Lady Luck’s Unlucky Day
The 11th Airborne Division need not speculate any longer as the 5th Air Force prepares to move them to Okinawa!
Thanks to the historians of the IHRA, we can now have some answers.
After the atomic bombs were dropped, but before a Japanese surrender had been negotiated, V Bomber Command was busy moving troops and equipment to Okinawa. The 22nd and 43rd bomb groups were also enlisted to ferry troops, as all the C-46s and C-47s were already in use. While the B-24’s potential as a troop carrier may have looked good on paper, the logistics behind turning these bombers into transport aircraft subjected passengers to a potentially deadly situation. The ideal location for extra passengers would have been closer to the tail of the aircraft, but that would make the plane much more difficult to fly. Instead, passengers had to ride on precarious wooden seats installed in the bomb bay.
The 11th Airborne Division was selected to drop onto Atsugi Airdrome as part of the Army of Occupation if the Japanese were to surrender. First, though, they had to be moved from…
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Posted on January 19, 2019, in First-hand Accounts, SMITTY, Uncategorized, WWII and tagged 11th airborne, 5th Air Force, History, Military, Military History, Smitty, WW2, WWII. Bookmark the permalink. 34 Comments.
Pacific Paratrooper 
What a sad story. Thanks for sharing.<3
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Perhaps a deterant to future wars? How great would that be?
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Thank you for another reblog!
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Who could possibly have more information than you? Of course I reblogged, I should be thanking you for being as good at your job as you are!!
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Your words and actions demonstrate your appreciation quite well. 🙂
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It makes me happy to hear that, thank you!
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So very sad. But we need to hear about the happenings like this one.
I always think about how young most of these were and of course my mind and heart always thinks about their loved ones who had to endure and try to live on.
(((HUGS)))
PS…I hope you are having a good day, GP!
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Yes, we do need to know our history, with nothing whitewashed or erased, I agree.
Florida is cool lately, such a terrific change of pace, it makes me smile every day – brisk and cheerful!!
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Great new information, GP! Good to know. Hope you have a nice Sunday? Thank you, and best wishes, Michael
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Much appreciated, Michael. All is well here, I hope the same can be said by you!
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Thank you GP! Yes, its all OK here, too. Now we get the icy wind from the East.
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We’ve actually been cool here lately – Yippee!!!!!
We have to enjoy this very quickly because it can change any day!!
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😉
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I once flew on a C-5 from some Air Force base near San Francisco to the Phillipines. I had a net seat on the wall with a spare jet engine strapped to the floor about an inch from my face. It was miserable! I was supposed to go all the way to Diego Garcia, but I heard my ship was in PI, so I jumped on a bus, contrary to orders.
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As long as you got there on time, eh?!!
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wat een gekke bslissing was dat ,mensen in een bommenruimte te plaatsen.Ze zaten dus als rattren in een val
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Exactly.
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Very interesting to learn..
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Thank you for saying so.
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That’s an eye roll 🙄!
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Not what I expected. Ugh…
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I had no idea myself until I read this. Thanks for coming by, Jacqui.
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That is simply crazy. Brakes? Wow.
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Who would have guessed, eh?
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What a tragic story. To die in combat was a chance to take, but an accident caused by brake failure is almost too much to bear. Especially at what was more or less the end of the war. So sad to read.
Best wishes, Pete.
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That it is. To make it this far and not go home, very sad.
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That was awful and to think that the war was almost over. Maybe the plane was overloaded. Thank God your father was not on that plane.
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Actually Dad was quite lucky. the 187th Regiment was usually taken first, plus he was on the General Swing service staff.
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He sure was lucky. Otherwise you won’t be here.
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Very true!
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Glad your father was not on that plane. I am sorry for the men who were lost.
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I wouldn’t be here otherwise. Thank goodness, Dad was one of the first to go!
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❤️❤️🌺🌺 Hearts and flowers. I’m still here.
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Always a pleasure to see you, Sheila!!
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