Crazy and strange facts about World War II

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Graham Clayton
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Re: Crazy and strange facts about World War II

#166

Post by Graham Clayton » 05 May 2010, 02:31

The Anglo-Iraqi war of 1941 was the only conflict where both opposing air forces used the Gloster Gladiator as a front-line fighter:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gloster_Gl ... -Iraqi_War
"Air superiority is a condition for all operations, at sea, in land, and in the air." - Air Marshal Arthur Tedder.

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bf109 emil
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Re: Crazy and strange facts about World War II

#167

Post by bf109 emil » 07 May 2010, 10:03

first Allied shots in WW1, where from the same gun that fired the first allied shots in the far east in WW2...
The first Allied shot of the war in the Far East was actually fired over the bows of the Australian coaster Woniora (Captain F. N. Smale) from a twin 6-inch gun emplacement at Point Nepean, guarding the entrance to Melbourne's Port Phillip Bay. The 823 ton coaster had entered the bay at 9.15 pm on September 3, 1939, after a trip from Tasmania. Ordered to heave-to for inspection, the coaster gave her identity but continued on without stopping. A 100 lb shell, fired across her bow, soon changed her captain's mind.

By a remarkable coincidence, this was the actual, same guns that had fired the first shot of World War I when, hours after war was declared, it fired on the German Norddeutscher Lloyd 6,500 ton steamer Pfalz while it attempted to leave Australian waters on August 5, 1914. The Pfalz was then returned to Williamstown where the crew was detained. The captured vessel served out the rest of World War I as the Australian troopship HMT Boorara.
http://members.iinet.net.au/~gduncan/facts.html


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Re: Crazy and strange facts about World War II

#168

Post by Carl Schwamberger » 07 May 2010, 16:19

In May 1941 a relatively obscure US Army officer LtCol Wedemyer was tapped for duty in the War Plans Division of the US War Department General Staff. In that position Wedemyer was the first US Army officer to be charged with outlining a up to date stratigic plan for the US in WWII. Outlining this plan consited mostly of research into the actual industrial capability of the US, and projecting the probable size of the military the US could support. Wedemyers sucessive outlines or recomendations to Marshall laid out the basic US strategy for WWII. His final reports strongly recomended the 'Europe First' fundamental, argued the decisive effort of the US should be a attack by the shortest route from NW France to the Ruhr industrial heart of Germany, and proposed a land army entirely motorized consisting of two thirds infantry divisions and one third armored divisions with massive support from combat aircraft and large scale airbourne operations. While Wedemyers stratigic outline was refined extensively over the next three years its fundamentals went unchanged.

The curiosity here is that Wedemyer career was rather ordinary, except in one aspect. He had attended the US Army infantry School and the Staff and Command College, held the usual company and battalion staff officer and commanders positions. And, he had attended the German Kriegsacadamie 1936-38. Over a year of stratigic studies at the Kriegsacadamie overlaid his schooling at the Staff and Command College. A bit Ironic that the US strategy for defeating Germany was laid out by a graduate of the German school.

http://www.ibiblio.org/hyperwar/USA/USA ... ory-1.html

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Re: Crazy and strange facts about World War II

#169

Post by Panzermahn » 10 May 2010, 18:16

Is it the same Lieutenant General Albert C. Wedemayer? I remember that he was one of the few foreign students of the German Kriegsakademie

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Re: Crazy and strange facts about World War II

#170

Post by Graham Clayton » 17 Jul 2010, 13:07

The Swedish government wanted to ban the newspapers "Ny Dag", "Arbetar-Tidningen", "Norrskensflammen", "Sydsvenka Kuriern", "Trots Allt!" and "Sverige Fritt", but the printing of them was guaranteed by the Swedish constitution. The goverment got around this by banning the transport of any of the six publications.
"Air superiority is a condition for all operations, at sea, in land, and in the air." - Air Marshal Arthur Tedder.

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Graham Clayton
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Re: Crazy and strange facts about World War II

#171

Post by Graham Clayton » 28 Dec 2010, 05:32

The Bristol Blenheim bomber that crashes into the deck of the German cruiser "Emden" at Wilhelmsaven on September 4, 1939 is piloted by Flying Officer H. L. Emden.
"Air superiority is a condition for all operations, at sea, in land, and in the air." - Air Marshal Arthur Tedder.

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Re: Crazy and strange facts about World War II

#172

Post by Carl Schwamberger » 28 Dec 2010, 06:13

Panzermahn wrote:Is it the same Lieutenant General Albert C. Wedemayer? I remember that he was one of the few foreign students of the German Kriegsakademie
The correct spelling of his name would be Wedemeyer. Lame, it took us three tries to get it right :oops:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Albert_Coady_Wedemeyer

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Re: Crazy and strange facts about World War II

#173

Post by Graham Clayton » 05 Jan 2011, 04:23

On June 11, 1941, reacting to Charles Lindbergh’s opposition to United States involvement in the war against Germany, Charlotte City Council changes the name of Lindbergh Drive to Avon Terrace. At an “America First Committee” rally on the 28th of April, 1941, Lindebergh’s comments about the plight of England were met by sustained applause.

A property owner had complained to the city that “judging from the man’s stand in regard to his country, he does not deserve to have a street in Charlotte named for him.”

http://www.charleslindbergh.com/americanfirst/index.asp
"Air superiority is a condition for all operations, at sea, in land, and in the air." - Air Marshal Arthur Tedder.

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Re: Crazy and strange facts about World War II

#174

Post by Dili » 05 Jan 2011, 07:31

How much it costs an "imported" Blenheim? 100 Lira. Tax: 12 Lira.

In Capo Colonna near Crotone(Southern Italy) a Blenheim hit by AA fire makes an emergency landing. Regia Aeronautica is called and takes the plane. Soon arrive at Regia Aeronautica a letter from Crotone Customs that imported equipment should pay a 12% tax and asking what is the value of the plane. Regia Aeronautica writes a letter to the customs protesting this is war not a commercial endeavor but if the Costums still consider it an import the value is 100 Lira.


http://books.google.pt/books?id=Eruxkny ... li&f=false

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Re: Crazy and strange facts about World War II

#175

Post by David W » 09 Jan 2011, 03:12

On the night of the 31st of May 1942 a Covenanter tank attached to "Armoured Train H" based in the Canterbury (Kent) area of England, was destroyed by a bomb during a German air raid on the city; possibly the ONLY tank of this abundant type to be knocked out dirextly by enemy action!

Source "Crusader & Covenantor Cruiser tanks"; David Fletcher.

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Re: Crazy and strange facts about World War II

#176

Post by Graham Clayton » 14 Jan 2011, 22:16

Busingen is an German exclave located entirely in Switzerland. During the war, Switzerland effectively shut down the border, leaving Büsingen closed off from the rest of the Third Reich. German soldiers on home leave were required to deposit their weapons at the border guards' posts. The Swiss customs officers would supply them with greatcoats to cover up their German uniforms for the duration of their short walk over Swiss territory to their homes in Büsingen.

http://tinyurl.com/49p65fx
"Air superiority is a condition for all operations, at sea, in land, and in the air." - Air Marshal Arthur Tedder.

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Re: Crazy and strange facts about World War II

#177

Post by Graham Clayton » 31 Jan 2011, 23:12

When the RCAF 115th Fighter Squardon arrived at Annette Island in Alaska in May 1942, as part of the US response to the Japanese invasion of the Aleutian Islands, an over-zealous US official would not allow the pilots to leave their aircraft until they paid customs duty on their arms and equipment.

The problem was resolved by US Secretary of State Cordell Hull, who designated all personnel of the 115th “distinguished foreign visitors”, who were exempt from customs duties.

Brian Garfield “The thousand-mile war: World War II in Alaska and the Aleutians”, University of Alaska Press, 1995
"Air superiority is a condition for all operations, at sea, in land, and in the air." - Air Marshal Arthur Tedder.

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One-man Army

#178

Post by nebelwerferXXX » 25 Feb 2011, 09:35

A certain Major Ferdinand Marcos of the Philippine Army Scouts and armed with a captured Japanese LMG, single-handedly held at bay two battalions of about 2,000 men of Japanese Infantry in Bataan. During the final days of the Bataan battles, Marcos and his 33-man company (three Thompson SMGs with drum magazines, four .45-cal. pistols, 30 Springfield bolt-action rifles/bayonets, 3 captured Japanese LMGs, one .30-cal. water-cooled MG with 1,000 rounds and 2 cases of hand grenades) was assigned as a rearguard of the USAFFE forces. Attacking Marcos were 22,000 fresh Japanese Infantry from Manchuria, supported by TWO TANK, FOUR ARTILLERY regiments and AIRCRAFT. He held the position for one week despite heavy bombing and artillery attacks. He survived the Bataan Death March in 1942 and escaped. He led Guerilla and Bolo-units entire the Philippines. He also gave intelligence information during the Battle of the Coral Sea in May 1942. He also guided the US 6th Army (200,000 men) landings in Leyte in October 1944. During the Battle of Bessang Pass in 1945, as usual, Major Marcos led the assault against Japanese MG nests, division-sized Japanese infantry and heavy artillery positions that fade the way for the US liberation forces. The Guerilla outfit of Major Marcos captured Lt.Gen. Tomoyoki Yamashita and his entire staff. For gallantry in action, he won 27 US medals (including 7 US Congressional Medal of Honors) later on long after the war.

source:
from a TV documentary during the Marcos years

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Re: One-man Army

#179

Post by Delta Tank » 25 Feb 2011, 13:19

nebelwerferXXX wrote:A certain Major Ferdinand Marcos of the Philippine Army Scouts and armed with a captured Japanese LMG, single-handedly held at bay two battalions of about 2,000 men of Japanese Infantry in Bataan. During the final days of the Bataan battles, Marcos and his 33-man company (three Thompson SMGs with drum magazines, four .45-cal. pistols, 30 Springfield bolt-action rifles/bayonets, 3 captured Japanese LMGs, one .30-cal. water-cooled MG with 1,000 rounds and 2 cases of hand grenades) was assigned as a rearguard of the USAFFE forces. Attacking Marcos were 22,000 fresh Japanese Infantry from Manchuria, supported by TWO TANK, FOUR ARTILLERY regiments and AIRCRAFT. He held the position for one week despite heavy bombing and artillery attacks. He survived the Bataan Death March in 1942 and escaped. He led Guerilla and Bolo-units entire the Philippines. He also gave intelligence information during the Battle of the Coral Sea in May 1942. He also guided the US 6th Army (200,000 men) landings in Leyte in October 1944. During the Battle of Bessang Pass in 1945, as usual, Major Marcos led the assault against Japanese MG nests, division-sized Japanese infantry and heavy artillery positions that fade the way for the US liberation forces. The Guerilla outfit of Major Marcos captured Lt.Gen. Tomoyoki Yamashita and his entire staff. For gallantry in action, he won 27 US medals (including 7 US Congressional Medal of Honors) later on long after the war.

source:
from a TV documentary during the Marcos years
Sounds like a propaganda documentary for a politician made when Marcos was alive!
For gallantry in action, he won 27 US medals (including 7 US Congressional Medal of Honors) later on long after the war.
No one has ever earned 7 US Congressional Medal of Honor! Some have earned 2, but I think that is the maximum anyone has ever earned!!

Mike

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Re: Crazy and strange facts about World War II

#180

Post by nebelwerferXXX » 25 Feb 2011, 13:25

@Delta Tank
Yes! a propaganda documentary of a strongman from 1966-1986.

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