Your choice! Name your Service

Alright. Hypothetically, of course, you have a choice. Within any of the WW2 years (1939-1945) what would your preference of service - understanding that you HAD to serve - in the U.S. forces??? The German forces???? Any theatre is fair game. But why? Please tell me your reasoning behind this...............

 

hmmm... I think first off i would serve with the US military.
Then i would pick the Navy. If i couldn't do that then i'd try Airforce.
I dunno if i'd just volunteer thats a hard one to tell...However whenever i was drafted i would settle for the navy.
Although, I'm not to sure how the draft worked...if the draft worked by a person being drafted into a specific branch (IE being drafted by the army or what have you) Then i would volunteer for the navy before being drafted. If when you were drafted you could pick a branch...i'd pick the Navy.
If i had to pick a year i'd prob pick 1945 and don't have a preference to theater. But heck when your drafted your drafted! I think actually i would have prefered the pacific even though the atlantic seemed safer. For the Japanese actually attacked the U.S.
The Navy prob asigned you to a ship somewhere...and depending on where that ship was depended on which theater you were going to.
I'd pick the Navy because i like warships and the comradery sailors have on board. No way souns like a good way going into combat but i think if i had to i like the conditions of the Navy best.

 

If I had my choice, I would fight for whatever country I came from (assuming I agreed with their ideals ).

Ive always had a strange fascination with Germany in WWII, nothing I can explain in words describes my interest in the German side of the war (even though Im American), compared to the other antagonists. Sure, it may be interesting to study Patton and Americans, or Zhukov and the Red Army, but nearly every book and publishing I have has to do with Germany.

My first choice still would be to serve in Patton's Fourth Army during the march across France after the Falaise debacle. Simply because the worst was really behind me and it would give me a nice transition from being a green recruit to a soldier having the necessary expierience to fight in the Bulge.

Second, Id serve in the Wehrmacht preferably against the Allies in the defense of Italy, although I would serve against enemy on any front. Italy was a dream to defend and hell to fight on the offensive.

Otto, if your a green 16-17 year-old recruit entering service as a Tiger commander I must fully applaud your fighting abilities and/or luck!

Very interesting post Erich. Cant say that Ive seen anything like it anywhere before!

 

Me? hmm i could settle for some nice cushy Garrison duty in France in the German Army from 41-44

 

I definately (providing I was German or European in the least) would volunteer for the U-Boats, just because.......

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Hmm, I'd definately be in the coast guard on coastal defense battery at home in the US. Every Sunday I'd go wash my clothes at the laundromat with all those lonely women.

 

Dear Anton: I agree with you but, I have met many-a-gorgeous German Frau, while in Germany; and they are haa-cha-cha!

 

I would have to choose Germany's Waffen SS. After listening to my Grandfather's stories and all I have read, I have not found a group with such espirit de corps, such bravery or camaraderie displayed during and even after the war. During their happy days of 1941-42 would be ideal. They trained the best, were equipped the best and rewarded the best. All for a price though. The elite of a nation. Much can be said of the same with the U.S. Marines.

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Carpe Diem

 

In my occaisional daydreams, I sit behind the gunsights of the dreaded 8,8cm pak, within the formidable turret of the Tiger I, sending Crazy Ivans by the score to meet their maker.... Then we get stuck in the 3-foot deep mud! Oops!!!

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Killjoy

 

Not crazy at all. Ernst Barkmann dispatched many tanks, as did Michael Wittmann (17) in a single engagement, but I think they were British, and of course my favorite and my friend Remy Schrijnen. Remy in 3 days, wounded multiple times, and being alone and behind enemy lines, knocked out several T-34s, and 2 JS 1s, and over 100 russian Infantry. For his actions, he recieved the Knighs Cross of the Iron Cross. Remy was #1 gunner in his PAK crew. During this action, he: went from position to position, collecting spare ammo, loading, sighting and firing-all by hisself, while also defending his position against Russian Infantry attacks.

 

That is a well deserved RitterKruez for Remy!

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Tschuss

 

This is an easy one. Since I am a retired armor officer, I would have to be a tanker.

As to WHICH country I would be a tanker FOR, that's not as easy. I would LIKE to say the US, but I think I would rather go to war in a Panther than a Sherman. So, I guess (provided I had been born in Germany) I would have volunteered for the Panzerwaffe.

Ed Bohne

 

Dear Pzjgr: Thats just the tip of the iceburg for Remy so to speak. If you ever get a chance to go to Hagen to see him, you will find he is very modest and doesnt like to brag but, he is very proud of his service. It would have been excellent if he had been promoter to the officer corps. Remy ended the was as an SS Unterscharfuhrer, he definately was officer material; in my opinion.

For M60A1: I agree with you on choice of tank. My father told me that Shermans were known as Rontos, because the cought on fire easily. The short-barrelled version was a far cry from the modified newer long version. Im surprised that it took as long for the brass to catch on, before the change was made. I would sure hated to have served I think it was called the M3A1, having flat armor plates and rivits!

 

Hwargh!!! Actually, it's gotta be considered just a TAD crazy to imagine oneself glorying in the horrific slaughter of one's fellow men.... but that debate isn't my point.

The phrase "Crazy Ivan" I lifted from the Tom Clancy novel "...Red October". No disrespect intended to the courageous men of the Red Army, I'm just being sarcastic...

A second pipe dreamof mine is to have been a Messerschmitt Komet pilot. Yeah, the things were potentially explosive deathtraps with extreme limitations as weapons platforms, but imagine the RUSH of climbing to 30,000 feet in 3 minutes and roaring through bomber formations with no regard whatever for the enemy fighters who simply could not touch you...

 

ah but wern't you in trouble as you glided down?...were any ever shot down while gliding or in combat?

 

Both types of German Jets were shot down. I think even Rudel, having flown the 262, I think I heard that he was shot down; in that jet also.

 

Thats easy!, I would be a POW camp guard. I'm serious! all they did was guard POWs, and conduct a few counts in a day. How hard could that be?

 

Well look at it this way. I did that type of thing for 4 years, and it isnt just standing in a picket, or being down below conducting counts. In 1997, I had my first taste at what it was like when some inmate wanted (and did) escape. The first day, I was posted "in the buildings" the next two days, I sweated my *ss off, got rained on for several hours, and worked for 27 hours, without a break. Day three, again outside and an a flooded caliche road. A cold front blew in during my watch, we had heavy winds-no raingear, no protection for 18 hours. In other words-we got soaked, and we froze. Day 4 thankfully, I was posted back inside a nice dry and warm building. Then my weekend was cancellec, and had to pull double shifts, for 10 days.

 

hey Evens i was just wondering...were you in the military when you did tht? or was it a regular prison?
if you were in the military who were in the prision, being we were not at war?