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Flak
Jul 23, 2017 2:26:13 GMT
Post by The Herald Erjen on Jul 23, 2017 2:26:13 GMT
Enjoy. The thing I found interesting about these figures is that the most dangerous position aboard an American heavy bomber over Germany (the ball turret gunner) suffered the least injuries from flak. I also remember seeing a TV program from many years ago in which a USAAC bomber crewman said that they regarded flak as more of a nuisance than a lethal threat. They also knew that when the flak stopped the German fighters would be coming in to decimate them. I also can't help thinking about how the Germans opened a can of worms with strategic bombing, and it was a can of worms that would eat them alive. The Allies put more bombers in the sky than they were able to defend against, despite the massive casualties they inflicted among the Allied bomber crews.
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Flak
Jul 23, 2017 17:23:29 GMT
Post by koskiewicz on Jul 23, 2017 17:23:29 GMT
...see the film "Catch-22" with Alan Arkin...
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Flak
Jul 26, 2017 7:38:12 GMT
Post by The Herald Erjen on Jul 26, 2017 7:38:12 GMT
...see the film "Catch-22" with Alan Arkin... I saw it many years ago, or at least part of it. Don't remember the ending. They were flying B-25 medium bombers as I recall.
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Flak
Jul 26, 2017 17:45:02 GMT
Post by koskiewicz on Jul 26, 2017 17:45:02 GMT
...as I am sure you are aware, Catch-22 is a black comedy about a WWII airbase sending off bombers to bomb Nazi positions. In one lingering scene throughout the film, Rossarian (Alan Arkin) is trying to comfort a gunner wounded by flak aboard a still flying damaged aircraft. Rossarian unzips the gunners flight suit and his guts spill out. Very wrenching scene. Then there was Milo Minderbinder (Jon Voight) the quartermaster who traded the bases parachutes for dates (the kind you eat). And Orson Welles as General Dreedle who orders Richard Benjamin shot at a firing squad for insubordination while one of his aids tells him "sir, you can't do that!" To which Dreedle replies, "why not? I'm a general aren't I?" I served during the 1960's and was drafted...the term "SNAFU" applies. "Situation Normal, All F-cked UP." Ahhh...the good old days...!!!
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