Subject: WWII-L Digest - 18 Jul 1993 to 19 Jul 1993

From: Automatic digest processor <[email-masked]>
Date: Tue, 20 Jul 1993 00:00:42 -0400

There are 8 messages totalling 645 lines in this issue.

Topics of the day:

  1. USAAF 16-19 JUL 43
  2. L-4, Piper Cub or Grasshopper? (2)
  3. The Divine Wind blows strongly...
  4. GEN: Friendly Fire (2)
  5. KOHL VERSUS MITTERAND
  6. REF: Int'l Military Encyclopedia, etc.

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Date:    Mon, 19 Jul 1993 07:17:21 -0400
From:    [email-masked]
Subject: USAAF 16-19 JUL 43

COMBAT CHRONOLOGY OF THE US ARMY AIR FORCES
FRIDAY, 16 JULY 1943
FTP SITES
  1. ftp.rutgers.edu in directory pub/wwii/usaf
  2. byrd.mu.wvnet.edu (129.71.32.152) in pub/history/military/airforce/
     wwii_chronology

AIRCRAFT MENTIONED IN THIS REPORT:
  B-17, Boeing Flying Fortress
  B-24, Consolidated Liberator
  B-25, North American Mitchell
  B-26, Martin Marauder
  Beaufighter, Bristol
  Wellington, Vickers (RAF)

EUROPEAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS (Eighth Air Force)
  VIII Air Support Command Mission Number 1: 16 B-26B's are dispatched
against the marshalling yard at Abbeville, France; 14 hit the target at
2000 hours; 10 aircraft are damaged; casualties are 2 WIA. With this mis-
sion, the VIII Air Support Command begins combat operations, having
acquired the 322d, 323d, 386th, and 387th Bombardment Groups (Medium).

MEDITERRANEAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS

  EASTERN MEDITERRANEAN (Ninth Air Force)
    B-24's attack Bari Airfield, Italy; enemy fighters attack persistently
and 3 B-24's are shot down; they claim 11 fighters destroyed in combat.
B-25's bomb Randazzo and Valguarnera, Sicily. Royal Air Force (RAF) heavy
bombers hit Reggio di Calabria Airfield, Italy.
    HQ 79th Fighter Group transfers from Tunisia to Sicily.

  WESTERN MEDITERRANEAN (Northwest African Air Force)
    During the night of 15/16 Jul, Northwest African Strategic Air Force
(NASAF) Wellingtons bomb the dock, marshalling yards, and airfields at
Vibo Valentia, Sicily and Crotone, Reggio di Calabria, and Villa San
Giovanni, Italy, while Northwest African Tactical Air Force (NATAF) light
and medium bombers carry out numerous missions against Randazzo, Sicily
and roads in Sicily. During the day NATAF fighters, light and medium
bombers bomb Valguarnera, Sicily and targets of opportunity in north
central Sicily.
    On the ground in Sicily, British troops establish a bridgehead across
the Simeto River.
    The ground echelon of the 111th Reconnaissance Squadron (Fighter),
68th Reconnaissance Group, transfers from Tunis, Tunisia to Ponte Olivo,
Sicily joining the air echelon which arrived on Tuesday.
    The air echelon of the 414th Night Fighter Squadron, 2d Air Defense
Wing, which has been training in England with Beaufighters, joins the
ground echelon at Rerhaia, Algeria. The squadron will enter combat on 24
Jul.

SOUTH PACIFIC THEATER OF OPERATIONS (Thirteenth Air Force)
  In the Solomon Islands 30+ B-24's and B-17's pound Kahili Airfield
on Bougainville Island. In the Buin, Bougainville Island-Faisi Island
area, 7 B-24's join 70+ US Navy dive bombers and 100+ USAAF, Royal
New Zealand Air Force (RNZAF), US Navy, and US Marine Corps fighters in
an attack on shipping. Allied airplanes claim 40+ aircraft destroyed
or damaged; 7 vessels, including a destroyer, are sunk.

SOUTHWEST PACIFIC THEATER OF OPERATIONS (Fifth Air Force)
  A single B-24 bombs forces at MacDonald's Junction, New Guinea. Royal
Australian Air Force (RAAF) airplanes hit positions to the SW.

SATURDAY, 17 JULY 1943

AIRCRAFT MENTIONED IN THIS REPORT:
  B-17, Boeing Flying Fortress
  B-18, Douglas Bolo.
  B-24, Consolidated Liberator
  B-25, North American Mitchell
  B-26, Martin Marauder
  B-40, Boeing Flying Fortress
  L-4, Piper Cub
  L-5, Stinson Sentinel
  P-39, Bell Airacobra
  P-40, Curtiss
  Zeke, Mitsubishi A6M, Navy Type 0 Carrier Fighter

AMERICAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS

  ANTISUBMARINE WARFARE (AAF Antisubmarine Command)
    The 7th Antisubmarine Squadron (Heavy), 26th Antisubmarine Wing, based
at Jacksonville Municipal Airport, Florida with B-18's but operating from
Edinburgh Field, Trinidad, ceases flying ASW missions.

CHINA-BURMA-INDIA THEATER OF OPERATIONS

  BURMA-INDIA (Tenth Air Force)
    The 71st Liaison Squadron, Tenth Air Force, transfers from Ondal,
India to Ramgarh, India and begins training with L-4's and L-5's.

EUROPEAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS (Eighth Air Force)
  VIII Bomber Command Mission Number 74: The two primary targets are the
rail industry at Hannover, Germany and the aviation industry at Hamburg,
Germany. Both missions are recalled due to weather but the bombers hit
three targets, i.e.:
    1. 205 B-17's and 2 YB-40's are dispatched against Hannover; 33 hit
targets of opportunity; they claim 32-7-3 Luftwaffe aircraft; 1 B-17 is
lost, 2 are damaged beyond repair and 50 are damaged; casualties are 1
KIA, 9 WIA and 3 MIA.
    2. 125 B-17's are dispatched against Hamburg; 1 hits a convoy and 21
attempt to bomb the Fokker plant at Amsterdam, The Netherlands which is
obscured by clouds; the target is missed and 150 civilians are killed;
they claim 28-9-33 Luftwaffe aircraft; 1 B-17 is lost, 1 is damaged
beyond repair and 41 are damaged; casualties are 1 KIA, 3 WIA and 14 MIA.
  VIII Air Support Command Mission Nubmer 2: B-26's fly a diversion to
the Cayeux, France area.

MEDITERRANEAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS

  EASTERN MEDITERRANEAN (Ninth Air Force)
    About 80 B-24's bomb the Naples, Italy marshalling yard in face of
fierce fighter opposition; 1 B-24 is shot down and several are damaged;
they claim 23 fighters destroyed in combat. In Sicily, B-25's hit Catania
and the rail yards and roads at Paterno; and P-40's fly escort to Gela
and Comiso. Royal Air Force (RAF) heavy bombers hit Reggio di Calabria,
Italy.
    The 87th Fighter Squadron, 79th Fighter Group, transfers with P-40's
from Malta to Sicily.

  WESTERN MEDITERRANEAN (Northwest African Air Force)
    In Sicily during the night of 16/17 Jul and the following day North-
west African Tactical Air Force (NATAF) fighters, light and medium
bombers, hit Catania, Paterno, the Riposto railroad station, and targets
of opportunity (vehicles, tanks, trains, guns). During the day, 200+
B-25's, B-26's, and B-17's bomb Naples, Italy, concentrating on the
marshalling yard.
    On the ground in Sicily, the US 45th and 1st Infantry Divisions cross
the Salso River S and E of Caltanissetta. The British 30 Corps expands
the Simeto River bridgehead and drives toward Catania in the coastal
sector while 51 Division crosses the Simeto River and reaches to within
10 miles (16 km) of Paterno.
    HQ 350th Fighter Group and it's 345th Fighter Squadron transfer with
P-39's from Maison Blance, Algeria to Rerhaia, Algeria.

SOUTH PACIFIC THEATER OF OPERATIONS (Thirteenth Air Force)
  In the Solomon Islands, 7 B-24's and 70+ US Navy and Marine Corps
airplanes, escorted by 100+ USAAF and Allied fighters, attack shipping
off Buin, Bougainville Island. The B-24's claim hits on 2 cargo vessels,
and the dive bombers claim serious damage of 3 destroyers, a patrol ship,
an oiler, a merchant ship, and the 2 cargo vessels. In the air battle,
Allied aircraft claim 40+ Zekes and at least 4 float planes shot down;
5 Allied airplanes are lost.
  The 75th Bombardment Squadron (Medium), 42d Bombardment Group (Medium),
which has been operating from New Caledonia Island with B-25's, returns
to it's base on Guadalcanal Island.

SOUTHWEST PACIFIC THEATER OF OPERATIONS (Fifth Air Force)
  During the night of 17/l8 Jul, B-25's bomb Lautem on Timor Island while
B-24's bomb Adaoet Island in the Moluccas Islands. In New Guinea during
the day, B-25's pound the airfield, Army HQ and defensive positions, and
the general area in and around Salamaua as Allied forces from the Nassau
Bay-Mubo area begin a drive on Salamaua; the drive is a secondary effort
designed to divert enemy attention from a subsequent Allied campaign to
secure the Markham River Valley and Huon Peninsula and thus gain control
of Vitiaz Strait and Dampier Strait.

SUNDAY, 18 JULY 1943

AIRCRAFT MENTIONED IN THIS REPORT:
  A-20, Douglas Havoc
  A-36, North American Apache
  B-24, Consolidated Liberator
  B-25, North American Mitchell
  P-38, Lockheed Lightning
  P-40, Curtiss
  Wellington, Vickers (RAF)

AMERICAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS

  ALASKA (Eleventh Air Force)
    In the Aleutian Islands, 2 B-24's and 6 B-25's bomb Gertrude Cove and
Main Camp on Kiska Island. 6 B-24's bomb shipping targets between Paramu-
shiru Island and Shimushu Island in the Kurile Islands and completed
runway at Murakami Bay on Paramushiru Island, which is also photographed.
They observe fires among buildings S and E of this runway. Some of the
observed aircraft take to the air and vainly pursue the attackers.

CENTRAL PACIFIC THEATER OF OPERATIONS (Seventh Air Force)
  6 B-24's, flying out of Funafuti Island in the Ellice Islands, bomb
Betio Island, Tarawa Atoll in the Gilbert Islands.  Japanese bombers
raiding Canton Island in the Phoenix Islands are forced to jettison their
bombs at sea because of intense AA and fighter defense.

CHINA-BURMA-INDIA THEATER OF OPERATIONS

  CHINA (Fourteenth Air Force)
    7 B-24's bomb shipping at Haiphong and Hongay, French Indochina.

MEDITERRANEAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS

  EASTERN MEDITERRANEAN (Ninth Air Force)
    B-25's bomb Randazzo and Catania, Sicily.
    The 85th and 86th Fighter Squadrons, 79th Fighter Group, transfer
with P-40's from Malta to Sicily.

  WESTERN MEDITERRANEAN (Northwest African Air Force)
    During the night of 17/18 Jul, Northwest African Strategic Air Force
(NASAF) Wellingtons bomb airfields at Montecorvino, Sicily and Pomiglian-
o, Italy, while Northwest African Tactical Air Force (NATAF) light
bombers bomb Catania, Sicily and carry out reconnaissance of extensive
areas of Sicily. During the day, NATAF A-36's hit Santa Caterina, Adrano,
Lercara, and Termini Imerese, Sicily.
    On the ground in Sicily, the US Seventh Army makes rapid progress
against light opposition. The British Eighth Army continues their advance,
but 13 Corps continues to meet strong resistance near Catania.
    HQ 27th Bombardment Group (Ligth) and it's 16th, 17th and 91st
Bombardment Squadrons (Light) transfer with A-36's from Korba, Tunisia to
Sicily. The 27th will be redesignated the 27th Fighter-Bomber Group on 23
Aug 43; the 16, 17th and 91st will be redesignated the 522d, 523d and
524th Fighter-Bomber Squadrons respectively.
    HQ 33d Fighter Group transfers from Pantelleria Island in the Medi-
terranean to Licata, Sicily.

SOUTH PACIFIC THEATER OF OPERATIONS (Thirteenth Air Force)
  In the Solomon Islands, 21 B-24's, 20+ P-40's and P-38's, and 140+ US
Navy and Marine Corps dive bombers and fighters thoroughly blast the
Kahili area on Bougainville Island; 15 B-24's concentrate on the air-
field; many AA positions are attacked, as are revetments and runways.
Hits are claimed on 2 destroyers, and a light craft is sunk. The Allied
airplanes claim 21 fighters shot down; 9 US US Navy aircraft are lost. A
B-25 off New Georgia Island strafes a motor launch.

SOUTHWEST PACIFIC THEATER OF OPERATIONS (Fifth Air Force)
  During the night of 18/19 Jul, B-24's bomb the harbor area at Makassar
on Celebes Island. In New Guinea, several B-25's, a B-24, and an A-20 bomb
and strafe Lokanu, Boisi, Tambu Peninsula, Dot Island, Salamaua, and
Komiatum as US forces secure the S headland of Tambu Bay for a supply
base. Other B-25's attack barges and shipping off New Britain Island in
the Bismarck Archipelago sinking a small cargo vessel off Cape Kwoi.

MONDAY, 19 JULY 1943

AIRCRAFT MENTIONED IN THIS REPORT:
  A-24, Douglas Dauntless
  A-36, North American Apache
  B-17, Boeing Flying Fortress
  B-24, Consolidated Liberator
  B-25, North American Mitchell
  B-26, Martin Marauder
  Boston, Douglas (RAAF)
  C-47, Douglas Skytrain
  P-40, Curtiss
  P-51, North American Mustang
  Spitfire, Vickers Supermarine
  Wellington, Vickers (RAF)

AMERICAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS

  ALASKA (Eleventh Air Force)
    The 633d, 634th and 635th Bombardment Squadrons (Dive), 407th
Bombardment Group (Dive), based at Drew Field, Tampa, Florida begin
operating from Amchitka Island in the Aleutian Islands with A-24's. The
squadron will fly combat missions 4-13 Aug.

  ANTISUBMARINE WARFARE (AAF Antisubmarine Command)
    The 14th Antisubmarine Squadron (Heavy), 25th Antisubmarine Wing, based
at Camp Edward Army Air Field, Falmouth, Massachusetts, begins operating
from Langley Field, Hampton, Virginia with B-24's.

CHINA-BURMA-INDIA THEATER OF OPERATIONS

  BURMA-INDIA (Tenth Air Force)
    B-25's damage the approaches to the Shweli, Burma road bridge.

  CHINA (Fourteenth Air Force)
    4 B-24's attack cement works at Haiphong, French Indochina.

MEDITERRANEAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS

  EASTERN MEDITERRANEAN (Ninth Air Force)
    100+ B-24's attack the Littoria, Italy marshalling yards and nearby
airfield. On the return flight railroads at Orlando, Sicily and Anzio,
Italy are bombed. B-25's hit Catania and Randazzo, Sicily. P-40's escort
C-47's.
    The 64th, 65th and 66th Fighter Squadrons, 57th Fighter Group,
transfer with P-40's from Malta to Sicily.

  WESTERN MEDITERRANEAN (Northwest African Air Force)
    During the night of 18/19 Jul, Wellingtons drop over 800,000 leaflets
on Rome, Italy. Northwest African Tactical Air Force (NATAF) light
bombers attack Catania, Sicily. During the following day, about 150
Northwest African Strategic Air Force (NASAF) B-17's bomb the Rome, Italy
railroad yards; B-25's and B-26's hit nearby Ciampino Airfield, Italy;
P-40's bomb rail facilities in the Alcamo, Sicily area; and NATAF A-36's
attack trains and motor transport in W Sicily.
    On the ground in Sicily, the US Seventh Army continues to push N and
NW while the British Eighth Army's 13 Corps still faces firm resistance
near Catania.
    The 111th Reconnaissance Squadron (Fighter), 68th Reconnaissance
Group, transfers with P-51's from Ponte Olivo, Sicily to Gela, Sicily.
    The 308th Fighter Squadron, 31st Fighter Group, transfers with
Spitfires from Ponte Olivo, Sicily to Agrigento, Sicily.

SOUTH PACIFIC THEATER OF OPERATIONS (Thirteenth Air Force)
  In the Solomon Islands, B-17's bomb Kahili Airfield on Bougainville
Island. B-17's and B-25's hit the airfield on Ballale Island. B-25's in
support of ground forces hit positions in the Bairoko battle area on New
Georgia Island where enemy resistance is fierce.

SOUTHWEST PACIFIC THEATER OF OPERATIONS (Fifth Air Force)
  In New Guinea, a B-25 bombs a bridge over the mouth of the Francisco
River; a B-17 hits Finschhafen Airfield; and Royal Australian Air Force
(RAAF) Bostons attack a gun position at Komiatum and a military camp at
Erskine Creek.

SOURCES:
AIR FORCE COMBAT UNITS OF WORLD WAR II, Office of Air Force History,
  Headquarters USAF, 1961, ISBN 0-912799-02-1
COMBAT SQUADRONS OF THE AIR FORCE, WORLD WAR II, Office of Air Force
  History, Headquarters USAF 1982
THE ARMY AIR FORCES IN WORLD WAR II: COMBAT CHRONOLOGY, 1941-1945 by the
  Office of Air Force History, Headquarters USAF, 1973
THE MIGHTY EIGHTH WAR DIARY by Roger A. Freeman, ISBN 1-85409-071-2

Jack McKillop
USAF (Airways and Air Communications Service)
1955-59

----------------------------------------------------------------------
|  Jack McKillop      |  Those who have long enjoyed such privileges |
|  Bellcore           |  as we enjoy forget in time that men have    |
|  Piscataway, NJ     |  died to win them.     FDR                   |
|  USA                |  [email-masked]                        |
----------------------------------------------------------------------

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Date:    Mon, 19 Jul 1993 07:25:30 -0400
From:    [email-masked]
Subject: L-4, Piper Cub or Grasshopper?

Last week, I included the Piper L-4 Cub in my list of aircraft.  Someone
asked me if the L-4 was the Piper Cub or Piper Grasshopper.  Well, here is
what I have found.

I appears that the name "Grasshopper" was a generic name applied to light
aircraft used for artillery spotting because four different aircraft, i.e,
the Taylorcraft L-2 (ex O-57), Aeronca L-3 (ex O-58), Piper L-4 (ex O-59)
and Interstate L-6 (ex O-63), are all identified as the "Grasshopper"; all
were versions of pre-World War II light, civilian aircraft but the Piper
was the only aircraft with a recognizable name, i.e., the Cub.  That is
probably why my second source calls the L-4 the Piper Cub and the other
three Grasshoppers.

L-4, Piper Cub or Grasshopper?  Take your choice; it appears that both are
correct.

------------------------------

Date:    Mon, 19 Jul 1993 08:12:57 EST
From:    Larry Jewell <[email-masked]>
Subject: The Divine Wind blows strongly...

A busy day in the Western Pacific.

From: NAVAL CHRONOLOGY, WORLD WAR II, 1955, GPO, Washington, DC
APRIL, 1945
04/06 Fri. First heavy attack is made by Japanese suicide planes
           on United States ships at Okinawa, Ryukyu Islands;
           similar attacks persist throughout the Okinawa campaign.
            United States naval vessels sunk, Okinawa area:
             Destroyer BUSH (DD-529), by suicide plane,
              27 d. 16'N., 127 d. 48'E.
             Destroyer COLHOUN (DD-801), damaged by suicide plane,
              27 d. 16'N., 127 d. 48'E.;
              sunk by United States forces.
             High-speed minesweeper EMMONS (DMS-22), damaged by
              suicide plane,
              26 d. 48'N., 128 d. 04'E.;
              sunk by United States forces.
             LST 447, by suicide plane,
              26 d. 09'N., 127 d. 18'E.
            United States naval vessels damaged, Okinawa area:
             Battleship NORTH CAROLINA (BB-55), accidentally by
              United States naval gunfire,
              26 d. 41'N., 129 d. 32'E.
             Light carrier SAN JACINTO (CVL-30), by suicide plane,
              26 d. 46'N., 129 d. 43'E.
             Light cruiser PASADENA (CL-65), accidentally by
              United States naval gunfire,
              27 d. 00'N., 129 d. 00'E.
             Destroyer MORRIS (DD-417), by suicide plane,
              25 d. 55'N., 127 d. 52'E.
             Destroyer BENNETT (DD-473), by suicide plane,
              27 d. 16'N., 127 d. 48'E.
             Destroyer HUTCHINS (DD-476), by suicide plane,
              26 d. 00'N., 128 d. 00'E.
             Destroyer LEUTZE (DD-481), by suicide plane,
              26 d. 38'N., 127 d. 28'E.
             Destroyer MULLANY (DD-528), by suicide plane,
              26 d. 24'N., 128 d. 10'E.
             Destroyer HARRISON (DD-573), by suicide plane,
              27 d. 05'N., 129 d. 22'E.
             Destroyer NEWCOMB (DD-586), by suicide plane,
              26 d. 38'N., 127 d. 28'E.
             Destroyer HOWORTH (DD-592), by suicide plane,
              26 d. 32'N., 127 d. 40'E.
             Destroyer HAYNESWORTH (DD-700), by suicide plane,
              26 d. 55'N., 129 d. 29'E.
             Destroyer HYMAN (DD-731), by suicide plane,
              26 d. 45'N., 127 d. 42'E.
             destroyer TAUSSIG (DD-746), by horizontal bomber,
              27 d. 07'N., 128 d. 39'E.
             Destroyer escort WITTER (DE-636), by suicide plane,
              26 d. 04'N., 127 d. 52'E.
             Destroyer escort FIEBERLING (DE-640), by suicide plane,
              26 d. 48'N., 128 d. 04'E.
             High-speed minesweeper RODMAN (DMS-21),
              by suicide plane,
              26 d. 48'N., 128 d. 04'E.
             High-speed minesweeper HARDING  (DMS-28), by horizontal
              bomber,
              26 d. 00'N., 127 d. 00'E.
             Minesweeper FACILITY (AM-133), by suicide plane,
              26 d. 00'N., 127 d. 00'E.
             Minesweeper RANSOM (AM-283), by suicide plane,
              26 d. 48'N., 128 04'E.
             Minesweeper DEFENSE (AM-317), by suicide plane,
              26 d. 38'N., 127 31'E.
             Minesweeper DEVASTOR (AM-318), by suicide plane,
              26 d. 26'N., 127'40'E.
             Motor minesweeper YMS 311, by suicide plane,
              26 d. 38'N., 127 d. 48'E,
             Motor minesweeper YMS 321, by suicide plane,
              26 d. 00'N,, 128 d. 00'E.
             Submarine chaser PCS-1390, accidentally by United States
              naval gunfire,
              26 d. 00'N., 128 d. 00'E.
             Attack transport BARNETT (APA-5), accidentally by United
              States naval gunfire,
              26 d. 21'N., 127 d. 43'E.
             High-speed transport DANIEL T. GRIFFIN (APD-38), by
              collision,
              25 d. 57  N., 127 d. 57'E.
             Attack cargo ship LEO (AKA-60), accidentally by United
              States naval gunfire,
              26 d. 21'N., 127 d. 43'E.
             LST 241, accidentally by United States naval gunfire,
              26 d. 20'N., 127 d. 45'E.
             LST 1000, accidentally by United States naval gunfire,
              26 d. 21'N., 127 d. 44'E.
            Japanese naval vessels sunk:
             Destroyer AMATSUKAZE, by Army aircraft, off China,
              23 d. 55'N., 117 d. 40'E.
             Minesweeper NO. 22, by submarine BESUGO (SS-321),
              Netherlands East Indies area,
              08 d. 13'S., 119 d. 14'E.
             Coast defense vessels NOs. 2 and 134, by Army aircraft, off
              China,
              23 d. 55'N., 117 d. 40'E.

Larry J

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Date:    Mon, 19 Jul 1993 08:19:28 -0700
From:    Thomas Cardoza <[email-masked]>
Subject: GEN: Friendly Fire

In his message "The Divine Wind Blows Strongly," Larry jewel mentioned 5
USN ships hit by frinedly fire IN ONE DAY.  This is interesting to me,
since the media seems to have "discovered" the whole phenomenon of
friendly fire during the Gulf War.  (Their precedecssors discovered it in
Vietnam as well, and I'm sure other generations of reporters have also
complained about the FF casualties of their particular war as if they were
something new)  I said loudly and often to the TV
screen two years ago that: A. Freindly fire casualties are not new but
have occured in every war (at least every war where missile weapons have
been used); and, B. that the Gulf War FF casualties, though terrible,
seemed relatively under control considering the number of personnel,
weapons, and nationalities involved, not to mention the fluid conditions
operative during the ground campaign.
        To get to my point, does anyone know of any scholarly or
government studies of friendly fire casualties, specifically WW II but
also throughout the ages?  Sorry to go on, but Larry's mesage picqued my
interest.

Thomas Cardoza

------------------------------

Date:    Mon, 19 Jul 1993 09:11:20 -0700
From:    Thomas Cardoza <[email-masked]>
Subject: Re: KOHL VERSUS MITTERAND

On Sun, 18 Jul 1993, John Ausland wrote:

>   Oslo, July 18.  I have just returned to Oslo from the US, where I
> attended a reunion of the 4th Infantry Division in Washington, DC.
> When reading the International Herald Tribunes which had gathered, I
> found a story saying that Kohl wanted to be invited to the June 6
> events next year.  According to this story, French and American
> officials were negative.  That the French are unenthusiastic does
> not surprise me, but I have been unable thus far to get a statement
> regarding the US position.
>   K and M are meeting in Bonn on Tuesday and may discuss this question.
>   I would be interested in getting the views of users of this list.
> Should or should not Kohl be invited?  What are the pros and cons?
>   Regards, John Ausland

Well,
There is certainly a lot to consider here, and since I'm first into the
breach I will probably miss a lot that others can add or correct me on.
Whether or not France invites Kohl depends on the message he wants to send
and the constituency he wants to serve.  If the desired message is that
France and Germany have put WW II behind them and are fast friends with no
animosity, then Kohl will get his invitation.  Likewise if Mitterand
wants to cater to the advocates of European unity and those who feel close
ties with Germany are indispensable in the coming era.  However, there are
a lot of people in France who still remember the war, the humiliating
defeat, the deportations, and all the horrors of life under the nazis.  For
many of them I doubt it will be a matter of letting the past be forgotten.
Kohl's presence would be an outrage to their continued feelings of
resentment towards Germany, not to mention the memory of their dead
comrades. One need only recall the furor in the US over proposed Japanese
participation in the 50th anniversary ceremonies at Pearl Harbor to see
the problems involved, and the French went through far worse at the hands
of the Germans. Five years ago I spent some time at RAF Manston
talking to a number of veterans of the RAF and Royal Navy,  I was mildly
surprised to hear them all say
independently (i.e. I talked to them at differnt times/places and
they did not know each other) that the Germans were just soldiers
like themselves, doing their jobs, and that they (the Brits) bore
their erstwhile German opponents no ill will.  But considering
that these were men whose country WON, and was never ocupied, their
attitude is more understandable.  Also, being RN and RAF, they never
actually SAW thier enemies in person, nor had to see up close the
results
of nazi brutality in the occupied countries or in Germany itself.(I know
that doesn't hold true for all RN and RAF personnel, but it did for most,
and these were no exception.)
          Despite what anyone can say about the healthful effects
of leting go of one's anger, my guess is that German dignitaries won't be
attending June 6th ceremonies until the French veterans' ranks are
drastically thinned by General Time.  France suffered too much at
Germany's hands, and after all, this will be a commemoration of the
painful, bloody, and drawn-out struggle to kick the Germans out of France.
As for next June, I'll bet a cold Kanterbrau that Kohl won't get his
invitation!

Thomas Cardoza

------------------------------

Date:    Mon, 19 Jul 1993 13:23:08 EST
From:    Crane Conrad LTC <[email-masked]>
Subject: Re: GEN: Friendly Fire

>In his message "The Divine Wind Blows Strongly," Larry jewel mentioned 5
>USN ships hit by frinedly fire IN ONE DAY.  This is interesting to me,
>since the media seems to have "discovered" the whole phenomenon of
>friendly fire during the Gulf War.  (Their precedecssors discovered it in
>Vietnam as well, and I'm sure other generations of reporters have also
>complained about the FF casualties of their particular war as if they were
>something new)  I said loudly and often to the TV
>screen two years ago that: A. Freindly fire casualties are not new but
>have occured in every war (at least every war where missile weapons have
>been used); and, B. that the Gulf War FF casualties, though terrible,
>seemed relatively under control considering the number of personnel,
>weapons, and nationalities involved, not to mention the fluid conditions
>operative during the ground campaign.
>        To get to my point, does anyone know of any scholarly or
>government studies of friendly fire casualties, specifically WW II but
>also throughout the ages?  Sorry to go on, but Larry's mesage picqued my
>interest.
>
>Thomas Cardoza

One excellent source on the issue is AMICICIDE: THE PROBLEM OF FRIENDLY FIRE IN
MODERN WAR by Charles R. Shrader, Research Survey No. 1 from the Combat Studies
Institute, available from that organization at the US Army Command and General
Staff College, Fort Leavenworth, KS 66027-6900.

                                        Conrad Crane
                                        Dept. of History
                                        US Military Academy

------------------------------

Date:    Mon, 19 Jul 1993 20:57:13 +0200
From:    Emmanuel Gustin <[email-masked]>
Subject: Re: L-4, Piper Cub or Grasshopper?

> I appears that the name "Grasshopper" was a generic name applied to light
> aircraft used for artillery spotting because four different aircraft, i.e,
> the Taylorcraft L-2 (ex O-57), Aeronca L-3 (ex O-58), Piper L-4 (ex O-59)
> and Interstate L-6 (ex O-63), are all identified as the "Grasshopper"; all
> were versions of pre-World War II light, civilian aircraft but the Piper
> was the only aircraft with a recognizable name, i.e., the Cub.  That is
> probably why my second source calls the L-4 the Piper Cub and the other
> three Grasshoppers.

Wasn't Taylorcraft the original designer and builder of the Cub? This
might explain the identical names, if the L-4 (-3/-6) was the development by
(an)other compan(y)(ies) of the L-2.

Emmanuel Gustin

------------------------------

Date:    Mon, 19 Jul 1993 18:36:46 EDT
From:    Michael Cotter <[email-masked]>
Subject: REF: Int'l Military Encyclopedia, etc.

A few months ago, I asked the list readers for information on
the International Military and Defense Encyclopedia (IMADE), ed. Trevor
Dupuy, and the International Military Encyclopedia, ed. Norman Tobias.  Only
one person replied (thanks, Larry Clemens); but now I have seen a review
of the IMADE and two reviews of the IME.  The IMADE is reviewed in the
Wilson Library Bulletin, April 1993 and receives a generally favorable
review by James Rettig of the William and Mary University Library.  He
says, in summary, that it "deserves to be called a classic" in its field.

The IME is reviewed in American Reference Books Annual (ARBA), 1992, by
Eric Nitschke, who writes that "this work should provide a useful reference
and means of entry to military (although not naval) subjects.  Libraries at
all levels will want to consider it."  James Rettig reviewed IME in the Februar
y1993 issue of Wilson Library Bulletin, writes that the emphasis in IME is more
upon weapons (specifications, period of use, the forces which used it,
firepower, and performance in battle) more than in IMADE.

I'll provide more information if anyone doesn't have the reviews at hand;
my interest in these publications is partly due to their cost: IMADE is
$1,250 or so for 6 vols., while IME is $37 per volume for an undetermined
number of volumes.  Hmmm.  Guess I'll try to order both, plus _The Military
History of the United States_, by  Christopher Chant (Cavendish, 1992, 16v.,
$449.00).  Didn't I mention that before?  Well, let's see....

Michael Cotter
Documents Librarian
Joyner Library
East Carolina University
Greenville NC 27858
919/757-6533

------------------------------

End of WWII-L Digest - 18 Jul 1993 to 19 Jul 1993
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