Revealed: The terrible suffering and extraordinary courage of British WW2 soldiers...

Daily Mail ^ | 7th April 2009 | Christopher Hudson

[Eric in the Ozarks]

Yes, I think so. Dad was a civilian pilot who was accepted as a contract pilot with the AAF. He wore an officer’s uniform with the CBI patch but no rank insignia but was referred to as “captain.”

[chimera]

You are likely thinking of the navy flag, the red sun on a white background with the red streamers shown in the previous posts. The plain red sun on white background was the national flag of Japan (no streamers). It’s use was restricted for a time during and after the US occupation, but those restrictions were lifted in later years.

[Polybius]

I always thought the WW2 Japanese flag was outlawed and replaced by another flag. Recently, while watching Far East soccer games I noticed the old flag being waved in the stands at different sections of the stadium. Was this flag ever outlawed by the Allies after the war?

The Rising Sun flag was the Naval ensign of the Imperial Navy and the battle flag of the Imperial Japanese Army since 1889. It was therefore a Japanese "military" flag and not simply a "World War II" flag.

It was banned by the Allies after the war but re-adopted when the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force was established in 1954.

"Commander, U.S. Naval Forces, Japan, Rear Adm. James D. Kelly congratulates Petty Officer 2nd Class (SW) Delrick Traylor from the USS Lassen (DDG 82) after receiving a 2008 U.S. Japan Navy Friendship Association Award at the Yokosuka Heiankaku, Nov 26. Each of the recipients were recognized for their efforts to enhance the relationship between the United States Navy and the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force."

A similar situation exists with the German Iron Cross.

The Iron Cross was a German "military" symbol with a long pre-World War II history while the swastika was a World War II era "political" symbol.

After World War II, the swastika was banned but the Iron Cross is still the symbol of the German military.

[PotatoHeadMick]

What I like about Slim was his self deprecating modesty, when he finished giving some morale boosting speech to the troops before a big push an enthusiastic soldier shouted “We’re all behind you general!”, to which he smiled and replied “Oh no, I shall be miles behind you”.

That sort of stuff takes real panache and an understanding of your own troops’ mentality, otherwise it would fall flat on its face, the fact that Slim’s men would have gone into Hell and back for him tells you all you need to know about the man.

[PzLdr]

In fact, German holders of Iron Crosses, Knight’s Crosses, etc, who joined the Bundeswehr were issued new versions of those medals, which were minus the centered swatika which appeared on all WWII issue. Surprisingly, the Pour La Merite [the “Blue Max”] is still issued in its civilian version, but not the military one. thought they’d have brought that back, too.

[ding_dong_daddy_from_dumas]

Tora! Tora! Tora!: The sunburst reminds me of our flag—a good omen

[Guenevere]

Dad was in the CBI Theater....mostly Bombay (Mumbai) & Calcutta....he was only 19....helped run the supply line...

...got dysentery from a macaroon cookie bought off the street (will not touch them even now)...

..was so sick they took him to a rest camp where they gave him arsenic in the AM (as a treatment) and a megadose of vitamins in the PM ....(according to him)

[Skooz]

BFL

[Radl]

Well I guess my older brother wasn’t pulling my leg years ago after all! He also said that those Japanese rifles with a cherry blossom engraved on the barrel had to have the engraving removed. Don’t remember why. Thanks for the info to all who responded.

[Eric in the Ozarks]

My dad made 24 trips carrying cargo in a C-46 from India to China. On his 25th return, something happened to the airplane and he survived a crash-landing and suffered burns on his neck and back. He was treated at the burn center in San Antonio with some of the first skin grafts and later discharged. He never received veterans recognition even thought he was injured in a war zone. He passed away in 1966 at age 60.
There were many civilian pilots in this theater, probably because it was not our primary focus in the war.

[PzLdr]

It's not a cherry blossom, it's a chrysanthemum, symbol of the Emperor, and leaving it on a surrendered weapon was considered a disgrace. For a larger version, check a bow on shot of the YAMATO or MUSASHI.

[driftless2]

My wife’s father served as an airplane mechanic with the RAF in Burma. When one time he was told he was a hero for serving during the war, he told the person praising him “the heroes didn’t come back.”

[Oatka]

He also said that those Japanese rifles with a cherry blossom engraved on the barrel had to have the engraving removed. Don’t remember why.

Just an historical FYI. It was a chrysanthemum, and was ground off for political reasons. An article plus illustration HERE.

[Radl]

Thanks for the info. My son has the same rifle with the chrysanthemum markings on it. It was never removed.

[TenthAmendmentChampion]

Here’s a thread you might like. Welcome!

[Polybius]

In fact, German holders of Iron Crosses, Knight’s Crosses, etc, who joined the Bundeswehr were issued new versions of those medals, which were minus the centered swatika which appeared on all WWII issue. Surprisingly, the Pour La Merite [the “Blue Max”] is still issued in its civilian version, but not the military one. thought they’d have brought that back, too.

It is best that the military Pour le Mérite became extinct with Kaiser Wilhelm II's abdication and that it's honor was never tainted by the Nazi era.

Manfred von Richthofen, German aristocrat, 80 victories, Pour le Mérite

Lt. Wilhelm Frankl, German Jew, 20 victories, Pour le Mérite

In regards, to the absence of the military version today, it is irrelevant. How could a "Peacenik" German of today EVER earn one?

[Guenevere]

I'm sorry to hear about your dad....60 is very young.

My dad is almost 86, but quite feeble, in very poor health, but his mind is sharp.

He worked on the supply lines (trains) but mostly stayed in Bombay, or Calcutta the 3 plus yrs he was there.

He's still battling skin cancers that he, no doubt, got from the blazing Indian sun, as he is very fair.

He still has a fascination for India.

[Eric in the Ozarks]

A pack a day of Camels.

[PzLdr]

Depends on how you define ‘tainted’. It wasn’t issued in WW II, but was worn by Hermann Goering, who, in addition to founding the Gestapo, authorized Heydrich to organize the Final Solution, Ferdinand Schoerner, the most despicable of Hitler’s Field Marshals, and several other Luftwaffe higher ups. The only really ‘clean’ wearer of the ‘Blue Max’ was Erwin Rommel.

[Polybius]

Depends on how you define ‘tainted’. It wasn’t issued in WW II, but was worn by Hermann Goering, who, in addition to founding the Gestapo, authorized Heydrich to organize the Final Solution, Ferdinand Schoerner, the most despicable of Hitler’s Field Marshals, and several other Luftwaffe higher ups. The only really ‘clean’ wearer of the ‘Blue Max’ was Erwin Rommel.

"Tainted" as in "awarded by". No Pour le Mérite was ever awarded by the Nazi regime.

An award is not tainted by the subsequent behavior of a recipient. Timothy McVeigh, for example, had the Bronze Star.

As far as Pour le Mérite winners that had an active role in World War II, Ernst Udet was a rather decent guy, his substance abuse problems notwithstanding.