GI Diary: Peleliu - The Killing Ground - Part 1 of 3

"Peleliu - The Killing Ground" episode from "WWII: GI Diary"..... This old 1978 TV docu-drama was narrated by Lloyd Bridges and told the stories of real soldiers/sailors/pilots and their first-hand experiences in battle. Archival footage and good background music really made the stories come alive.....about 25 episodes were made. This is the story of the costly and vicious battle for the island of Peleliu in the Pacific.......part 1 of 3

Category:

Education

Tags:

• GI
• Diary
• WW2
• WWII
• war
• Pacific
• island
• Peleliu
• US
• Marines
• Japan

[neohip]

Are all these images from Peleliu?.

I understood that the whole campaign was supposed to last a couple of days at most,so the journalists and camera men stayed on board the ships far out to sea.

Until this,I understood that only a few minutes of black & white footage,and a few hundred Photo's was all that that was ever taken.

If this documentary from 1978, uses %100 Peleliu,then it is unique!.

[skyraider1404]

Hard to say if ALL the images are from Peleliu--probably some pieces pulled from other island assaults embedded within....but the bulk is indeed from Peleliu--the topography of many of the scenes is unique.... overall, a pretty good presentation they put together.....

[MrMichigan1981]

Interesting my Grand Uncle was Pfc. Quinten G. Nelson. He was awarded the Navy Cross on Saipan for holding his post down with a machine gun. He and his seven-man crew were victims of a Japanese Banzai Attack. He was credited in slaughtering about 55 of the enemy before he was hit hard by a Jap hand grenade. The blast knocked him 10 feet away from his gun killing three of his closest friends. He returned crawling back to his gun only to be shot in the left shoulder dragged off & evacuated.

[sjblakely]

I have been looking for this video for years. Jay Blakely is my great uncle. He was awarded the Navy Cross for his bravery. He also guarded President Roosevelt when he returned.

[nypdplumber22]

my grandfather cpl nick ventola served in the 1st marine division under chesty puller from guadelcanal to peleliu. he was hit in his rib cage by a machine gun, and earned the navy cross for destroying 11 jap machine gun positions with his flamethrower, after he ran out of gas for his flamethrower, he switched to his m1 Thompson and 1911. but he never talks bout it....

[rustydeathpipe]

at 1:25 is that a guy crawling along with his arm blown to pieces !!??

[centurion180ad]

@3shacks1house He, he, he, he! Bridges.  "Looks like I picked a bad day to stop sniffing glue!"

[universe112]

Great video----real footage----color------NARRATOR really makes the movie, because most movies have just music.

[damafia29]

i bet that guy @7.23 (dont know if its a jap or not) is deaf and one lucky git walking in front of a arty piece like that

[neohip]

@onceANexile I don't wish too disagree.

Just one life lost is one too many,but from my understanding many of the journalists stayed on board the ships,thinking it would be over before they could take the lenses off their cameras.

Everyone was told it would last 3 days at the most.

It lasted 3 months,and many good men died.

I have nothing but respect for those who gave there lives so that we (their Children and Grand Children) could live ours.

[onceANexile]

@neohip - excuse me neophyt, but 9(nine) cameraman were lost there, asshole.

[3shacks1house]

Looks like I picked the wrong day to quit drinking.....

[Grandizer8989]

Love the basketball hoop at 4:31... I might be going to Palau next Spring.. wonder how hard it is to get to this island....

Thanks for posting