I just got finished rereading Jo Davidsmeyer synopsis, review and notes about "Forgotten Front". It's been about a year since I last read them. Great analysis!

This is one of my favorite COMBAT! episodes. Someone close to me won't watch WWII movies that take place in the ETO, preferring instead to watch WWII flicks about the Pacific where his German-born father fought the Japanese. I can understand and empathize with his discomfort because like Kirby it is all too easy to stereotype the German people of that era.

But "Forgotten Front" clearly shows a German soldier that is both vulnerable and a pacifist. In fact it is Kirby who is willing to commit the war crime of killing a defenseless P.O.W. Well, it's 2:30 in the morning and I don't know where I'm going with this conversation anymore, so I'll better hit the hay. So long from your friendly 349th

- Heavy Weapons Crew

By Lyne Tremblay (Lyne) on Unrecorded Date:

Hello, Heavy Weapons Crew. I agree with you about Kirby's attitude towards the German prisoner. In fact, I find Kirby extremely callous towards a hungry man. He teases him with his apples in a way that seems to say to the prisoner,"I have all the power over you." I am not sure, however, that I can actually remember Kirby saying out in words that this German must be killed. He just acts like an insensitive jerk. Can't figure out what s squad leader would even want with a guy like him around on a mission. Thank goodness Kirby's character was better, later on. Something must have happened to the guy to soften him up. Maybe that brawl in the café, what do you think?

About "Forgotten Front". I find that Hanley is shown very little, and only speaks briefly on the radio. This episode give no sense of who the great looking, decisive, sensitive, gorgeous (did I say that?) platoon leader, that is going to come into this show later on, really is. It's a mostly Saunders episode.

Anyway, thanks for your thoughts on this, HWC. Great comments about a great episode. Keep us all informed, okay?

PFC