[galesport]

Toye Family,
Just got to this thread. Throughout both the book and mini-series many of
boys stood out. But the way Joe was portrayed always seemed to stand out.
Men of his steadfast character were born out of the tough times during the
Depression. The asked for nothing and gave no quarter. My thanks and heartfelt
appreciation for his sacrifice and commitment to our country. God Bless Joe
Toye.

Thank You,
Geoff

[appell8]

Fan, well said. Welcome here.

[BoBfan814]

I am getting such a "personal" history lesson from these boards and I cannot begin to express my appreciation for the stories that the families of these wonderful men have shared with us.
I teach in an elementary school and I watch some of the students in the middle and high schools in our town just go crazy and not appreciate anything. When these men went to war, some of them were not much older than those high school students that I watch with sadness.
There is a school here for students in middle and high school who get in trouble in their regular schools. Students have to attend until they have 40 trouble free days. Wouldn't it be something if part of their assignment at that school would be for them to watch Band of Brothers or read Stephen Ambrose's book or come and read all of these messages on the boards. Do you think that they would realize that these men gave all that they had to give them the life that they now take for granted?

Maybe not, but it was just a thought. (sigh)

Beth

[FIWI]

Thanks for posting. Isn't Cindi Peter's wife ?
Filip

[gilliesisle]

WOW!! What a powerfully great thread. As usual when reading such tributes, I cried, which makes reading it all that much harder.

I've often wondered what the family members of the Easy vets thought about the portrayal of their fathers, brothers, etc. Kirk's portrayal of Joe Toye always riveted me to the TV - he gave Joe Toye a quiet dignity, assuredness and toughness. The scene I always associate with Joe Toye is the scene in "Bastogne" when he says, "Working on it" to Doc Roe when Doc admonishes him to keep his feet dry because Joe didn't want to come off the line for his trench foot. I thought the words and Kirk's delivery spoke volumes about Joe Toye.

Like others, Peter's tribute to his Dad on WSAT got to me as well. He kinda welled up when he talked about what his Dad wanted to have on his headstone. Made me cry too.

Great tribute to Joe Toye by Major Winters. I hope the families don't mind sharing the Easy vets with us.

Lisa Marie

[Kiwiwriter]

My all-time favorite family "take" on BoB came at the WBG dinner last year. I was sitting with the various daughters and wives, and I asked them about the first family viewing of the series in the rumpus room. Apparently Wild Bill kept up a continuous stream of narration and commentary until Frank John Hughes, in "Bastogne," asked Doc Roe for some medicine, because he was "pissing out razor blades." Wild Bill's eyes bulged out and he was speechless (quite a feat), and the family burst out laughing, knowing why the patriarch was called "Gonorrhea." :D

[BoBfan814]

Kiwiwriter, on Dec 9 2004, 12:44 PM, said:

My all-time favorite family "take" on BoB came at the WBG dinner last year. I was sitting with the various daughters and wives, and I asked them about the first family viewing of the series in the rumpus room. Apparently Wild Bill kept up a continuous stream of narration and commentary until Frank John Hughes, in "Bastogne," asked Doc Roe for some medicine, because he was "pissing out razor blades." Wild Bill's eyes bulged out and he was speechless (quite a feat), and the family burst out laughing, knowing why the patriarch was called "Gonorrhea."  :D

Oh no! Poor Wild Bill! I can't even imagine him speechless though. :) I think that Frank John Hughes was great as Wild Bill.

Beth

[homefront41]

Every once in a while, this thread is discovered by someone new and I wind up re-reading Peter Toye's words yet again. They never fail to move me to tears.

Always my thought is, I wish I could have met Joe Toye. And the next one is ... I've met some a lot like him as a kid growing up in the 40s and 50s. And I've been fortunate to meet some of Joe's Easy buddies.

Young people today have much less time to make the acquaintance of a WW2 veteran, but they're out there and they will be happy to hear a heartfelt "Thanks". BK

[BoBfan814]

homefront41, on Dec 9 2004, 01:35 PM, said:

Every once in a while, this thread is discovered by someone new and I wind up re-reading Peter Toye's words yet again.  They never fail to move me to tears. 

Always my thought is, I wish I could have met Joe Toye.  And the next one is ... I've met some a lot like him as a kid growing up in the 40s and 50s.  And I've been fortunate to meet some of Joe's Easy buddies.

Young people today have much less time to make the acquaintance of a WW2 veteran, but they're out there and they will be happy to hear a heartfelt "Thanks".    BK

So many of these threads have moved me to tears. The love and emotion that pours out for these men is so obvious.

I, too, wish I could have met Joe Toye and many others. I wish I could have met my uncle who was killed in the war. I wish I could have even known who he was a little more, but no one wanted to talk about it. There was just a smiling picture in a military uniform of someone I never met, but loved just the same.

Whenever I have the chance, I make time to hear about those experiences and if I am fortunate enough to come across someone who wants to tell his story, I feel honored to listen. They deserve that respect and so much more.

Beth

[Jumpmaster]

Joe was one of the best soldiers !!!

[RCNSGT]

Great post. THANK YOU!
Fine Soldier. Great Man...

[EightOK]

Beth,
I think you should assign your students to read BOB and write a report on it. Also, recommend this to all other teachers you know. If it helps just one kid, it is worth it. Maybe a kid or two will stop idolizing some basketball thug and start looking up to real heroes. Joe Toye and all the men of Easy are true heroes. I love the fact that they don't consider themselves heroes but say the men who were left behind are the heroes. In my mind, this attitude is why they are the greatest heroes.
Just my two cents.
Jim

[BoBfan814]

EightOK, on Dec 20 2004, 10:28 PM, said:

I think you should assign your students to read BOB and write a report on it.  Also, recommend this to all other teachers you know. 

Hi Jim

Actually I have 5th graders and the books is a little much for them, BUT we have been talking a lot about Pearl Harbor this month and I had the idea of next month talking more about WWII and maybe reading a bit out of the book to them. I really wanted to go into it before Christmas Break, but we get out Wednesday and they are WILD and not listening to a word and I want this to be meaningful.

As for recommending it to other teachers, I have half of our staff addicted to Band of Brothers now and I think it gave some of them an education. I also convinced my best friend (who is also a teacher) to accompany me to Toccoa over Spring Break, so they are learning. :D

Beth

[boddah]

Jumpmaster, on Dec 20 2004, 07:59 PM, said:

Joe was one of the best soldiers !!!

i second that, all the way