# 'Band of Brothers' At Upottery, Devon



## Foxylady (Jul 25, 2008)

Reading the local paper last night I came upon this report about the return to Upottery by two of the original 'Band of Brothers' members of the 101st Airborne Division 'Easy Company'.

"The real life Band of Brothers met again at Upottery airfield - where they left for battle 64 years ago. American heroes Donald Malarkey, 87, and Earl McClung, 85, returned to the airfield last Tuesday to see again the place they had boarded C47 war planes for their mission in Normandy on June 5, 1944.
A crowd turned outto meet the veterans of the infamous Easy Company, of the Airborne 101st Division, along with an original C47 warplane, which performed a poignant fly-past.
Among those visiting were locals who remembered seeing as children the regiment in training during the war.
Dropped behind enemy lines in the first few minutes of D-Day with their comrades, both men were honoured for their bravery and their regiment was epitomixed inm the hit TV series co-produced by Steven Spielberg and Tom Hanks...
McClung said: "It could have been any division they based the series on. Every man has a story to tell. They just can't write everybody's.
All the incidents in the book and series are true. But who did what and how - that's strictly Hollywood."
...Band of Brothers follows the troops' epic journey across Europe to their eventual capture of Hitler's mountain retreat, the Eagle's Nest.
"It was night when I arrived at the Eagle's Nest," said McClung. "It was known as a tea house for Hitler and Eva - but I wasn't invited for tea and certainly didn't want to hang around."
Malarkey...echoed there had been some 'artistic licence': "The actor playing me was shown at a concentration camp and then at the Eagle's Nest - when I had been in hospital at the time.
I'm glad to be back at the airfield. I've been back to England, but never to here.We spent our time here eating and gambling. It was a relaxing week before the final jump."


















Further photos can be found here.

http://www.midweekherald.co.uk/midw...tures/2008/bandofbrothers/bandofbrothers.aspx

For the exploration report showing photos and an excellent history write-up:
http://www.derelictplaces.co.uk/main/showthread.php?t=2515&highlight=Upottery


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## Foxylady (Jul 25, 2008)

Damn! I've just posted in the wrong forum. I meant to put it in General or Off-topic. Could a mod put it in the appropriate place for me please? Thanks.


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## krela (Jul 25, 2008)

Wow a C47 on Upottery again... would have loved to have seen that. thanks for posting it foxylady.


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## Random (Jul 25, 2008)

Loved that series, really top. Wasn't Upottery tower sold recently?


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## krela (Jul 25, 2008)

Random said:


> Loved that series, really top. Wasn't Upottery tower sold recently?



The whole site was sold in 3 or 4 different lots in 2006.

A dude from London got the control tower and last thing I read he has the intention of restoring it.


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## Foxylady (Jul 25, 2008)

krela said:


> Wow a C47 on Upottery again... would have loved to have seen that. thanks for posting it foxylady.



I know!!! I wish I'd have known beforehand...I would have got there somehow.


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## Neosea (Jul 25, 2008)

Cool post, thanks for the info Foxy


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