Just to clarify, the black man was a cook, as you see when they are en route to U571. He is then on the deck taking in prisoners when the U.S. sub is blown up, and he is blown into the water. He is then picked up when the Americans in U571 resurface to look for survivors. He was at the controls of U571 because they didn't have a lot of people, and didn't really have a choice. ------------------ "Goddamn it, you'll never get the Purple Heart hiding in a foxhole! Follow me!" - Captain Henry P. "Jim" Crowe (Guadalcanal, January 13, 1943)
I too saw that the "cook" was helping to operate the U-Boat and never thought more about it, that was a good call for a U 571 blunder. Thanks for pointing thaat out.
I just dont think on a sub you would have room for a black cheff he would have obviously done something else too perhaps? And i dont think the white guys would have wanted him touching there food.
Actually, on subs, and pretty much all of the armed forces in ww2, blacks were only allowed to do non-combat jobs, like cook, or mechanic, etc. As you can see in the movie, the crew liked Eddie (that was his name), and not every white guy in the army was a racist. ------------------ "Goddamn it, you'll never get the Purple Heart hiding in a foxhole! Follow me!" - Captain Henry P. "Jim" Crowe (Guadalcanal, January 13, 1943)
Yeah, but you can't use this forum as a source for such info. Does anyone know of a book or interview where we could know if blacks served aboard US subs?
conclusion : U571 does not even earn the right to stand in Das Boot's shadow. It goes to show (again) that European movies are very often a lot less gloryfing (and less expensive) but much closer to the "real thing" ------------------ *** We shall not retreat, nor shall we surrender. If we cannot stay here alive, we shall stay here dead***
I admit, I last watched Das Boot around 15 yrs ago and will rent it again when I have time so my opinion might change a little. I do like Das Boot but I also like U 571 for they each make a good impact of their own kinds. I do like "The Enamy Below" the best though. As for books about blacks on subs in WW2, I do not know a title of any kind but I am sure someone has written a book on the subject by now. If not, its a shame because they were as brave as any other.
I think U-571 was a good movie. No doubt about it, it kind of sent a thrill through my spine when I saw the action and loss that went on with the submarine. But then again, most of these movies that are in the same class (WWII or any other war movies) always give me this feeling that makes me just like them more than any other, and which makes them different from all the rest of the movies I watch.
I liked U 571 because of the detail involved. At least the moviemakers remembered some detail matters that im embarassed to had forgotten--until I saw the movie. I thought it was anyway.
I just cought a major mistake I had made in a posting from January 12th. I made a referance to a U-baot Kapitan from U 571 killing hisself because he was a coward. Also that Harald Lange was a Kapitan on U 571--not in either case, I meant to say it was U 505--for both these men.
Nice thread on, what I feel, was a decent representation of life on a sub!! In response to your questions regarding blacks and their service on subs.... My uncle served aboard several subs in WWII, notably: USS BOWFIN SS-287. I asked him (via email) whether blacks served on subs and if they were ever "allowed" to be combatants. "The answer is yes to both of your questions. True, they were stewards mates but everyone on a submarine is a combatant. One's duty assignment is always secondary to the role of combatant. After the war, while I was the executive officer on SENNET, we had a steward, Willie James, who was reputed to have made a 73 day patrol and served eggs for breakfast every day and never use the same recipe twice." If you have any questions you would like me to ask him, please let me know!
I'm starting to think about a theory on WW2 films, and it says that anything with an MP-40 (with the only known exceptions being Dirty Harry and Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me) is a film worth seeing So U-571 certainly applies. Did you catch the close-up scene of the Schmiesser?
Thanks for the info on Blacks on subs and their duties, I was sure they were allowed to some combat duty. Im not sure which documentary I saw this on I think it was something to do with the attack on Pearl Harbor. There was some color footage of a black guy firing at some Japanese aircraft--I believe he was either on a ship of at Hickem Air Field.
Don't suppose that was "Dorie Miller", huh? I will see what I can find out....I have some information on the Tuskeegee Airmen and there may be some references to Blacks in the service that I may have missed previously.
YUP...thats Dorie Miller...he was awarded the Navy Cross for his action during pearl Harbor on USS West Virginia for shooting down a few fighters with a weapon he wasn't even trained in using. after the battle he made his way to the west coast and eventually asigned to the new escort carrier USS Liscombe Bay. His ship participated in ivading the Gilbert islands that included Tarawa. His ship was torpedoed by the Japanese submarine I-175. The ship blew up and sank very quickly. Sadly he was among the 646 to die...only 272 sailors survived. In 1973, USS Miller (FF-1091), a Knox-class frigate, was named in honor of Doris Miller. For a more in depth account try going to: http://www.history.navy.mil/faqs/faq57-4.htm
hmm.. i never knew about this guy, Dorie Miller.. and I thought I saw what you described in the trailer for the movie Pearl Harbor.. just checked the IMDB and there he is... Cuba Gooding Jr. .... Doris 'Dorie' Miller
Thanks for the reminder on his name, I knew it but it had slipped my feeble mind. Ths King of faces (Lon Chaney Sr--that is) strikes again!.
Who here has seen this movie? Also any thoughts on it? Plot-A German submarine is boarded by disguised American submariners trying to capture their Enigma cipher machine. I thought it was a great movie, that could be re-done ?
