You could meet any one person from WWII...

Hey Sami: Thank you, I would appreciate that very much. Also, if its possible, I would love to send him a letter. I have agrowing fascination and always had a big interest in Finland in ww2, especially the fights against the Soviets, and of course the things that happened after they had to oust the Germans. If you do in fact see him, please give him my best regards will you? Many thanks.

Speaking of sniper greats, im still trying to work out something with the Germans top two scoring snipers. They are: Matthias Hetzenauer with 345 kills and Sepp Allerberger with 257 kills.

I will immediately post anything THE moment I know whats going on with these men.

 

<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by C.Evans:
Hey Sami: Thank you, I would appreciate that very much. Also, if its possible, I would love to send him a letter. I have agrowing fascination and always had a big interest in Finland in ww2, especially the fights against the Soviets, and of course the things that happened after they had to oust the Germans. If you do in fact see him, please give him my best regards will you? Many thanks.

Speaking of sniper greats, im still trying to work out something with the Germans top two scoring snipers. They are: Matthias Hetzenauer with 345 kills and Sepp Allerberger with 257 kills.

I will immediately post anything THE moment I know whats going on with these men.<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>
Hi Carl,

Mr.Häyhä lives a very low profile life. He dislikes publicity, and therefore I don't even know his address (though I'm sure it wouldn't be very hard to find the info).

He also doesn't speak English, AFAIK, so you would need someone to translate it to Finnish.

One guy of the group of Americans who met him in May, had published some photos on the net.
http://albums.photopoint.com/j/AlbumList?u=1621597
(go to the "Russia 2001"-folder)

There is one group photo, where Mr.Häyhä sits in the middle (in front of the window under the red plant, the smaller guy).
His jaw is disformed, thanks to a Russian explosive bullet.
http://albums.photopoint.com/j/View?u=1621597&a=13218640&p=50593347&Sequence=0&res=high

...should be a link to the full size image.

Amazing marksman... over 500 kills in some three months! He sniped one artillery observer from 600 meters, and he never even used a scope. Hell, I can't even see a man from 600 meters!!!


I also met the group while they were in Helsinki. After sharing more than just a few pints of beer, I have to say:"Great people"!

Cheers,
Sami

 

I'd like to meet Sharon Stone, but that probably does not count eh? In case it doesn't, I'll have to settle for Waffen SS soldiers that defended Berlin, even after Hitler was dead. I would like to know why they did not give up despite the odds (5000 vs a few 100000?)and despite the fact the war was lost, the empire dead. I'd also like to meet Rommel, but it seems that he's too busy meeting all of you, so I'll go for Michael Wittmann, the ultimate Panzerman

 

Sami, thank you for the info and the great links. Providing you do get to see him, if you could take a current photo of him for me, would be perfect, and I very greatful.

Im trying to build up more of my knowledge on the russo/Finnish War.

I am trying to work on a sniped project for this site. I just recieved word today, that one of the RKT German snipers I wanted to get info anf photos from, is very ill at this time and most likely could not even reply to me. This man is Knights Cross Recipient: Matthias Hetzenauer oof Tyrol. He is credited with 345 kills.

However, it MIGHT be possible for me to have some info on Sepp Allenberger for this site. He is anothe Knights Cross Recipient/Sniper, and is credited with 257 kills. Luckily, he is in good health.

I will make any updates, as i get good news on this (hopefully).

Sami, if you are interested in writing to Knights Cross recipients, published in the veterans section, is a list of appx 500 Knights Cross recipients addresses. Just let me know, and I will tell you how you can access them.

Take care friend--yours-Carl.

PS, I forgot to add to my list of who I want to meet, and I would HAVE to include Mannerheim.

[ 02 August 2001: Message edited by: C.Evans ]

 

Mart, Sharon Stone is a good choice. Wayyyyyyyy back in the 1970's, I remember the choice was: Farrah Fawcett and Lynda Carter. Mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm Wonder Woman.

 

My vote:

Germans: Guderian, Rommel (wouldn't you wargamers love to go a few rounds of Steel Panthers or TOAW with these guys heheh?), von Manstein, Hans-Ulrich Rudel, Erich Hartmann, Adolf Galland, Erich Topp, Michael Wittman.

Americans: David McCampbell, Chuck Yeager, Raymond Spruance, Chester Nimitz, Jimmy Thach, William Halsey, George Patton.

British: Col. Frost (the one from Arnhem), Sir Douglas Bader, Wingate

Russians: Zhukov

Japanese: Yamamoto, Genda, Fuichida, Sakai, Nishizawa

-Tim

 

Great choices, and especially Orde Wingate. He was the Brigadier who's name I have been trying to remember for several months now from other topics which I wanted to list him on but just could not remember his name.

 

Michael Whitmann, Kurt Tank, Albert Speer, Adolf Galland, Adolf Hitler (out of curiousity), Winston Churchill, Gunther Prien, Can't think of anyone else at the moment.

Oh yeah, Rommel.

 

If I had not already listed them, I would add Siegfried Knappe and Hans von Luck too.

 

As a WW2 aviation fan I choose:
- Erich "Bubi" Hartmann (The Ace );
- Adolf Galland;

But, to talk about the whole war, since its beginning to its conclusion in Europe:
- Winston Churchill;

I think he could explain me a lot of questions.

 

Speaking of "Bubi", I just got a nice large photo of him in just yesterday. He had autographed it in 1991, shortly before he passed away. I aldo have two nice Galland photos one signed about the same time as Hartmanns photo.

If interested in copies of these or seeing them, I will ask Otto to post them here on his site when im able to send him a print.

 

For all those who know me, it will be no surprise to see the 3 names who top my list.
Oberleutnant Gunter Viezenz
Oberst Hajo Hermann and
Unterscharfuhrer Remy Schrijnen
However I must not forget:-
Gunther Rall
Adolf Galland
Otto Kretschmer
Erich Topp
George S Patton
Jochen Peiper
Hans-Joachim Marseille
Hans Ulrich Rudel
and Friedrich Anding

 

One I forgot to add would be: Bill Mauldin, the man and Cartoonist who let Willy and Joe create him.

In him Willy and Joe still live.

 

Farley Mowat would be my choice, Great author, very intelligent, witty, personable,
a very patriotic Canadain and conservationist
also happens to have been an infantryman of the 1st Canadian Infantry Division, 1st Brigade, Hastings and Prince Edward Regt, and fought from Siciliy to the end of the war.

 

A great question! All the answers have been great as well. I have several that I would like to meet. The top ones are:

Micheal Wittmann
"Sepp" Deitrich
Erich Von Manstien
Otto Kretschmer
Adolf Galland
Erwin Rommel
Klause Von Stauffenburg
Kurt Meyer
Joheim Pieper
George S. Patton

I think by meeting the people on my list, not only will I get to see how they really were, and hear some great stories, but aslo will find out the truth to many "stories" about WWII. Such as Wittmanns' exploits at Villers Bocage, the Hitler bomb plot, and what really happened at Malmendy! It think that would be really cool!

Matt

 

This one has been really interesting to read !
I could go on for ever, so to focus the mind let's make it one German, one British, one American.

German - Jochen Peiper. Not to find out about Malmedy - I don't think he could tell you - but he does seem very interesting. Superficially, the 'fanatical Nazi' but well-educated, sense of humour (!), charismatic leader ; and he spoke good English which would make it easier for me !
And somehow he 'is' the Battle of the Bulge.

British - Guy Gibson. Before anyone says 'Who?', he formed 617 Squadron and personally led the Dams Raid. Portrayed as a 'Boys Own Paper'-type hero in the 50s/60s. Some years ago I worked with someone whose father was groundcrew with Gibson and said he was a 'Complete and utter b*st*rd'. Interesting, I thought...

American - Major Julian A Cook, 82nd Airborne - who led the legendary Waal crossing during Market Garden. He was apparently very reticent post-war.

First time I've thought about this...

 

Sorry, Otto. I can't resist recommending another book - 'Guy Gibson' by Richard Morris ( 1994, also in paperback ). It is an absolute must for anyone with any interest in Gibson or the Dams raid, or even just with good biography.

Several veterans refused to co-operate with Morris ( a true scholar, not a 'hack' ) for fear that an in-depth biog would tarnish the carefully-nurtured image of Gibson as a clean-living hero. This image was cemented in the public mind by Richard Todd's in many ways superb, but one-dimensional, portrayal in the film 'Dam Busters'. In the 50s,as the nation's global importance declined, Britain needed 'heroes'.

What emerges from Morris' sympathetic treatment is a young man who, like any of us, is complex, often confused, and with many facets to his character including some quite unpleasant ones.
Someone fairly 'ordinary' in fact who, as so often in war, is suddenly thrust into totally 'extraordinary' circumstances - and rises to the challenge brilliantly.
But with such fame and adulation so young, there is an inevitable price to be paid. An ultimately sad and poignant story, but, as with for instance T E Lawrence, the 'real' human being is actually more 'heroic' than the popular image. Do read it !!

Yes, I'd like to meet him . . .

 

Maybe a 'nice' tidbit about Gibson which might shed some light on his personality....and maybe it might not. Alan Webb, author of the history of the 627 sqn wrote me about Guy; "Guy Gibson at Steenbergen (This the town were Gibson is buried. I intend to visit it in the near future to make pics for my site) was, of course, flying one of our aircraft but he was nothing to do with 627 Squadron; he had just borrowed our aircraft without permission and lost it for us."

Sounds a bit bothered about losing the aircraft. Understandably, I guess.

 

At the time (1944) 627 felt like a 'poor relation' to 617 - they were both based at Woodhall Spa with the 617 Officers living in a luxury hotel, 627 in quonset huts!
According to Morris, Gibson ( not with 617 by then ) appeared in the 627 mess - they pointedly ignored him. Upon saying 'Don't you know who I am? ' he was 'grabbed', taken outside and 'de-bagged' - typical RAF wartime high-jinks. He was then offered a drink, refused, and placed an experienced 627 officer on a charge - reducing him to the ranks. I think this anecdote came to Morris via Alan Webb - anyway, it's easy to see why 627 had little sympathy for Gibson.
But, I still say, you must read Morris' book to gain further insight into Gibson's state of mind.