R. Lee Ermey, who played the sergeant in "Full Metal
Jacket", applies his gruff sense of humor in this half-hour series that
answers viewers' mail about what the armed forces were, and really are, like!
Shot on location, Ermey reads the questions on air and then sends them out to
military experts in the field for answers and brief demonstrations. Since there is no official episode guide, R. Lee is
one of the coolest people on the planet and this is one of my favorite shows I
decided to put one together by grabbing most of the info from the official site
over the years. The official DVD sets are just best ofs, not complete
seasons.
I have every episode except 2, 3 & 4.
| Ep# |
Episode Title - Details |
| 1 |
Tank/Gatling Gun/Samurai Sword - Ermey
finds out how to steer the WWII tank M5A1 (the Stuart); how fast a Gatling
gun can fire; and why the samurai sword is so powerful. 8/4/02 |
| 2 |
Knight's Armor/WWI Backpack/Landmine - Ermey learns about the different
pieces of a 15th-century knight's armor; what was inside a WWI infantry back;
and what makes up a landmine. 8/11/02 |
| 3 |
Flak Vest/Medieval Crossbow/WWI Pilots - We find out: If a bullet can
penetrate body armor? How accurate was a medieval crossbow? How did WWI pilots
shoot through their propellers? 8/18/02 |
| 4 |
Civil War Cannoneers/Night Vision/Clearing a Minefield - Find out how
Civil War cannoneers aimed their artillery pieces; exactly how night vision
technology works; and how to clear a minefield. 8/25/02 |
| 5 |
Landing Craft, Air Cushion Hovercraft (LCAC)/U.S. Cavalry Saddles/Gas Masks
- Ermey learns how to operate the Landing Craft, Air Cushion Hovercraft;
what kind of saddles the cavalry used in the Old West; and how gas masks work.9/1/02 |
| 6 |
Mortar/WWII GI's Personal Items/Native-American Arrows - Ermey learns how to aim
an 81mm mortar/what personal items GIs carried in WWII/and how Native Americans
made arrows. 9/8/02 |
| 7 |
Re-Fueling a Fighter Jet/Naval Signal Flags/GI Chow - Find out how to
re-fuel a fighter jet in mid-air, how ships send messages using signal flags,
and what soldiers eat on the battlefield. 9/15/02 |
| 8 |
Revolutionary War Musket/Jousting/Foxholes - Find out how fast a
Revolutionary War soldier could fire a musket, the ins and outs of jousting, and
how to dig a foxhole. 9/22/02 |
| 9 |
The Pilum/WWII Radios/First Rockets - Ermey demonstrates the effectiveness of
the ancient Roman pilum, designed to penetrate armor and punch through shields;
handles WWII army radios; and reviews how rockets were first used on
battlefields. 9/29/02 |
| 10 |
Ninja Weapons/Flamethrower/Military Dogs - Ermey learns about the weapons of the
Japanese Ninja, used since the 12th century; how flamethrowers work; and what
military dogs are trained to do. 10/5/02 |
| 11 |
Grenades/Dog Tags/Dinner in a Pouch - Ermey learns how a grenade works/what
purpose dog tags fulfill/and what our GIs eat in the field today MREs (Meals,
Ready-to-Eat). 10/7/02 |
| 12 |
The Jeep/HIMARS/Hurricanes - Ermey learns all about the Jeep/the new high
mobility artillery rocket launcher (HIMAR)/and how and why the military hunts
down hurricanes.10/21/02 |
| 13 |
Future Gear/Marine Camouflage/Army's New Armored Vehicle - Ermey looks at
possible gear for GIs on tomorrow's battlefields/how the Marines designed their
new camo pattern/and examines the Army's new armored vehicle, the Stryker. 10/28/02 |
| Ep# |
Episode |
| 14 |
Grenade Launchers/Grape Shot/Shrapnel/D-Day Paratrooper Gear/Jet Packs - We
learn how grenade launchers work; how a .30 caliber machine gun compares to a
.50 cal; watch Ermey behind the wheel of a Flyer 21--part dune buggy and part
heavily-armed Jeep; and discover the origin of the word shrapnel, what gear was
unique to D-Day paratroopers, and if the military ever used jetpacks.
12/15/02 |
| 15 |
Civil War Rifles/Sub Missile/Navy Divers' Gear/Field Strip/The Bowie/Hedgechopper
- R. Lee Ermey compares Civil War rifles from both sides; learns about the first
missile fired from the deck of a sub; compares the Navy's Mark 21 deep-sea suit,
used for depths as far as 300-feet below surface, to "crush-proof"
suits used in extreme missions that can go almost 2,000 feet down; performs a
field strip, breaking down a weapon; finds out why the Bowie knife is so
special; and explains the evolution of a hedgechopper, used on tanks during
D-Day.
12/22/02 |
| 16 |
AVLB/Fulton Recovery System/Pilot Survival Kit/Trireme/Battleship Guns/Grape
Shot - R. Lee Ermey applies his gruff sense of humor while answering viewers'
mail about the armed forces. This week we find out about the Armored Vehicle
Launched Bridge, used by combat engineers; the Fulton Recovery System, which
allows fixed-wing aircraft to rescue downed pilots; a pilot's survival kit; the
ancient Greek warship, the Trireme; how to aim, load, and fire battleship guns;
and how "grape shot", used in the Revolutionary and Civil Wars, got
its name. 12/29/02 |
| 17 |
Marine Weapons Training/Greek Phalanx/MiG-29/Hellcat Tank Destroyer - 1/19/03 |
| 18 |
Trebuchet/Troop Headcounts/BAR/Smart Bombs/Modern Parachutes/ Boomerangs
- 1/26/03 |
| 19 |
LAV/Landing Craft/Doughboy/OPFOR/Chain Mail/Military Salute - This week, Ermey
rides along with the Marines in an LAV, or Light Armored Vehicle. He finds out
why landing craft don't sink when their ramps come down, what the WWI term
"Doughboy" means, who our troops train against (the OPFOR, or
"Opposing Force"), how to make medieval chain mail, and how the
military salute developed. 2/1/03 |
| 20 |
Deuce & A Half/Gun Truck/Household Fat/Silo/C-17 Loadmaster/ Kilt/ Girls from
Hell - What is a WWII "Deuce and a Half"? What's a "Vietnam Gun
Truck". Did the US really use household fat to make explosives in WWII? How
do missile silos work? What's the latest transport aircraft? Did Scottish
soldiers really wear kilts in battle, and who did the Germans call the
"Girls from Hell" in WWI? 2/9/03 |
| 21 |
Medieval Weapons/Lewis Gun/Carrier Pigeons/Gliders in Combat/ Anti-Tank
- What were some of the wickedest medieval weapons? What is a WWI Lewis
gun? How were carrier pigeons used during WWI and WWII? Were people really crazy
enough to use gliders in combat? How does the TOW (tube-launched, optically
tracked, wire-guided missile system) anti-tank missile work? How do ejection
seats work?
3/2/03 |
| 22 |
Self-Propelled Artillery/Musket/Airships/Blue Angels/Pirate Weapons/ Depth Charge
- If self-propelled artillery is much more maneuverable than towed artillery,
why isn't all artillery self-propelled? How does a matchlock musket work? Did
the US Navy really use airships as floating aircraft carriers? How does the Navy
select pilots for their elite precision flying team, the Blue Angels? What type
of weapons did pirates use? How do depth charges work?
3/9/03 |
| 23 |
Anti-Tank Rocket/Bazooka/HQ Tour/Tactical Operations Center/Downed Pilots
Rescue - R. Lee Ermey heads to the range with the Marines to demonstrate the
bazooka's replacement - an AT-4 shoulder-mounted anti-tank rocket--and finds out
how the bazooka got its name. After a tongue-in-cheek tour of Mail Call
Headquarters, we learn how commanders stay in touch with the battlefield at a
Tactical Operations Center, a mobile command post for the computer age. We meet
Air Force Pararescuemen, who rescue downed pilots behind enemy lines, and
discover the origin of a 21-gun salute.
3/16/03 |
| 24 |
AAV/Jeep/Battering Ram/Urban Warfare/Ball Turret Gunner/Nose Art - How
can the Marines' 26-ton AAV (Amphibious Assault Vehicle) stay afloat? Can a jeep
float? How did medieval battering rams work? What types of tactics do the
military use for urban warfare? Who were the guys who fired guns from the
bubbles underneath WWII bombers? What's the story behind all those pictures of
girls and other stuff drawn on WWII airplanes? 3/23/03 |
| 25 |
Unmanned Aircraft/Bogey/1st Combat Helicopter/Forward Observer/Commando Knife -
If unmanned aircraft are so good, why do we need pilots? Travel with R. Lee
Ermey to Edwards AFB for a look at the latest in experimental planes. See how
Scottish kids, afraid of the Bogey Man, gave rise to the pilot term for
unidentified aircraft. Watch the first combat helicopter, the US YR-4B, flown in
WWII by Lt. Carter Harman in Burma. See how forward observers direct artillery
fire, and join Ermey as he demonstrates the Fairbairn-Sykes commando knife on
his favorite target - a watermelon! 4/6/03 |
| 26 |
Newest Coast Guard Ship/Carrier Battle Group/Tanks/Sherman Tank/ XM-29 Rifle
- If unmanned aircraft are so good, why do we need pilots? Travel with R.
Lee Ermey to Edwards AFB for a look at the latest in experimental planes. See
how Scottish kids, afraid of the Bogey Man, gave rise to the pilot term for
unidentified aircraft. Watch the first combat helicopter, the US YR-4B, flown in
WWII by Lt. Carter Harman in Burma. See how forward observers direct artillery
fire, and join Ermey as he demonstrates the Fairbairn-Sykes commando knife on
his favorite target--a watermelon!
4/12/03 |
| S1 |
Special - Live from the Gulf - R. Lee Ermey answers viewer questions about
Operation Iraqi Freedom and fighting desert warfare in a 1-hour special. Onboard
the USS Nimitz, he finds out why the men and women on aircraft carrier flight
decks wear different bright-colored jerseys; meets with an Air Force EOD
(explosive ordnance disposal) unit that deals with unexploded bombs on the
battlefield; and at Talil air base in Iraq, finds out what it takes to rescue
downed pilots with the Air Force Reserve 39th Rescue Squadron. 7/6/03 |
| Ep# |
Episode |
| 27 |
Super Stallion Helicopter/Flying Banana/Navy Hazing/Seabees/GI Jargon/Tank Ammo
- At Camp Pendleton, R. Lee Ermey checks out the Marines' 13,000 horsepower
CH-53 Super Stallion heavy-lift helicopter, and a Korean War helicopter, the
Piasecki H-21B Workhorse AKA the Flying Banana. He gives us the scoop on the
Navy's "Crossing the Equator" ritual - a ceremony of creative hazing
for "polliwogs"- and how the Seabees built runways in the middle of
the Pacific in WWII. Lee explains the military phrase "the G-2" and
troops at Fort Knox demonstrate the Abrams battle tank's firepower. 7/13/03 |
| 28 |
M-1 Garand Rifle/First Assault Rifle/JATO/Golden Knights Parachute Team/Barr
- R. Lee Ermey answers viewer questions about the M-1 Garand, the rifle General
Patton called "the greatest battle implement ever devised", and
demonstrates the world's first assault rifle, the German MP-44. He takes to the
sky to explain jet assisted take-off (JATO); offers an eye-popping look at the
stunts performed by the Golden Knights, the Army's precision freefall parachute
team; explains how barrage balloons protected London during the Blitz; and goes
through the alphabet - military style! 7/20/03 |
| 29 |
Rocket-Assisted Projectile/WWII German Gustav/Tent Tech/Pup Tent/Tomahawk
- 7/27/03 |
| 30 |
M-16/Viet Cong Booby Traps/Super-Secret Ravens/Wild Weasels/ Vietnam River Patrol
Boats/Green Berets - Devoted to the Vietnam War. Why did the military
replace the M-14 rifle with the M-16 during Vietnam? What kind of booby traps
did the Viet Cong use? Who were the super-secret Ravens? What did the Wild
Weasels do during the Vietnam War? What types of missions did river patrol boats
take care of in Vietnam? How did the Green Berets get their name? 8/10/03 |
| 31 |
Marine Sniper Rifle/BlowGun/Mulberry Harbor/French Resistance/ Frontline Medic
- At Camp Pendleton's sniper school, Ermey pops off a few rounds of the
Marine's super accurate M40A3 rifle, then takes on his old enemy, a watermelon,
using a blowgun--a weapon in use for 40,000 years! Lee examines a WWII
"Mulberry Harbour"--floating concrete caissons used to bridge the
English Channel, weapons the French Resistance used against the Nazis, and
improvements in frontline medical care. In our GI Jargon segment, he explains
the military origin of the word "Berserk". 8/17/03 |
| 32 |
Marine Sniper School/Hand Signals/Ho Chi Minh Trail/Motorcycles/ Loading
Palettes/C-119 - 8/31/03 |
| 33 |
Armored Scout Car/Water-Cooled Machine Gun/Fart Sack/Shuteye/ Nazi
U-Boats/Stealth Ship - How effective were armored scout cars in WWII? What does
it mean when the term "water-cooled" is used with a machine gun?
What's a fart sack? How do modern troops grab some shuteye on the battlefield?
Why were the German U-boats of WWII so effective? Does the Navy really have a
ship that's invisible to radar? 9/7/03 |
| 34 |
Claymore Mine/1st U.S. Nuclear Sub/Resupply at Sea/Patriot Air Defense
Missile/Jody Songs - R. Lee Ermey demonstrates the claymore anti-personnel
mine--a favorite weapon for perimeter defense in Vietnam that's still in
use--and checks out the medieval claymore--a 16th-century sword used by Scottish
warriors. Other viewer questions Lee addresses include: America's first
nuclear-powered submarine; how naval vessels resupply at sea; if the Patriot
Missile performs better now than in the first Gulf War; the origin of the name
for the rhythmic cadence songs used while drilling or running. 9/14/03 |
| 35 |
WWII Half Track/Arctic Vehicles/Weird Weapons/Navy Hydrofoil/ Combat
Controller - R. Lee tears around in a
WWII M2A2 half track, with a combination of tracks and wheels; demonstrates Army
vehicles designed for extreme arctic conditions, including the world's longest
truck--the 572-foot Snow Train; strange weapons used by the Allies in WWII; and
Navy hydrofoils. And he explains the function of Air Force combat controllers
and Marine Corps gunnery sergeants. 10/5/03 |
| 36 |
Military Pilot Training/Flak/Doolittle Raid/One-Man Submarine/ Military Radios
- How do we train our military pilots? What is flak and what is the origin of
the word? How did the US pull off the daring Doolittle Raid against the Japanese
during WWII? Did the OSS really use a 1-man submarine named Sleeping Beauty?
What kind of radios are used in the field by today's military? Does a foxhole
radio really work? 10/12/03 |
| 37 |
F-15 Eagle/Flying Platform/Atomic Annie/Army Missiles/Tommy Gun v. Burp
Gun/Measuring Bullets - R. Lee Ermey rides in an F-15 Eagle, courtesy of the
Oregon Air National Guard--and proudly returns all three of his airsickness bags
empty! Find out about a wacky single-man vertical flight machine tested in the
1950s--the Hiller Flying Platform; Atomic Annie, a howitzer that fired both
conventional and nuclear warheads; why the Army controlled missile programs in
the 1940s and '50s; which WWII submachine gun was better, the US Tommy Gun or
German Burp Gun; and the terms used to measure bullets. 10/19/03 |
| 38 |
Avenger/Stinger & Red-Eye Missiles/Military Firefighter & Smokejumper/
Kiowa Helicopter/Kilroy - Ermey checks out the Marine Corps' Avenger Air
Defense System; explains the difference in the Stinger and Red Eye missile that
replaced it; finds out how military firefighters train differently than their
civilian counterparts; learns about the first military smokejumpers--an all
African-American unit known as the 555th Test Platoon or Triple Nickels;
discovers the function of the Kiowa Scout Helicopter on the battlefield; and
unravels the mystery behind the WWII drawings "Kilroy was here." 10/26/03 |
| 39 |
Cobra Attack Helicopter/Sidewinder Missile/C-54 Skymaster/MPs/ Flintlock Pistol -
What puts the "super" in the Marines' attack helicopter, the AH-1W
Super Cobra? As long as we're talking snakes, why are there so many AIM (Air
Intercept Missile) Sidewinders? Why do many consider the C-54 Skymaster
transport plane the true hero of the Berlin Airlift and the first Air Force One
plane? What kind of training and gear are supplied to our military police? How
accurate were the old Flintlock Pistols? 11/2/03 |
| S2 |
Special - A Very Ermey Christmas - R. Lee Ermey salutes more than two
centuries of Christmas at War - from Valley Forge to Baghdad, we present
inspiring stories about how troops have celebrated the holiday season. Topics
include the WWI Christmas truce across the trenches of the French countryside,
the men of the 101st Airborne under siege during the Battle of the Bulge in
Christmas 1944, the retreat at Choisin Reservoir in Korea, and the Gunny's
strong involvement over the years in the Marine Corps' Toys for Tots charity
program. 12/21/03 |
| Ep# |
Episode |
| 40 |
Golden Knights/U.S. Air Force/Flying Tigers/Blood Chit/AC-130U Spooky Gunship -
Join R. Lee Ermey as he prepares to jump with the Army's Golden Knights and find
out if he's too chicken! Since people get confused about what to call the Air
Force during WWII, when it was a part of the Army, he digs into the history.
Then, Lee focuses on the Flying Tiger volunteers who risked their lives in China
before America entered WWII. And, he profiles the modern gunship AC-130U.
Terrifying to the enemy, it flies at night, hence its nickname Spooky. 1/11/04 |
| 41 |
Blimp/Military Shotguns/Navy Graveyard/Poop Deck - R. Lee flies in a
new hi-tech blimp the military is testing as an anti-terror surveillance
platform that can hover over areas for hours, and he examines the first aerial
recon balloon from the Civil War. Then, he loads up and takes aim with military
shotguns. Next, Lee goes where ships go to die in Washington State--water
storage for many WWII and Vietnam-era ships. And finally, Lee finds out why the
Navy has so many terms involving the word "Poop"--which dates back to
Ancient Rome. 1/18/04 |
| 42 |
Guided Missile Destroyer/WWI Aircraft & Aces/Marine Corps Fast Teams -
Onboard the USS Preble, one of the Navy's newest destroyers, R. Lee Ermey
explains its Aegis Fire Control System, and the history of the Navy's first
guided missile, the Loon. He reviews the most effective WWI aircraft and the
best pilots, like US Ace Eddie Rickenbacker and Germany's Red Baron; checks out
the curves of a Gibson Girl, a WWII emergency transmitter; meets the elite
Marines of the Fleet Anti-Terrorism Team, who guard nuclear material on docked
subs; and flips his Challenge Coin. 1/25/04 |
| 43 |
Grease Gun/Sten Gun/E-3 Sentry AWACS/J-Stars/Vietnam Fire Support Bases/Charlie
- R. Lee Ermey demonstrates the WWII American M3 submachine gun, a.k.a. the
Grease Gun, and a similar British gun, the Sten Gun; takes viewers inside the
E-3 Sentry early warning and control system--a high-tech aerial command and
control center--and J-Stars, similar to AWACs, but linked to an Army command
center housed in a Humvee; finds out how US fire support bases were constructed
in Vietnam and their use, and how the slang term "Charlie" entered GI
Jargon. 2/8/04 |
| 44 |
Medieval Madness/Longbow/National Technical Systems/WWI Machine Gun/P-51
Mustang/WWII Flight Jacket - Medieval expert Jeffrey Hedgecock shows R. Lee
Ermey why the longbow was such a feared weapon and how it helped England become
a dominant European power in the Middle Ages, and demonstrates the brigandine
variety of archer protection. Then, Lee heads to Arkansas, where National
Technical Systems tests weapons and equipment; profiles the WWI Chauchat machine
gun, a fabulous French flop; gets an up-close look at a restored P-51 Mustang;
and swaggers around in an A-2 flight Jacket, a WWII icon. 2/15/04 |
| 45 |
Heavy Support Vehicles/Dragon Wagon/Rappel/Alice Gear/WWII Merchant Ships/Deep
Six - At ease, Private! R. Lee Ermey is your commanding officer as we answer
viewer questions about military methods and technology with practical
demonstrations. Topics covered: Army Heavy Support Vehicles, including the M88
Heavy Recovery Vehicle and the M1070 Heavy Equipment Transporter; the Dragon
Wagon, a WWII-era recovery vehicle; Ranger training in fast-roping and
rappelling; All-Purpose Light Weight Individual Carrying Equipment; WWII Liberty
and Victory Ships; and the term "Deep Six". 2/22/04 |
| 46 |
Army Air Ambulance/1st Special Service Force/Johnson Rifle/ MiG-15 vs.
F-86/P-59 - At Fort Irwin, R. Lee Ermey checks out the Army's
state-of-the-art air ambulance--the Blackhawk helicopter; then, he learns why
the helicopter became so important to Korean War MASH units that it was dubbed
"The Angel of Mercy". Then, he reviews the history of America's First
Special Service Force, created in WWII and nicknamed "The Devil's
Brigade" by the German Army; sees which Cold War superjet is tougher--the
MiG-15 or F-86 Sabre; and checks out the first US operational jet--the P-59. 3/7/04 |
| 47 |
Fastest Army Vehicle "The Sarge"/Uncle Sam/Tank Destroyers/Anti-Tank
Rifle/Dive Bomber - R. Lee Ermey pits his trusty Jeep against the
Army's nitro-burning dragster "Sarge" at an Arizona speedway; finds
out if a real guy posed for the original Uncle Sam recruitment poster; reviews
the evolution of Tank Destroyers; demonstrates a Boys .55 Caliber anti-tank
"elephant gun" using a Spam tower as his target; finds out what caused
the screaming noise when dive bombers attacked; and digs into his Fabulous Flops
File to examine the Sea Dart--America's attempt to put a jet fighter on water
skies. 3/28/04 |
| 48 |
Navy SEALs/Frogmen/Kettering Bug/Warthog/Afrika Korps Gear/ Jerry Cans -
R. Lee Ermey teams up with Navy SEALs to demonstrate their weapons; reviews the
history of the Navy's fierce frogmen; and goes back to 1918 to view the world's
first cruise missile - the Kettering Bug - designed by Charles Kettering and
Orville Wright. At Tallil Air Base in Iraq, he shows why the A-10 Thunderbolt
(AKA Warthog) is the world's best tank killer, learns about Rommel's Afrika
Korps' advanced weapons in WWII, and why gasoline storage containers are called
Jerry Cans.
4/4/04 |
| 49 |
Band of Brothers - 506th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 101st Airborne Division,
Jump Gear/Weapons/ Communications and Medical Gear - an entire show to the gear
and guys of "Easy Company" the men depicted in Band of Brothers. Shot
in a "You Are There" style, R. Lee Ermey hosts in a vintage jumpsuit,
supported by a team of paratrooper reenactors using and demonstrating the real
gear, weapons, and medical evac used during the Invasion of Normandy and through
to the end of WWII. 4/11/04 |
| 50 |
Submarine - R. Lee Ermey goes "underway" with the Navy's
Pacific Fleet onboard the nuclear attack submarine USS Salt Lake City. He
demonstrates diving, steering, and sonar--submarine basics; gets his hands on
the torpedoes and Tomahawk missiles that put the "attack" in a nuclear
submarine; and gets as close as he can to the heart of a nuclear sub--its
reactor. At program's end, Lee breaks bread with the crew, after learning that
the USS Salt Lake City just won the Navy's award for Best Chow on any submarine. 4/25/04 |
| 51 |
Mark V Special Ops Craft/U.S. Gunboat/German Paratroopers/ German Junkers/M113
APC/K-Rations - Learn about the Mark V Special Operations craft, the
Navy's fastest boat; go aboard the only surviving Revolutionary War gunboat;
check out German paratrooper gear and detail the JU-52, the plane that
transported them; find out why the M113 APC was called a Battle Taxi in the
Vietnam War, and why there's a crescent stamped on ration boxes, from the oldest
K-rations to the newest MREs. 5/2/04 |
| 52 |
Bren Gun & Carrier/Special Forces School Final Exam/Beasts of
Burden/Predator/1st RPV - R. Lee rolls up to HQ toting a WWII
light machine gun, the Bren Gun, and rides in a "Tankette", the
armored vehicle that carried the Bren and its 2-man team. At the Army's Special
Warfare Center and School, he checks out "Operation Robin Sage", the
final exam--a 14-day "war" waged in North Carolina. Lee learns that
Green Berets are training to handle pack beasts like camels and donkeys, and
looks at the leading remote-powered vehicle, the Predator, and the first RPV,
WWII's Weary Willy. 5/16/04 |
| S3 |
D-Day Special - In commemoration of the anniversary of the Allied landing on
D-Day in 1944, R. Lee Ermey takes an in-depth look at the technology used
throughout the "longest day" - and travels to Dover, England and
Normandy, France for a view from both sides of the operation in a special
hour-long program. 6/6/04 |
| Ep# |
Episode |
| 53 |
Krag-Jorgenson Rifle/Maine/Blackbird/Northern
Warfare Training Center/Stalingrad - R. Lee Ermey demonstrates the
firepower of a Krag-Jorgenson rifle from the Spanish-American War, and
explains what sank the USS Maine and why we're supposed to remember it. He
catches up with history's fastest plane, the SR-71 Blackbird and finds out
what went wrong with its predecessor, the U-2 spy plane. And he visits the
Northern Warfare Training Center in Ft. Wainwright, Alaska, and answers a
question about how extreme cold weather helped the WWII Allies in the
Battle of Stalingrad. 7/11/04 |
| 54 |
MP5/Three Types of Automatic Weapons/Marine Corps Paratroopers of World War
II/Photograph of the Flag Raisers at Iwo Jima. With his bulldog Harley by his
side, the Gunny demonstrates the firepower of the MP5--the gun of choice for
Special Forces when they're in close-quarter battle. And we see the MP5 in
action during a Navy SEALs live-fire training exercise. R. Lee gives
the often-overlooked Marine Corps paratroopers of WWII their due, and relates
the story behind the photo of the Iwo Jima flag-raisers. Then, fighter pilots
demonstrate the new state-of-the-art hands-free helmet system. 7/18/04 |
| 55 |
The Navy Marine Mammals Program/The Chain of Evacuation in World War II/WC54
Ambulance/The Desert Ducks - The Gunny proves that the Navy Marine
Mammals program is no fish tale and discovers just how dolphins and sea lions
help to win wars. Next, R. Lee discovers how we got our injured soldiers from
the battlefield to field hospitals by the chain of evacuation in WWII, and takes
a ride in the WC54 ambulance. Finally, we profile the Desert Ducks, the Navy
unit in charge of delivering the mail to ships in the Persian Gulf. 7/25/04 |
| 56 |
Musketeer/Hellcat & Zero/U.S. Army's High Altitude Rescue Team/XR-8
Syncopter - R. Lee Ermey does some fancy footwork, fencing his way through
the gear of the French Musketeers. Next, the Gunny sizes up two of the greatest
fighter planes of World War II--the US F6F Hellcat and the Japanese A6M Zero.
Then, we find out what it takes to be a member of the US Army's High Altitude
Rescue Team. Finally, Lee opens the "fabulous flops" file to spotlight
the XR-8 Syncopter, a helo with blades that had a nasty tendency to intertwine. 8/1/04 |
| 57 |
Marine Corps marksmen/coast artillery of World War II/BAT missile/ Maritime
Safety and Security Teams/first plane to cross the Atlantic - Marine
Corps marksman, sharpshooter, expert? What's the difference? R. Lee Ermey aims
to find out the difference, and handles some of the Corps' heralded Vietnam
snipers' gear. Next, the Gunny reviews WWII coast artillery and examines one of
WWII's most sophisticated missiles, the BAT. Finally, R. Lee checks out the
Coast Guard's latest approach to the War on Terror, the Maritime Safety and
Security Teams, and looks back at the first plane to cross the Atlantic, the
Navy NC-4 flying boat. 8/8/04 |
| 58 |
Silencers/Flashbang Grenade/WWII Japanese
Gear/HITRON Teams - The Gunny discovers why the military uses
silencers in a live-fire demonstration, and he learns why silence isn't
always golden in a demo of the flashbang grenade. Next, R. Lee Ermey
checks out the weapons and gear of Japanese soldiers in WWII's Pacific
Theater. And in Jacksonville, Florida, Lee catches up with the tough new
Coast Guard HITRON teams, and profiles one of the military's premier
heavy-lifting helos, the CH-54 Skycrane. 8/15/04 |
| 59 |
Javelin Anti-Tank Missile/Tankgewehr 1918/P-3 Orion/SOG - Gunnery
Sergeant R. Lee Ermey learns how our troops stick it to enemy tanks with the
Javelin anti-tank missile and looks back at the first anti-tank rifle, the
massive bolt-action Tankgewehr 1918. Next, it's out to the open ocean for a
little submarine hunting in the Navy's P-3 Orion aircraft and a look back at sub
hunting planes of WWII. Finally, it's into the heart of the jungle to discover
the weapons, gear, and tactics used by the Studies and Observations Group (SOG)
during the Vietnam War. 8/22/04 |
| 60 |
War of 1812/Warships/Firearms of the American and
British rifle regiments - 8/29/04 |
| 61 |
Military sidearms/Glock handguns/German MG42/weapons and gear of the British
commandos of World War II/Gun Truck Alley - 9/19/04 |
| 62 |
XM8/Spencer/AC-47 Spooky/Small Diameter Bomb/Gotha Bomber - R. Lee Ermey pulls a
little trigger time with the latest and greatest in military rifles, the XM8,
then takes a draw on one of the oldest repeating rifles, the Civil War-era
Spencer. Next, he looks back at one of the hardest-hitting war birds of the
Vietnam War, the AC-47 Spooky gunship, and a peek at one of the kookiest
inventions to be tested during the war, the Manpack "people sniffer".
Finally, the Gunny travels down to Eglin AFB to check out the Small Diameter
Bomb, followed by a look at one of the earliest heavy bombers, the German Gotha
Bomber. 9/26/04 |
| 63 |
Rapid Fielding Initiative/Anti-Tank and Anti-Anti-Tank/Blimp Sub-hunters/Cloud
Car - R. Lee checks out how our troops, hopefully, are getting the latest
gear in record time through the Rapid Fielding Initiative. Next, it's a trip
back in time to see the kind of heat the German Army's anti-tank crews packed,
followed by a look at some anti-anti-tank weapons. Finally, he finds out
how the Navy used blimps as sub hunters during WWII, and takes a look at an
unique WWI invention, the German "cloud car" spy basket. 10/3/04 |
| 64 |
Zoaves/Flying Wing/ICBM/Swift Boats - Wearing the somewhat dopey-looking uniform
of Civil War-era Zouaves, Gunnery Sergeant R. Lee Ermey explains why the
Confederacy feared this fierce fighting battalion despite their goofy outfits
and participates in a Zouave bayonet drill. And we learn the story of the
greatest WWII bayonet charge, a risky maneuver that wiped out a German military
encampment during the D-Day invasion and earned the commander a Congressional
Medal of Honor. Next, we get some flight time with a real gem from the 1940s,
the Northrop YB-35, also known as the Flying Wing, the first aircraft to achieve
flight without tail or fuselage and the model for future cutting-edge craft like
the Stealth Bomber. 10/12/04 |
| 65 |
Celebrity Golf Tournament, Gala Ball, and Auction - Gunnery Sergeant R. Lee
Ermey hosts from his first annual Celebrity Golf Tournament, Gala Ball, and
Auction in Washington, DC. It's bad golf for a good cause--the Navy Marine Corps
Relief Society and the Young Marines Youth Organization. From the links, Lee
reviews the celebrity-filled history of the USO with rare footage of some of its
best and most dangerous performances in wartime. After a taste of the gala and
auction, we get the lowdown on some of America's best athletes who served on
both playing field and battlefield. And we visit the private beaches and ski
resorts reserved for warriors--where soldiers, sailors, marines, and airmen can
go on leave courtesy of the military. 11/9/04 |
| S4 |
Special - R. Lee Ermey in Afghanastan. 12/04 |
| Ep# |
Episode |
| 66 |
The Ballista/Pedersen Device/Up-Armoring Humvees/Rhino PAK/The Peashooter -
Decked out as a Roman legionnaire, R. Lee Ermey gets down and dirty with the
Ballista - a 2,000-year-old spear-thrower that still packs quite a punch as Lee
discovers when he takes out the "enemy" - an 8-foot-high inflatable
teddy bear! He also gets trigger time with the Pedersen Device--a WWI-era gizmo
that turned old single-shot Springfield rifles into automatic weapons. After
decimating a few watermelons, Lee examines up-armoring--getting armor protection
for thin-skinned Humvees currently fighting in Iraq - and checks out the Rhino
PAK (Portable Armor Kit), which can turn a vulnerable vehicle into an armored
transport. Then, Lee rides on the first single-wing aircraft (monoplane) to get
a shot off in WWII's Pacific Theater - the Peashooter - and recounts the landmark
plane's history. Finally, Lee strolls down memory lane, sharing sentimental
moments he's enjoyed with his beloved Jeep! 3/4/05 |
| 67 |
NORAD - R. Lee hits the road to give us an inside look at one of the
most secure and super-secret facilities in the world - NORAD. Lee gets through
tight security to enter Cheyenne Mountain Operations Center, America's eye in
the sky where everything that flies is monitored 24/7. During a tour of the
Battle Management Center, an incident of concern puts the center on alert and we
see how NORAD operates under pressure. We also tour the Missile Command Center
and find out what keeps the 800 military personnel inside on their toes. And
Brigadier General Jim Hunter unlocks the door for Lee to the most secret part of
Cheyenne Mountain--the Command Center, or what a lot of people call the War
Room. We see how the men and women who work here monitor planes, missiles, and
even space junk to make sure North America stays safe. The General and Lee talk
about how NORAD's mission has changed since September 11th and we get a sneak
peak at the new command center. 3/11/05 |
| 68 |
Afghanistan - R. Lee returns to Afghanistan for a special hour from Bagram
Air Base devoted to the hard-charging Marines stationed there. After an
historical overview of the role of the Marine Corps in Afghanistan, the Gunny
goes on foot patrol into the rural villages surrounding Kabul. With his armed
Marine Corps escorts, the Gunny shows what it's like to gather intelligence and
promote goodwill among the Afghanis. Next, Lee goes for a ride in the Ch-53
Super Stallion, gets a little trigger time on a helicopter gunship--the Cobra
attack helicopter, and test drives the Marine Corps' newest heavy duty truck,
the MTVR. Finally, Lee spends time with the lifeline for the Marines in
Afghanistan, the Medical Corpsman, and finds out how they treat injuries on base
and on the battlefield. 3/18/05 |
| 69 |
The Pentagon - In Washington, DC, R. Lee takes viewers inside the nerve
center of American defense--the Pentagon. The Commandant of the Marine Corps
gives Lee a rare interview, and Lee reviews the Pentagon's past to show how the
world's largest office building came into being, what keeps it running, and what
kind of work goes on inside to fight wars and keep the peace. Next, Lee hangs
out with the PFPA--Pentagon Force Protection Agency. We see a RAM--a Random
Anti-Terrorism Maneuver, meet officers and dogs that patrol the Pentagon, and
the Gunny gets a little trigger time at the Pentagon firing range with the
PFPA's newest automatic weapon, the UMP40 submachine gun. And Lee infiltrates
the Navy Operations Center, where ships and sailors are tracked 24/7, and the
Army Operating Center, where troop movements are tracked. Finally, he looks back
at September 11th and shows how the Pentagon has changed since that dreadful
day. 4/29/05 |
| 70 |
SS Lane Victory - R. Lee Ermey is underway in San Pedro, California onboard the
SS Lane Victory--the only fully operational WWII-era victory ship in the world.
Lee highlights the role of the Merchant Marine and Navy Armed Guard in WWII and
how they formed the vital link between "Rosie the Riveter" and
"GI Joe"--shipping millions of tons of materiel and supplies across
the Atlantic and Pacific. To demonstrate the ship's role, Lee and his jeep are
sealifted by a WWII-era crane from shore onto the ship. From the anti-aircraft
gun mount on the SS Lane Victory, the Gunny introduces a story about SWORDS, the
military's new fully-armed robot warrior that is being deployed on the
battlefield right now. And Lee takes a look back to the Navajo Code
Talkers--Native Americans who developed an unbreakable secret code to keep radio
communications safe during WWII. 4/1/05 |
| 71 |
29 Palms - R. Lee Ermey takes viewers on a tour of the Marine Corps Training
Command Center, a.k.a. 29 Palms. It's the largest Marine Corps base in the world
and covers half-a-million acres of Southern California desert. The Gunny gives
us a short course on 29 Palms' history before engaging in a training exercise
called MOUT--Military Operations on Urban Terrain. In a "town" created
in the desert to resemble an Iraqi neighborhood, Marines train in
street-to-street fighting tactics. Next, he heads to the sea and mounts up on
the Marine Corps' newest and most versatile assault vehicle--the Expeditionary
Fighting Vehicle (EFV). And he answers a viewer email asking for a comparison
between the Germans fighters and US Marines during World War I. We see both
sides' gear and guns and learn how the Marines prevailed against German
firepower in the bloody Battle of Belleau Wood--a victory that turned the tide
of WWI and earned the Marines the nickname "Devil Dogs". 5/13/05 |
| 72 |
Civil War Special - R. Lee Ermey, dressed in the uniform of a Civil War
Marine Corps sergeant, dedicates the entire half-hour to the Civil War,
answering a slew of email questions about the guns and gear used in the War
between the States. First, the Gunny performs live-fire demonstrations with four
different weapons: the Union's Springfield rifle, the Confederacy's Enfield
rifle, the 1842 Springfield muzzleloader, which was the last smoothbore musket
used by the US military, and last but not least, a powerful cannon. Next, Lee
shows viewers cavalry gear, including weapons, tack, and personal gear. In
particular, we get a look at the rare 9-shot pistol called "Le
Mat"--it also fired a shotgun shell for a lethal blast. Then, the Gunny
cooks up some salt port and hardtack, the Civil War version of an MRE. Finally,
he dons the fancy pants and embroidered vest of the regiment known as the
Zouaves and takes part in their bang-up bayonet training. 5/22/05 |
| 73/74 |
Iwo Jima Special - R. Lee Ermey travels to the Pacific Island of Iwo Jima with
86 veterans of the WWII invasion to relive the US Marine Corps' most heroic
battle. In an hour-long special, Lee interviews Marines, Navy Corpsmen, and
Coast Guard sailors who fought in the battle. Vivid color footage brings the
invasion to life and tracks the courage, gear, and guts needed to plant that
famous flag on Mount Suribachi. The Gunny walks the black-sand beach and
explores pillboxes and caves of the Japanese underground defenses. He views rare
footage from combat cameraman Bill Genaust and places a memorial plaque near the
spot where Genaust died. And he welcomes returning vets and their families,
including two brothers who come to scatter their father's and grandmother's
ashes to "reunite" them with their grandfather--killed in action on
Iwo Jima and buried at sea. Though an emotional trip for Lee, it's filled with
the firepower, hardware, and vehicles that activate his interest. 5/27/05 |
| 75 |
Gator Navy - At the US Naval Base Coronado, R. Lee Ermey ships out with the
"Gator Navy" - the seafaring men and women of the amphibious assault
fleet--and opens the episode from the deck of an LCU (Landing Craft Utility)
about to dock with its mother ship, one of the Navy's newest LAAS (Landing
Amphibious Assault Carrier), the USS Belleau Wood. The crew takes us through a
fire drill and a close-quarter drill - "Battle Stations!" to
landlubbers. In San Diego at the Southwest Regional Maintenance Center, he gets
an A-to-Z rundown on ship repair, before looking back to WWII to answer the
question - Was there a real Rosie the Riveter?" Lee narrates the thrilling
story of the Battle of Coral Sea, the first aircraft carrier battle in history.
Then, he fast-forwards to Operation Desert Storm--the last time a US battleship
fired its guns in anger. 6/3/05 |
| 76 |
B-2 - At Whiteman Air Force Base in Missouri, host R. Lee Ermey gets to do
something only a few hundred humans have done before him--take a ride in a B-2
Stealth Bomber on a mock bomb run! The Gunny sets the stage for his historic
flight by giving us the facts and stats on what makes the B-2 the greatest
bomber in the history of aviation. Then, we go along on Lee's pre-flight
training as he prepares to get airborne. From the cockpit, he shows viewers what
it's like to fly in a stealth bomber. The Whiteman crew the Gunny flies with are
part of the 509th Bomber Group, the same squadron that flew the first atomic
bomb missions back in World War II. In his tribute to the 509th, the Gunny shows
how the Enola Gay and other bombers got the mission done. 6/10/05 |
| 77 |
Marine Corps Weapons Training Center has a live fire
exercise with the Abrams M1-A1, the US military's main battle tank, and gets a
chance to put the heavily armored vehicle through its paces and fire its
enormous cannon. Next, the Gunny takes viewers through the first major
engagement between Americans and Germans in WWII. During the Battles of
Kasserine Pass and El Guttar in North Africa, the US got their butts kicked, but
the lessons they learned were put to good use in future battles against Rommel
in the African desert. North Africa was also the first stop for America's
best-loved war correspondent, Ernie Pyle, the reporter who brought the war home.
Ermey also introduces a new kind of full body armor being tested that will,
literally, save life and limbs. With a new miracle fabric stronger than Kevlar,
the armor is lighter and provides better protection than what's being fielded
right now. 6/17/05 |
| 78 |
Benelli M4 Shotgun/1st Air Cav in Vietnam/Germany's WWII ME-163 Komet &
Kubelwagen - Host R. Lee Ermey shows off what he does best--shoot stuff! The
Gunny's weapon of choice this week is the Marine Corps' brand new military
shotgun, the Benelli M4. Then, in tribute to a fallen hero, Lee profiles
Sergeant 1st Class Paul Smith, the first Medal of Honor recipient during
Operation Iraqi Freedom. Next, Lee takes us back to the Vietnam War for a blow
by blow description of the Battle of Ia Drang, the first major battle of the
war. Ia Drang was the debut for the First Air Cavalry and the beginning of a
long history of fighting wars with helicopter gun ships. And in a grudging
tribute to German engineering, the Gunny turns back the clock to show viewers
the ME-163 Komet, the first rocket-powered fighter plane. And he gets behind the
wheel of a vintage Kubelwagen, the Porsche-designed German version of a WWII
Jeep, and takes it for a spin. 6/24/05 |
| Ep# |
Episode |
| 79 |
MK-19 Grenade Launcher/PPSH-41/WWII Weasel/Vertijet - First, the Gunny
is pitching horseshoes and because "close only counts in horseshoes and
hand grenades," it's the perfect introduction to Lee's trip to Camp
Pendleton where he gets some trigger time with the MK-19 grenade launcher. Next,
the focus is on Russian tactics and weapons of WWII. Lee shows us the Russian
sub machine gun of choice during the campaign, the PPSH-41. Then, it's time for
a test drive when a WWII Weasel shows up at HQ. Finally, it's time to dip into
the Gunny's Fabulous Flops file for a segment about the Vertijet, America's
first vertical take-off jet aircraft. 9/16/05 |
| 80 |
Beach Master/DLI/Hooch/Eureka MPTGS Type 3 Tent/Cabanatuan Raid/Arisaka
Rifle - Navy beach masters are known as the traffic cops of the beach and
host R. Lee Ermey travels to Coronado Naval Base to find out how they get the
job done and checks out their gear, including the new LARC, a floating tow truck
used for search and rescue. Next, Lee travels to the Defense Language Institute
in Monterrey, California, where military personnel learn how to speak Afghani,
Korean, Arabic, and other languages in a flash. In this installment of "GI
Jargon", the Gunny explains origins of the word "hooch". And we
get a tour of the Gunny's new digs--a state-of-the-art Eureka MPTGS Type 3 tent
with internal arch configuration. Then, he takes us back to the end of WWII and
the raid at Cabanatuan. Not a lot of people know about it, but this raid by Army
Rangers, Alamo Scouts, and Filipino guerrillas saved the lives of more than 500
POWs in the Philippines. Then, Lee demonstrates the Arisaka rifle, the
bolt-action rifle used by the Japanese Imperial Army. 9/23/05 |
| 81 |
German Renaissance/9mm Luger P-08/AFN/Battle of Britain - R. Lee Ermey
steps into the time machine for a segment about the weapons of the German
Renaissance in the 16th century. Then, fast forward to the present and a live
fire demonstration of the power behind one of the most famous handguns in
history, the 9 mm Luger P-08. Next, the Gunny has the history of AFN - American
Forces Network, the broadcasting network that's been at the forefront of
military news since WWII, and a salute to WWII journalist Bill Mauldin. Lee also
gives viewers an in-depth account of the bombing raid that rocked London to its
foundation - the Battle of Britain. Rare archival footage shows what Londoners
in the 1940s were up against and how Germany destroyed a city but not its
spirit. 9/30/05 |
| S5 |
Hurricane Katrina - Ermey hits the skies with the Air Force Pararescue
Teams, the PJs, to take a look at how these helicopter hard-chargers pulled
refugees out harm's way and flew them to safety after the recent Katrina
catastrophe in the Gulf Coast. Next, Gunny heads out on patrol with the Marines
for door-to-door searches, water-main repair, and the rescue of a defenseless
kitten. Now this isn't the first time the military has been faced with this sort
of situation, so the Gunny gives a history lesson on previous military responses
to natural disasters. Then, Lee takes a look at how the Marines are beginning
the cleanup effort. But the Marines aren't the only ground-pounders in the area.
The Gunny patrols the French Quarter with the 82nd Airborne to get the skinny on
the work they did to secure the Superdome and what they and the Army National
Guard are doing to help get the displaced citizens of New Orleans back on their
feet. 10/6/05 |
| 82 |
DOD Firefighter/USMC Martial Arts Training/Little David - R. Lee Ermey
dons the duds of a Department of Defense firefighter at their training facility
at March Air Reserve Base in Riverside, California. Highlighted is the DOD's new
crash vehicle, a heavy-duty firefighting truck. Back at HQ, the Gunny provides a
short history of Napalm--what it is and why we don't use it anymore. Next, Lee
travels to Camp Pendleton, California for a demonstration of USMC martial arts
training. Then, it's trigger time with the pistol favored by Japanese officers
during WWII - the Nambu pistol. And, the Gunny shows some amazing archival
footage of a secret US government project called Little David - a
remote-controlled weapons platform that never made it out of the prototype
stage. And along with Little David, is, of course, the story of Goliath - a WWII
German remote controlled tank bomb. 10/7/05 |
| 83 |
IEDs/Marine Raiders/Rough Riders - Ermey heads to Camp Pendleton to take
on one of the biggest threats facing today's troops, Improvised Explosive
Devices. With the help of USMC Explosive Ordnance Disposal Unit and a
state-of-the-art IED Terminating Robot, the Gunny learns one way to diffuse the
problem. Next, Lee gives us the straight dope on the first Marine Raiders and
how this elite group stuck it to the Japanese during the battle for Guadalcanal.
And he observes a moment of silence for the five brave Sullivan Brothers who
served and died together defending our nation on the USS Juneau during WWII.
Finally, the Gunny takes an in-depth look at the legendary Rough Riders of the
Spanish-American War and takes a peek at some modern-day Rough
Riders--convoy-security teams in Iraq that charge headlong into danger with
bravery and bravado, just like their predecessors. 10/21/05 |
| 84 |
Army's National Training Center - Ermey is on location at Fort Irwin,
California, home of the US Army's National Training Center [NTC], a world class
training center for America's soldiers, known for its desert training
capability. Ermey gives us the 411 on the Army's primo armored transport, the
M2A3, better known as the Bradley Fighting Vehicle. After the Gunny puts the
Bradley Fighting Vehicle through its pace, he answer an email about who the
transport was named after - General Omar Bradley. Next Lee gives us all the dirt
on the M9 combat Earthmover. It's a combination of a tank, truck, and dump truck
that the Army uses to prepare firing positions on the hottest front lines.
Finally, the Gunny finds dozens of Iraqis living in the desert, plotting suicide
bombings. Not to worry - these Iraqis work for the US Army and their plot is
part of an enormous role-playing exercise to train US soldiers in
counter-insurgency tactics. 10/28/05 |
| 85 |
Naval Training Base in Coronado -
Ermey heads California to participate in
a beach invasion training exercise featuring the Marine Corps' AAV--Amphibious
Assault Vehicle. The Gunny also gives viewers a Top 5 countdown of the greatest
beach invasions in history. Next, Lee squeezes off a few with some guns of the
Old West, including the Colt Peacemaker, the original "six-shooter"
and the gun they say was how the west was won. And, a nationally known
quick-draw champion gives Lee a few tips about shooting from the hip. Then, Lee
salutes Merrill's Marauders, the all-volunteer WWII force that fought through
1,000 miles of jungle in and around Burma, winning every one of their battles
against the Japanese--without tanks, air cover, or heavy artillery! No other
unit in the war fought as continuously, marched as far, or had the endurance of
Merrill's Marauders. And, we find out about the German Secret Weapon called the
Screaming Mimi. 11/4/05 |
| S6 |
Ermey's Vietnam - For the first time since leaving on a Freedom Bird back
in 1969, R. Lee Ermey travels back to Vietnam. In this two-hour special Lee
visits his old stomping grounds, Da Nang, where he served 13 months as Staff
Sergeant assigned to the Marine Air Support Group. Lee also pays tribute to our
fighting men and women at such historic locations as Hue, Khe Sanh, Hanoi and
the US Embassy in Saigon. And, of course, Lee answers viewers' questions about
what it was like to fight during the long, bloody conflict. Features interviews
with veterans spanning the entire history of the war - from the Commanding
Officer of the first combat troops to arrive in 1965 through the last Marine to
step off the Embassy roof ten years later. Hear first hand what it was like to
survive an ambush, engage in urban warfare, shoot down a MiG, and spend years as
a POW. 11/11/05 |
| 86 |
Minot AFB - In this one-hour special, host R. Lee Ermey goes to Minot Air
Force Base in North Dakota, the home of the mighty B-52 bomber. Here the base
motto is "Only the best come north," so the Gunny is right there with
the Bomber Barons who've invited him to go for a spin and party with cruise
missiles and JDams. Lee goes into the history of the B-52 from its first
delivery in the 1950s to the vital role it played during the Cold War and the
remarkable fact that it's still the heavy bomber used in Operations Iraqi
Freedom and Enduring Freedom. Next, we get a close look at all the toys that fly
with the B-52, like air launch cruise missiles carrying conventional and nuclear
war heads, and JDAMS - Joint Direct Attack Munitions. And finally, Lee roars off
for a 5-hour flight in a B-52 with Gunny riding shotgun. With a crew of five,
Lee goes on a real training run - dubbed "Operation Mail Call."
Was supposed to air 11/22/05. 12/13/05 |
| 90 |
Knob Creek Gun Range - R. Lee Ermey heads to Knob Creek Gun Range in West
Point, Kentucky, outside of Fort Knox, for the Knob Creek Shoot, a weekend when
machine-gun owners and collectors converge for unbridled mayhem. At this former
military-munitions test range, shooters nationwide come to buy, sell, and trade.
First, the Gunny shows us around, talks about the history, hits sales tables,
and fires off a few thousand rounds--from state-of-the-art to early vintage.
Next, Lee takes a turn on the "Jungle Walk", a machine-gun shooting
course with hidden targets and dense brush to recreate what it was like for the
grunts in Viet Nam; and he gets a lift on a mule to the Knob Creek helipad where
he goes aloft in a Cayuse OH-6A Helicopter for the range's aerial shooting
course. Then, it's the night shoot, when you really get to see raw power as
machine guns shoot tracers and fire at targets filled with diesel fuel and
dynamite, incinerating cars, refrigerators, and oil drums. 12/22/05 |
| 91 |
Potato Digger/Smith/P-38/Wire Dawgs - An 1895 Colt firearm; Maynard ''Snuffy''
Smith; can opener; Marines in charge of keeping lines of communication clear. 12/29/05 |
| S7 |
War in the Pacific - R. Lee relives the war that America waged across the
Pacific in World War Two, culminating with the Japanese surrender and US
celebration of VJ Day on August 14th, 1945. We'll go aboard the USS Missouri,
where General Douglas MacArthur accepted the surrender of Japan, and cover all
the highlights of America's historic island hopping campaign--from the tragedy
of Pearl Harbor to the pivotal battle of Midway and storming of the bloody
beaches of Iwo Jima. As the Gunny tours the Missouri, viewers find out about the
gear and the guys who made it all happen and how our navy became the most lethal
force on the high seas. In this 90-minute special, we celebrate the ingenuity
and fighting spirit that defeated the seemingly invincible Japanese Empire and
finally brought an end to World War II. (Supposed to air 8/05) 3/7/06 |
After over a year with no episodes the series returns for the
first time with hour long shows that were supposed to air in 2006.
| Ep# |
Episode |
| S8 |
Ermey's Biggest Bangs - New intro/Best of: M203 Grenade Launcher,
Trebuchet, 1895 Colt Machine Gun, MP5 9mm Submachine Gun, M1 Garand Rifle,
A4 .30 Cal Machine Gun, Claymore Mines, Knob Creek Gun Range 3/2/07
|
| S9 |
Ermey's Hottest Rides - New intro/Best of: Mid Air Refueling, Cobra
Helicopter, Halftrack, The Jeep, Landing Craft Air Cushion Hovercraft (LCAC),
Light Armored Vehicle, M5A1 Stuart Tank, 47ft motor life boat, promo -
watermelon salesman 3/9/07
|
| 92 |
Pinnacle Armor - the military's newest state-of-the-art body armor.
Find out if it'll stand up to a direct hit from an AK-47. Learn the history
of the U.S. Cavalry's last great campaign, the Punitive Expedition against
Mexico that pitted Pershing against Pancho Villa. Take a joy ride in the
M274 mechanical mule, a vehicle designed for the recoilless rifle and
understand the history of combat cameramen with a focus on WWII and the
outstanding work of Norm Hatch. Finally view a live-fire demonstration with
the MG-42, the German-made machine gun with the highest rate of fire of any
weapon in WWII. 4/6/07
|
| 93 |
San Diego, California at the Strategic Operations Training Center -
R. Lee gets in a little trigger time training with a group of
"insurgents" in an "Iraqi Village" at the most realistic
training facility used by the U.S. Marine Corps w/Roger Cannon, Brian
Plescia & Capt Steve Coast. An in-depth tour of the Joint POW/MIA
Accounting Command, dedicated to finding and the remains of all missing and
unidentified service men and women w/Lt. Lentfort Mitchell, Dennis Danielson
& Col Claude Davis. Witness the guns and gear used by the British Red
Coats against the American rebels during our War of Independence w/George
Mack. The story of US troops on Panama w/Rob Lihani & Sgt. Patrick
Nugent Finally, take a trip to Fort MacArthur in Long Beach, California to
re-enact the great L.A. Air Raid of 1942 w/Stephen Nelson. 4/13/07
|
| 94 |
Hurlburt Field, Florida - R. Lee Ermey answers viewer questions on
location at with a focus on Air Force Special Operations and hardware. Lee
tours the Air Force Base and gets a taste of what the officer candidates
call "Hell Week"; then, Gunny goes to school and trains in car
bomb and explosives detection and fires assault rifles used by terrorists.
Finally, Lee takes off in the meanest gunship in the Air Force, the AC-130
and squeezes off a few rounds with its 105 mm cannon.#94. 3/23/07
|
| 95 |
M8 Armored car - a WWII scout car nicknamed the
"greyhound." He takes it for a test drive and fires off the M8's
37mm cannon with Bill Kirhkidis; then, Gunny features the Mauser C96 pistol
(the pistol of choice for everyone from Winston Churchill to Star Wars' Han
Solo) in a live fire demonstration. Gunny gives the gear geeks in the
audience a field day with an overview of all the weapons, gear and gadgets
used by the average German soldier during World War II with Anders Hudson.
K98 Bolt action rifle, MP40, MG34, MG42, Stick Grenade, uniforms, boots,
ammo pouch, bread bag, M3, 40, 42 helmet, camo, foodwagon. Gunny's Golf
Tournament & Charities in Marriott DC - Young Marines with Shotgun
Scramble won by Richard Grieco, Gunny's Ball with Bob Dole, ROTC - Maj Matt
Donald, Ross Daly, Lt Col Todd Miller, Ohio State MSgt Dan Whitney,
Terrorist Training - Robin Tullercash, War Dogs K( Corp - Sgt. Stubby of
D-Dogs for Defense, War Dog Cemetery in Guan, Fort Benning training. (Supposed to air 4/13/07) 5/18/07
|
| 96 |
National Museum of the United States Air Force - historic
Wright-Patterson Air Force Base in Dayton, Ohio. First, Lee tours the museum
and he reveals the fascinating story (and rare footage) of the highest
bailout in history from an American aircraft. Then he tells the history of
the Lockheed Starlifter, the Vietnam-era cargo plane made famous when one
was designated "The Hanoi Taxi". Lee also attends a reunion of the
surviving POWs who flew on the Hanoi Taxi; then, he reveals the truth about
UFOs and the Air Force's top secret Project Bluebook. Finally, Lee gets to
take the controls for some real stick time in a vintage B-25 Mitchell
Bomber. 3/16/07
|
| 97 |
Fort Knox, KY - visit the United States Armor Center and check out
our armored arsenal. We go along on a Recon Officer training course with
Special Ops Army scouts; and then, Gunny goes for a flight on an Apache
Attack Helicopter. View a profile of George S. Patton, hear the story of
George S. Patton's ivory-handled revolver and see other historic relics from
the Patton museum. Gunny gets to drive and fire the cannon of the only
working vintage Vietnam-era M40 Ontos Tank shredder known as the Road
Runner. A trip to the assembly plant to see the M1 Abrams
tank built from the ground up. 3/30/07
|
| 98 |
Tennessee Museum of Aviation - Tennessee Warbirds Museum of Aviation
to see the P-51 Mustangs and P-47 Thunderbirds with R. Neal Melton, Franklin
Luckman Jr, R. Nathan Davis.M6 double barrel survival rifle AR7,
Scuttlebutt, A trip back in time to see just what kind of gear the WW2
Marines carried into battle - M1941 uniform, pack, boondockers, frog
herringbone, 1903A1 rifle. Back to the skies for a one-of-a-kind ride in the
Marine Corps' V-22 Osprey tilt-rotor with Maj David Lane, XB70 Valkyrie.
Even the Gunny makes mistakes, so R. Lee shows off a few of his most famous
SNAFUs. Finally the Gunny gives a fond farewell to the venerable Navy F-14
Tomcat with Capt Bill Seizmore, Cdr Jim Howe, Cdr Curt Seth.(Supposed to air 4/20/07) 5/25/07
|
| 99 |
Polaris MV and Textron M1117 vehicles are test driven. Trigger
time with an M4 Carbine and a Beretta M9. Camillus Knives - Woodsman's Pal,
Tac Tool and Ermey updates to the latest gear: Spec Ops, Blackhawk, Oakley,
CamelBak. Then he torture tests the rugged laptop from VT Miltope by running
it over with his jeep and throwing water on it. Plus flashlights from
Surefire - M6 combat, Aviator & Hellfire. 5/4/07
|
| 100 |
Iraq Episode - the Gunny talks via satellite one-on-one with troops
in Iraq. At the Atlanta, Georgia headquarters of the Digital Video and
Imagery Distribution System and gets the scoop on the fight against the
insurgency. Run by the US Army, DVIDS receives via satellite the combat
camera and public affairs videotape of all operations involving the US armed
forces with Ltc William Beckman, Ssgt Amy Forsythe. Iraq - Lt Michael
Schulz, Cwl Ty Powell, Sgt. Kurt Edusada, Sgt. Louis Sanchez, Col Joie
Stovie, Ssgt Ajeem Pandey, Col Paul Sutherland, Cpl Andrew Ringbloom, 1Lt
Douglas Connor, Col James Polo. He also meets civil affairs specialists and
engineers installing a water purification system for a remote village. Cpt
Steven Hayden, Spc James Anderson, Robert Anderson, Lt. Dana Melvin. Police
- Ssg Michael Barnette, 1Lt Matthew Upperman, Cpl Thomas Swint, 2Lt Jarrod
Bailey, GySgt Herbert J. Kennedy, Bradley Sgt Gordon Misner, Kristian
Leibfarth, Pvt Carlos Cardona, Pfc Donald Williams, Sgt. Kendrick Shunte,
Cpt David Sandoval, Spc Alexandre Esteban, Sgt. Ted Walters Finally, the
Gunny pays tribute to Army Corporal Ozwarthy who was recently killed while
serving in Iraq. 5/9/07
|
| Title |
Notes |
| The Best Of Season 1 & 2 |
Includes: 2: Knight's Armor to Land Mines, 3: Body Armor to WWI
Pilots, 4: Cannoneers to Clearing Minefields, 11: Grenades to Tunnel Rats,
14: Grenade Launchers to Jet Packs, 23: Bazookas to the 21 Gun Salute, 25:
Coast Guard
Ships to WWII V-Mail, Gunny's Deal of the Day, Launch
Promos from the "Larger Than Life" Campaign for Mail Call's
Debut Season plus R. Lee Ermey's Biography and Filmography |
| The Best Of Season 2 |
Includes: 15: Civil War Rifles to Hedgecroppers, 17: US Marine
Training Tools to Dazzle Paint, 18: Trebuchets to Boomerangs, 19: LAVs to the
Military Salute, 20: The Deuce-and-a-Half to Scottish Kilts, 21: Medieval Weapons
to Ejection Seats, 26: Unmanned Aircraft to the Fairbairn-Sykes Commando Knife |
| The Best Of Season 3 |
Includes: 28: M-1 Garand Rifle to Barrage Balloons, 30: Viet
Cong Booby Traps to the Green Berets, 32: Ghillie Suits to the C-119
Flying Boxcar, 33: WWII Scout Cars to U-Boats, 34: Claymore Mines to Jody
Songs, 37: Hiller Flying Platforms to the German Burp Gun, 38: Red-Eye
Missiles to Kilroy |
| The Best Of Season 4 |
Includes: 40: Golden Knights to P-61 Black Widow, 41: Blimps
to the Navy Graveyard, 43: Grease Guns to Charlie, 47: The Real Uncle Sam
to Dive Bombers, 48: Kettering Bug to the A-10 Thunderbolt, 50: The U.S.S.
Salt Lake City, 52: The Bren Gun to WWII's Weary Willy |
| The Best Of Season 5 |
Includes: 53: Krag-Jorgenson Rifle to the U-2 Spy Plane, 55:
WC54 Ambulance to Desert Ducks, 58: Flashbang Grenades to CH-54 Skycrane,
60: The War of 1812 episode, 61: Glock Handguns to Troop Convoy
Protection, 62: XMB Rifle to the Small Diameter Bomb, 65: USO to Secret
Military Resorts |
| The Best Of Season 6 |
Includes: 67: Cheyenne Mountain Operations to NORAD, 69:
Inside the Pentagon, 70: WWII Merchant Marines to Navajo Code Talkers, 73:
Iwo Jima Special (Part 1), 74: Iwo Jima Special (Part 2), 76: B-2 Stealth
Bomber to the 509th Bomber Group, 77: Abrams M1-A1 to Body Armor |
| The Best Of Season 7 |
Includes: 80: Beach Masters to the Arisaka Rifle, German
Renaissance to the Battle of Britain, DOD Firefighter to Little David,
Improvised Explosive Devices to Rough Riders, Army's National Training
Center, The AAV to Merrill's Marauders, Knob Creek Gun Range |
| S.N.A.F.U. (Bloopers) |
Situation Normal, All Fouled Up! When things go wrong the
Gunny sounds off loud and clear - and it ain't pretty! Loaded with an hour
of uncensored foul-ups, blunders and mishaps on the set of Mail Call - you are NEVER gonna see this stuff on television, that's for sure! Not
everything we plan for on Mail Call happens the way we want it to. And
when things go wrong the Gunny sounds off loud and clear. X-tra salty or
Family friendly versions. |
