Hello all

[vstrode]

New member here. I was an exchange student in Vienna, Austria and had an ex-German soldier as a professor. I got my degree in History and was a
bombardier (IRN) in B-52's and saw action in Desert Storm. I have taught
honors history classes on the World Wars and the American Civil War. I
live in St. Louis and I fix PCs.

[krieg]

welcome to the forum there mate
you will enjoy your stay here
cheers krieg

[macrusk]

Welcome to the Forum, vstrode. With your background you will surely enjoy and contribute to some of the discussion threads. I look forward to reading your posts.

[J.A. Costigan]

You sound like an accomplished fellow, welcome aboard.

[Tomcat]

G'day mate.

Did the professor have any good stories you could share with use?

[Skipper]

Welcome on board, join right in. Tell us more about your professor please.

[Bootie]

Hello... look forward to reading some of your stories..!

[bigfun]

Welcome!!
I look forward to sharing some threads with you!

[vstrode]

He was a bit of a Sh___kopf actually. He fought on the eastern front and was captured by the Soviets. He survived his imprisonment and returned to Germany post war dressed in a captured Japanese uniform that the Soviets had issued to him. I would bet it did not fit as we was close to being 6 ft tall. He was (probably dead now) a history professor at the University of Vienna and I took an Eastern European History class (20th century) from him. His basic stance was that he scoffed at the French Resistance and spoke very highly of the Polish Resistance, stating that it was the best in Europe until the Soviets tricked them and they were destroyed. (The Soviets told the resistance movements publically to rise up and fight the Germans as the Soviet Army was approaching quickly, except that they told the Communist Polish resistance to lay low. The Soviet Army then held back and allowed the Germans to destroy much of the resistance, thereby allowing the Communists to be the strongest surviving group).
According to the professor, the Polish underground was very organized and had schools, etc. They had some workers on the V project who managed to start stealing parts which were then put on British bombers that landed in Poland on their way to the U.S.S.R. (called shuttle missions). Shuttle missions were bombing raids to the far east of Germany and it was difficult to fly back to England because of the distance so they arranged to land in the U.S.S.R. to be refueled and flown back to England via a circuitious route, or by doing another bombing mission.
The problem I have with the story is that, being a bomber puke, I know you just can't land a large bomber in a grass field and hope to take off again, even if you survive the landing. I am not sure of the professors sources and I did not have the presence of mind to ask at the time (1975).

[dgmitchell]

Welcome to the Forums. I see that you are already making contributions and I am enjoying them. Please continue with as many stories as you can share!

Cheers!

[Skipper]

An interesting testimony, too bad it is biased. I would have expected something more objective from a University Professor. The Soe used stirling Bombers ,but these did not land in occupied territories. They used Lysanders who could land and take off however. maybe he meant those, but these were mostly used for getting Soe agents in France and helping evaders. I doubt they would fly over half of ocupied Europe.

[Za Rodinu]

Welcome aboard

[diddyriddick]

Welcome aboard, V! I'm looking forward to your posts.