Lt. Buck Compton on Capt. Lewis Nixon “He was a Pr***” | Band of Brothers

Lt. Lynn 'Buck' Compton shares some choice words about Capt. Lewis Nixon, who is portrayed by Ron Livingston in "Band of Brothers". After the clip, we share a story told by Easy Company veteran Don Malarkey of the time Lewis Nixon called Buck Compton a coward with regard to his actions in WW2. Compton is portrayed by Neal McDonough in HBO's "Band of Brothers". #BandofBrothers #ww2 #EasyCompany #LewisNixon #BuckCompton #ww2history

[mathewwright]

The fact is, all these soldiers were just men who answered a call but had real attributes and also real flaws.

[chubss]

Ron Livingston is an underrated actor, dude killed it in Office Space and Band of Brothers

[Tld]

The real Nixon was disliked. But Ron Livingston is loved by many. The real Nixon got lucky in the casting of the show.

[jlaguilar]

It’s crazy how the actors resemble the men they are portraying. Whom ever cast the actors did an incredible job.

[Ammo]

I spent 25 years in the military and there were a number of officers and enlisted that I didn't like, but that I respected. I had a 1st sergeant that, well, we just didn't get along. But I did my job and he did his. I had a squadron commander that had some severe issues with alcohol and women, but, he was an encyclopedia of knowledge regarding our job. I wasn't worried about following him to combat. He knew his job. Military relationships can be very complicated, wartime really heightens this problem.

[ifionlyhadaboat]

This breaks my heart. I loved the character. Ambrose's work was so flawed that it's almost historical fiction. Liebgott had one Jewish parent but wasn't raised Jewish, Blythe lived until the late 1960s, Roy Cobb was an exceptionally nice guy who supposedly helped young replacements, Jackson didn't enlist underage, and the real Norman Dike was a hardened combat veteran with a laundry list of decorations for his valor. In many cases, the truth would've even made a better story.

[nuancolar]

But Nixon knew a can of peaches was a can of peaches.

[UncleScorch]

I appreciate the realism of not everyone getting along in a group such as Easy company, but what I appreciate even more is the fact that you highlighted Nixon’s accomplishments and contributions to the group as well. Thank you for ending the video on an upswing.

[dolphinsmlb]

I never got to meet Lew Nixon in person but I did meet Buck Compton a few times. He could not have been a nicer, humble, down to earth, kind man.

[josephgabello]

The fact that nixion was rich and enlisted anyway. He couldn't have been all bad.

[dimestorephilosopher]

In all fairness to the series, Nixon's role in a show was almost exclusively as Winter's friend. It was acknowledged he was Battalion and I don't think he ever talked to or ordered any of the Easy men. His failings were abundantly shown. But he was friends with Winter and that was shown. It's hard to argue he was portrayed positively, other than his real friendship with Winters.

[markteaney]

Understand these men may have had differences and even disliked each other but these men jumped into war zones and fought across the Netherlands, France, Belgium and Germany for the good of the world these men are the greatest generation so even if you hear these men had faults they still stood above the rest. I know this for a fact my Dad flew gliders into Normandy and fought across france and Germany. He had his faults most of which had been caused by the carnage of war and the anger of being thrust upon it. Still a loving man who always had time for me and those he loved and provided for them with a passion. These men for what they went through are very special and I don't believe we will ever see a generation of men like this again. On a footnote I saw my father cry once that was when I joined the service and was leaving for boot camp, one of two times he told me how proud he was of me.

[jopo]

Who is the guy rambling on to Buck as if he was actually there? You can see how much Buck is straining to hold his tongue.

[David-dkk]

I’m an ex commissioned officer, and I have no idea how the interviewer confuses ‘gentlemen’ as including women. They are referred to as ladies.

[randychase]

There were approximately 160K Allied soldiers who participated on D-Day, it's not exactly breaking news that some didn't get along personally. As was mentioned in the video, that doesn't mean they weren't all heroes.

[wayneparker]

Take it from a former USMC commissioned artillery officer, most commissioned officers and enlisted Marines/soldiers have little reason to have high or low regard for the battalion S-2. This is not because they dislike such officers but simply because the battalion S-2 has little interaction with anyone outside the headquarters companies/battery and battalion staff. Despite what some people would like to believe, the battalion S-2 is not some all-knowing officer with the inside scoop on what is going down. He's frequently as uninformed as everyone else and trying to figure out what is going on, plus his role is nothing more than an information conduit. He is entirely reliant on intel gathered by the battalion's rifle companies or artillery forward observers and his job is to send that information up the chain of command. He is also charged with providing whatever intelligence the regimental/brigade S-2 provides him to the battalion CO, company/battery COs and other battalion staff officers as needed. When I served, I always felt a little sorry for our S-2s as they were usually junior lieutenants with not much to do and therefore often delegated collateral duties that no one else wanted. If the unit was ordered to deploy to some hot spot and combat zone, then and only then would their S-2 role have any true meaning or worth.

[blackbird]

I think we need to step back from making these guys saints and angels. They did a tough job at a crossroads in history but were human beings with faults and issues.
My dad's uncle Vinnie was there on D-day, fought in the Battle of the Bulge and came home a changed man. He was kind, and gentle and determined to ''never step into another man's chain of command ever again.'' He also said he'd never lift another heavy load or dig a trench in this lifetime. He wasn't hateful or bitter, but he didn't trust the government, in his words he saw where there was ''thin ice'' and skated around it.
He played the ponies from Hialeah to Saratoga Springs when he came home, earning enough money to have a comfortable life. He married late in life, never had kids and was a welcome presence in our home.

[joeblow]

What kind of soldier criticizes people for sweating and exercising? Like brother that's a large potion of what being in a combat unit is about.

[MichaelSisley-fwxr]

I can relate to Buck Compton, in his affinity for the troops. I was enlisted for 6yrs before becoming an officer. My entire time as an officer, I never had problems leading the men yet being able to understand them and know the things that angered them. As an enlisted troop and NCO, I knew what really pissed soldiers off. Lack of purpose! The men will shit you Tiffany cufflinks IF and only If they understand the purpose in the mission or task. Sure, soldiers grumble over EVERYTHING, that is how it is. However, the work asked of them must have purpose. It must contribute to something, mean something. In other words, do not waste their time. Have a plan and be prepared to train them well. Further, if the men KNOW the old man will defend them, look after them, or has their back, that builds esprit de corps. An officer can be tough, and most men appreciate that, but the officer MUST be equal in treatment to everyone. I fought to get my guys to professional schooling so they could be promoted, recommended them for awards for outstanding efforts, got them follow on assignments to career enhancing assignments, and talked them up in the presence of senior NCOs and officers in the Battalion and above. I always looked at discipline as an oh shucks vs willful disobedience. The oh shucks mistakes? 1SG, then later in my career, SGM will have fun with your time. Willful disobedience? Now we are into UCMJ world. I told the soldiers my theory on this and they liked it fine. I have always believed, if you do not love soldiers, why be an officer? I think Buck Compton was like that. Nixon? Not so much. Nixon never had to lead soldiers. That is where the major differences were in the two. A good infantry officer always knows you must endure the hardships and rigors of your soldiers, the old be, know, do theory. Buck did that. I know I always did that. This may not make much sense to civilians that never served. Just some thoughts from an old retired 28yr Army grunt. My opinion and $5 bucks might get you a cup of coffee.

[gordonwaite]

“You don’t salute the man.” “You salute the rank.”