Band of
Brothers
Notes prepared by Don Schulte
Pattonville High School
Shakespeare
“Band of Brothers” is a
line from Shakespeare’s
Henry V. It is taken from
the famous speech set
immediately before the
Battle of Agincourt.
Author
“Band of Brothers” was a
book written by Stephen
E. Ambrose.
The mini-series was
produced by Stephen
Spielberg and Tom Hanks.
Who?
Band of Brothers (BOB) is
the story of E “Easy”
Company of the 506th of
the second battalion of
the 101st Airborne
Division.
What?
 The Airborne are
paratroopers.
Paratroopers are elite
Army troops with the
best possible training.
What?
Paratroopers receive
extra pay ($50/month).
It takes five jumps to
be certified and “get
your jump wings”.
What?
Anyone refusing to
jump because they’re
afraid would be kickedout of the Airborne.
What?
“AGL” = Above Ground
Level.
On landing they
immediately collapse the
shoot so they won’t be
drug along the ground.
Can Men Quit?
Yes. This is an elite
group. Men can “quit”
the Airborne but not the
Army. They go back to
the regular Army.
“Currahee”
Native American term.
“We stand alone
together.”
Motto of the 101st
Airborne Division.
Companies
Companies were
labeled by letters. Code
names were used so the
names could be clearly
heard in battle or over
the radio.
Companies
Rationale: Companies
B, C, D, E, and G all
have a long “e” sound
and could easily be
confused by a listener.
Companies
A = Able
B = Baker
C = Charlie
D = Dog
Companies
E = Easy
F = Fox
G = George
H = How
Companies
I = Item
J = Jig
K = King
L = Love
Companies
M = Mike
N = Nan
O = Oboe
P = Peter
Companies
Q = Queen
R = Roger
S = Sugar
T = Tape
U = Uncle
Companies
V = Victor
W = William
X = X-Ray
Y = Yoke
Z = Zebra
Edelweiss
Small white flower
used as symbol of
veteran soldier by the
German Army.
Blithe took one.
Tactics
“Fire Superiority” is
the concept of firing so
much, so fast, that the
enemy has to keep
undercover.
Tactics
“Fire and Maneuver”
or “Shoot and Scoot”
Concept is to keep fire
superiority so men can
move while enemy has
their heads down.
Tactics
“Light Discipline”
“Sound Discipline”
Terms for ordering the
men to have no lights
and make no sound.
Slang Words and
Phrases
“P T” = Physical Training
“4-F” = physical condition
rating for someone not well
enough to fight.
Slang Words and
Phrases
“C O” = Commanding
Officer of a unit
“X O” = Executive
Officer (# 2 in command)
Slang Words and
Phrases
“O P” = Observation Post
out front of the line.
“Kraut”, “Goon” or
“Jerry” are slang for
Slang Words and
Phrases
“Bought the Farm” or
“Bought it” refers to a
soldier dying and his family
getting his insurance.
Slang Words and
Phrases
“stick” = 12 men dropping
together. This is an
airborne equivalent of an
army squad.
Slang Words and
Phrases
“D Plus 1” (or “other
number”) refers to number
of days after D-Day (June
6, 1944).
Shaving Heads of
Women
Method of punishing and
shaming women who
“fraternized” with the
Germans.
Medic!
Not supposed to be
shot at according to the
Geneva Conventions.
Medic’s job is to move
wounded to aid centers.
Medic Training
Their training included
advanced first aid
including use of blood,
injections, immobilizing
broken limbs, etc.
Pain Management
First aid included
small stirets of
morphine.
Spent morphine stirets
were stuck in chest
Fighting Infection
Sulfa Drugs were the
method of treating
infection before
antibiotics. Usually a
white powder.
Mental Wounds
“Hysterical”
disabilities are known to
occur. Often blindness
(like Blythe had),
deafness, loss of leg
Wounds
“Wounded” v
“Injured”
Important difference
for many. A man is
wounded in battle; he’s
Purple Heart
Given to soldiers
wounded by the enemy.
Originally given to
Rev. War wounded by
George Washington.