June 6, 1944.

[SuFTW]

Few people realize how close Nazi Germany was to having the atomic bomb, and coupled with their rocketry that would have really complicated an allied victory.

According to a quick search in the internet Germany was not actually close to having an atomic bomb.

 

[GoSU96]

Few people realize how close Nazi Germany was to having the atomic bomb, and coupled with their rocketry that would have really complicated an allied victory.

And there’s the answer. Hastened the end of the war. Also established control of Western Europe.

 

[SUbear]

And there’s the answer. Hastened the end of the war. Also established control of Western Europe.

Absolutely.

 

[BillSU]

War is terrible. It does things to you, you can never forget if you're lucky not to be killed.

My Uncle Al was on the carrier Enterprise in the Pacific.

His job with others was get planes, F4U Corsairs, ready and bring them up to the deck on the huge elevator. He had just returned below after delivering a plane, stepped off the elevator when a bomb hit right behind him.

He was thrown across the second storage deck where the planes were kept but his injuries were minor.

But, when we used to visit he and my aunt in what they then called Victory Gardens, housing built all across the country for returning veterans, my cousin Gary used to tell me when there was a thunderstorm they could not find him. He would go into a closet and stay there until after the storm had passed.

It took several years for him to get over the fear of what I must imagine was a deafening blast. He never mentioned anything to anyone except my aunt about his overall war experience.

 

[BillSU]

NYT article from 1989:

"Sirhan Sirhan, in his first television interview, said he felt betrayed by Senator Robert . Kennedy's support for Israel in the 1967 Arab-Israeli war and said he killed Mr. Kennedy out of concern for the Palestinians.

''My only connection with Robert Kennedy was his sole support of Israel and his deliberate attempt to send those 50 bombers to Israel to obviously do harm to the Palestinians,'' he said.

Mr. Sirhan, 44 years old, said that when he killed Mr. Kennedy, who was then the leading candidate for the Democratic Presidential nomination, ''I was not doing it out of personal malice toward the man, but out of concern for other people.''

Mr. Kennedy ''was my hero,'' Mr. Sirhan said. ''He was my champion.''

Sirhan Felt Betrayed by Kennedy (Published 1989)

www.nytimes.com

Oh yes - Sirhan.

I'm sure many will not agree but I believe he was just freaking crazy and killed a person who was, at the time, giving people hope.

Bastard.

 

[SWC75]

War is terrible. It does things to you, you can never forget if you're lucky not to be killed.

My Uncle Al was on the carrier Enterprise in the Pacific.

His job with others was get planes, F4U Corsairs, ready and bring them up to the deck on the huge elevator. He had just returned below after delivering a plane, stepped off the elevator when a bomb hit right behind him.

He was thrown across the second storage deck where the planes were kept but his injuries were minor.

But, when we used to visit he and my aunt in what they then called Victory Gardens, housing built all across the country for returning veterans, my cousin Gary used to tell me when there was a thunderstorm they could not find him. He would go into a closet and stay there until after the storm had passed.

It took several years for him to get over the fear of what I must imagine was a deafening blast. He never mentioned anything to anyone except my aunt about his overall war experience.

Meanwhile people are getting ready to set off firecrackers in their neighborhoods, despite their impact on people who have experienced war and on people's pets. A few years back somebody set a neighbor's roof on fire and the house burned down. But hey, it's the 4th of July, or thereabouts.

 

[OrangeXtreme]

War is terrible. It does things to you, you can never forget if you're lucky not to be killed.

My Uncle Al was on the carrier Enterprise in the Pacific.

His job with others was get planes, F4U Corsairs, ready and bring them up to the deck on the huge elevator. He had just returned below after delivering a plane, stepped off the elevator when a bomb hit right behind him.

He was thrown across the second storage deck where the planes were kept but his injuries were minor.

Off the coast of Japan in May 1945?

 

[Newhouser]

Meanwhile people are getting ready to set off firecrackers in their neighborhoods, despite their impact on people who have experienced war and on people's pets. A few years back somebody set a neighbor's roof on fire and the house burned down. But hey, it's the 4th of July, or thereabouts.

Totally agree - wish they were banned again.

 

[GoSU96]

Totally agree - wish they were banned again.

it’s not like people don’t know when there will be fireworks

enough with calls to ban stuff

 

[longtimefan]

it’s not like people don’t know when there will be fireworks

enough with calls to ban stuff

Define "stuff".

 

[Newhouser]

it’s not like people don’t know when there will be fireworks

enough with calls to ban stuff

Maybe where you live - in my neighborhood they go off all the time.

Enough with thinking people only shoot them off at assigned dates and times.

 

[All4SU]

I’d like to see a ban on banning things.

 

[Orangello]

Off the coast of Japan in May 1945?

I believe this was during the Battle of the Eastern Solomons in August 1942.

 

[OrangeXtreme]

I believe this was during the Battle of the Eastern Solomons in August 1942.

Can't be.

Corsairs weren't carrier qualified until 1944.

The only other time the Enterprise had bomb damage to one of its' elevators was off the coast of Kyushu in May 1945.

 

[A. Samara]

Acutually SUBear the Germans were never close to an atomic Bomb.Their brilliant scientists escaped to America ((Einstein Szlard and other Jewish scientists) and Their top guy was deprived of money by 1941 by Hitler,Their heavy water facility in Norway was destroyed by a British surprise raid.As it was the big research money went to the V-1, V-2 and the Me-262 jets and giant tanks and subs and cannon Hitler was enamoured with. There is a BBC doc up on youtube that chronicals what we and MI-5 learned about the thwarted Nuclear program after the War.The A-Bomb and the B-29 were massively expensive projects Germany chose not to match.

 

[ECE '76]

There is an existing thread about Ben Schwartzwalder on D-Day and his important role in Battle of La Fiere Bridge.

More info on his military career from Wiki:

As a captain in the 82nd Airborne (CO of Company G of the 507th), Schwartzwalder earned distinction during the invasion of Normandy and battles that followed in the last days of the war. He played key roles in the capture of the La Fière Causeway and Sainte-Mère-Église, crucial points of entry into France during the D-Day invasion. By the time the 507th reached the battle for Hill 95, they had suffered more than 65% casualties. Schwartzwalder continued his campaign all the way into Germany and acted as military governor of the town of Essen for a period of six months. He was awarded a Silver Star, a Bronze Star, a Purple Heart, four battle stars, Presidential Unit Citation and was promoted to the rank of Major for his actions during the invasion. When he was personally decorated by General Matthew Ridgway, the General said "Ben, I never expected to see you here to receive this award."

Even as a paratrooper, Schwartzwalder remained focused on his football career. He organized an athletic league from among the soldiers being assembled in England in preparation for D-Day in order to keep the troops motivated and fit. He coached the 507th PIR football team, leading them through a ten-game season in which the 507th was never defeated and never even scored upon.