Winston
Lorenzo von Matterhorn
- Joined
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33 interesting facts about World War II
1. The first American serviceman killed in WWII was Captain Robert M. Losey, Air Attache to the American Embassy in Finland in a Russian Air Raid on April 21, 1940.
2. Over 100,000 Allied bomber crewmen were killed over Europe.
3. More US servicemen died in the US Army Air Force than in the Marine Corps. While completing the required 30 missions, your chance of being killed was 71%.
4. At the time of Pearl Harbor the top US Navy command was called CINCUS (pronounced "sink us").
5. When the US Army landed in North Africa, among the equipment brought ashore was 3 complete Coca-Cola bottling plants.
6. Among the first "Germans" captured at Normandy were several Koreans. They had been forced to fight for the Japanese Army until they were captured by the Russians and forced to fight for the Russian Army until they were captured by the Germans and forced to fight for The German Army (Ost Battalion) until the US Army captured them. The 2012 Korean film about this: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B007S0DCUU/?tag=skimlinks_replacement-20
7. In the invasion of Attu (Aleutian Islands), Americans suffered 3,829 casualties, roughly 25% of the invading force, second only in proportion to Iwo Jima. Of these, 549 were killed; 1,148 injured; 1,200 with severe cold injuries; 614 with disease; and a remaining 318 to miscellaneous causes.
8. The only nation that Germany actually bothered to declare war on was the USA.
9. During the Japanese attack on Hong Kong British officers objected to Canadian infantrymen taking up positions in the officer's mess. No enlisted men allowed you know.
10. On July 9th, 1941, the German mine ships Tannenberg, Preussen and Hansestadt Danzig, returning home from a mine laying mission, ran into a Swedish (neutral) mine barrier and all three sank. The mine barrier had been laid under German recommendations.
11. 57 American Subs were lost in WWII. One, S26 SS 131 was rammed by an escort ship. The USS TANG SS306 and the USS TULLIBEE SS 284 were sunk by their own torpedoes, electric motor driven torpedo's with magnetic triggering mechanisms.
12. 1/3 of German torpedoes were duds for an 8 month period in 1939-40. 2/3 of American torpedoes were duds for over 20 months in 1941-43. All Japanese Long Lance torpedoes supposedly worked.
13. Kaiten ("Turning of the Heavens") were suicide submarines of the Japanese Navy, approximately 100 of them were used. The most famous use was the sinking of the USS Underhill.
14. Until 1939, the official shoulder patch of the US Army's 45th Infantry division was the Swastika, a Native American symbol.
15. In 1941, more than 3 million civilian cars were manufactured in the US. Only 139 more were made during the entire war.
16. Four of every five German soldiers killed in the war died on the Eastern Front.
17. Only 20% of the males born in the Soviet Union in 1923 survived the war.
18. The youngest serviceman in the US military was Calvin Graham age 12. Graham lied about his age when he enlisted in the US Navy. His real age was not discovered until after he was wounded. He was given a Dishonorable Discharge for lying about his age. (His benefits were later restored by act of Congress).
19. Only one out of every four men serving on U-boats survived.
20. The Siege of Stalingrad resulted in more Russian deaths (military and civilian) than the US and Britain sustained (combined) in all of World War II.
21. To avoid using the German sounding name hamburger during WWII, Americans used the name Liberty Steak. (French Fries were called "French Fries")
22. Adolf Hitlers nephew, William Hitler, served in the US Navy during WWII. ("Hi, Hitler"?)
23. The largest Japanese spy ring was actually located in Mexico.
24. The mortality rate for POWs in Russian camps was 85%.
25. Just before the start of World War II most condoms worn were made in Germany. When war broke out many soldiers making love before departing for war were wearing German condoms.
26. Marmite was prescribed as a cure for tropical diseases like burning feet and Beriberi.
27. Had it been necessary for a third atom bomb, the next city targeted would have been Tokyo.
28. Hiroo Onoda, an Imperial Japanese Army intelligence officer who fought in World War II, never surrendered in 1945. Until 1974, for almost 30 years, he held his position in the Philippines. His former commander traveled from Japan to personally issue orders relieving him from duty in 1974.
29. Total casualties for World War II were between 50 and 70 million people, 80% of who came from only four countries Russia, China, Germany, and Poland. Over 50% of the casualties were civilians, with the majority of those being women and children.
30. There were 433 Medals of Honor awarded during World War II, 219 of them were given after the recipient's death.
31. Germany lost 110 Division Commanders in combat.
32. The average German officer slot had to be refilled 9.2 times.
33. The last battle of WWII in Europe was fought almost a week after the War in Europe had officially ended: https://www.warhistoryonline.com/wa...-week-after-the-war-had-officially-ended.html
Modern US military figures:
"If you are a Marine, you are 2 times more likely to die compared to the Army, 10 times more likely to die when compared to the Navy, and 20 times more likely to die when compared to the Air Force. In fact, if you are in the Navy or Air Force, you have a statistically lower death rate than for civilians of your age in the United States."
1. The first American serviceman killed in WWII was Captain Robert M. Losey, Air Attache to the American Embassy in Finland in a Russian Air Raid on April 21, 1940.
2. Over 100,000 Allied bomber crewmen were killed over Europe.
3. More US servicemen died in the US Army Air Force than in the Marine Corps. While completing the required 30 missions, your chance of being killed was 71%.
4. At the time of Pearl Harbor the top US Navy command was called CINCUS (pronounced "sink us").
5. When the US Army landed in North Africa, among the equipment brought ashore was 3 complete Coca-Cola bottling plants.
6. Among the first "Germans" captured at Normandy were several Koreans. They had been forced to fight for the Japanese Army until they were captured by the Russians and forced to fight for the Russian Army until they were captured by the Germans and forced to fight for The German Army (Ost Battalion) until the US Army captured them. The 2012 Korean film about this: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B007S0DCUU/?tag=skimlinks_replacement-20
7. In the invasion of Attu (Aleutian Islands), Americans suffered 3,829 casualties, roughly 25% of the invading force, second only in proportion to Iwo Jima. Of these, 549 were killed; 1,148 injured; 1,200 with severe cold injuries; 614 with disease; and a remaining 318 to miscellaneous causes.
8. The only nation that Germany actually bothered to declare war on was the USA.
9. During the Japanese attack on Hong Kong British officers objected to Canadian infantrymen taking up positions in the officer's mess. No enlisted men allowed you know.
10. On July 9th, 1941, the German mine ships Tannenberg, Preussen and Hansestadt Danzig, returning home from a mine laying mission, ran into a Swedish (neutral) mine barrier and all three sank. The mine barrier had been laid under German recommendations.
11. 57 American Subs were lost in WWII. One, S26 SS 131 was rammed by an escort ship. The USS TANG SS306 and the USS TULLIBEE SS 284 were sunk by their own torpedoes, electric motor driven torpedo's with magnetic triggering mechanisms.
12. 1/3 of German torpedoes were duds for an 8 month period in 1939-40. 2/3 of American torpedoes were duds for over 20 months in 1941-43. All Japanese Long Lance torpedoes supposedly worked.
13. Kaiten ("Turning of the Heavens") were suicide submarines of the Japanese Navy, approximately 100 of them were used. The most famous use was the sinking of the USS Underhill.
14. Until 1939, the official shoulder patch of the US Army's 45th Infantry division was the Swastika, a Native American symbol.
15. In 1941, more than 3 million civilian cars were manufactured in the US. Only 139 more were made during the entire war.
16. Four of every five German soldiers killed in the war died on the Eastern Front.
17. Only 20% of the males born in the Soviet Union in 1923 survived the war.
18. The youngest serviceman in the US military was Calvin Graham age 12. Graham lied about his age when he enlisted in the US Navy. His real age was not discovered until after he was wounded. He was given a Dishonorable Discharge for lying about his age. (His benefits were later restored by act of Congress).
19. Only one out of every four men serving on U-boats survived.
20. The Siege of Stalingrad resulted in more Russian deaths (military and civilian) than the US and Britain sustained (combined) in all of World War II.
21. To avoid using the German sounding name hamburger during WWII, Americans used the name Liberty Steak. (French Fries were called "French Fries")
22. Adolf Hitlers nephew, William Hitler, served in the US Navy during WWII. ("Hi, Hitler"?)
23. The largest Japanese spy ring was actually located in Mexico.
24. The mortality rate for POWs in Russian camps was 85%.
25. Just before the start of World War II most condoms worn were made in Germany. When war broke out many soldiers making love before departing for war were wearing German condoms.
26. Marmite was prescribed as a cure for tropical diseases like burning feet and Beriberi.
27. Had it been necessary for a third atom bomb, the next city targeted would have been Tokyo.
28. Hiroo Onoda, an Imperial Japanese Army intelligence officer who fought in World War II, never surrendered in 1945. Until 1974, for almost 30 years, he held his position in the Philippines. His former commander traveled from Japan to personally issue orders relieving him from duty in 1974.
29. Total casualties for World War II were between 50 and 70 million people, 80% of who came from only four countries Russia, China, Germany, and Poland. Over 50% of the casualties were civilians, with the majority of those being women and children.
30. There were 433 Medals of Honor awarded during World War II, 219 of them were given after the recipient's death.
31. Germany lost 110 Division Commanders in combat.
32. The average German officer slot had to be refilled 9.2 times.
33. The last battle of WWII in Europe was fought almost a week after the War in Europe had officially ended: https://www.warhistoryonline.com/wa...-week-after-the-war-had-officially-ended.html
Modern US military figures:
"If you are a Marine, you are 2 times more likely to die compared to the Army, 10 times more likely to die when compared to the Navy, and 20 times more likely to die when compared to the Air Force. In fact, if you are in the Navy or Air Force, you have a statistically lower death rate than for civilians of your age in the United States."
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