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Post by usmc6241 on Oct 3, 2012 8:04:48 GMT -5
just wondering what everyone's opinions are on this but, why do you think there are so few PTO events/reenactors, and what do you all think we can do to expand that section of the hobby?
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Post by goofyfool on Oct 3, 2012 9:16:43 GMT -5
I don't have a PTO uniform as of yet, but I intend on getting a marine uniform because they are not portrayed as much as other services. I live in the south east area of the country, but I don't know of but one IJA unit around. Not much in the way of opposing forces would be my guess.
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Post by warrenfront42 on Oct 3, 2012 9:52:39 GMT -5
Thats the problem. Lack of IJA around. And everyone thinks that to do PTO you have to have a location near the ocean or something.
The sad thing is, as much as it's grown, this is a aspect of the hobby that will more than likely remain stagnant. A shame.
Austin
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Post by pop401k on Oct 3, 2012 20:39:29 GMT -5
You'd be surprised how many "round eyes" absolutely refuse to do Japanese beacause they don't look oriental... I think that's one big reason why we don't have many IJA in the hobby. Strange because it doesn't seem to prevent anyone from portraying Viet Cong or NVA...go figure.
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Post by 8th_Storm on Oct 4, 2012 0:00:39 GMT -5
Hello everyone, I am Andrew of the 8th Shidan, my unit is the only IJA force in the South East. I am more than happy to to participate with PTO events. Here is my unit, and its children websites: Website: www.8thshidan.comija5thinfantry.weebly.com - 5th Infantry Regiment (GA & TN) 8thkoheirentai.weebly.com - 8th Combat Engineers Regiment (N.C. & S.C.) 8thtaisatsu.weebly.com - 8th Recon Regiment (FL) 26thsentai.weebly.com - Naval defense force of Clark Field ija31stinfantry.weebly.com - 31st Infantry Regiment (PA, ML, DE) PTO Tactical- wwiiptoreenactors.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=tacticals&action=display&thread=8Hope this helps. |
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Post by usmc6241 on Oct 5, 2012 7:11:13 GMT -5
you know, the "there's not a lot of IJA" excuse doesn't really fly, there's plenty you can still do. I've been in the Marine Corps for almost 3 years, and, from what I've seen, the Taliban doesn't shoot at all of us, everyday, but that doesn't mean we're not doing anything. We could set up training weekends where we're taught land navigation, machine gun employment (way more difficult and complex than most reenactors realize) how to call for fire from artillery and mortars, and marksmanship with period weapons and live ammunition. Such a training could include intelligence briefs about the Japanese, and language instruction (how to say things like "dete koi" - "Come out," might be useful in front of a cave full of okinawan civilians). Think back to the field exercises in band of brothers, if all you can get is other PTO Allied reenactors, and you're in an area that's obviously the US, do US Army PTO vs USMC and call it war maneuvers in New River NC (now Camp Lejeune). USN reenactors manage to have events, and I've never seen a kamikaze dive on a museum ship. Also, as they said in field of dreams, if you build it, they will come. If we start creating PTO events, people will start dusting off that USMC uniform that have in their closet, or wear their HBTs without M41 jacket or wools, and come out and do PTO events, and judging by the movement on this board, there IS interest in doing IJA reenacting. And really, you don't need a lot of IJA reenactors to make things interesting. I bet if we set up a PTO only airshow, it would grow every year.
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Post by tanaka on Oct 5, 2012 11:55:45 GMT -5
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Post by cco23i on Oct 5, 2012 12:27:43 GMT -5
you know, the "there's not a lot of IJA" excuse doesn't really fly, there's plenty you can still do. I've been in the Marine Corps for almost 3 years, and, from what I've seen, the Taliban doesn't shoot at all of us, everyday, but that doesn't mean we're not doing anything. We could set up training weekends where we're taught land navigation, machine gun employment (way more difficult and complex than most reenactors realize) how to call for fire from artillery and mortars, and marksmanship with period weapons and live ammunition. Such a training could include intelligence briefs about the Japanese, and language instruction (how to say things like "dete koi" - "Come out," might be useful in front of a cave full of okinawan civilians). Think back to the field exercises in band of brothers, if all you can get is other PTO Allied reenactors, and you're in an area that's obviously the US, do US Army PTO vs USMC and call it war maneuvers in New River NC (now Camp Lejeune). USN reenactors manage to have events, and I've never seen a kamikaze dive on a museum ship. Also, as they said in field of dreams, if you build it, they will come. If we start creating PTO events, people will start dusting off that USMC uniform that have in their closet, or wear their HBTs without M41 jacket or wools, and come out and do PTO events, and judging by the movement on this board, there IS interest in doing IJA reenacting. And really, you don't need a lot of IJA reenactors to make things interesting. I bet if we set up a PTO only airshow, it would grow every year. Good points LT, hell we do AAF and NEVER get shot at and we seem to be pretty dang busy. A basic training, field craft event, a "secured Island" airbase and so on there are a boat load of events that can be done besides the "bang, bang shoot 'em up" type events. Scott |
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Post by 8th_Storm on Oct 5, 2012 12:56:02 GMT -5
As long as everyone has an open mind, you can make few in numbers count.  |
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Post by usmc6241 on Oct 5, 2012 20:35:11 GMT -5
While it's true you're not going to have to contend with monkeys and habu snakes in the US, having been many places in the pacific, the boonies, is the boonies, is the boonies. Sure their might be less palm trees and banyan trees, but forests here are not exclusively populated with those things. Here on Okinawa, during the battle in 1945, the landscape can probably best be described as "hilly farmland with lots of pine trees," I'm fairly certain we can find somewhere in the US that meets that description. If there's snow on the ground? Last I checked there was a fairly significant fight in the aleutian islands of alaska and i don't think anyone is reenacting that.
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Post by teufelshunde on Oct 5, 2012 21:07:09 GMT -5
so true man! I think it would be great to have a pacific tactical at the newville ww1 reenactment battle site in pa. we do italian from that ostfront there in the winter time and that place is truly a jungle in the summer, in fact there have been several vietnam events there!
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Post by warrenfront42 on Oct 5, 2012 22:57:20 GMT -5
A few years back at a friends place in Arkansas we did a encampment one weekend. Place looked great, a lots of vines, a nice river flowing through the property, heavy heavy growth, and the heat was killer. That was about one of the best times I've ever had doing this stuff. We were spread out in the woods at night, all you could hear were the mosquitos buzzing. We sat in the OP that night for about a hour and a half in the darkness. With only Sgt. Jones knowing what he was going to do, one of our guys decided to play Nip and came at us screaming. It actually made us jump, because David just came out of nowhere yelling and screaming banzai. His performance wasn't authentic at all, lol..but the muzzle flashes lighting up the woods, and the fact that he crept right up on us and we had no idea he was there until he started unloading on us was one of the best moments I've had, and really hammered home about what i had heard my grandfather say that being in the jungle in the middle of the night was unnerving.
That being said, I will say I'm not one of those who always wants trigger time at every event I go to. I enjoy displays, LH's and airshows. But sitting around with your junk spread out all weekend or reviewing TM 30-641 everytime you go out sucks. And without some opposition, that's what will happen.
Austin
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Post by usmc6241 on Oct 6, 2012 1:25:31 GMT -5
I've been in the jungle at night numerous times, and I can't really Imagine anything more terrifying than the pitch darkness of Guadalcanal, listening to the jungle noises, wondering if that's a Japanese soldier coming to kill you or not. It really is very unnerving, and it's darker than anything you can imagine. Perhaps the only thing more terrifying would be getting buried/burned alive by a US flamethrower in some of the tunnels on this island.
That being said, just because you don't have IJA doesn't mean you can't get trigger time. Set up a range and do weapons training. See how many people would shoot expert/sharpshooter/marksman with their weapon, that way when you all wear class "A"s there's a little more pride that goes along with pinning that badge on. You can divide into two squads, call it a training exercise, and go out to spar in the bush. Not only will this be fun, but it's how the real military trains, and it will make you a better soldier and increase your realism when you do have an enemy presence.
From what I know about the Newville site, Besides maybe (MAYBE) something very static and defensive like Bataan, I don't really think it would work for PTO. Trench warfare wasn't really exercised out here. Although a Newville type site set up for PTO would be a dream come true. A piece of beachfront property somewhere warm enough to support planting a bunch of palm trees, and building foxholes/bunkers/tunneling, would be incredible. I can't really think of anything that would be cooler than that.
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Post by PhM3/c Bowers on Oct 6, 2012 10:39:09 GMT -5
Dan made a solid point about USN. People reenact on ships without an enemy or whatever and still have fun. It's all what you make of it. This hobby is only limited by ones imagination so be bold. When I was 11 I was trying to figure out how to rig my CAP squadron's Cessna 172 to fire Estes model rockets. Granted they would never let me but hey whatever, it was fun to day dream. Fast forward to now, Scott's group is dropping fake bombs out of real WW2 aircraft on targets. There's units who jump out of legit C-47s. Sometimes one's imagination isn't so impossible. Might take some work but it'll be worth it. My imagination wants a Paramarine Demonstration Team...
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Post by cco23i on Oct 7, 2012 13:11:32 GMT -5
Guys there isn't anything we can't do (with in reason). There are many different WW2 ships and planes still out there along with other equipment. We just need a plan.
Scott
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