Quote:
Originally Posted by andersbenz
I completely understand that feeling, especially after attending an airshow.
Then I am reminded of the conversation I had with an ex 8th Airforce B-17 pilot from Raleigh, NC who told me his aircraft was the one out of his squadron of 12 that survived their 25 mission quota and that not all of the guys in his aircraft survived the 25 missions.
11 B-17 x 10 crew = 110 casualties or POWs plus the couple of guys from his B-17 that didn't make it.
So perhaps 8 guys out of 120 made it. Or just under 7% of the men in his squadron (including himself) completed their 25 missions.
Those numbers really sobered me and helped me to understand why he and a lot of other vets don't or didn't glorify their war service.
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Very understandable.
So many movies, etc have glorified the American aviator role in WWII. But, when you start crunching the numbers and talking to those who were actually there, fear horror and death supercede anything glorious about it.
By “wish I was there”, I mean in that era of aviation. Were pilots were actually true aviators.
If I could choose an MOS in WWII, I think I’d lean toward fighter/escort pilot. But even that was full of horrific moments.
I’ve flown quite a few mock dogfights with our -51 against some pretty good pilots in the past.
Not one did I get out of the aircraft not covered in sweat. Having someone on your tail that you must shake or “die” is quite an adrenaline rush as well as nerve racking experience without the bullets. It almost makes you sick. I can’t imagine playing that game for real.