The first German serviceman killed in WW II was killed by the

Japanese (China, 1937), The first American serviceman killed was

killed by the Russians (Finland 1940);  The highest ranking American

killed was Lt Gen Lesley McNair, killed by the US Army Air Corps.

 

The youngest US serviceman was 12 year old: Calvin Graham, USN. He

was wounded and given a Dishonorable Discharge for lying about his

age.  His benefits were later restored by act of Congress.

 

At the time of Pearl Harbor, the top US Navy command was called

CINCUS (pronounced 'sink us'); The shoulder patch of the US Army's

45th Infantry division was the swastika.  Hitler's private train was

named 'Amerika.' All three were soon changed for PR purposes.

 

More US servicemen died in the Air Corps than the Marine Corps.

While completing the required 30 missions, an airman's chance of

being killed was 71%.

 

Generally speaking, there was no such thing as an average fighter pilot.

You were either an ace or a target.  For instance, Japanese Ace

Hiroyoshi Nishizawa shot down over 80 planes. He died while a

passenger on a cargo plane.

 

It was a common practice on fighter planes to load every 5th round

with a tracer round to aid in aiming.

This was a big mistake.  Tracers had different Ballistics so (at long

range) if your tracers were hitting the target 80% of your rounds

were missing.  Worse yet tracers instantly told your enemy he was

under fire and from which direction.  Worst of all was the practice

of loading a string of tracers at the end of the belt to tell you

that you were out of ammo. This was definitely not something you

wanted to tell the enemy. Units that stopped using tracers saw their

success rate nearly double and their loss rate go down.

 

When allied armies reached the Rhine, the first thing men did was pee

in it.  This was pretty universal from the lowest private to Winston

Churchill (who made a big show of it) and Gen. Patton (who had

himself photographed in the act).

 

German ME-264 bombers were capable of bombing New York City, but they

decided it wasn't worth the effort.

 

German submarine U-1206 was sunk by a malfunctioning toilet.

 

Among the first 'Germans' captured at Normandy were several

Koreans.They had been forced to fight for the Japanese Army until

they were captured by the Russians and forced to fight for the

Russian Army until they were captured by the Germans and forced to

fight for the German Army until they were captured by the US Army

 

Following a massive naval bombardment, 35,000 United States and

Canadian troops stormed ashore at Kiska, in the Aleutian Islands.  21

troops were killed in the assault on the island... It could have been

worse if there had actually been any Japanese on the island.

 

The last marine killed in WW2 was killed by a can of spam.  He was on

the ground as a POW in Japan when rescue flights dropping food and

supplies came over, the package came apart in the air and a stray can

of spam hit him and killed him.

  

Courtesy of Col D. G. Swinford, USMC, Retired and a history buff. 

 Carrier Takeoffs and Landings!

This video link is fresh (for the public). It was made just six weeks ago in the Atlantic, just off Newport News (Hampton Roads), Virginia ... These are the latest sea trials the F-35B on the USS Wasp. They were very successful, with 74 VL's (Vertical Launch) and STO's (short take offs) in a three week period. The media and the program critics had predicted that we would burn holes in the deck and wash sailors overboard. Neither of which happened. You will notice a sailor standing on the bow of the ship as the jet rotates.
That was an intentional part of the sea trials. No catapult... No hook....It's a new world out here! The shape and scope of warfare worldwide just changed.

Click your mouse here ---> F-35B

UH-60M simulator time may be available!

How would you like to return to school on Monday and brag about flying a UH-60?

The Camp Edwards UH-60M simulator may be available for use by CAP squadrons