The Ultimate Sacrifice
For our return to the Pacific War and August 1943….
On August 18, 1943, Maj. Ralph Cheli led a strike group from the 38th Bomb Group in an attack against the Japanese airstrip at Dagua, New Guinea, as a part of an all-out low-level B-25 strafer attack against the four airfields in the Wewak complex. Already fighting bad weather across the northern coast of New Guinea, Maj. Cheli’s unit was attacked by roughly ten 59 Sentai Oscars. Soon thereafter, one of the fighters made a five o’clock pass at the lead B-25, its fire ripping into the right engine. Maj. Cheli’s wing burst into flames and he rapidly began losing power as black smoke poured from the engine nacelle and wing. Despite a severely damaged aircraft, Cheli selflessly refused to relinquish leadership of the formation, and continuing his attack across the target, strafing and dispersing his load of parafrag bombs as he went. Only when the attack run was well…
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Posted on January 2, 2016, in Uncategorized, WWII and tagged History, Military, POWs, USA, veterans, WWII. Bookmark the permalink. 30 Comments.
This is a pleasant surprise! Thank you for reblogging another post!
What’s funny is we were thinking it’s time to post another print and then this shows up. Great minds? 🙂
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Of course Great Minds – what else? 🙄
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Schönen Sonntag wünsche ich dir liebe Grüße und Umarmung Gislinde
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Danke, my dear Gislinde!
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Brave men…
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Yes, indeed!
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Good heavens, why are these people not famous? I’m always amazed at the tales of heroism I read on your blog, and also at how unknown so many of them are, at least to me.
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Unknown to many I’m afraid, but they didn’t really look at it that way back then. It was one more trial set in front that generation – one more mountain for them to climb over!!
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I will never quite get the ‘execute’ as opposed to take prisoners of war. –Curt
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When it is difficult to feed your own troops, I suppose it’s easier to decide. Difficult to say from 70 years away, eh, Curt? What goes through the minds of ISIS nuts these days?
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I confess, GP, I have a better sense of the insanity of war that I do the insanity of religious fanaticism. –Curt
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Truthfully, Curt – I can not wrap my head around religious fanaticism. How does one justify killing in the name of God? Beyond me….
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I will never get over the way prisoners were executed by the Japanese.
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Looking back with 21st Century eyes – most of us can not understand. But then again, I can not comprehend ISIS beheadings either.
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Too true. It is completely beyond me.
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Happy new to you my friend
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All the best to you!
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Amen and Amen in the name of Jesus Christ.
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Source said “eventually executed”.
Shouldn’t that have been “eventually murdered”?
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I believe the wording is due to wartime, but it is murder any way you say it.
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What a riveting story and such heroism!
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Thank you. The Air War World War2 is quite a site!
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Outstanding post GP. One of my goals for this year is to read as much as I can on the WW2 Pacific Theater.
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Thank you very much, Steven! You posts show you to be a well-informed blogger, I find it hard to believe that I could teach you!! I hope I meet your expectations!
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I never cease to be amazed by the dedicated heroism of our veterans. Thanks, GP, for the post.
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You are very welcome, Karen! This site has fantastic articles such as these! My posts will resume on Monday.
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I do enjoy your blog! Have a blessed and Happy New Year!
Marcey
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Thank you. I try to locate articles such as these from informed people for you all the enjoy and learn a new website.
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A stirring tale of heroism and sacrifice to start the new year, GP.
Looking forward to many more excellent posts on PP to come.
Best wishes, Pete.
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Thanks, Pete and hope I fulfill that request!!
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