Old Age & Treachery - The Unstoppable 77th Infantry Division

Huge thank you to Jim Sciaretta, son of a 77th ID veteran, who helped tremendously with the research for this video. Links to his father's memoirs and the book 'Ours to Hold High' are in the description above if anyone is interested.

The Old Bastards: Channeling "get off my lawn" into "get off my island" since 1942.

I was teaching my wife firearms safety and we were talking guns in general. She was asking me about suppressors and couldn't remember the term "threaded barrel" so she said "ribbed for her silence." It might be the greatest thing i've ever heard.

My great grandfather was in the 77th. Staff Sergeant Russell J Scott, 77th infantry division, 307th infantry regiment, A Company. He entered combat in Guam, and finished on Okinawa. He got out in December of 1945. During the war he almost lost his life twice that I know of. Once I know was on Okinawa. He was in the middle of digging his foxhole when a Japanese artillery bombardment struck. A shell landed near him and the shock from it knocked the shovel out of his hand. When he found it, he only found the handle. He spent the rest of that bombardment in a shallow foxhole. I don’t know where the second time was, but I know it was in a rice paddy which doesn’t really narrow it down. Him and another soldier were scouting, and they got caught in the middle of a rice paddy by Japanese machine guns. They couldn’t move at all because the Japanese shot at even the tiniest of movements. Because of that, he couldn’t get it his rifle, and that’s what saved him. I don’t know how long they were laying there, but eventually the machine guns got cleared by friendly troops. When my great grandfather stood up and took his rifle from his side, he counted 7 bullet holes in the side of it. That refurbished M1903 saved his life by simply sitting by his side. When I looked at “Ours to Hold High” a while back, I remember looking at the casualties across the 77th. The 307th infantry had the highest out of every regiment attached to the 77th.

I had the honor of meeting and talking to Desmond T. Doss on several occasions. He was an extremely humble kind man that loved his country and more importantly God. Really cool guy

"The energy of 'dad didn't get his nap and now it's everyone's problem" I felt this in my bones.

Man, I love this story, and let me tell you why. In 2003 when we called up all the National Guard to participate in the Invasion of Iraq, I was a 31 year old SSG in the 122nd Combat Engineer Battalion of the South Carolina National Guard. The average age for our battalion was 36, and we even had a few senior NCO's sporting combat patches from tours in Vietnam. We too were known as the Old Bastards. We were attached to the 3rd ACR, and they did not really like us until they figured out that because we were old and had civilian careers, we had guys who knew how to repair power lines, repair air conditioners, we had cops, trauma nurses, mechanics, welders, electricians, and tons of other skills that regiments of 18 year olds could not possibly have, and those skills were very handy to have around. Keep up the good work, and who gives a damn what some commenter says about America....They hate us cause they ain't us!!!

Bro!!! Im a 42yo NZ maori and I know factually that our kiwi soldiers, (in particular our Maori battalion) were badass mofos during the Egyptian and Italian theatres of WW2, and I gotta say, I had no idea about the 77th. So, you're a fucking legend for educating me on the 77th and their accolades during the WW2 pacific theatre. What they did was fucking awesome, total respect!!!

My grandfather joined the 77th in March 1943. Co. F, 305TH Inf Reg. First wave on white Beach in Guam. He was wounded Dec 12th 1944 at Ormoc while charging a pill box.

My Grandpa was in the 77th Signal Company. Served with them through the duration of the war. Bronze Star and still living at 104!

My father ; in 1948 went through training ; the ARMY AIR CORP made them parachute into the desert , and they had to survive a week I believe at the longest without capture , many were captured my Dad's crew faired well and evaded , but Dad loved hunting , trapping , and selling skins and pelts in the swampy country of Central Michigan , as the LOOMIS farm was on the Chippawa River , I was taught to track and read sign by my Father in the 1970's when we hunted in the same swampy areas . Dad was an excellent outdoorsman and Depression Survivor. 💪🏻🇺🇸 ... My Father served in Korea , and I keep the WW2 style to honor him ....his beautiful free wool set. What a guy . Love ya Dad. 💯

My great-grandfather, COL Vincent Joseph Tanzola, died at Guam. thank you for this moving video.

"If you want it dead, broken, or pregnant, call the Marines." God if thats not the most accurate thing ive heard all day...

As an old bastard that enlisted at 33, and became a 12B I can confirm that there is an extra layer of no fucks to give when you know coming home alive means going back to having a mortgage. If I get taken out by an IED it just means I don't have to do PT in the morning.

As a Marine, I approve this message. Great job sharing the 77th’s story.

Wow !! I can't believe I have never heard of this unit . I am a X medic from RVN , and all of my 7 uncles were in WW ll . This stuff should be taught in History in H.S. Great telling of their story !!

The marines adopting the 77th as one of their own is actually the most marine thing ever

Old men have a "fuck you" mentality as well. Not scared if shit or death. Which i remind people if sun tzu's art of war: "If you enter battle trying to live you will die, if you enter battle ready to die, you may live"

As a Guamnian and a Marine. I have always had respect for the 77th ID. Great presentation on them, thank you passing on their story.

"Grey Bush the Wise," is absolutely hilarious. You guys had much more wit than we did. The oldest guy in my platoon in 1981 at Parris Island was 21 and the best we came up with was, "Old Man."