Heres one that you guys probably are not aware of. This movie was done in the late 50s or early 60s and in B&W. It is called: "Hell To Eternity" and has Jeffrey Hunter as real life Marine Guy Gabaldon, who by the way is still living and lives on Okinawa. The movie also had George Takai (Lt. Sulu from Star Trek fame) and also has David Janssen as Guys Platoon or Squad Sergeant. Vic Damone is also one of a group to be Guys friends.

George Takai, of course was not in the Marines and though not seen in the movie as a soldier except for a photograph, had joined the Army to become one who was in the 44dnd RCT.

Whats so special about this movie you might ask?

Wellllllll, besides having the most realistic Marine Inf charge and subsequent hand to hand combat scenes I have ever seen in any movie. You also see what was so special about Guy Gabaldon.

A bit of his background.

Guy Gabaldon's parents died in the 1930s and he used to steal food from stores and sidewalk stands in order to live. His P.E. Coach, who was Japanese-American, found out his situation and to keep Guy from becoming a troublemaker and ruining his life, he had him move into his parents home where he learned manners, and the Japanese way of life.

Over the years, he was accepted as an actual family member, became fluent in the Japanese spoken and written language, and had also become an upstanding citizen.

Pearl Harbor was bombed and he tried to join a service and was turned down due to a messed up ear drum. Finally, later on, he was finally accepted into the USMC as a translator, as the Marines needed people who could speak the language.

He got the nickname: "The Pied Piper of Saipan" when the Marines invaded the island and got the upper hand. Gabaldons main job was to try to keep the islands civilians from committing suicide as well as the Japanese soldiers themselves.

He was very successful in doing so. On one occasion, Guy along with one other Marine, went way behind the Japanese lines and discovered the bunker where the Japanese forces commander was at.

This Japanese commander was a General. Upon finding this Generals hidden HQ, Guy sent his buddy to sneak back and tell of what was happening and that he had a Japanese General as his prisoner.

The General and a few other Officers were being held prisoner but, as Guy was alone, he could not disarm the other officers so...it was much like a "Mexican Standoff" meaning Guy held his weapon trained on the General, and the officers had their hands on their holstered pistols.

The General did not know Guy spoke Japanese and had issued some orders to his officers about killing him when they had a chance and in English, told Guy that they were about to surrender their weapons to him.

As he knew better, he shot and killed the other officers there and told the General that he was fluent in Japanese. He then forced the General to surrender and started outside.

The General had already issued the suicidal "Marching Orders" to his soldiers before being captured. The General was "escourted" by Gabaldon to a hill over-looking where his men were to march through.

Gabaldon made the General tell his men to surrender, and then the General committed suicide.

There were hundreds if not thousands of Japanese soldiers and civilians that followed him into Marine lines. From then on, he was known as "The Pied Piper of Saipan."

[ 10. November 2003, 05:28 PM: Message edited by: C.Evans ]

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