thedrifter
02-09-07, 07:33 AM
Miniseries 'The Pacific War' to feature alum war hero
February 9, 2007
By Kelsey Abbruzzese
Orient Staff
On October 12, 1944, Andrew Haldane '41 was killed by a sniper's bullet during the World War II battle on Peleliu, one of the Palau islands east of the Philippines. His story doesn't end there.
Haldane's role in World War II's Pacific theater will be featured in an HBO miniseries called "The Pacific War," set to premiere in 2009.
"Even in cases when he didn't have to go into direct fire, he did," said Steve Moore, Haldane's nephew, in a phone interview. "He was always up there with his people leading the way. As a captain, he didn't have to do it."
Moore, who was born seven years after his uncle died, followed Haldane's lead and became a Marine captain. He has devoted much of his time to researching Haldane's life. When Moore provided the studio with information about his uncle, the producers decided to expand Haldane's character in the miniseries.
"The Pacific War" will tell the story of Haldane and other soldiers in a manner similar to the 2001 miniseries "Band of Brothers," which recounted the European theater of the war. Peter Ambrose, the son of historian Stephen Ambrose, is a researcher for the upcoming miniseries. "Band of Brothers" screenwriter Bruce McKenna is also writing for "The Pacific War."
Moore traces his decision to enter the Marines back to his childhood, when he saw his uncle's portrait on his grandmother's mantel. When Moore asked his grandmother who "the army man" was, she replied, "One: he's a Marine. Two: he's your uncle."
"I became a Marine that day," Moore said. "Everything good I heard about him I associated with the Marines—his enthusiasm, companionship, brotherhood stuff. He was a strong athlete without the ego."
Haldane's athleticism and ambition made him attractive to the Marines. While at Bowdoin, Haldane was captain of the football team and president of the student council. His Marine unit, the K35 Rifle Company (Kilo Company, 3rd Battalion, 5th Marines), included two other Bowdoin graduates: Edward Everett Pope '41 and Paul Douglas '13.
Before Peleliu, Haldane earned the Silver Star, the third highest honor awarded for valor. Peleliu was the worst battle that Haldane's Marines faced, with the greatest number of soldiers killed in a battle.
"It was a murderous, awful island," Moore said. "During that last battle, his hair went gray."
There was no water because the 55-gallon drums were tainted with oil, it was 110 degrees, and the Japanese dug tunnels around the island so they could move unseen.
Many Marines were shot in the back because the Japanese could pop out of the tunnels behind them.
By the end of the month-long battle, only 85 of the original 235 Marines still stood. Haldane was not among them.
"R.V. Burgin, who was right next to him when he was killed, told me that to this day, he still wishes it was him," Moore said.
Many others felt the pain of losing Haldane. The memory of Haldane's courage and congeniality has stayed vibrant in the minds of family, friends, Bowdoin graduates, and fellow Marines. Even though Moore never knew his uncle, many members of the Methuen, Massachusetts, community where Haldane grew up told him stories about the fallen Marine.
"I got away with murder because the principal adored him," Moore said.
There were plenty of other stories: a teacher broke down when she saw Moore because she had dated his uncle and considered it "a wonderful experience"; a classmate of Haldane's, Johnny Walker, felt lost after Haldane's death because Haldane had take him under his wing; and numerous people who spoke at the dedication of a Methuen baseball field in Haldane's memory.
Still, Haldane was a soldier. "He could go from easy-going guy to ferocious fighter," Moore said. "As a Marine, you always get the benefit of the doubt. Nobody questioned him because he was an honorable guy."
"He wasn't a saint," Moore continued. "He was a regular guy with qualities that people could see the whole thing right away. Even his Marines now refer to him as Andy. There is no way they would have called him by his name back then. Everyone called him [Andy] at home and everywhere else. In most cases he needed no more introduction than that—most people already knew of him."
Haldane kept his sense of humor while in the Marines, even participating in an illegal moustache-growing contest to pass the time at Guadalcanal, another battle site. He also kept the moustache.
"[People adored him] because he never said anything bad about anyone. It was pheromones, charisma—he just threw it off," Moore said. "The effect he had on people, I just can't do justice to it."
Ellie
February 9, 2007
By Kelsey Abbruzzese
Orient Staff
On October 12, 1944, Andrew Haldane '41 was killed by a sniper's bullet during the World War II battle on Peleliu, one of the Palau islands east of the Philippines. His story doesn't end there.
Haldane's role in World War II's Pacific theater will be featured in an HBO miniseries called "The Pacific War," set to premiere in 2009.
"Even in cases when he didn't have to go into direct fire, he did," said Steve Moore, Haldane's nephew, in a phone interview. "He was always up there with his people leading the way. As a captain, he didn't have to do it."
Moore, who was born seven years after his uncle died, followed Haldane's lead and became a Marine captain. He has devoted much of his time to researching Haldane's life. When Moore provided the studio with information about his uncle, the producers decided to expand Haldane's character in the miniseries.
"The Pacific War" will tell the story of Haldane and other soldiers in a manner similar to the 2001 miniseries "Band of Brothers," which recounted the European theater of the war. Peter Ambrose, the son of historian Stephen Ambrose, is a researcher for the upcoming miniseries. "Band of Brothers" screenwriter Bruce McKenna is also writing for "The Pacific War."
Moore traces his decision to enter the Marines back to his childhood, when he saw his uncle's portrait on his grandmother's mantel. When Moore asked his grandmother who "the army man" was, she replied, "One: he's a Marine. Two: he's your uncle."
"I became a Marine that day," Moore said. "Everything good I heard about him I associated with the Marines—his enthusiasm, companionship, brotherhood stuff. He was a strong athlete without the ego."
Haldane's athleticism and ambition made him attractive to the Marines. While at Bowdoin, Haldane was captain of the football team and president of the student council. His Marine unit, the K35 Rifle Company (Kilo Company, 3rd Battalion, 5th Marines), included two other Bowdoin graduates: Edward Everett Pope '41 and Paul Douglas '13.
Before Peleliu, Haldane earned the Silver Star, the third highest honor awarded for valor. Peleliu was the worst battle that Haldane's Marines faced, with the greatest number of soldiers killed in a battle.
"It was a murderous, awful island," Moore said. "During that last battle, his hair went gray."
There was no water because the 55-gallon drums were tainted with oil, it was 110 degrees, and the Japanese dug tunnels around the island so they could move unseen.
Many Marines were shot in the back because the Japanese could pop out of the tunnels behind them.
By the end of the month-long battle, only 85 of the original 235 Marines still stood. Haldane was not among them.
"R.V. Burgin, who was right next to him when he was killed, told me that to this day, he still wishes it was him," Moore said.
Many others felt the pain of losing Haldane. The memory of Haldane's courage and congeniality has stayed vibrant in the minds of family, friends, Bowdoin graduates, and fellow Marines. Even though Moore never knew his uncle, many members of the Methuen, Massachusetts, community where Haldane grew up told him stories about the fallen Marine.
"I got away with murder because the principal adored him," Moore said.
There were plenty of other stories: a teacher broke down when she saw Moore because she had dated his uncle and considered it "a wonderful experience"; a classmate of Haldane's, Johnny Walker, felt lost after Haldane's death because Haldane had take him under his wing; and numerous people who spoke at the dedication of a Methuen baseball field in Haldane's memory.
Still, Haldane was a soldier. "He could go from easy-going guy to ferocious fighter," Moore said. "As a Marine, you always get the benefit of the doubt. Nobody questioned him because he was an honorable guy."
"He wasn't a saint," Moore continued. "He was a regular guy with qualities that people could see the whole thing right away. Even his Marines now refer to him as Andy. There is no way they would have called him by his name back then. Everyone called him [Andy] at home and everywhere else. In most cases he needed no more introduction than that—most people already knew of him."
Haldane kept his sense of humor while in the Marines, even participating in an illegal moustache-growing contest to pass the time at Guadalcanal, another battle site. He also kept the moustache.
"[People adored him] because he never said anything bad about anyone. It was pheromones, charisma—he just threw it off," Moore said. "The effect he had on people, I just can't do justice to it."
Ellie