Paramarines

[Titus Pullo]

So I was watching the movie "Flags Of Our Fathers" last night and throughout the movie I noticed that Ira Hayes was wearing Basic Jump Wings on his Marine Uniform although no one else in the unit seemed to be wearing them. At first I thought perhaps it was a mistake the producers made but knowing that this movie was done by Clint Eastwood I thought there was no way he would allow them to do such a thing.

I decided this morning to see if I could find any information on this and I'll be damned, Ira Hayes was a member of the 3rd Parachute Battalion prior to his joining 2/28 Marines. The Paramarines were in service from 1940-1944 but disbanded and the men sent to other units. It is interesting to note that while you do not hear a lot about Marines fighting in the ETO the men of the 3rd Parachute Bn. were dropped in to help the French Resistance. Several of the former Paramarines from that unit were involved with the flag raising on Iwo Jima.

It was an interesting movie and I hear they have now made a second part, "Letters From Iwo Jima", which is done from the Japanese perspective of the battle. I see that Ken Watanabe is in the movie and while he has not done a ton of American movies he should lend presence to the movie. He played the Samurai in "The Last Samurai" for those wondering who he is.

 

[Sdiver]

It was an interesting movie and I hear they have now made a second part, "Letters From Iwo Jima", which is done from the Japanese perspective of the battle. I see that Ken Watanabe is in the movie and while he has not done a ton of American movies he should lend presence to the movie. He played the Samurai in "The Last Samurai" for those wondering who he is.

Oh yeah. In fact that movie, "Letters From Iwo Jima" is up for a Best pic award at the Oscars, as well as Clint for Best director, for the same movie.

 

[Titus Pullo]

I am actually glad to see that they paid that kind of attention to the details of the mens lives and service. I will need to re-watch some of it though after finding out that several of the other men portrayed in the movie were wearing their wings. It looks like 3 or 4 of them were with the Para's prior to fighting on Iwo Jima.

The movie itself could have been better, although it was good, it was like they picked only actors with prior WWII movie experience. They had a mix of folks from Wind Talkers, Band of Brothers and Saving Private Ryan.