The very first video Looks more like they are attacking a HE-177 and not a HE-111H. The wing roots are too high up on the fuselage for it to be a HE-111 too.
My dad, Lawrence Cupples, served in the 310th in combat. He recounted several stories, but his most vivid memory was as a Jeep driver at Remagen. He crossed the Ludendorff Bridge at Remagen the day after it was captured. He saw his first jet aircraft at the bridge, a Me262 trying to bomb the bridge, and recounted the collapse of the bridge. He made it to Berlin and returned home in May 1945. He had numerous stories but you had to pry them out of him most of the time, as most veterans did not openly share those. Regardless, he was a wonderful father and family man retiring with the Union Pacific railroad after 36 years. Miss him everyday!
Thank you for making this. Heaven is full of these young men and their waiting to welcome. The remaining men and women that made this world a far better place.
Deep thanks to your family. RIP 2nd Lt Al Joncas 311/78th Detroit MI. Killed in action Remagen (Bad Honnef) Germany . An uncle I would have liked to have met
My wife's uncle's dad was Henry Dorwart, who was a first scout in the 78th. He nearly lost his feet to frostbite in the Ardennes. He was one hell of a guy. He passed away in March of 2017 at the age of 93.
In That kind of interviews,ex air crews never say why they were selected for that crew position or another. Who determined who Will be who. Why make someone qualify as a pilot or co-pilot,why was someone become a bombardier rather than a radio operator or gunner? Educational background? AIR FORCE tests after being drafted or?
I've always thought about all those 50 cal rounds hitting the ground all around the countryside during dog fights... A story from the Pearl Harbor attack that was suppressed talked about how many folks died in Honolulu and Pearl City from our boys blazing away at japanese planes...
Very good point. Also a lot of these films show .50 cal tracer ricocheting off ground targets straight up into the flight paths attacking planes- how many shot themselves down?
Yep, a lot of what he mentioned seems questionable but I can verify that if he completed airborne jump school int Ft Benning as I did and like me I was airborne and served with the 1st Cavalry in Nam. That is a fact. I could have went to the 101st or the 173rd Airborne and I did not receive extra jump pay because the unit was not airborne. Also it makes sense that he was in the National Guard and when he went full time regular army he served with the 1st Air Cavalry in Nam.
I'd love to see the original 16mm film clips. This appears to have been run through a dodgy projector, captured with a 1950 vintage video camera, then re-recorded a couple additional times on VHS in 1982. 😂 I note here many instances of what appear to be tracer rounds losing their tracer charge very shortly after firing. The now lightweight, fast-slowing, glowing bits depart from the bullets' flight paths, and are overtaken by the plane.
He stated that he was paid $35 a month at that time, not true, He’s displaying an Army Infantry CIB?. He’s displaying a parachutist wings but served in the Cav ?. He stated that his unit provided Naval Gunfire, I’m certain that a was Marine ANGLICO responsibility. Lots of questions here. Hit in the helmet by a bullet that grazed his head, no Purple Heart? Then he went to crew of a helicopter displaying a crew members helmet. Ft Meyers Fl ? Never did state his rank. Ft Sam Houston is a medical training center? No armorer would ever issue a pistol with a broken frame. Grease gun in the artillery? And the old, I have stories but I don’t like to talk about them, red flag? And never mentioned one time what his MOS , military occupational specialty number was. You really need to do a better job of research. ??? Just my opinion.
I also detected he was not being truthful. National guard with the 1st CAV???? That's odd as hell and I never heard of that. He had no idea of where his base camp was in Nam was. He just said 'all over the place'. Anybody who'd been there would respond to the where were you with the base camp name. He's suspicious because of his general demeanor and lack of knowledge. A Captain. After nearly 30 years????? Lot of hole in his story. He needs to be looked into. This is a little on the "huh?" side.
Like you, red flags go up. Something isn't right with this person. I don't wear any of my VN stuff, and when I see a person like this I wonder what the true story is.
The picture from Vietnam with him holding the grease gun, he's wearing Captain Rank. Adjusting Arty fire by changing grids?WTF? Broken frame gun issued? Jumpmaster wings? That's not an Army CIB. He displays something red. Ive never seen it before. I don't wear any Vietnam crap. When Im out and see a fellow Vietnam Vet wearing all that NASCAR looking crap, they'll always have some Rambo story to go with it.
That stuka siren gives me chills. My grandfather was a rear gunner shot dowown on a bombing run by junker just, body never recovered from the black forest. It's haunting to hear.
Thanks for sharing. A relative flew, fought and died in the 393rd FS in march 1945. Major Chester Arthur Slingerland, squadron commander was shot down in Griesheim during a close combat mission for the 3rd army of Gen. Patton. Great to hear and see his former comrads speaking about that time. Regards from the Netherlands
The problem with so many of these veterans is they get "stuck" in a couple years of their youth. Too much of their identity revolves around war...ie. Vietnam. I'm a proud Vietnam/Draft resistor. If by some incredibly strange fate I allowed myself to go to Vietnam...I would guarantee you this. If I wasn't sent home in a box to America... I would keep walking and NEVER look back. I got a 2nd chance at living the American Dream. I'm so F-ing sick of these guys acting victimized about the Welcome Home they never got or the way they were treated on their return. They participated in an immoral and illegal war where they did NOT belong or have a right to be in. They were invaders, occupiers and aggressors in someone else's country that did nothing to America. You came back to the USA alive....move forward and STFU. If the war F'd you up...that's your problem b/c it really was your decision to go. EVERYONE had a choice....like Me.
Anyone know anything about John Shanks (Timmy) he was in country 65 to 68 1st Cavalry, looking for any and all information about him, I'm a relative and all connected have passed . Want to keep the history persevered.
I was born in Berlin Germany in 1947. In 59 my parents migrated to the States and there Jesus saved my soul. Here men who play with balls get to be millionaires while real heros, like Dr. Drache, hardly get any mention and or appreciation. Almost 50,000 airmen gave their all... not to mention all those who almost died and those who carried mental scars as well... while athletes have to worry where to spend their fortunes. As for me, give me the greatest generation ever.
