Combat in the Pocono Mtns Pa.

This was something I put together back around 1966 while on vacation in Pa. I got the idea from the popular TV series COMBAT. It starred Vic Morrow, Rick Jason, Jack Hogan and more. There were many famous actors who appeared on the show. This movie was shot with a Kodak Brownie camera. I got it from saving Plaid Stamps which we gave out to the gas customers at a filling station I worked at part time. I took the stamps the customers didn't want. It was a plastic regular 8MM, wind up, with a fixed lens. I had to order the black & white film, since all you could find in camera stores was color. All the equipment was mine. We used live ammo, and the "bullets" you see hitting around us, were firecrackers with slow fuses. Light them with a cigarette, and they go off sooner or later. The granade scenes were done by filling empty cotton spools with the powder from firecrackers, then making a VERY long fuse. The temp. was in the 90's the day we filmed this. I was in the film, along with my best friend Eddie(he's the big GI), my brother Bobby(he's the other GI), and I play the enemy. Could have done alot more, if video cameras were around back then. The property we were on, belonged to a great guy named Buddy. He owned about 800 acres, and gave us full access to it. Great deer hunting. Buddy passed on, and his wife sold the land. The trees and woods are all gone now, and homes fill our old fun spot. Sad.

Category:

News & Politics

Tags:

• experimental
• filmmaker
• reel
• short
• film
• Combat
• Series
• -War
• -World
• War2
• -Vic
• Morrow
• -Jack
• Hogan
• Pocono
• Mtns.
• Pa.
• -Combat
• Second
• World
• War
• -U.S.
• Army
• -Cresco
• Marine
• Corps.
• Doc.

[mrronniea]

Thanks. We had fun doing it. We laugh at it now, everytime we watch it.

[patp464]

Very authentic looking for a WW2 battle in France. Though, have to admit using live ammo for something like this can be a bit dangerous. The smoke really added to the realism. Just like the combat series. You guys did a great job with it. Thanks for sharing.

[sodbuster925]

that wasnt half bad must have been fun me and my buddies did the same stuff but without the camera

[anna19781]

I'm a huge Combat! fan and loved watching this.... had to show it to my mom, the quintessential Sgt. Saunders fan, who absolutely adored this homage. She thought perhaps it was LittleJohn and Nelson on patrol, although she did make out Kirby's BAR in the background... so he must have been backing them up, surely. :) Thanks for the stroll down memory lane and sharing such a wonderful childhood memory. Vic Morrow would have loved this...

[Ronclown]

Great clip. good action as well. Looks just like the tv show too.

[TVcombat]

I had so much fun watching yourvideo! I am now 54, when combat was on tv, living on long island, the entire neighborhood of kids would play "combat" every weekend! Half would dress up like American Soldiers and half like German soldiers. We had lots of woods to play in and would have battles just like the ones you were showing. Matel made some great guns including St. Saunders Thompson Machine Gun, uniforms came from the local military surplus store. Thanks for sharing

[shack456]

loved it

[peteboy1113]

dude i love this, i am 51 now, i grew up with combat. i am planning on making a remake of the long way home.i live in mass, near boston.we use to play combat in the woods in back of our project we lived in.tell me what you think.i want to play capt stineer.

[CAPTAINQUINN]

cool stuff. i used to do 8mm stuff too. that takes me back. truly live rounds.

[zoolieboolie]

Good stuff. I used to watch Combat all the time as a kid. I lived in Canadensis at the time, which as you know, is right down the road. Brings back memories. Thanks.