Posted on 07/30/2014 4:14:12 AM PDT by Homer_J_Simpson
I suspect it’s on Guadalcanal during the practice for the Guam landing. No airplanes in sight, for one thing.
I forwarded your comment as feedback on onwar.com
Also, would you be sitting comfortably on the side of the landing craft if people were shooting at you?
It looks like he’s about to jump, but perhaps not with the sense of urgency live fire would provide.
FDR’s price control regime is bringing back the 5-cent cup of coffee down from 7 or so cents.
This was obviously a re-election thing.
On Page 6 Lt Col Gabreski is reported MIA.
Here’s his story:
On July 20, 1944, Gabreski had reached the 300-hour combat time limit for Eighth Air Force fighter pilots and was awaiting an aircraft to fly him back to the United States on leave and reassignment. He had already advised Kay Cochran to proceed with wedding plans, and his home town of Oil City, Pennsylvania, had raised $2,000 for a wedding present in anticipation of his return.
Gabreski found, however, that a bomber escort mission to Russelheim, Germany, was scheduled for that morning, and, instead of boarding the transport, he requested to “fly just one more.”
Returning from the mission, Gabreski observed Heinkel He 111s parked on the airfield at Bassenheim, Germany, and took his airplane down to attack.
Gabreski’s was dissatisfied with his first strafing run on an He 111, and he reversed for a second pass. When his tracers went over the parked bomber he dropped the nose of his Thunderbolt to adjust, and its propeller clipped the runway, bending the tips.
The damage caused his engine to vibrate violently and he was forced to crash land. Gabreski ran into nearby woods and eluded capture for five days, but was eventually captured. After being interrogated by Hanns Scharff, Gabreski was sent to Stalag Luft I. He was liberated when Soviet forces seized the camp in April 1945.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gabby_Gabreski
Interesting story ... and not only that, Oil City, Pa., just south of Northeast, is where the escaped German prisoner was captured just the other day.
nice map
...
the slow movement eastward in France must have been very frustrating
Very much going to be hearing about that someday in the future.
I wonder if he met my uncle there. He had been at Stalag Luft I since his B-17 was shot down on 11 Jan 44.
Sounds like a very busy day. The Russians really took care of German subs today.
The fascinating aspect is that Gabreski was flying on the deck over the runway in Bassenheim, Germany...which is DEEP inside Germany between Bonn and Frankfurt.
He was demonstrating that we already owned Germany. They just didn’t know it yet.
Oops!
Excellent observation.
Speaking of Scharff...
Hanns-Joachim Gottlob Scharff (December 16, 1907 – September 10, 1992) was a German Luftwaffe interrogator during the Second World War. He has been called the “Master Interrogator” of the Luftwaffe and possibly all of Nazi Germany; he has also been praised for his contribution in shaping U.S. interrogation techniques after the war. A mere Obergefreiter (the equivalent of a senior lance corporal), he was charged with interrogating German-captured American fighter pilots during the war after he became an interrogation officer in 1943. He has been highly praised for the success of his techniques, in particular because he never used physical means to obtain the required information.
Scharff’s interrogation techniques were so effective that he was occasionally called upon to assist other German interrogators in their questioning of bomber pilots and aircrews, including those crews and fighter pilots from countries other than the United States. Additionally, Scharff was charged with questioning many V.I.P.s (Very Important Prisoners) that were funneled through the interrogation center, namely senior officers and world-famous fighter aces.
In 1948, Scharff was invited by the United States Air Force to give lectures on his interrogation techniques and first-hand experiences. The U.S. military later incorporated Scharff’s methods into its curriculum at its interrogation schools. Many of Scharff’s methods are still taught in US Army interrogation schools. Scharff was granted immigration status.
From the 1950s until his death in 1992, Scharff redirected his efforts to artistry, namely mosaics. He eventually became a world-renowned mosaic artisan, with his handiwork on display in such locations as the California State Capitol building; Los Angeles City Hall; several schools, colleges, and universities, including the giant Outdoor Mosaic Mural facade of the Dixie State College Fine Arts Center; Epcot Center; and in the 15-foot arched mosaic walls featuring the story of Cinderella inside Cinderella Castle at Walt Disney World, Florida.
did Kay marry him anyway?
bump
I am pretty sure at this point the German high command knew this war was going to be lost. Maybe they thought that at some point the allies would say “enough” and leave Germany intact or something.
Wow.
That is an absolutely fascinating story. He must have been a unique mind, to have excellent to such an extent in two such different careers.
Top ace, Gabby Gabreski survived!
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gabby_Gabreski
Prisoner of war[edit]
On July 20, 1944, Gabreski had reached the 300-hour combat time limit for Eighth Air Force fighter pilots and was awaiting an aircraft to fly him back to the United States on leave and reassignment. He had already advised Kay Cochran to proceed with wedding plans, and his home town of Oil City, Pennsylvania, had raised $2,000 for a wedding present in anticipation of his return.[15]
Gabreski found, however, that a bomber escort mission to Russelheim, Germany, was scheduled for that morning, and, instead of boarding the transport, he requested to “fly just one more.”[16] Returning from the mission, Gabreski observed Heinkel He 111s parked on the airfield at Bassenheim, Germany, and took his airplane down to attack.
Gabreski’s was dissatisfied with his first strafing run on an He 111, and he reversed for a second pass. When his tracers went over the parked bomber he dropped the nose of his Thunderbolt to adjust, and its propeller clipped the runway, bending the tips.[17] The damage caused his engine to vibrate violently and he was forced to crash land. Gabreski ran into nearby woods and eluded capture for five days, but was eventually captured. After being interrogated by Hanns Scharff, Gabreski was sent to Stalag Luft I. He was liberated when Soviet forces seized the camp in April 1945.[18]
Gabreski flew 166 combat sorties, and was officially credited by the USAAF with 28 aircraft destroyed in air combat and 3 on the ground.[19] He was assigned five P-47s during his time with the 56th FG, none of which was ever named, but all of which bore the fuselage identification codes HV: A.[20]
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