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Last pilot of Dambusters 617 Squadron dies aged 100: Tributes to RAF hero Lawrence 'Benny' Goodman who was awarded France's Légion d'Honneur after destroying German railway viaduct and bombing Hitler's 'Eagle's Nest'
UK Daily Mail ^ | 07/19/2021 | Harry Howard

Posted on 07/19/2021 5:36:10 AM PDT by DFG

The last surviving member of the RAF's 'Dambusters' squadron, who was awarded France's highest honour after carrying out 30 operations against enemy targets in the Second World War, has died at the age of 100.

Lawrence 'Benny' Goodman helped to demolish Germany's Arnsberg railway viaduct with a 22,000lb Grand Slam bomb in March 1945.

He was also took part in a raid which aimed to destroy the German battleship the Tirpitz in October 1944, after it had been damaged by bombs a month earlier.

And in April 1945, he was part of the team which tried to bomb defeated Nazi dictator Adolf Hitler's 'Eagle's Nest', which sat atop a rocky outcrop in southern Germany.

Goodman's squadron is most famous for the daring 'bouncing' bomb attacks on the Mohne and Eder Dams in the industrial heart of Germany in 1943.

The raids, which saw drum-shaped bombs bounce off the water before exploding against the dam walls, were carried out by daring Lancaster bomber pilots.

The operation has gone down in history as being among the most successful aerial assaults of the Second World War.

(Excerpt) Read more at dailymail.co.uk ...


TOPICS: History; Military/Veterans
KEYWORDS: aviation; dambusters; goodman; lancaster; ww2
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To: DFG

Damn all those attacks sound thrilling. Incredible that this man was part of all of them.


21 posted on 07/19/2021 9:19:56 AM PDT by montag813
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To: BikerJoe

Gibson’s Niece was called a Racist because she wanted the Dog’s Headstone restored using the Dog’s real name.

You know, History and stuff...

Such is the world we live in.


22 posted on 07/19/2021 9:34:57 AM PDT by Kickass Conservative (Trump - Make America Great Again / Biden - Make American Grovel Again...)
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To: DFG

Awesome picture...

Represents an England that has, long since, ceased to exist...

Sort of the same feeling one gets when looking at pictures of American military during WWII and the Korean War...
That America no longer exists...


23 posted on 07/19/2021 11:42:26 AM PDT by SuperLuminal (Where is another Sam Adams now that we desperately need him?)
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To: DFG

When Britain had real men. Rest in peace Mr. Goodman.

Thank you for your service.


24 posted on 07/19/2021 12:48:24 PM PDT by jmacusa (America. Founded by geniuses . Now governed by idiots.)
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