75 Years Ago Today...

[Smithy]

The USS Belleau Wood on fire after being hit by a Japanese kamikaze 75 years ago today.

 

[YoungMedic]

Never seen this one before.....

 

[Smithy]

The fire from the crashed kamikaze ignited ammunition in the stern section and I think this photo might very well capture the moment that the ammo went up. Pretty dramatic.

 

[Lorenzo_l]

And to think those WWII aircraft carriers had top decks made out of teak wood. And that there were munition depots bellow decks. It's no wonder things blew up an burned when those kamikaze planes hit..

 

[Micawber]

Lest We Forget.

I think I know the photo posted but unfortunately it is not showing for me.

 

[Whatsit]

Thanks for reminding us. We can never let those guys that lost their lives be forgotten

 

[YoungMedic]

After some reading I am amazed this ship made it into repairs and eventually was retired. Also of note is another ship hit by kamikaze USS Jackson issuing smoke in the right of picture

 

[Smithy]

After some reading I am amazed this ship made it into repairs and eventually was retired. Also of note is another ship hit by kamikaze USS Jackson issuing smoke in the right of picture

Yeah it was really incredible, you wouldn't be surprised if she'd sunk after taking damage like that. Tragically 92 men were lost because of this. It's a sobering photo but an extraordinary one too.

 

[Smithy]

November 2, 75 years ago today...

28th Infantry Division men advance through the Hürtgen Forest in Germany on November 2 1944. As I'm sure most of the guys on here know, Hürtgen Forest was not a very nice place.

 

[dinomartino1]

Thursday was also the anniversary of the charge of the Australian light horse at Beersheba in Palestine in 1917.

The charge of the 4th Light Horse Brigade at Beersheba | Australian War Memorial

www.awm.gov.au

An interesting old interview with last surviving digger from the battle with a typical aussie sense of humour.

 

[Smithy]

USN aviators aboard USS Saratoga 75 years ago today...

 

[Smithy]

"Imshi!"

British anti-tank gunners are held up by a camel not far from Petra, Jordan 7 November 1944.