This is sad. But predictable with Hollywood, unfortunately – FIVE-O CREW DISGRACEFUL TO WWII PEARL HARBOR SURVIVORS:
The TGGF program had brought 24 red roses to place at the gravesites on the opposite side of the Punchbowl. The program crew actually had one of their men wearing a backpack and earplug walk through – infiltrate – our rose-laying ceremony hushing everyone.
It was a disgrace.
He ruined the somber mood and my blood was now beyond boiling. Thankfully most of our vets were so focused on placing their roses they didn’t catch what was going on. This moron laughed as he communicated with some other crewmember on the other side of the cemetery via his cell phone headset. About this time, a caterer walked over grass and flat headstones, through our vets gathering, with a plate of blackberries and salmon for the actors to snack on.
Remember this the next time you hear some actor or director or other worthless but self-important celebrity whining about how they or their personal cause celebre doesn’t get the respect they think is due.
I was at the Punchbowl that day and the crew was extremely disrepectful to not only the veterans, but to all the graves they set up on. We actually tracked down Ernie Pyle’s grave on the database and strolled over to it (he was a war correspondant that was killed by a sniper during the last days of Okinawa). We had to keep getting closer and closer to the set, and found it under a bunch of equipment. I took a photo as fast as I possibly could. I was also at the cemetery to look especially for 1st and 2nd Marine Division soldiers. Of course, most of them were directly in the area they were filming. I also wanted to mention I thought it was ridiculous how the crew put flowers on a bunch of the graves as props for the shot….I wouldn’t doubt if they removed them when the shot was over. I rode away from the cemetery in the bus with the vets. It was great to see the “middle finger salute” given out.
I do want to mention that a large majority of the crew did stand for the National Anthem and Taps. I looked back to see if they were really that cold-hearted, but they did show respect to a point. I will leave by saying, that the Hawaii Five-0 bigwigs suck major ass. They were only concerned with one thing that day. The crew people that got mouthfulls from us and the others with the vets were only doing their job. They were the people making minimum wage and taking earfuls from us. I have never watched the show and have no desire to ever again. If there were ever a more inappropriate time to film that stupid show it was then. If they had to film a scene at the USS Arizona memorial on Dec. 7th, they would have done it!!!!