Customer Reviews

THROUGH MY SIGHTS: A Gunner's View of WWII [VHS]

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This video provides an unusual perspective on the Second World War, presenting it through some remarkable photographs taken by Glenn Kappelman of Lawrence, Kansas. Altogether, Kappelman took around 400 photographs, purposely avoiding scenes of death or dying. A couple of years ago, Kappelman and his old radio man, Art Barkis of Liberty, Texas, sat down near the US Cavalry Museum and talked their way through the war, using these photographs as the starting point of their stories. If you want blood and guts, please look elsewhere. If you want to get down to the level of the fighting men and roll across the battlefields and sacred places of the "Big War," you will enjoy this video. Art Barkis, who provides more of the comic element to the stories, passed away in Liberty, Texas on August 20, 2001.

Based on the title, I thought there would be footage of a gunner attacking targets in actual combat. However, the video is nothing more than a couple of nice old vets sitting around and reminiscing about some old WWII photos.

My opinion is very biased because one of the "nice old vets" was my Dad. Anyone whose Dad, Grandfather , friend ... was in WWII will have a much better appreciation for what they went through. Thanks Cappy.