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re: It's 1943, you're 18 years old, which would terrify you more?
Posted on 6/14/19 at 2:15 pm to Darth_Vader
Posted on 6/14/19 at 2:15 pm to Darth_Vader
Give me the tanker position, I don’t want to be anywhere near a plane
1
Posted on 6/14/19 at 2:17 pm to Darth_Vader
Come on, man, those are all extremely dangerous duties. Very high chance of getting wounded or killed in any of those positions.
I'd pick 101st duty, I guess.
I'd pick 101st duty, I guess.
Posted on 6/14/19 at 2:18 pm to Darth_Vader
Wikipedia numbers here to put this in perspective. I'm missing the total of each division that is needed to show us the odds of being killed. (Thanks to chinhoyang, we have that posted on pg. 4)
A.Ball turret gunner on a B-17 bomber crew with the 8th. Air Force--
Half of the U.S. Army Air Force's casualties in World War II were suffered by Eighth Air Force (more than 47,000 total casualties, with more than 26,000 from the 8th).
B. 1st Marine Div. as a rifleman--
7,813 killed in action
9,635 wounded in action
8,580 contracting malaria
31 missing in action.
C. 101st Airborne Div.--
Casualties
9,328 Total battle casualties
1,766 Killed in action
6,388 Wounded in action:
207 Missing in action:
967 POW
D. 4th. Armored Div. as a tanker on an M4 Sherman
6,212 Total battle casualties
1,143 Killed in action
4,551 Wounded in action
65 Missing in action
453 POW
First, let me pay my respect to all of those who served
Then, to answer your question, I'd be terrified of the ball turret with the 8th AF and if I could choose I'd go with the 101st!
A.Ball turret gunner on a B-17 bomber crew with the 8th. Air Force--
Half of the U.S. Army Air Force's casualties in World War II were suffered by Eighth Air Force (more than 47,000 total casualties, with more than 26,000 from the 8th).
B. 1st Marine Div. as a rifleman--
7,813 killed in action
9,635 wounded in action
8,580 contracting malaria
31 missing in action.
C. 101st Airborne Div.--
Casualties
9,328 Total battle casualties
1,766 Killed in action
6,388 Wounded in action:
207 Missing in action:
967 POW
D. 4th. Armored Div. as a tanker on an M4 Sherman
6,212 Total battle casualties
1,143 Killed in action
4,551 Wounded in action
65 Missing in action
453 POW
First, let me pay my respect to all of those who served
Then, to answer your question, I'd be terrified of the ball turret with the 8th AF and if I could choose I'd go with the 101st!
This post was edited on 6/14/19 at 2:24 pm
Posted on 6/14/19 at 2:18 pm to Tangineck
quote:
Am I the only one who would be the most hesitant to be put in a tank? Let's get in a hot metal box on tracks and fire heavy guns at each other. Yeah, hard pass here.
My grandfather was a tanker during WWII. He’s the reason I decided to be a tanker when I went into the army.
As far as ways to die, I’d put being a tanker As equal or maybe even above even crewing a B-17. I say this because if your in a tank when it’s hit and are not instantly killed, there is a good chance you will instead burn alive. And being burned alive is about the worse possible death i can imagine. I’ve seen what men who have been burned in a tank (we called them crispy critters). It’s not a pleasant sight. And the smell is something you will never forget.
Posted on 6/14/19 at 2:18 pm to Darth_Vader
Ball turret gunner seems horrifying. The survival rates are terrible as well.
I would probably choose either armored or airborne.
I would probably choose either armored or airborne.
Posted on 6/14/19 at 2:19 pm to Darth_Vader
A is really terrifying, B is almost as terrifying. Being in a tank sounds really hot and cramped so C.
This post was edited on 6/14/19 at 2:20 pm
Posted on 6/14/19 at 2:19 pm to Darth_Vader
Honestly... Jim Crow laws down south at that time
This post was edited on 6/14/19 at 2:20 pm
Posted on 6/14/19 at 2:20 pm to Fat and Happy
quote:
I gotta go with B-17. Probably the best percentage
It’s the best percentage if you’re wanting to die.
Posted on 6/14/19 at 2:20 pm to Spaceman Spiff
Don’t they? Gonna taste even sweeter in 2020 
Posted on 6/14/19 at 2:21 pm to fr33manator
quote:
Give me the tanker position, I don’t want to be anywhere near a plane
I remember the scene from "To Hell and Back" where Audie Murphy's squad hitches a ride on a Sherman. One guy says they have it made riding around in tank and the tanker says they only have 4 inches of armor. The guy looks at him and says "Oh yeah? How thick do you think this GI shirt is?"
Posted on 6/14/19 at 2:23 pm to Darth_Vader
Well the OP is asking which would terrify you the most so I think he understands that.
Posted on 6/14/19 at 2:24 pm to Darth_Vader
I aint sitting in any enclosed, hard to get out of spaces during war so no Ball Turret and no Tanks.
Would happily be a paratrooper.
would reluctantly be a Marine and fight the Japanese.
Would happily be a paratrooper.
would reluctantly be a Marine and fight the Japanese.
Posted on 6/14/19 at 2:24 pm to Darth_Vader
Whoopsie...delete
This post was edited on 6/14/19 at 7:55 pm
Posted on 6/14/19 at 2:25 pm to Darth_Vader
Yeah that's pretty much exactly why it would be the last one of the 4 I'd sign up for voluntarily. Higher chance of dying as a Gunner on the bomber maybe, but the thought of being trapped inside a tank that's been hit is downright terrifying.
Posted on 6/14/19 at 2:27 pm to Tangineck
quote:
Am I the only one who would be the most hesitant to be put in a tank? Let's get in a hot metal box on tracks and fire heavy guns at each other. Yeah, hard pass here.
and the Sherman was gasoline not diesel. those metal cans became fiery metal death traps... especially up against the German heavier armored and heavier armed tanks...
I think the worst would be 8th air force, followed by marines (based on tropical conditions/ship transport/fighting japs), then Sherman tank, then 101st....
edit: worst, not "works" dam autocorrect
This post was edited on 6/14/19 at 2:31 pm
Posted on 6/14/19 at 2:27 pm to Darth_Vader
quote:
As far as ways to die, I’d put being a tanker As equal or maybe even above even crewing a B-17. I say this because if your in a tank when it’s hit and are not instantly killed, there is a good chance you will instead burn alive.
Combining burning alive with the claustrophobia of being trapped as well sounds about as horrible of a way to go as I can imagine
Posted on 6/14/19 at 2:29 pm to tigeraddict
quote:
I think the works would be 8th air force, followed by marines (based on tropical conditions/ship transport/fighting japs), then Sherman tank, then 101st....
You got a death wish?
Posted on 6/14/19 at 2:32 pm to SeeeeK
My grandpa was a tail gunner in WWII, I would choose 101st airborne though.
Posted on 6/14/19 at 2:33 pm to LSUBoo
2nd better than 1st 
Posted on 6/14/19 at 2:33 pm to Darth_Vader
Id probably become the first ever transgender woman in hopes of avoiding the war.
Thank you to all the great people who have served. You are better men than I for sure.
Thank you to all the great people who have served. You are better men than I for sure.
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