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If you haven't yet, read the book. It is one of the best, if not the best WWII books I've ever read and I have read manyCan't wait. As many know, but others don't, this is the third of the Speilberg/Hanks WW2 series. The first was Band of Brothers, which I believe is the best series of all time. The second was "The Pacific" which was about the Pacific theater of WW2. While good, it was very dark and difficult to watch. But it was the breakout of Rami Malek as an actor. He stole the show.
Also, as I've posted before, the man who hired me out of college was a man named Norman Graham from Jeannette PA. Norm was the lead navigator of the "Bloody 100th" (351st Bombardment Squadron) when the war ended. On lazy days he told us stories of:
- Two missions as a waist gunner as he got to camp as a rookie and his orders were misinterpreted (all paperwork) and the commander told him to go to a specific B-17 as a waist gunner. A couple of weeks in, the captain found the mistake and went to leadership to let them know Norm was trained as a Navigator.
- Being part of a five-plane mission to bait German Jets (ME262) into a dogfight with P-51s
- Being lead nav and how to arrange 100+ B52s in formation for a strike deep in Germany
- Navigating with as sextant and slide rule while the air battle raged
- Trying to Nav over a target while being hammered by flak and german fighters
- Shooting down a German Fighter, he believed he was the only Navigator to have a "kill"
- Getting into a physical fight with a woman who lived in Hamburg whom he met at a holiday party in the 70's after she learned he was a B17 Crew Member. She attacked him when a mutual friend told her that he was the lead nav for the 100th. 526 B-17s hit Hamburg and the surrounding area on December 31st, 1944
- Visiting a German concentration camp.
I was so blessed to be hired by him and he's inspired me every day of my career.
By the way, if you read the links on Norm Graham above, there is a guy named "Paterno" who flew with Norm. I wonder if he is related.If you haven't yet, read the book. It is one of the best, if not the best WWII books I've ever read and I have read many
My father was a bombardier on a B 24 with the forgotten 15th in Italy.Can't wait. As many know, but others don't, this is the third of the Speilberg/Hanks WW2 series. The first was Band of Brothers, which I believe is the best series of all time. The second was "The Pacific" which was about the Pacific theater of WW2. While good, it was very dark and difficult to watch. But it was the breakout of Rami Malek as an actor. He stole the show.
Also, as I've posted before, the man who hired me out of college was a man named Norman Graham from Jeannette PA. Norm was the lead navigator of the "Bloody 100th" (351st Bombardment Squadron) when the war ended. On lazy days he told us stories of:
- Two missions as a waist gunner as he got to camp as a rookie and his orders were misinterpreted (all paperwork) and the commander told him to go to a specific B-17 as a waist gunner. A couple of weeks in, the captain found the mistake and went to leadership to let them know Norm was trained as a Navigator.
- Being part of a five-plane mission to bait German Jets (ME262) into a dogfight with P-51s
- Being lead nav and how to arrange 100+ B52s in formation for a strike deep in Germany
- Navigating with as sextant and slide rule while the air battle raged
- Trying to Nav over a target while being hammered by flak and german fighters
- Shooting down a German Fighter, he believed he was the only Navigator to have a "kill"
- Getting into a physical fight with a woman who lived in Hamburg whom he met at a holiday party in the 70's after she learned he was a B17 Crew Member. She attacked him when a mutual friend told her that he was the lead nav for the 100th. 526 B-17s hit Hamburg and the surrounding area on December 31st, 1944
- Visiting a German concentration camp.
I was so blessed to be hired by him and he's inspired me every day of my career.
did he complete his sortie requirements? I believe it was 25 missions.My father was a bombardier on a B 24 with the forgotten 15th in Italy.
Yes, over 30 , I believe 27 with his original plane/crew, and additional missions as a make up bombardier on other planes that had lost personnel in previous missions.did he complete his sortie requirements? I believe it was 25 missions.
The greatest generation.Yes, over 30 , I believe 27 with his original plane/crew, and additional missions as a make up bombardier on other planes that had lost personnel in previous missions.
Was shot down on final mission.
He was never captured, shot down in Northern Italy, two or three crew members died, two or three crew members captured, five crew members walked to Yugoslavia with the aid of anti Mussolini Italian partisans and pro Tito Yugoslavian partisans.The greatest generation.
Perhaps you can confirm...I've been told that if a crew member can survive the initial capture, they were treated very well because a) they were officers and b) they were considered gentlemen. The challenge is that front line soldiers and citizens often would shoot to kill upon sight. But if a guy ended up getting captured he was treated pretty well.
Wow great story. Had to be a difficult journey to freedom. Hope he or one of you kids wrote it down with details.He was never captured, shot down in Northern Italy, two or three crew members died, two or three crew members captured, five crew members walked to Yugoslavia with the aid of anti Mussolini Italian partisans and pro Tito Yugoslavian partisans.
From Yugoslavia, flown out on a clandestine aircraft that had flown in with armaments for Tito’s men.
Only know bits and pieces. My father did not talk about it and he passed away when I was 15. Most of what we know came from my uncle, older cousin and from the squadron historian who I corresponded with over the phone and through email.Wow great story. Had to be a difficult journey to freedom. Hope he or one of you kids wrote it down with details.
my family makes fun of me because I'll watch the hallmark channel, or whatever, with them. They'll go to bed and I put on the History Channel or whatever war stories I can find. They'll walk in and say "Oh, you have the Hitler channel on". And I'll respond "No, these are Japanese and they look nothing alike!". Seriously, I find it fascinating that a) the world can get to this place and b) our ancestors sacrificed so much for us to live as privileged as we do.We cannot imagine the hell of war. When I hear the National anthem at Beaver. I think of all the kids that died in that hell. I always tear up.
You have an error in ur 2nd bullet point. I believe you meant to type B25 instead if "B52". B52s are USAF from 50's and of course remain as a key peace of STRATCOM air platforms. Those guys are legendary. So cool you worked for him.Can't wait. As many know, but others don't, this is the third of the Speilberg/Hanks WW2 series. The first was Band of Brothers, which I believe is the best series of all time. The second was "The Pacific" which was about the Pacific theater of WW2. While good, it was very dark and difficult to watch. But it was the breakout of Rami Malek as an actor. He stole the show.
Also, as I've posted before, the man who hired me out of college was a man named Norman Graham from Jeannette PA. Norm was the lead navigator of the "Bloody 100th" (351st Bombardment Squadron) when the war ended. On lazy days he told us stories of:
- Two missions as a waist gunner as he got to camp as a rookie and his orders were misinterpreted (all paperwork) and the commander told him to go to a specific B-17 as a waist gunner. A couple of weeks in, the captain found the mistake and went to leadership to let them know Norm was trained as a Navigator.
- Being part of a five-plane mission to bait German Jets (ME262) into a dogfight with P-51s
- Being lead nav and how to arrange 100+ B52s in formation for a strike deep in Germany
- Navigating with as sextant and slide rule while the air battle raged
- Trying to Nav over a target while being hammered by flak and german fighters
- Shooting down a German Fighter, he believed he was the only Navigator to have a "kill"
- Getting into a physical fight with a woman who lived in Hamburg whom he met at a holiday party in the 70's after she learned he was a B17 Crew Member. She attacked him when a mutual friend told her that he was the lead nav for the 100th. 526 B-17s hit Hamburg and the surrounding area on December 31st, 1944
- Visiting a German concentration camp.
I was so blessed to be hired by him and he's inspired me every day of my career.
Just found out this past summer that my uncle worked on the team that developed the proximity fuse. It was a critical development that protected England from V2 rockets and was instrumental in taking down the Luftwaffe which turned the path of the war by making the skies safer for our planes. Was also critical in the Battle of the Bulge.I’ve been waiting 2 years for this series to be released. Praying it does not disappoint. Early on the causality rates of day bombers over Germany were astronomical.
I once read somewhere that you were better off being a POW in Europe because of the fanaticism of the Japanese and their strict adherence to codes of honor. I have heard stories about the Battan death march where they wouldn't hesitate to shoot or behead prisoners who fell out of line, I am familiar with the Malmedy massacre during the Battle of the Bulge, but that was the exception in Europe where it was the norm in the Pacific. It amazes me after reading about how Japan treated allied pow's how any of them could resist punching a Japanese male if he passed him on the street.The greatest generation.
Perhaps you can confirm...I've been told that if a crew member can survive the initial capture, they were treated very well because a) they were officers and b) they were considered gentlemen. The challenge is that front line soldiers and citizens often would shoot to kill upon sight. But if a guy ended up getting captured he was treated pretty well.
Agreed but it is hard to sort out. First airborne killed many Germans on DDay who had surrendered because they had no resources to deal with them. Market garden too. I know Korea was no treat for Korean POWsI once read somewhere that you were better off being a POW in Europe because of the fanaticism of the Japanese and their strict adherence to codes of honor. I have heard stories about the Battan death march where they wouldn't hesitate to shoot or behead prisoners who fell out of line, I am familiar with the Malmedy massacre during the Battle of the Bulge, but that was the exception in Europe where it was the norm in the Pacific. It amazes me after reading about how Japan treated allied pow's how any of them could resist punching a Japanese male if he passed him on the street.
It was our obligation to reach our kids about these things. My kids are patriotic but one us a far left contrarion.my family makes fun of me because I'll watch the hallmark channel, or whatever, with them. They'll go to bed and I put on the History Channel or whatever war stories I can find. They'll walk in and say "Oh, you have the Hitler channel on". And I'll respond "No, these are Japanese and they look nothing alike!". Seriously, I find it fascinating that a) the world can get to this place and b) our ancestors sacrificed so much for us to live as privileged as we do.
When you refuse to forgive people, you give them control over you. .I once read somewhere that you were better off being a POW in Europe because of the fanaticism of the Japanese and their strict adherence to codes of honor. I have heard stories about the Battan death march where they wouldn't hesitate to shoot or behead prisoners who fell out of line, I am familiar with the Malmedy massacre during the Battle of the Bulge, but that was the exception in Europe where it was the norm in the Pacific. It amazes me after reading about how Japan treated allied pow's how any of them could resist punching a Japanese male if he passed him on the street.
Wow great story. Had to be a difficult journey to freedom. Hope he or one of you kids wrote it down with details.
I totally agree with your take. My only critique is that BoB kind of whitewashed a lot of the horror of war. For example, in episode 2 when the lieutenant mows down captured Germans because they really had no way to accommodate POWs and they couldn't let them go.I've rewatched Band of Brothers around 10 times since it came out in 2001. Never gets old. I've watched The Pacific twice. It's good but not nearly on the level of BofB, which I think is the best tv series ever. Have high hopes for Masters of the Air. Part of the reason BofB was so good is that it was based on Stephen Ambrose's book of the same name. Never read Masters of the Air but hope it has the same tightness of story, character dev, dialogue and drama as BofB.
One from the Greatest Generation. Today's Gen Z'ers should take note. True patriots.Yes, over 30 , I believe 27 with his original plane/crew, and additional missions as a make up bombardier on other planes that had lost personnel in previous missions.
Was shot down on final mission.
Same.We cannot imagine the hell of war. When I hear the National anthem at Beaver. I think of all the kids that died in that hell. I always tear up.
I remember hearing proximity fuses devastated Japanese aircraft in Pacific. Navy relied heavily on them.Just found out this past summer that my uncle worked on the team that developed the proximity fuse. It was a critical development that protected England from V2 rockets and was instrumental in taking down the Luftwaffe which turned the path of the war by making the skies safer for our planes. Was also critical in the Battle of the Bulge.
My cousin didn’t know any details other than his father told him he was the team over forty years after the war. That’s how dedicated to the secrets and the country that generation was.
Proximity fuze - Wikipedia
en.m.wikipedia.org
I remember hearing proximity fuses devastated Japanese aircraft in Pacific. Navy relied heavily on them.
True. But they were so effective that the Army insisted on using them. Read one report it took 1,000 rounds of flack to take down a single plane. The proximity fuse was around 50/kill. (Numbers are from memory so don’t plagiarize them😉)The proximity fuse brought about the creation of the kamikaze. The fuse was such a devastating weapon that it was deliberately held back from artillery use, only being allowed over water because the army was terrified the Germans might get a hold of one.
I didn't have to personally deal with it, I can empathize with people who did. My father was a Marine who enlisted near the end of the war and wound up in China. I found a photo album he had of his time there, it started off with pictures of soldiers and the country. I then turned one page and was greeted with pictures of be headings and a massacre. I put the album down and never picked it up again.When you refuse to forgive people, you give them control over you. .
True. But they were so effective that the Army insisted on using them. Read one report it took 1,000 rounds of flack to take down a single plane. The proximity fuse was around 50/kill. (Numbers are from memory so don’t plagiarize them😉)
have you read "A Higher Call" by PAs own Adam Makos? Great book that walks through the life of a German and an Amercan pilot who have an encounter in WW2. The german moved to north America and the writer were able to reunited the US and German pilots when they were in their 70s.This happened years ago at the airport I learned to fly at - one day an airplane landed with that had the spinner painted with the back / white corkscrew. Long story short, the guy was a German fighter pilot in WWII. He and his wife moved to the States years after the war. He never bought into all the Hitler / Nazi stuff, he was just regular German Luftwaffe.
Of course he told us many stories of flying in WWII. He knew the war was lost from the beginning, but once he started going up against P51's it was over. He said the only game changer would've been if the Germans would've had the Me 262 (and subsequent jet technology) a year or two earlier.
Very interesting guy that just loved flying, afterwards, he would regularly stop at our airport when he was in this part of the country.
Justin Bieber starring? No thanks. (not really - but you have to admit there's a resemblance)
That's Elvis Presley. At least he was in the movie "Elvis."Justin Bieber starring? No thanks. (not really - but you have to admit there's a resemblance)
a little underwhelmed with first 2 episodes. Compared to BOB and Pacific was not as engaging, did not draw me in in terms of story telling and character. Will keep watching, but was expecting more interesting story development.
Agreed. They jumped right into action though. But the characters haven’t been developed and they are kind of hard to like.a little underwhelmed with first 2 episodes. Compared to BOB and Pacific was not as engaging, did not draw me in in terms of story telling and character. Will keep watching, but was expecting more interesting story development.