[August 15, 2024] In the summer of 1967, when I was about to turn 15, the Academy Award-winning war movie “The Dirty Dozen” came out in theaters in my new Texas town, much to my happy surprise. I’d never seen anything like it; in the film, many of the worst convicts-turned-soldiers were given a top-secret mission to pull off before D-Day. What?
These movie characters looked like my WWII veteran neighbors in the new Texas town we had recently moved to. For these men, there were no niceties, no pussy-footing around, no crying for mommy, no living in their parent’s basement, but walking on the edge of the law and sometimes crossing the line. These were real men, real hard asses. The movie told a story. I saw the real thing. All things aside, the men living in my new town were combat soldiers and were like nothing I’d ever seen.
The toughest neighbor of the bunch was large, deeply tanned, grizzly-looking, and old. He’d lost part of his left arm at the battle on Saipan Island fighting the Japanese in ‘44, where the mission was to build an airbase. He had earned his manhood in the jungles of that island. And he was meaner than a two-headed pit viper because one head was not mean enough. By now, I’d figured I’d lived long enough because today, facing him would surely be my last. I stood there frozen like a rabbit would when facing a rabid old dog.
“Act like you GOT A PAIR, kid, speak up!” I was just a runt, skinny and small. “Whatcha want, kid?” All I wanted was for a chance to mow the grass at the local Texas VFW (pronounced Dubya by the vets) and for a measly buck and a half. “Can I mow your grass?” My words must have barely squeaked out. Fear had me by the throat and didn’t let go. He said that “six bits” was good enough. I got the job and mowed with such extra precision that it took more time than planned. I felt emotionally drained but also relieved after getting paid.
I loved that war movie, and it reminded me of these old vets. Somehow, I also empathized with those convict soldiers who made up the Dirty Dozen. I don’t know why, maybe a death wish or some psychological need to be noticed – those convicts were certainly noticed. Everyone with any appreciation of fine filmmaking has seen “The Dirty Dozen” many times. I could watch it a hundred times and be excited every single time.
In my youth, the only way to see a movie was at the movie house or a drive-in because of the little time we were allowed to watch TV. Dad had control over the programming. Once, on-demand movies were the THING, I had retired from the Army half a century later. There were no TV remotes at home in the 1960s because they were rare and cost too much. In my new town, I saw this movie for the first time at the Arcadia Theater on A Street in the center of Harlingen, Texas.
If you haven’t seen this great movie, go see it now, even if you must pay for it. It is as close as you’re going to get to see real men, in realistic combat, doing what real men do, those combat soldiers who are now gone from our VFWs and our neighborhoods, churches, and dance halls.
You won’t see these WWII vets much anymore. The youngest of them are in their upper 90s.
And maybe that’s why so many young men today are girlie boys – wimps – and can’t protect their families or be looked up to by a little boy. Boys need strong, dependable, rough, dangerous men to show them what a good man is like. But I digress too much.
That day, I faced real men just to mow the grass. What helped me later in my combat time on the battlefield was that old grizzly vet. The chance encounter with a one-armed, mangy old U.S. Marine who had seen more and done more than most any five people combined showed me what a man was like.
And I lived to tell the tale.
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NOTE: See all my letters here: https://www.theleadermaker.com/granddaughter-letters/
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As Gen. Satterfield sometimes says, AMAZIN’
Just a note to say thank you to Gen. Satterfield for this and other letters that he has written to give us some insights into a young boy growing up in the Deep South and his struggles. I will note that there is a great contrast to his struggles and those of kids today that have to put up with teachers and school administrators who want to hide their evil deeds from parents by giving kids hormones and calling them “she” when they are a “he.” Evil works in mysterious ways and most public schools are staffed by the Devil.
Thanks Golly woman and I too appreciate these letters from Gen. Satterfield. True! Gen. S as a boy had different challenges, in part because he grew up in a poor rural area of Northern Louisiana where everyone was poor, but some were dirtpoor – as they say. 😁
I got a big laugh out of this paragraph:
““Act like you GOT A PAIR, kid, speak up!” I was just a runt, skinny and small. “Whatcha want, kid?” All I wanted was for a chance to mow the grass at the local Texas VFW (pronounced Dubya by the vets) and for a measly buck and a half. “Can I mow your grass?” My words must have barely squeaked out. Fear had me by the throat and didn’t let go. He said that “six bits” was good enough. I got the job and mowed with such extra precision that it took more time than planned. I felt emotionally drained but also relieved after getting paid.” – Gen. Doug Satterfield as a boy meets a big US Marine. And the interaction produces exactly what I would think it would.
Army Captain, thanks for your service too. Yes, I was wondering about that.
💕 A kind of love letter. 💕
“The Dirty Dozen” a war film that Gen. Satterfield and millions of us really liked to watch. Why? A question he asks and I still ask myself. Why do I like this film? Because it has heroes in it.
The Dirty Dozen is a 1967 American war film directed by Robert Aldrich and starring Lee Marvin, with an ensemble supporting cast including Ernest Borgnine, Charles Bronson, Jim Brown, John Cassavetes, Richard Jaeckel, George Kennedy, Ralph Meeker, Robert Ryan, Trini Lopez, Telly Savalas, Donald Sutherland, Clint Walker and Robert Webber. Set in 1944 during World War II, the film follows the titular penal military unit of twelve convicts as they are trained as commandos by the Allies for a suicide mission ahead of the Normandy landings.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Dirty_Dozen
While making the film, some of the cast members gave an interview to ABC Film review, in which they contrasted their own real wartime ranks to their officer roles in the film. These guys were amazing …. and still are.:
George Kennedy: Took me two years to make Private First Class.
Lee Marvin: I didn’t even make that in the Marines.
Ernest Borgnine: I was beneath notice in the Navy
For punks, we’re doing all right, said Marvin. I wonder how the generals are doing?
Lovely letter, Gen. S. and thank you!
Gen. Satterfield has mentioned movies before and this is another of the war movies that he saw and I think he is saying that it did have a positive impact on his life. I’m not so sure that that is the intent of movies, more to entertain, but when the subject is war, then there is something else being communicated. Yes, God Bless, Gen. Satterfield and his entire family.
As we are approaching he magic number of 100 letters “to my granddaughter,” Gen. Satterfield continues to provide insights into not just the early years of his life but what it was like in the mid-1960s America. With VFWs and other veterans organizations being full of men from the wars, and other strife occurring during those times, we can begin to see a bit more about how his life and America’s life began to change. was the change for the better? For Gen. Satterfield as a boy the answer is YES. For American, I think the answer has not yet been answered but the turmoil created by the protests and drugs and surge in crime might just lead us to think not.
Indeed, and I am hoping that Gen. Satterfield continues this series beyond 100 that he promised. 😉
God Bless, Gen. Satterfield.
I never get tired of reading these letters. They tell a beautiful story of a young boy growing up in the Deep South, moving to Texas and experiencing a great transformation both socially and educationally. The culture contrasts are there and he finds himself having to adapt and live in a land that is totally unfamiliar to him. Great letters and Gen. Satterfield deserves a great deal of thanks for writing these.
Excellent comment, Neuvo Byrd. Thanks.
In this letter to his granddaughter, Gen. Satterfield concentrates on the WWII veterans that he met at the local VFW. He was just trying to get a few dollars (more like $1.50) for mowing the grass. He had learned earlier in his life that he could make some coins to buy things that he wanted and to help out his mom and dad. That is to be commended and we should all say that this is the kind of character we should encourage in all children. If they don’t learn it as kids, then they will probably not learn it as adults. Be productive in life and that is a learned ability. Gen. S. learned it as a little boy. Good ’nuff.
❤❤❤❤❤ Another beautiful and loving love letter to Gen. Satterfield’s granddaughter. And we are thankful for it. ❤❤❤❤❤
WOW WOW WOW, letter #89 about Gen. Satterfield as a boy being in a deep southern Texas town and running into more veterans. Amazing how much they had an impact on his life.
In my investigative suite of skills, I too approve this message. 🤣
Ha Ha, ….. gotta love these letters KRause and DI Fred. And thanks for making a little humor of it. I started reading these letters to Gen. Satterfield’s granddaughter more than a year ago and I was hooked right away with his dry humor style and the crazy things that happened to the boy Satterfield. What most of us do not realize today, and we are not better off for it, the 60s were a time of turmoil, drugs, violence, unemployment, discrimination, crime, etc. Gen. satterfield slipped in under this time and avoided much of what destroyed so many kids and continues to destroy them.
Yep, great letters!!!!!!!!!
😁😁😁😁😁 THANKS GUYS !!!!
A lower class boy rising up to achieve something most folks could never do. 👏👏👏
An unexpected pleasure for this letter to your lovely granddaughter. I am praying that she is learning from your letters and that she enjoys them too. As you mentioned some time back, these letters are also for all your grandchildren, but because your granddaughter is the oldest, she is getting these letters directed at her. A very loving and thoughtful gesture.
A great, lovely letter. I agree with you Neuvo.