Yaegers first jet.
Posted on 11/06/2018 7:05:05 AM PST by fugazi
Today's post is in honor of Sgt. 1st Class William R. Brown, who was killed by an improvised explosive device in Sperwan Gar, Afghanistan on this date in 2006. Brown, 30, of Fort Worth, Texas, was assigned to 1st Battalion, 3rd Special Forces Group.
1941: While searching for blockade runners in the Caribbean, the cruiser USS Omaha and destroyer USS Somers spot a cargo ship flying U.S. colors but behaving oddly and whose sailors looked "uniquely un-American." When Omaha attempts to make contact, the ship's crew attempt to sabotage the vessel and a boarding crew is sent over. The captured ship turns out to be the German Odenwald, transporting rubber and other supplies from Japan. The sailors from the boarding party are each awarded $3,000 as bounty from the seized cargo and everyone else involved receives two month's pay - the last time U.S. sailors will be awarded prize money.
1942: The 2d Raider Battalion sets out on a month-long patrol to cut off Japanese forces attempting to escape encirclement at Guadalcanal's Koli Point. Over the next four weeks, Lt. Col. Evans Carlson's Raiders march 150 miles through dense jungles, using their trademark guerilla tactics to kill 500 enemy troops in several engagements. Only 16 Marines died during the operation, but virtually the entire battalion suffered from tropical diseases that were said to be worse than combat.
1944: Capt. Charles Yeager becomes one of the first U.S. pilots to shoot down a Messerschmidt Me-262 jet fighter, scoring his victory as the warplane attempts to land on a German airfield.
During a three-day battle at Kommerscheidt, Germany, U.S. Army 1st Lt. Turney W. Leonard "repeatedly braved overwhelming enemy fire in advance of his platoon to direct the fire of his tank destroyer from
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Chuck is still with us!
1944: Capt. Charles Yeager becomes one of the first U.S. pilots to shoot down a Messerschmidt Me-262 jet fighter, scoring his victory as the warplane attempts to land on a German airfield.
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Catching the ME 262 landing or taking off was probably just about the only chance an Allied fighter would have of shooting it down.
Top speed P-51 Mustang: 437 mph
Top speed ME-262: 559 mph
I watched a doc on that kill and Yeager said it was “highly unsportsman like..but what the hell.”
IIRC, there were a number of Me-262’s shot down while attempting to glide to their airfields because they had run out of fuel.
Didn’t know Chuck Yeager got one of them, though.
$3000 was serious money in 1941! A private made $50 a month, and a 2nd Lt $150.
Really? That’s fascinating on Yeager. I thought he was too young to have been in WW II. I knew he’d been a test pilot for a bunch of the early flights that would eventually lead to space. This country has produced some of the most amazing people.
Is that year correct I wonder? On November 6, 1941 we were still at peace with Germany. So why were we looking for blockade runners much less boarding and seizing them?
Yaegers first jet.
We were enforcing a blockade of Japan, part of the reason they then attacked us at Pearl.
1944: Capt. Charles Yeager becomes one of the first U.S. pilots to shoot down a Messerschmidt Me-262 jet fighter, scoring his victory as the warplane attempts to land on a German airfield.
So the only way we were able to down an Me-262 is hit is on the landing strip moving slowly?
When my dad enlisted in the Army in 1939 a person could still buy their way for 2 months pay. Of course between the booze and gambling you were broke at the end of the month...
Those early jets had a limited range, similar to a Tesla car.
In the Caribbean? Besides it was an economic embargo and not a blockade.
So...he saw the Me-262 crash short of the runway but did not burn. Sounds like Jerry was out of gas.
If he had run out of “benzine,” I’m sure the people on the ground could hear the pilot’s cursing.
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