History Channel - The True Story of the Big Red One (1998)
“No mission too difficult, no sacrifice too great— Duty First!” For a century, from the Western Front of World War I to the modern wars, this motto has spurred the soldiers who wear the shoulder patch bearing the Big Red One. The oldest continuously serving division in the U.S. Army, the “Fighting First” has consistently played a crucial role in America's foreign wars. It was the first American division to see combat and achieve victory in World War I. One of the few intact divisions between the wars, it was the first army unit to train for amphibious warfare. During World War II, the First Division spearheaded the invasions of North Africa and Sicily before leading the Normandy invasion at Omaha Beach and fighting on deep into Germany. By war's end, it had developed successful combined-arms, regimental combat teams and made advances in night operations. THE TRUE STORY OF THE BIG RED ONE is pitting Hollywood fiction against historical fact, where we'll examine the reality behind Samuel Fuller's great war movie “The Big Red One”. Based upon Fuller's own World War II experiences, the film starred Lee Marvin as the intrepid sergeant of special infantry squadron in various campaigns of the war. Learn the dramatic story of the illustrious First Division of the U.S. Army - called the Big Red One because of the red numeral “1” on its uniforms' shoulders - from it's organization in 1917 throught the present day.
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