Military-related events or 'norms' that you may not know about one of the most devastating times in history.
The first German serviceman killed in World War II was killed by the Japanese (China, 1937), the first American serviceman killed was killed by the Russians (Finland 1940), the highest-ranking American killed was Lt. Gen. Lesley McNair, killed by the U.S. Army Air Corps - so much for allies.
The youngest U.S. serviceman was 12-year-old Calvin Graham, USN. He was wounded and given a Dishonorable Discharge for lying about his age. (His benefits were later restored by act of Congress).
At the time of Pearl Harbor, the top U.S. Navy command was called CINCUS (pronounced “sink us”), the shoulder patch of the U.S. Army's 45th Infantry Division was the Swastika, and Hitler's private train was named “Amerika.” All three names were soon changed for PR purposes.
More U.S. servicemen died in the U.S. Army Air Corps than in the Marine Corps. While completing the required 25 missions your chance of being killed was 71 percent.
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 percent 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 the Allied Armies reached the Rhine River in Germany, the first thing men did was pee in it. This was pretty universal, from the lowest private to Winston Churchill (who made a big show of it) and Gen. George Patton (who had himself photographed in the act).
German Me-264 bombers were capable of bombing New York City, but it wasn't worth the effort
The 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 then forced to fight for the Russian Army until they were captured by the Germans and further forced to fight for the German Army until they were captured by the U.S. Army.
Following a massive naval bombardment, 35,000 U.S. and Canadian troops stormed ashore at Kiska, in the Aleutian Islands. Twenty-one troops were killed in the firefight. It would have been worse if there had been any Japanese soldiers on the island.
Most interesting fact is that they fought it to WIN. Something, the United States has not done in any war since then...
#3 by tia :), Nov 5, 2007
--this is really interesting!
#4 by milly, Nov 10, 2007
jiom fdf
#5 by Paul Harrison, Jan 4, 2008
I,m gonna lead the 4th reich.
#6 by P.Harrison, Jan 8, 2008
No seriously how did a gonad like hitler ever be taken serious look at him [ha ha]
#7 by S.Patton, Jan 14, 2008
Hitler must hav had rubbish plumbers
#8 by T.Ali, Mar 7, 2008
----interesting----zzzzzz----
#9 by ja, Mar 12, 2008
rubbish site
#10 by jojo, Mar 12, 2008
HITLER MUST B DUMB :)
#11 by blah, Mar 14, 2008
HAHAHAHAAHAHAHAHAHAHAAHAHAHAHAH
a toilet?!
#12 by icy, Mar 23, 2008
well what happend 2 america NOW!
in wars????
thats what i thought :)
#13 by chelsea goodwin, Mar 29, 2008
HEY ANYONE WHO TALKES ABOUT WORLD WARR 2 THE BOWLT CAUSE U DONT KNOW HOW THEY FELT WHEN THEY HAD TO LEAVE THERE MUMS AND HOW WOULD U FEEL IF THAT WAS U ATE SO JUST BOWLT
#14 by miss.misunderstood, Mar 31, 2008
awesome site i've read alot about world war ll but i never knew some of the facts listed here. By the way EdRoberts is right things have changed alot since world war ll. americans used to fight to win know the only reason we fight is for materialistic reasons.
#15 by russianvictory, Apr 12, 2008
onlyamerican, in both WORLD wars the large and powerful America avoided entering both of them until the end, just so it could profit from selling the waring countries arms and materials, Russia was already on the road to hammering Germany by the time you lot entered. Vietnam, you lost, face it. You pulled out when you did because you had already lost so why cotinue losing even more. It has been profiteering from world war,twice, that has made America so wealthy today, you have more weapons and technology than any other country but not a single braincell to use it with. There are good reasons why America is the most hated country in the world.
#16 by Canadian power , Apr 18, 2008
canada is the bet country in the world
#17 by Russian spy, May 5, 2008
Canadian power, of course! *rofl* Yooo peace keepers lol
WOW, now I got it, why german U-boats were annihilate so quickly. lol
#18 by person from nz, May 5, 2008
lol a toilet....
rofl
#19 by me, May 15, 2008
A toilet?!!
#20 by me, May 15, 2008
yeah me again so want to get a girlfrnd or boyfrnd?
Keep on READIN!!!
#21 by me, May 15, 2008
say name of lover 3 times say your name blink 3 times vote for Barack Obama and watch the Utah Jazz Playoffs Tomorrow be Patient and..... BAM!!! Remember next Jazz game May 16 08 against Lakers(boooo!!!)
#22 by Losen, May 17, 2008
F you people
#23 by me me, May 19, 2008
it sank by a toilet that is kind of stupid why did it sink cause of the waz it cause people didnt flush it or spmething lol that is weird
#24 by , May 19, 2008
that is weird
one word a lot of poop
hahahahah
lol!!
:)
#25 by hu, Jun 11, 2008
nice
#26 by Lolrotfllmaowut, Jul 24, 2008
Wow, Stfu.
Learn to type before you comment an article.
Queer.
;D!
#27 by mr haba laba dooo, Aug 21, 2008
intresting facts
#28 by jhdjhwd, Aug 27, 2008
cool
#29 by coolguy507, Sep 3, 2008
thats so funny
#30 by brittany dereth duffy, Sep 5, 2008
i think world war 2 should stop having children in it
