Many folks keep making the claim that a Carrier Battle Group has more firepower than all of WWII combined. I've never called anyone on it because I don't really understand it, could you elaborate please in what manner, and compared to what? I mean short of nukes, which I can neither confirm or deny the presence of any nuclear weapons on any Naval platform I just don't get it. Think about it like this:
During WWII, thousands of bombs might be dropped on a target before it could be considered damaged or destroyed. Imagine you wanted to take out a bridge with dumb bombs on a B-25 how many you would have to drop to do the job?
The low explosive yield, combined with the bridge construction of the day means that you would need many aircraft making runs on the target and dropping their complete load in hopes that a percentage of the weapons would land on-or-close to the target in numbers large enough to destroy it.
Move forward to today:
You have a bridge that needs taking out? You strap a couple of JDAMs on an F-15E, with a backup in case of a systems failure, and the bridge is history with one or two hits.
That is the difference allowing the comparison you question.
During WWII, thousands of bombs might be dropped on a target before it could be considered damaged or destroyed Again, I couldn't agree more.
Nor could dad. - On the mission where he was forced to crash land behind enemy territory, he and 20 other B17 heavy bombers hit a single target, the coke plant at Nuenkirken on November 04, 1944.
As per later analysis, that plant was not put out of action.
Actually, the mission is still somewhat of a mystery, as the official records do not jive, or are destroyed. - I have been to Ghent, Belgium, and also to England to gather such evidence as I could.
Part of the saga is told by me here - and this is a site well worth visiting for those inclined to study the history of U.S. air power in WWII.
He survived, and he was a pretty well decorated airman;
Distinguished Unit Citation w/1 Oak Leaf Cluster
Distinguished Flying Cross and Air Medal w/4 OLC
American Defense Medal and a Europe/Africa/Middle East Campaign Medal w/ 4 Campaign stars and a WWII Victory Medal.
Not too bad for a young kid from Pa.
