1 - Posted on 12/29/2024

The classic battle between airplanes and battleships, very nice images! You know, growing up, whenever I saw battles like this one on television, it always struck me that if I had to be there and had a choice, I'd rather be in a plane. I think it's because I always felt like the chances of survival were better that way, as I saw battleships as large, stationary targets. Mind you, I'm not very well acquainted with warfare, with my closest experience being that I played Battleship by Milton Bradley as a child, so I can't say that your survival odds are actually better as a pilot, but it would be cool to hear thoughts about this from experts. I'd be shocked if it was stated that being on a battleship was safer, but if so, would also love to hear the theory behind it.

1 - Posted on 12/29/2024

I think the only US battleships sunk during the were anchored at Pearl Harbor, none sunk after that. For bombers, a grim statistic for the US Eighth Air Force in Europe, August 1942-April 1944, albeit at the height of German air defenses, is that the first tour survival rate was 23.55%. Pilot training also was hazardous. "52,173 airmen died in combat during World War II, but 25,844 airmen died as a result of training accidents, with more than half of those occurring inside the United States."

1 - Posted on 12/29/2024

Wow, those ARE grim statistics! So you're saying that apart from the ones at Pearl Harbor, which don't count, ZERO American battleships were sunk DURING America's entry into the war? Mind you, I'm more interested in comparing survival rates between planes and ships. Just because a battleship doesn't sink, doesn't mean a lot of soldiers didn't die on those ships....

1 - Posted on 12/29/2024

Sailors in the US merchant marine had the worst survival rate and the US Navy the best, according to this source. However, it also had a low rate of wounded because of naval firepower and catastrophic sinking (same source). By my count, the only US battleships sunk during the war were at Pearl Harbor, four by my count, USS Arizona, California, Oklahoma, and West Virginia. Five at Pearl Harbor if you count USS Nevada, which was beached to prevent it sinking. Three were repaired and then fought in the war. For total enemy and allied battleships during the war, sixteen were sunk or crippled by bombs or torpedoes delivered by aircraft, while three more were sunk by submarine-launched torpedoes, according to Wikipedia.

1 - Posted on 12/29/2024

Cool battle scene!

1 - Posted on 12/29/2024

There is a new book about the Battle of Midway by Mark Stille that is supposed to be very good. These pages make me want to read it.

Posted on 12/30/2024

Thanks for sharing. I'll take a look!

1 - Posted on 12/29/2024

Very key and unsung heroes are the radar controllers!   All the strategy plays out there at the nerve center of the war room! 

Posted on 12/30/2024

Is my carrot crunching too loud??? No, Im not cranky. (Sweet, sweet apple pie. Mmmmm:) Im still allowed to think about it.

1 - Posted on 12/30/2024

Applie pie carrots. Not crunchy but sweet!