the Pledge of Allegiance.”
Yes, but the palm was to face up when extended. You would start with hand over heart and extend your arm with palm face up when you said: “to the flag”.
http://uscode.house.gov/statviewer.htm?volume=56&page=380
Link to support comment above.
@ FOREST GREEN:
Thank you for that information.
I did not know about the “palms up” feature.
“Using real footage from multiple cameras, including helmet cams…”
Meaning jerky, ill framed, and no context. So no thanks, I’ll wait for the Blu-ray.
“CITIZEN SOLDIER is a dramatic feature film….”
Couldn’t help but think of those scenes in MASH when they describe tonight’s film in the mess tent over the camp PA system…
I saw ‘The Hornets Nest’ and it was good enough that I will see this one, also.
I was “lucky” enough to go to Iraq with the 45th Inf Bde as an IRR call up……hold my beer and watch this shit was their official motto I believe……
Our CO/1SG/PSG were relieved for trying to cover up a ND by the PSG that missed an Iraqi Cop, “by this much.” Fun times.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xPs-I7-o4dk
Thunderbirds are GO!
Wait… wrong movie.
My father served in Battery C, 171 FA (105s), 180th Reg, 45th Div 1951-1953. I’ve done a little research on the 45th and they were a hard bunch. Also know as the “Rock of Anzio”; the division held the center of the line during that action. The 171st earned its nickname as the “automatic artillery” when captured German officers brought to the rear wanted to see this new gun which could put so many rounds down range.
In Korea, they lived up to that reputation again by obliterating human wave attacks and firing within 25 yards of their own lines to do so. In one three day period, 45th Division artillery fired more than 10,000 rounds in support of infantry operations. The 8th Commander, LTG Van Fleet was so impressed with the artillery support in volume and accuracy, he visited the 171st to receive a demonstration which was presented by my father SFC A S Drummond. LTG Van Fleet left confident his artillery was as good as he could get. During his tour there the Division fired more than 200,000 artillery rounds in combat operations.
Dad was deaf as a post and never took a thing from the VA. I deployed to Korea during the 80s for some potential hostilities that Korea is known for and I remember my father telling me he was sorry that they hadn’t resolved the conflict properly by saying “We didn’t kill enough of them”
My sources for the above are a book “The Rock of Anzio”; numerous Stars and Stripes articles; 171st unit diaries on file at NARA; and a copy of a diary kept by one of his battery mates. All good reads.
Believe the 45th is one of the two units credited with liberating Dachau, as well.
When they were putting this movie together they came to us and asked for our footage so I’m hoping it’s legit.
I’ve seen a few cracks about NDs and being denied coverage by the Guard. My unit was in Paktya under the 1st ID when this was going on. We were relieved by the 25th ID’s airborne unit (supposedly that makes them elite right) they had 2 NDs before they finished RIPing with us. It happens. The 1st also denied us assets on a regular basis, especially route clearance. I like to think it was because of a lack of assets due to the manpower cap and not because they wouldn’t support the Guard. A lot of the guys in my unit aren’t so generous.
Wait. . . .what? “Thunderbirds”? I served three different terms down at Ft Huachuca AZ with the 11th Signal Bde. WE were “Thunderbirds”. And I have the patches etc to prove it.
@ B WOODMAN, Et Alii:
Currently stationed at Fort Hood, Texas,
“The 11th Theater Tactical Signal Brigade deploys and executes Mission Command and Network Operations (NETOPS) of expeditionary communication systems in support of III Corps or designated land component commander conducting Unified Land Operations.”
“The Sun Never Sets on the Thunderbirds.”
http://signal.army.mil/index.php/signal-units/sigcoe-units/11th-signal-brigade
https://www.facebook.com/pao.thunderbird
They sent me a copy of the DVD today and it was real good. I recommend the movie to everyone. Don’t prejudge the flick from the trailer. Trust me.