Band Of Brothers’ Buck Compton “Goof” Was Actually Deliberate (& The Finale Proves It)

One Band of Brothers scene featuring Lynn “Buck” Compton, which was originally thought to be a production “goof,” was actually a clever callback to the real soldier’s history, and the finale confirmed it. While Band of Brothers left out some true story details, one critical aspect of Compton’s life outside WW2 was subtly referenced. Neal McDonough portrayed the Lieutenant of Easy Company, becoming one of the most polarizing figures in the HBO show. His most memorable sequences may have come during Operation Market Garden, where he was shot in the backside, or the Battle of the Bulge, which left him shell-shocked, but another heroic moment came earlier in the war.

Buck Compton was pivotal during the assault on Brécourt Manor during Band of Brothers episode 2, “Day of Days.” The episode occurred after members of Easy Company parachuted into Normandy, but before the survivors regrouped, Dick Winters was named the new commanding officer. The next major task for the men was eliminating the Germans firing on Utah Beach, so Winters led a group that included Compton for the assault in which they were outnumbered. Though the mission was a success, one detail involving Compton during the battle was initially deemed an error.

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Band of Brothers depicts the real-life Easy Company’s heroic efforts in D-Day & World War II as part of the U.S. Army’s Infantry Airborne Division.

Buck Compton’s Grenade Throw Was Deliberate In Band Of Brothers’ “Day Of Days”

As Winters led the assault from Brécourt Manor in Band of Brothers’ “Day of Days,” the men fought from the trenches. While they relied on firearms for much of the fight, some of Easy Company decided to use their grenades on the fleeing German soldiers. Buck Compton, in particular, could be seen throwing a grenade right at the head of a German before it exploded on impact. Initially, many viewed this sequence as a goof since grenades aren’t meant to blow up right when they hit the target. However, more info was shared on the sequence of events in the Band of Brothers book from Stephen E. Ambrose, indicating the grenade throw was deliberately planned:

Compton had been an All-American catcher on the UCLA baseball team. The distance to the fleeing enemy was about the same as from home plate to second base. Compton threw the grenade on a straight line–no arch–and it hit a German in the head as it exploded. He, Malarkey, and Guarnere then began lobbing grenades down the trench.

With Compton’s skill as a baseball player, he was able to time the grenade’s explosion perfectly so that it would explode on impact. This was why he decided to line drive the throw rather than elect for a traditional lob used when throwing grenades in battle. As a catcher, he instantly saw that the German was a similar distance from where he would traditionally throw from home plate to a second baseman, allowing him to fire an accurate throw at his enemy. This move and the rest of his actions in Band of Brothers episode 2 led to him being awarded a Silver Star for his actions.

How Band Of Brothers’ Finale Referenced Buck Compton’s Baseball History

Following Band of Brothers‘ episode 2, Buck Compton remained with Easy Company until he left the front lines due to trench foot. He was also severely affected after witnessing the injuries of his regiment, especially Joe Toye and William Guarnere. Still, Compton showed up in the Band of Brothers’ ending during a scene showing some of Easy Company playing baseball before Winters arrived to announce that the war was over. During the game, Compton was playing catcher, referencing a core detail linked to the real Buck.

The Los Angeles native was not only an All-American who once played alongside Jackie Robinson but Compton also turned down an opportunity to play in the minor leagues following WW2. He elected to join the LAPD before eventually joining the District Attorney’s office. As mentioned in the sequence revealing what happened to Winters and Band of Brothers‘ Easy Company, Compton was involved in the prosecution linked to Robert F. Kennedy’s murder and later became an associate justice of the California Courts of Appeal. It’s unclear how far Compton’s baseball career would have gone, but it became an advantage in the war.