For Earle and the others with personal links to the 8th **, this is a link to the web site for my uncle's bomb group. You may find it interesting.
457th Bomb Group
457th Bomb Group
D-day remembrance: June 6, 1944...
- Thread starter bama579
- Start date
Re: D-day rememberance: June 6, 1944
I read a book several years back about Rangers rescuing a POW camp in the Pacific. If I'm remembering correctly, it was one of the earliest use of Rangers. Bert Bank was mentioned several times in the book. I have the book at home, but am drawing a blank on the name. Ghost Soldiers maybe?
I read a book several years back about Rangers rescuing a POW camp in the Pacific. If I'm remembering correctly, it was one of the earliest use of Rangers. Bert Bank was mentioned several times in the book. I have the book at home, but am drawing a blank on the name. Ghost Soldiers maybe?
Re: D-day rememberance: June 6, 1944
My business partner was there maybe a week before Brad. I'm looking forward to seeing all his pics when he gets back.
Re: D-day rememberance: June 6, 1944
Ghost Soldiers.
Army Rangers fought at the Dieppe Raid in 1942 and in North Africa 1942-43.
Cabanatuan was January 1945.
Yup.
Ghost Soldiers.
Army Rangers fought at the Dieppe Raid in 1942 and in North Africa 1942-43.
Cabanatuan was January 1945.
Re: D-day rememberance: June 6, 1944
I only said I loved to talk to them, I didn't say we spoke of the horrors of war. Most would not talk about the tragedies but they certainly would about the good times and things they used to do to each other as a practical jokes. My dad as I said was a tank commander and I was in the Air Force. We had many things in common to talk about. In the 70 years of my dad, I know less than a half dozen stories of tragedy but a couple of handfull of stories about times in Japan, France, Italy, North Africa and a few other places. They were priceless. These men who fought so valiantly were sometimes as alone later in life as they were in a foxhole. Spend time with them if it's not too late and you'll be amazed at what they like to talk about.
I only said I loved to talk to them, I didn't say we spoke of the horrors of war. Most would not talk about the tragedies but they certainly would about the good times and things they used to do to each other as a practical jokes. My dad as I said was a tank commander and I was in the Air Force. We had many things in common to talk about. In the 70 years of my dad, I know less than a half dozen stories of tragedy but a couple of handfull of stories about times in Japan, France, Italy, North Africa and a few other places. They were priceless. These men who fought so valiantly were sometimes as alone later in life as they were in a foxhole. Spend time with them if it's not too late and you'll be amazed at what they like to talk about.
Re: D-day rememberance: June 6, 1944
Hey guys. Long time no see. A lot has happened in my life since I was a regular on here. More on that in other posts.
My father was killed at Iwo Jima. Navy officer who was aboard the USS Bismarck Sea, sunk by Kamakazis February 1945.
My mother remarried in 1947, and my stepfather, Oscar Rich, was the father I remember.
On D-Day he landed on Omaha Beach around noon. He was an artillery pilot, flying a Piper Cub, and he had his plane on the LCVP. They put him ashore within 300 yard of where he was supposed to be. He had studied the sand mock-up and knew there shoud be a road to his right going up into an apple orchard. It was there. He found the beachmaster, who was walking around with a few junior officers and enlisted men, shells and bullets flying everywhere. Oscar borrowed a jeep from him and hauled his Cub up to the orchard, put it together, and flew the next morning. I asked him once what he was feeling on that beach. He said after the first few minutes you didn't worry about getting killed. You KNEW there was no way to survive, so you just went ahead a did what you had been trained to do. His story is mentioned in Steven Ambrose's book "D-DAY", pages 172 and 472. Later awarded the Silver Star for a mission to drop supplies to some surrounded troops. Oscar was with the 1st Division (Big Red One) in North Africa, Sicily and Normandy. Later suffered from malaria and brought back to the states. Asked to do a war bond tour, the recruiter asked him how he felt about Patton. "I hate the S.O.B.!"
"Hmmm. Is there something else you'd like to do other than a war bond tour?"
Good thread! See y'all on another one...
Hey guys. Long time no see. A lot has happened in my life since I was a regular on here. More on that in other posts.
My father was killed at Iwo Jima. Navy officer who was aboard the USS Bismarck Sea, sunk by Kamakazis February 1945.
My mother remarried in 1947, and my stepfather, Oscar Rich, was the father I remember.
On D-Day he landed on Omaha Beach around noon. He was an artillery pilot, flying a Piper Cub, and he had his plane on the LCVP. They put him ashore within 300 yard of where he was supposed to be. He had studied the sand mock-up and knew there shoud be a road to his right going up into an apple orchard. It was there. He found the beachmaster, who was walking around with a few junior officers and enlisted men, shells and bullets flying everywhere. Oscar borrowed a jeep from him and hauled his Cub up to the orchard, put it together, and flew the next morning. I asked him once what he was feeling on that beach. He said after the first few minutes you didn't worry about getting killed. You KNEW there was no way to survive, so you just went ahead a did what you had been trained to do. His story is mentioned in Steven Ambrose's book "D-DAY", pages 172 and 472. Later awarded the Silver Star for a mission to drop supplies to some surrounded troops. Oscar was with the 1st Division (Big Red One) in North Africa, Sicily and Normandy. Later suffered from malaria and brought back to the states. Asked to do a war bond tour, the recruiter asked him how he felt about Patton. "I hate the S.O.B.!"
"Hmmm. Is there something else you'd like to do other than a war bond tour?"
Good thread! See y'all on another one...
Re: D-day rememberance: June 6, 1944
Because of post-war interservice agreements, if it has fixed wings (unless it is an intel platform), the Air Force has to own it, even though Close Air Support does not register on the Air Force's give-a-crap meter. They hate doing it and they are not particularly good at it.
I wish the Army still had Piper Cubs (or something similar) today. They provided great service during World War II, spotting for the artillery and other things like dropping ammo and blood to isolated infantry units.
Because of post-war interservice agreements, if it has fixed wings (unless it is an intel platform), the Air Force has to own it, even though Close Air Support does not register on the Air Force's give-a-crap meter. They hate doing it and they are not particularly good at it.
Wow! Was he mentioned in The Wild Blue? It is amazing what those men faced. I can't imagine how they mustered the courage to board those planes knowing what might happen on every mission.
By chance a few years ago, my wife and her parents were at the National WWII Museum at the same time that Sen. McGovern was to speak. It was such an honor to be in his presence and all the other veterans that were in attendance that day. Political affiliations aside, I have an immense amount of respect for him.
Re: D-day rememberance: June 6, 1944
One of the reasons is that the FACs had a horrendous casualty rate. The Air Force has even made a bid or two to try and pry helicopters away from the Army, without success, so far. Owing to BRAC, the helicopters are now here in HSV. I guess most have now heard about the big "chaff flap" here last week. All the TV stations' radars picked it up. It looked like an enormous storm over Redstone. After a couple of days of "no comment," the Army finally fessed up that it was chaff and they had done it. For one thing, the stuff was all over the place...
All my Uncle said was that George was quite the ladies man and pretty full or himself. Still, he did his duty (when he wasn't chasing skirts), so good on him. While the heavy bombers were stationed in North Africa, I imagine chasing skirts was not easy. It probably got a little easier once they got to Italy.
Re: D-day rememberance: June 6, 1944
I imagine flying a canvas and wood plane will do that.
I understand the rationale behind the fixed-wing interservice agreements on roles and missions. One of the principles of air power is centralized control and flexibility if employment. In other words, the Air Force, left to its own devices, would prefer multi-role aircraft that can surge early in a campaign toward air supremacy, and, once air supremacy is established, shifting some assets to Air Interdiction and Close Air Support. The problem is that a multi-role aircraft like the F-16 is that it ends up being a jack of all trades, master of none. Any jet is going to have difficulty flying slow enough to be really effective as a CAS platform, but any aircraft that is going to engage in air-to-air combat has to have jet speed. The problem with CAS is that, if the pilots misses his target, not infrequently, he hits the friendlies nearby, which tends to upset the lads a bit.
Army flight school is still at Rucker. Which helos are at Redstone?
I had not heard that. I wonder what they were testing. It's kind of hard to keep a lid on that sort of thing.I guess most have now heard about the big "chaff flap" here last week. All the TV stations' radars picked it up. It looked like an enormous storm over Redstone. After a couple of days of "no comment," the Army finally fessed up that it was chaff and they had done it. For one thing, the stuff was all over the place...
Re: D-day rememberance: June 6, 1944
My Facebook liberals were going nuts with it. Oh My God, we're all going to be breathing fiberglass!
One of the reasons is that the FACs had a horrendous casualty rate. The Air Force has even made a bid or two to try and pry helicopters away from the Army, without success, so far. Owing to BRAC, the helicopters are now here in HSV. I guess most have now heard about the big "chaff flap" here last week. All the TV stations' radars picked it up. It looked like an enormous storm over Redstone. After a couple of days of "no comment," the Army finally fessed up that it was chaff and they had done it. For one thing, the stuff was all over the place...
My Facebook liberals were going nuts with it. Oh My God, we're all going to be breathing fiberglass!
Re: D-day rememberance: June 6, 1944
The helicopter command and all R&D are here. Well, what they were testing was the chaff. Why they were testing it and what they were trying to cover up is the question and they didn't speak to that. And, yeah, after the stuff turned up all over creation, they must have realized their cover was blown. It looked sort of like fiberglass fibers. We hadn't heard much noise out of the Arsenal since they stopped testing the rocket engines and moved the artillery command out, but recently, all day long big explosions started up. I dropped a note to a friend who retired as a full colonel a couple of years ago, asking him if he knew. If anyone would, he would...
Re: D-day rememberance: June 6, 1944
I wouldn't worry too much. If it was really dangerous to nearby civilians (or sensitive/classified) they would test it in Nevada.
Still, the "no comment" response is not really effective public affairs, and will only heighten people's interest. Better to just come up with whatever your eventual response is going to be and get ahead of the news cycle.
Unless, of course, the PAO was kept in the dark until after whatever testing was done.
Interesting.
I wouldn't worry too much. If it was really dangerous to nearby civilians (or sensitive/classified) they would test it in Nevada.
Still, the "no comment" response is not really effective public affairs, and will only heighten people's interest. Better to just come up with whatever your eventual response is going to be and get ahead of the news cycle.
Unless, of course, the PAO was kept in the dark until after whatever testing was done.
Re: D-day rememberance: June 6, 1944
I think we have all tried to buy time to think of a good reason for doing something weren't supposed to be doing
I think we have all tried to buy time to think of a good reason for doing something weren't supposed to be doing
Re: D-day rememberance: June 6, 1944
I don't think I'd like to serve under Patton, but he was the kind of guy you'd like to have on your team.
Re: D-day rememberance: June 6, 1944
I'd wager the folks doing whatever experiment was being done just didn't say anything to the PAO until after the test was done and some of the "fiberglass" blew beyond the boundaries of Redstone. That is not uncommon.
Maybe, but the Army controlled the schedule.I think we have all tried to buy time to think of a good reason for doing something weren't supposed to be doing
I'd wager the folks doing whatever experiment was being done just didn't say anything to the PAO until after the test was done and some of the "fiberglass" blew beyond the boundaries of Redstone. That is not uncommon.
Re: D-day rememberance: June 6, 1944
Without doubt he was a huge factor in winning WWII. He was feared by the Germans, and the faux army made of rubber tanks in England convinced Hitler that Patton would land at Calais; lessening the forces available at Normandy. Oscar simply hated him for fining officers for not wearing ties in a combat zone, and for his grandstanding. He and Montgomery were both prima donnas of the first water.
Without doubt he was a huge factor in winning WWII. He was feared by the Germans, and the faux army made of rubber tanks in England convinced Hitler that Patton would land at Calais; lessening the forces available at Normandy. Oscar simply hated him for fining officers for not wearing ties in a combat zone, and for his grandstanding. He and Montgomery were both prima donnas of the first water.
Re: D-day rememberance: June 6, 1944
I wish I could have confidence in that. However, "Perc" (perchlorethylene) is not only a good dry cleaning solvent; it's a common component of rocket fuel. The groundwater in south HSV adjacent to Redstone is contaminated with it, as is the portion of the arsenal next to it. Of course the Army is under no obligation to do anything about it - nor release the information about what they did. They're outside the jurisdiction of ADEM. However, if you're a private citizen, don't even think about spilling it or you'll pay for years. It's nasty stuff. You can spill it on an asphalt parking lot and it'll go straight to groundwater and degrade into compounds even worse. I represented one shopping center where a test drill showed perc. It took me five years to get it resolved with ADEM, although the amount was tiny and finally disappeared. It became more and more obvious that the engineering company's drilling equipment must have been contaminated (although they'd never admit it). Finally, we were required to place a deed restriction that no drinking water well would ever be drilled on the premises. ("Well, sure, it's a shopping center. Why didn't you just tell me that five years ago?")
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