BS: Sole Survivor

Subject: BS: Sole Survivor
From: GUEST,Dazbo at Work
Date: 16 Feb 12 - 11:59 AM

Saw a TV programme last night (well taped) and it was about the truth behind Saving Private Ryan and was going on about the Sole Survivor rule (that is ensuring that the last sibling alive is removed from combat).

Does this apply to a family with only one child or one son (in WW2)? If it doesn't it seems grossly unfair to me.

Subject: RE: BS: Sole Survivor
From: GUEST,olddude
Date: 16 Feb 12 - 12:06 PM

It was after the Sullivan family lost all 7 of their sons on the same ship. It wiped out a generation of a family. So hence they took note to not let the same thing happen to families that had suffered losses of multiple sons

Subject: RE: BS: Sole Survivor
From: GUEST,olddude
Date: 16 Feb 12 - 12:07 PM

I think it was 7 someone can correct me. I know it was a bunch

Subject: RE: BS: Sole Survivor
From: GUEST,Dazbo at Work
Date: 16 Feb 12 - 12:10 PM

I think it was 5, all on the same US cruiser.

But if you've only got one son (say father died in WW1 and widow only had a son) they loose as much (i.e.the entire generation) as a family with 5

Subject: RE: BS: Sole Survivor
From: GUEST,999
Date: 16 Feb 12 - 12:17 PM

"Letter to Mrs. Bixby - Abraham Lincoln

Executive Mansion, Washington, Nov. 21, 1864

Dear Madam,

I have been shown in the files of the War Department a statement of the Adjutant-General of Massachusetts, that you are the mother of five sons who have died gloriously on the field of battle.

I feel how weak and fruitless must be any words of mine which should attempt to beguile you from the grief of a loss so overwhelming. But I cannot refrain from tendering to you the consolation that may be found in the thanks of the Republic they died to save.

I pray that our Heavenly Father may assuage the anguish of your bereavement, and leave you only the cherished memory of the loved and lost, and the solemn pride that must be yours, to have laid so costly a sacrifice upon the altar of Freedom. Yours, very sincerely and respectfully,

Abraham Lincoln


Note - The authorship of this letter is much debated and many scholars believe it was actually written John Hay, one of President Lincoln's secretaries.

President Lincoln wrote this letter expressing condolences to Mrs. Bixby, a widow who it was believed had lost five sons in the Civil War.

After Lincoln wrote this letter it was later learned that only two of Mrs. Bixby's five sons had actually died in battle. In fact, one of her sons had deserted the army, one was honorably discharged and it is unclear what happened to the other son.

Mrs. Bixby was believed to be a Confederate sympathizer and destroyed the original letter.

A reprint of the letter appeared in an eastern newspaper."


from

http://www.civil-war.net/pages/mrs_bixby_letter.asp

###############################

I cannot answer your question Dazbo, but I understand what you're saying.

Subject: RE: BS: Sole Survivor
From: beardedbruce
Date: 16 Feb 12 - 12:19 PM

5 Sullivans


http://homeofheroes.com/brotherhood/sullivans.html



http://www.history.navy.mil/faqs/faq72-1.htm

Subject: RE: BS: Sole Survivor
From: MGM·Lion
Date: 16 Feb 12 - 01:18 PM

I recall a 1940s film about the Sullivan Brothers, with their father played by Thomas Mitchell. I remember finding it very moving at the time.

Anyone else remember it? Does it ever come up on any tv film revival channels in US, or is it completely forgotten?

~Michael~

Subject: RE: BS: Sole Survivor
From: Bettynh
Date: 16 Feb 12 - 03:39 PM

The movie is on youtube.. This links to the first of 9 installments.

Subject: RE: BS: Sole Survivor
From: number 6
Date: 16 Feb 12 - 05:16 PM

Having read the book Band of Brothers back in the mid 1990's and then upon seeing the movie Private Ryan a few years afterwards I was surprised to see no reference in the movie in regards to an actual member of the 501 PIR referenced in the book Band of Brothers. Private Ryan the para who was subject of the movie was based on an actual person by the name of Frederick'Fritz'Niland of Tonawanda, New York who was a member of the 501 PIR. Niland had lost all three of his brothers, who were on active duty with the U.S. military, became casualties in less than three weeks. One brother was lost when his bomber was shot down in late May, another brother was in the 82 Airborne was killed upon landing in Saint Mere Eglise on June 6th, and the 3rd brother was killed upon landing on Utah Beach June 6th.

Fritz Niland was also lost for a few days from the rest of his company after landing far from the designated jump zone. He did remain with the 501 during the Normandy campaign and was pulled from active combat duty when he returned to Britain.

biLL

Subject: RE: BS: Sole Survivor
From: GUEST,mg
Date: 16 Feb 12 - 06:14 PM

I think they pulled them from combat in Vietnam but I wouldn't swear to it. mg

Subject: RE: BS: Sole Survivor
From: MGM·Lion
Date: 17 Feb 12 - 12:05 AM

Thank you, Bettynh.

Subject: RE: BS: Sole Survivor
From: GUEST,Dazbo at Work
Date: 17 Feb 12 - 07:12 AM

Fritz Niland's brother that was shot down over Burma actually survived a year in a Japanese POW camp and made it back to the USA

Sole survivor has been applied in Afghanistan (or possibly Iraq - I can't remember).