The dawn sky over Kyushu, southernmost island of the Japanese Home Islands, was clear on August 25, 1945, as Major Jack McClure of the 498th "Falcons" Bomb Squadron and Major Wendell Decker of the 499th "Bats Outta Hell" Bomb Squadron, who was flying in "Betty's Dream," orbited their B-25J Mitchell gunships.
That "end of the war" celebration is something current Americans haven't had the pleasure of. My Mom and Dad ended the war in Italy. There were no "tours of duty". You stayed until it was over. Or you took a bullet. Even then, like my Dad, you might have some hospital time and then be sent back into the fight. Kind of gives us a sense of how the nature of US wars changed after that. I wonder how much support there would have been to send GIs to Vietnam "until it was over"...
There actually were "tours of duty" in such fields as aircrew. The "sharp end" of the Army, not so much.
The "tour of duty" for infantry began with Korea after 1951 when the war became WW1-style "stalemate." As to Vietnam, fighting a "war of attrition" with an enemy who lived there was beyond moron stupidity. When one side is fighting for their country and the other is fighting to survive their time there, the result is inevitable - as it was with the first anti-colonial war of national liberation, which one would think the descendants of the victors in might have considered that in their studies of war.
Given we have made the same mistake going back to the intervention in a local war by the Jamestown settlers who had no idea what they were doing, similar to the intervention in a local way by the Mayflower Morons, and it is how we have dealt with every non-white opponent, yeah, you're likely right.
the first anti-colonial war of national liberation: perfect phrase. The first thing I thought of is what you say here--look at our record in central and South America, Africa etc etc. never for liberation.
The Northeasgter/Mid-Atlantic American ruling class - the multi-generations-on-top bunch - always saw themselves as the logical successors to the British Empire.
About 23 years after the end of W W II I was stationed at Atsugi flying Medevac at Camp Fuji and ash and trash around the Tokyo area. Amazing to me was the great friendship the Japanese showed all of us young Americans. The movie Tora Tora Tora was showing at a theater in the Ginza district!
Never heard this story. What’s worse, I never wondered how the f^<£ McArthur had a bound copy of a surrender treaty on the deck of the Missouri for the Japanese delegation to sign in the first place. Of course there had to have been some conversation before signing. So it happened in Manila? You got a book on that conference. Tom?
Not on the conference. But Tidal Wave goes into the end of the war, and comes to some demonstrable conclusions that aren't the way the Official History has told the story for the past 77 years.
That "end of the war" celebration is something current Americans haven't had the pleasure of. My Mom and Dad ended the war in Italy. There were no "tours of duty". You stayed until it was over. Or you took a bullet. Even then, like my Dad, you might have some hospital time and then be sent back into the fight. Kind of gives us a sense of how the nature of US wars changed after that. I wonder how much support there would have been to send GIs to Vietnam "until it was over"...
There actually were "tours of duty" in such fields as aircrew. The "sharp end" of the Army, not so much.
The "tour of duty" for infantry began with Korea after 1951 when the war became WW1-style "stalemate." As to Vietnam, fighting a "war of attrition" with an enemy who lived there was beyond moron stupidity. When one side is fighting for their country and the other is fighting to survive their time there, the result is inevitable - as it was with the first anti-colonial war of national liberation, which one would think the descendants of the victors in might have considered that in their studies of war.
I'm pretty sure the lesson remains unlearned.
Given we have made the same mistake going back to the intervention in a local war by the Jamestown settlers who had no idea what they were doing, similar to the intervention in a local way by the Mayflower Morons, and it is how we have dealt with every non-white opponent, yeah, you're likely right.
the first anti-colonial war of national liberation: perfect phrase. The first thing I thought of is what you say here--look at our record in central and South America, Africa etc etc. never for liberation.
The Northeasgter/Mid-Atlantic American ruling class - the multi-generations-on-top bunch - always saw themselves as the logical successors to the British Empire.
About 23 years after the end of W W II I was stationed at Atsugi flying Medevac at Camp Fuji and ash and trash around the Tokyo area. Amazing to me was the great friendship the Japanese showed all of us young Americans. The movie Tora Tora Tora was showing at a theater in the Ginza district!
That was a story brought to amazing life, TC. I love the photographs.
Thank the stars for your sizzlin’ griddle.
🗽💜
More amazing history not included in the Social Studies curriculum as my teachers college alma mater. Thanks.
Here, you are at your best!! I just love these posts and the photos. The faces of those POW's are amazing. Thank you, TC.
Fascinating. Thank you.
Never heard this story. What’s worse, I never wondered how the f^<£ McArthur had a bound copy of a surrender treaty on the deck of the Missouri for the Japanese delegation to sign in the first place. Of course there had to have been some conversation before signing. So it happened in Manila? You got a book on that conference. Tom?
Not on the conference. But Tidal Wave goes into the end of the war, and comes to some demonstrable conclusions that aren't the way the Official History has told the story for the past 77 years.
TC - was the pilot who crashed short of fuel, rescued or did that crew die because of their insistence on doing it "their way"?
Thanks for another brilliant narrative TC. Valiant men all; you make them live again. Thanks.