Military Trivia

[El Presidente]

The first German serviceman killed in WW2 was killed by the Japanese (China, 1937).

The first American serviceman killed was killed by the Russians (Finland1940).

The highest ranking American killed was Lt Gen Lesley McNair, killed by the US Army Air Corps. So much for allies.

The youngest US serviceman was 12 year old Calvin Graham, USN. He was wounded and given a Dishonourable Discharge for lying about his age. His benefits were later restored by act of Congress.

At the time of Pearl Harbour, the top US Navy command was called CINCUS (pronounced "sink us"), the shoulder patch of the US Army's 45th Infantry division was the Swastika, and Hitler's private train was named "Amerika." All three were soon changed for PR purposes.

More US servicemen died in the Air Corps than the Marine Corps. While completing the required 30 missions, your probability of being killed was .71.

Generally speaking, there was no such thing as an average fighter pilot. You were either an ace or a target. For instance, Japanese Ace Hiroyoshi Nishizawa shot down over 80 planes. He died while a passenger on a cargo plane.

It was a common practice on fighter planes to load every 5th round with a tracer round to aid in aiming. This was a mistake. Tracers had different ballistics so (at long range) if your tracers were hitting the target 80% of your rounds were missing. Worse yet tracers instantly told your enemy he was under fire and from which direction. Worst of all was the practice of loading a string of tracers at the end of the belt to tell you that you were out of ammo. This was definitely not something you wanted to tell the enemy. Units that stopped using tracers saw their success rate nearly double and their loss rate go down.

When allied armies reached the Rhine, the first thing men did was pee in it. This was pretty universal from the lowest private to Gen. Patton (who had himself photographed in the act), and Winston Churchill (who made a big show of it).

German Me-264 bombers were capable of bombing New York City , but it wasn't worth the effort.

German submarine U-120 was sunk by a malfunctioning toilet.

Among the first "Germans" captured at Normandy were several Koreans. They had been forced to fight for the Japanese Army until they were captured by the Russians and forced to fight for the Russian Army until they were captured by the Germans and forced to fight for the German Army until they were captured by the US Army.

AND I SAVED THE BEST FOR LAST.

Following a massive naval bombardment, 35,000 United States and Canadian troops stormed ashore at Kiska, in the Aleutian Islands and 21 troops were killed in the firefight. It would have been worse if there had been any Japanese on the island.

[Mel39]

:rotfl:

[Cam]

i don't know if you're laughing at the facts or the time it took to compile them on one page...

but you've certainly out done yourself this time el prez :-D

[Ken Gargett]

» The first German serviceman killed in WW2 was killed by the Japanese

» (China, 1937).

would that not be pre wwii?

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» The first American serviceman killed was killed by the Russians

» (Finland1940).

also pre the americans finding the time to join the fun.

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the shoulder patch of the US Army's 45th Infantry

» division was the Swastika,

the swastika was once a very positive symbol from india before the nazis usurped it.

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» German submarine U-120 was sunk by a malfunctioning toilet.

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some members may have heard of the 1907 heidsieck champers pulled from a wreck somewhere off finland a few years back (got to try a few and they were brilliant, foamed over as though made yesterday). the boat was smuggling and sunk by a u-boat in wwi. the u-boat in question had been sent to patrol for smugglers, apparently the worst and least prestigious job in the navy at the time, because he was the only u-boat commander to sink one of the other u-boats. which was commanded by his best mate, who drowned. it was a wonder they found the smugglers. the log books showed that they first thought it an island.

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» AND I SAVED THE BEST FOR LAST.

»

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» Following a massive naval bombardment, 35,000 United States and Canadian

» troops stormed ashore at Kiska, in the Aleutian Islands and 21 troops were

» killed in the firefight. It would have been worse if there had been any

» Japanese on the island.

love that!