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Thanks. I saw that when you first posted it two weeks ago--indeed, that was my education about them. However, although it reports generally on their use in the Pacific, it doesn't specifically address the kamikaze issue; so to that extent I'm left wondering whether the kamikazes enjoyed the success they achieved in spite of proximity fuses use or in their absence. Of course, it seems likely the Americans would have employed every weapon at their disposal to protect their fleet...

Hanson Baldwin weighs in on the great tank debate. He implies that's one reason the Germans got so far in their Ardennes offensive.

It seems to me the debate is over. The Tiger and Panther were better than the Sherman and the concept of a "tank destroyer" without a rotating turret wasn't very useful. But at this point in the war we can't change any of that, just outproduce the Nazis and overwhelm them with numbers.

I saw "Fury" last weekend. Not the best war movie ever made, the plot was thin and it dragged in the middle. Still, it was a nice tribute to the WWII tankers who were taking a risk every time they went into combat against superior German tanks. And you get to see the only working Tiger tank left in the world. It was also nice to see Shermans tricked out for WWII combat.

Brad Pitt, "War Daddy," is very loosely based on Sergeant Lafayette Pool, the biggest tanker ace of WWII. He was credited with over 1,000 kills, including 12 confirmed tanks and 258 total armored vehicles. He was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross and just about every medal but the MOH.

When his third tank was shot out from under him his leg was so badly mangled it had to be amputated. But, Sgt. Pool decided civilian life didn't suit him and he rejoined the Army after the war. A former CO got him back into the 3rd Armored Div. and he had a career as a tank mechanic, retiring as a CWO.