There is no question that Band of Brothers is the greatest miniseries of all time. I’ve watched the HBO series multiple times over the years, and I can tell you it is just as great on a fifth viewing as it was on the first. I recently rewatched it (again) with my HBO Max subscription in honor of Memorial Day, and there is one thing that again frustrated me, just as it has for years.
For all its historical accuracy, and it is remarkably well done in telling the story of Easy Company, there is one glaring historical mistake that would be so easy to fix that I don’t understand why HBO hasn’t already done it. Albert Blithe (Marc Warren), who is the point-of-view character of the third episode, “Carentan,” didn’t die of the injuries that he suffered when he was shot by a sniper. The title card at the end of the episode informs us that he “never recovered from his wounds” and died in 1948. Private Blithe didn’t die until decades later.
The Facts Of Private Blithe’s Death Were Misunderstood At The Time
The miniseries, produced by Steven Spielberg and Tom Hanks, and featuring an amazing cast, is based on a book by Stephen F. Ambrose with the same name. In the book, Ambrose, who did extensive research and interviews with the surviving members of Easy Company, stated that Blithe had died from a bullet wound in his neck. According to everyone he interviewed at the time, they believed the injury eventually killed Blithe. It wasn’t really a mistake at the time, just a misunderstanding by everyone involved.
The truth is that Albert Blithe survived his wounds, though they were serious enough that he never returned to World War II. He did, however, volunteer for Korea, where he was again a decorated paratrooper. Blithe stayed in the army for many years after that and died in 1967 while serving in West Germany. He was buried with full honors at Arlington National Cemetery. It seems none of this was known to the members of Easy until after the series came out in 2001.
HBO Really Needs To Update The Record
Band of Brothers is a show that takes great pride in its accuracy, and it should, as I wrote. That is why it is so confounding to me that it has never spent the tiny bit of money it would take to simply replace the title card at the end of the episode. It’s not like HBO needs to spend a bunch of money to remove a Starbucks cup from an episode of Game of Thrones here.
We are talking about one of the most powerful war projects ever, a show that is sure to bring you to tears, especially for stories like Blithe’s. Eliciting a response like that isn't a good enough reason to ignore the mistake. Blithe’s story of bravery and honor is enhanced by learning more about his life after World War II and his service in Korea and beyond.
20-plus years later, the show is still revered and rewatched over and over. HBO should do right by Blithe and his loved ones and fix the title card.
You must confirm your public display name before commenting
Please logout and then login again, you will then be prompted to enter your display name.
