[Captain Peter Blood]

On a day when we are disturbed about the latest Supreme Court Ruling here we have a story about honoring W.W. II's RAF Bomber Command led by Air Marshal Arthur Travers Harris.

[dfwgator]

Thank God for such men.

[BO Stinkss]

“55,000 airmen is honoured “

Ya spelled honored wrong, Cap’n Peter.

[Joe 6-pack]

Just today, in the little old Louisiana town of Maurice, Louisiana,(Pop. 642) the French Ambassador to the US showed up to present the Chevalier de la legion d'honneur to a local Cajun who had served as a B-17 crewman...

French ambassador to US to visit Lafayette

It may seem like a small gesture from an inconsistent ally, but sometimes, like a precious gem, such things can be sublime in their slightness.

[iowamark]

Some 800 former members of Bomber Command attended, of the between 3000 and 4000 who survive. They are the lucky few from a force of 128,000 men, 60 per cent of whom were killed, wounded or taken prisoner.

Incredible bravery.

[iowamark]

[jmacusa]

“Bomber’’ Harris. Good show RAF, giving it back to Jerry. 55,000 men lost is a lot. That’s fifteen thousand more than the Luftwaffe killed during the Blitz. During the air war over Europe the USAAF lost 77,000.

[BenLurkin]

They certainly did a thorough job of barbecuing tens of thousands of women and children.

[Notary Sojac]

Here's to you, Marshal Harris and all your brave aircrew!!

One of the few black marks on the character of Churchill is the way in which he dropped Bomber Command like a hot potato after the war, refusing to recognize them with a memorial or campaign medal.

[C19fan]

There is a nice audio podcast by an amateur historian Dan Carlin on his website about the whole sliding into the abyss when it came to bombing of cities. He titled it “Logical Insanity”. The Germans “broke the ice” when they bombed London with their Zeppelins and Gotha bombers during the Great War and opened up that can of worms again with Guernica.