WW II Fighter planes

[Ham]

On November 13, 2016 at 1:44 PM, jim m said:

that would be great to see, my father was on a b-17 crew and I got to take a ride on one a few years ago. I was allowed to go to the same area of the plane he would have served in. cost quite a few dollars but was woth it

I actually have read a lot about the efforts of the 8th Airforce and the Strategic bombing campaign. Our guys tried to hit military targets to impact production of key components to derail the German war effort. The British took a different approach.

Those bomber crews found the courage to get back in that plane and run the gauntlet of AA and German fighter aircraft over and over again. I have nothing but respect for them. Lots and lots of them did not survive the experience. I'm sure their sacrifices made a difference, but the Germans did move a lot of production underground. Ultimately, the Germans ran out of quality pilots and petrol products. They never ran out of planes/engines/ammunition. 

It was a terrible terrible conflict that lots of exceptional efforts and inventions came from, but also an unmeasurable amount of human suffering and wasted resources. 

[Ham]

On November 16, 2016 at 8:53 AM, JestersHK said:

My Grandfather was a waist gunner on a B17.   Wish he would of stuck around longer with us so I could grow up and really talk to him about it.  Have a ton of pictures though.  

Wife's grandfather was in 101st during D day.  He never talked about it she said and I unfortunately never got to meet him before he died.  They do have his letters home, and also some german medals and insignia that I assumed they took off the dead officers.  I need to get some good photos of them and look them up.

A lot of WWII vets did not want to talk about their experiences. I'm sure many, many of them spent their lifetimes trying to process what they had experienced. Brothers in arms they lost, things they did or did not do, survivors guilt,lots of stuff people should never have to see or be a part of. I have tremendous respect and admiration for those men. They truly were our greatest generation. 

[Champ188]

22 hours ago, Ham said:

A lot of WWII vets did not want to talk about their experiences. I'm sure many, many of them spent their lifetimes trying to process what they had experienced. Brothers in arms they lost, things they did or did not do, survivors guilt,lots of stuff people should never have to see or be a part of. I have tremendous respect and admiration for those men. They truly were our greatest generation. 

Because the war in Afghanistan is on a smaller scale, we often don't realize that our current-day troops are enduring simillar atrocities and coming home equally broken. They need our prayers and support in the worst way. For that matter, our law enforcement officers are subjected to a lot of the same stuff "people should never have to see or be a part of." Pray for them, too, and thank them every chance you get.

[Flysmallie]

I never got many stories out of him because he hated talking about it but my wife's grandfather was an explosives expert in WW2. They mostly went around and blew stuff up. After the end of the war he stayed in Germany and went from town to town testing and treating water supplies. 

 

[Champ188]

9 minutes ago, Flysmallie said:

... my wife's grandfather was an explosives expert in WW2. They mostly went around and blew stuff up.

That's what I want to be when I grow up.