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General Forums => Aces High General Discussion => Topic started by: USRanger on February 07, 2011, 09:56:37 PM

Title: Wow. Awesome WWII pilot interview
Post by: USRanger on February 07, 2011, 09:56:37 PM
Less than 2 minutes long, but very, very interesting.  A short glimpse of the brutality of war:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q8LVlYJ5eJU&feature=related
Title: Re: Wow. Awesome WWII pilot interview
Post by: infowars on February 07, 2011, 10:00:53 PM
Oh wow,  that was pretty awesome.  Good find <S>
Title: Re: Wow. Awesome WWII pilot interview
Post by: curry1 on February 07, 2011, 10:10:30 PM
Pwnt
Title: Re: Wow. Awesome WWII pilot interview
Post by: GNucks on February 07, 2011, 10:22:00 PM
Christ, I must say that's pretty sick. I can't and won't judge him for it though. If I saw the enemy murdering my comrades I would probably do the same. But geez... "made mincemeat of him"... I really can't think of what to say about that.
Title: Re: Wow. Awesome WWII pilot interview
Post by: RichardDickBong on February 07, 2011, 10:37:32 PM
I would have done the same exact thing.  :salute
Title: Re: Wow. Awesome WWII pilot interview
Post by: Guppy35 on February 07, 2011, 11:07:55 PM
Christ, I must say that's pretty sick. I can't and won't judge him for it though. If I saw the enemy murdering my comrades I would probably do the same. But geez... "made mincemeat of him"... I really can't think of what to say about that.

Richard Peterson was from Minnesota.  About as nice a guy as you'd ever want to meet.  I took flying lessons as a teenager back in the mid 1970s and one day I followed him in to Crystal Airport.  I was quite pleased with myself that I'd flown 'wing' on a real 51 pilot.  I didn't auger either :)

A clear example of what war really is.  Nothing heroic or glorious about it when you come right down to it.
Title: Re: Wow. Awesome WWII pilot interview
Post by: GNucks on February 08, 2011, 12:33:33 AM
Richard Peterson was from Minnesota.  About as nice a guy as you'd ever want to meet.  I took flying lessons as a teenager back in the mid 1970s and one day I followed him in to Crystal Airport.  I was quite pleased with myself that I'd flown 'wing' on a real 51 pilot.  I didn't auger either :)

A clear example of what war really is.  Nothing heroic or glorious about it when you come right down to it.

Well like I said I can't judge him. First because I wasn't there, second because I probably would have done the same.
Title: Re: Wow. Awesome WWII pilot interview
Post by: MarineUS on February 08, 2011, 01:08:58 AM
 :aok :aok :aok :aok
awesome find
Title: Re: Wow. Awesome WWII pilot interview
Post by: AAJagerX on February 08, 2011, 01:47:22 AM
When it comes down to it, "Do unto others"...   


 :salute
Title: Re: Wow. Awesome WWII pilot interview
Post by: W7LPNRICK on February 08, 2011, 02:01:48 AM
I will never again shoot a cartoon parachute again!  well?...... Anyway, if I remember this clip at the time, it will be hard to do with a grin on my face. Very sobering for sure. :old:
Title: Re: Wow. Awesome WWII pilot interview
Post by: Karnak on February 08, 2011, 03:19:12 AM
I've seen or read that before.  I can't say I have a problem with what he did in any way.
Title: Re: Wow. Awesome WWII pilot interview
Post by: Charge on February 08, 2011, 03:24:21 AM
Somebody did that on a whim and somebody saw it and decided to revenge and again somebody saw it and etc etc etc. There is always excuse and a debate who did it first. Strategically it is of course a valid tactic since if the pilots fall on their own turf they will be flying again the next day. But its up to any soldier to decide where to draw the line personally since in combat situation many such things go unnoticed.

I'd understand if this person told that he shot the enemy down and when he bailed he killed him for what he had done and that's all. Everything extra suggests something else.

-C+
Title: Re: Wow. Awesome WWII pilot interview
Post by: MarineUS on February 08, 2011, 05:15:29 AM
I would have done the same

 :salute
Title: Re: Wow. Awesome WWII pilot interview
Post by: IronDog on February 08, 2011, 08:33:14 AM
The guy lied!His body langauge and eyes gave it away.Shooting a guy in a parachute is dastardly!It was done,no question there.War brings the worst out of all participants.Bataan death march,Treblinka,Malmadey,Nanking,and I could go on,but you get the idea.A German pilot escorting a wounded Brit plane back to safety.A Japanese pilot not attacking a passenger plane. German medics treating American wounded.These are acts of honor.
ID
Title: Re: Wow. Awesome WWII pilot interview
Post by: LLogann on February 08, 2011, 09:21:35 AM
I wouldn't have shot him at all, but I'd have ripped his chute to pieces.  That way he can think about the evil he did and why he is now going to die in about 60 seconds. 

IronDog, you mistake his closure for lying.  That look is because for the last 50 years he's gone over and over it.  Probably woken up with nightmares on more than a few occasions.  Those big eyes while telling that story tells us how much a part of his life that moment became.   

Even when the killing is justified, it takes good people time to learn how to deal.
Title: Re: Wow. Awesome WWII pilot interview
Post by: bcadoo on February 08, 2011, 10:11:05 AM
"Peterson flew 150 missions over Europe, shooting down 15 enemy planes and helping to shoot down another. He became a major at age 21, at the time the youngest person to achieve that rank in the Army Air Force, his son said.

He was later awarded the Air Medal, the Silver Star and the Distinguished Flying Cross.

He also received the Croix de Guerre, one of France's highest honors for bravery. After the war he was selected as a staff officer to interview Adolf Galland, commander of the German Air Force fighter forces, on aerial combat tactics and strategy.

Former pilot Roland R. Wright of Salt Lake City credits Peterson with saving his life. He said that one time he was ready to abandon his plane because it was running out of fuel, but Peterson spotted a field where he could land and refuel.

"He was one of the most skilled fliers," Wright said. "It was an all-out mission, and he was one of those who would fight tooth and nail. He was smart and he knew how to do it. He had a real sense of taking care of new pilots.""


From his obituary located here: http://www.startribune.com/obituaries/11603271.html (http://www.startribune.com/obituaries/11603271.html)
Title: Re: Wow. Awesome WWII pilot interview
Post by: Mirage on February 08, 2011, 10:18:33 AM
Flip it around to the 109 pilot, the bombs from that 10 man crew could have killed 100's of his countrymen, his family and friends, helpless on the ground just like the guys in the parachutes, sometimes you have to look at war with two sets of eyes, but like others said, it is a good video and shows war for what war really is
Title: Re: Wow. Awesome WWII pilot interview
Post by: LLogann on February 08, 2011, 10:30:26 AM
Dude, I want to call you a tree hugger or something, LOL.  Make love not war?  Stop the Violence maybe even....   :D

Flip it around to the 109 pilot, the bombs from that 10 man crew could have killed 100's of his countrymen, his family and friends, helpless on the ground just like the guys in the parachutes, sometimes you have to look at war with two sets of eyes, but like others said, it is a good video and shows war for what war really is






WAR IS HELL, but even HELL has rules. 
Title: Re: Wow. Awesome WWII pilot interview
Post by: Mirage on February 08, 2011, 11:24:10 AM
 :lol I am no tree hugger belive me, just ment that war isnt all peaches and cream like some movies make it out to be
Title: Re: Wow. Awesome WWII pilot interview
Post by: Vinkman on February 08, 2011, 11:39:14 AM
"Peterson flew 150 missions over Europe, shooting down 15 enemy planes and helping to shoot down another. He became a major at age 21, at the time the youngest person to achieve that rank in the Army Air Force, his son said.

He was later awarded the Air Medal, the Silver Star and the Distinguished Flying Cross.

He also received the Croix de Guerre, one of France's highest honors for bravery. After the war he was selected as a staff officer to interview Adolf Galland, commander of the German Air Force fighter forces, on aerial combat tactics and strategy.

Former pilot Roland R. Wright of Salt Lake City credits Peterson with saving his life. He said that one time he was ready to abandon his plane because it was running out of fuel, but Peterson spotted a field where he could land and refuel.

"He was one of the most skilled fliers," Wright said. "It was an all-out mission, and he was one of those who would fight tooth and nail. He was smart and he knew how to do it. He had a real sense of taking care of new pilots.""


From his obituary located here: http://www.startribune.com/obituaries/11603271.html (http://www.startribune.com/obituaries/11603271.html)

I remember seeing him tell this story at an earlier time to a different camera crew, and I remember thinking at the time it seemed like more of a tale than reality and wrote the guy off. But you post rather impressive credentials for the man, and it would be hard to see why a man and pilot so accomplished would make up a story like that. Still, perhaps after all his accomplishments, he still wanted a good story to tell at the conventions and air shows. I would love to believe this account as told. Any backup for this story from a wingman or fellow flyer?

Either way he is a hero and his service and record are to be reflected on with great admiration.  :salute
Title: Re: Wow. Awesome WWII pilot interview
Post by: beau32 on February 08, 2011, 02:16:30 PM
Flip it around to the 109 pilot, the bombs from that 10 man crew could have killed 100's of his countrymen, his family and friends, helpless on the ground just like the guys in the parachutes, sometimes you have to look at war with two sets of eyes, but like others said, it is a good video and shows war for what war really is

I agree with you, war is 2 ways, and always will be. Maybe the German pilot had family that was killed by an american bombing raid, and this was the way he could exact revenge on the American crews. Does that mean he should have done that, no. He could have kept shooting down bombers instead of bomber crews in their chutes. There are so many un-answered questions about this, that we do have to look at it both ways.