Today in World War II History

70 Years Ago—May 31, 1941: Luftwaffe accidentally bombs Dublin in neutral Ireland.

Remember

On Memorial Day, we remember those who gave their lives in defense of our country.

We live in freedom because they fought tyranny.

We live without fear because they faced danger.

We live in comfort because they gave up all comforts.

We live because of their sacrifices.

Let's never take these gifts for granted. They were purchased at high cost.

Over 1 million Americans have given their lives in war (Source: English, June A., Jones, Thomas D., Scholastic Encyclopedia of the United States at War, New York NY: Scholastic Reference, 1998).

•American Revolution: 4.435

•War of 1812: 2,260

•Mexican-American War: 13,283

•Civil War: 498,332

•Spanish-American War: 2,446

•World War I: 116,708

•World War II: 407,316

•Korean War: 33.651

•Vietnam War: 58,168

•Gulf War: 293

•War on Terrorism (Source: icasualties.org): 4454 in Iraq, 1595 in Afghanistan

On this Memorial Day, take a moment to remember. And take a moment to thank God for freedom and life.

Today in World War II History

70 Years Ago—May 30, 1941: In Iraq, the British take Baghdad, and replace the pro-Axis government with the original pro-British government.

Today in World War II History

70 Years Ago—May 29, 1941: US Army Air Corps forms the Alaska Air Force (later the Eleventh Air Force) and the Ferrying Command.

Today in World War II History

70 Years Ago—May 28, 1941: British begin evacuation of Crete as Germans advance. Britain starts rationing of eggs and tightens rationing of fish and milk.

Today in World War II History

70 Years Ago—May 27, 1941: German battleship Bismarck sunk by British, only 115 survivors out of 2300—after this, Germans rely on U-boats rather than surface ships. President Roosevelt declares an unlimited national emergency, allowing more military shipments to Britain and increased patrols in Atlantic.

Kids Count

"If Jesus lives in your heart, does that make Him a parasite?"


For the past seven years, I've fielded questions like that from my class of fourth- and fifth-graders in Sunday school. When I started teaching, I was a little concerned. What if they asked questions I couldn't answer? What if I made a fool of myself? What if they were too cynical, too cool, too "all that" for Jesus?

Well, they ask tough questions, but nothing I can't answer with the Lord's help. And the bigger a fool I make of myself, the more effective I am as a teacher. But the biggest surprise and the greatest joy is the kids themselves - far from being "too cool" for Jesus, they seek Him with all their hearts! In one week at Vacation Bible School last year, three kids told me, "I want to learn more about Jesus. Tell me how I can learn more about Him." Wow. When the gospel message is placed in front of children, most of them gobble it up like a box full of sour gummy worms.

Children hear the gospel message with different ears than adults. They don't think about what Christians are like (and how we fail), what churches are like (and how we fail) - but only what Jesus is like. And they want Him.

"Jesus said, 'Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these'" (Matt. 19:14, italics mine). Note that He didn't say "drag" the children to Me, but "let them come." As in, that's where they want to go naturally. So let them come. Don't stand in their way.

You can be a doorway to let children come to Jesus. Tell your children and grandchildren. Help in a Sunday school class or at VBS. Watch children's faces light up when they hear the joyful news that God loves them, there's forgiveness for their sins, and they can have eternal life in Him! You'll be as blessed as the children.

Is your church currently searching for summer Sunday school or VBS help? Why not step forward, try something fun, and make this a summer that counts?

Today in World War II History

70 Years Ago—May 26, 1941: On Libya-Egypt border, Rommel retakes Halfaya Pass from British.

Today in World War II History

70 Years Ago—May 25, 1941: German Admiral Raeder declares US convoys to Britain are act of war. 2500 die in storm in Ganges Delta, India.

Today in World War II History

70 Years Ago—May 24, 1941: British battlecruiser HMS Hood sunk by German battleship Bismarck and cruiser Prinz Eugen—only 3 survivors out of crew of 1400.

Sheep in 'Chutes

Conducting research for historical fiction is usually interesting, sometimes dull, but occasionally yields an odd or funny story. I found this little story while reading The Army Air Forces in World War II, Volume 1: Plans and Early Operations: September 1939 to August 1942 by Wesley F. Craven and James L. Cate (Washington DC: Office of Air Force History, 1948).

When the Italian army invaded Ethiopia in 1935, they faced a serious supply issue. The army was operating hundreds of miles inland from ports, with few good roads for transporting supplies by ground, and few good airfields for supply by cargo planes.

At the same time, the Italian Air Force (Regia Aeronautica) had developed a fleet of bomber aircraft. Italy's General Giulio Douhet had published the controversial book, Command of the Air, in 1921, which called for aggressive aerial bombing. His doctrine stated that prolonged bombing of a civilian population could break the will of the people so that they would convince their government to surrender, thus making ground armies completely obsolete.

However, the Regia Aeronautica found few targets in Ethiopia. Instead the bomber aircraft were used to drop supplies to ground troops, including food, water, and ammunition.

In an odd twist - one that would never happen today! - the Italian Air Force experimented with dropping live sheep and goats in parachutes. The animals then joined the march through the desert until they were needed for fresh meat.

Let the jokes begin...or let the protests begin...

Today in World War II History

70 Years Ago—May 23, 1941: Joe Louis defeats Buddy Baer to retain heavyweight boxing title.

Today in World War II History

70 Years Ago—May 22, 1941: Luftwaffe attacks British fleet off Crete in history’s first major air-sea battle; British cruiser HMS Gloucester sunk, 693 killed.

Today in World War II History

70 Years Ago—May 21, 1941: US freighter Robin Moor is sunk by a U-boat in the South Atlantic, the first US ship sunk in war; crew spends over 2 weeks in lifeboats. Germans attempt amphibious landings on Crete but are stopped by Royal Navy.

Today in World War II History

70 Years Ago—May 20, 1941: Germans invade Crete in first major airborne invasion in history. US forms Office of Civilian Defense under Mayor Fiorello LaGuardia of New York.

Book Beat - To Win Her Heart

I've found a new author to add to my must-read list. Karen Witemeyer's novels brim over with romance, humor, and well-developed characters, and I chewed through all three in a very short time. To Win Her Heart has a similar setting (Texas in the late 1800s) as the first two novels, A Tailor-Made Bride and Head in the Clouds, but each novel completely stands alone.

Eden Spencer is the wealthy daughter of the town founder, who runs a lending library, makes art from pressed flowers, and abhors violence. Levi Grant is the new town blacksmith who stumbles over his words and has violence hidden in his past. Not a likely pair, but the chemistry between them rings true, and they discover unexpected depth in each other. When Levi rescues the daughter of a saloon girl and then reveals his secret, Eden has to confront the prejudices she holds inside and learn the meaning of redemption and forgiveness.

The characters were so richly developed. I loved Levi's restraint - from how he creatively works around his speech impediment to how he resists the urge to violence. I also loved watching Eden grow from a woman who sees herself as charitable to a woman who actually is charitable. The side characters are delightful as well.

Even if you're not a fan of the Texas frontier - and I'm not - the beautiful writing and fascinating characters will draw you in. I strongly recommend To Win Her Heart and can't wait for Karen Witemeyer's next novel!

Today in World War II History

70 Years Ago—May 19, 1941: Italian army in Ethiopia surrenders to British, ending organized resistance in East Africa.

Today in World War II History

70 Years Ago—May 18, 1941: Italy annexes Yugoslavian province of Dalmatia.

Of Terns and Planes

Conducting research for historical fiction is usually interesting, sometimes dull, but occasionally yields an odd or funny story. Lately, I ran into one of these stories while reading Barry Fowle's Builders and Fighters: US Army Engineers in World War II (Fort Belvoir VA: Office of History, US Army Corps of Engineers, 1992).

During World War II, while the armies of democracy battled the armies of totalitarianism, a smaller battle raged between US Army Engineers and a little bird called the sooty tern.

Airfields Needed

The United States and its "arsenal of democracy" cranked out thousands of fighter planes, bombers, and cargo planes for Allied forces fighting in Britain, North Africa, the Middle East, and the Pacific. Transporting those planes over the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans was a serious problem as the Germans and Japanese expanded their territories. The trans-Atlantic air routes traversed Newfoundland, Greenland, and Iceland, but these routes were hazardous in winter months. A southern route was greatly desired.

Ascension Island

Conveniently located about halfway between South America and Africa, the British territory of Ascension Island offered an alternative. This little 34-square-mile volcanic island has no natural harbor, but has flat areas ideal for airfields.

Wideawake Field

In February 1942, the 38th Combat Engineer Battalion of the US Army Corps of Engineers arrived to build Wideawake Field, named for native sooty terns, also called "wideawakes" for their sleep-disturbing calls. The engineers began building a 6000-foot runway in April, which opened for traffic in July 1942. When Brazil declared war on the Axis in August, opening crucial air bases to Allied planes, this route carried large quantities of planes to the front.

The Sooty Tern

However, a large rookery of sooty terns lay at the end of the runway. Takeoffs and landings flushed out clouds of birds, and birds and planes don't mix. Smoke candles and dynamite blasts failed to convince the terns to relocate to other areas of the island. A planeload of cats was brought in. Sadly, as the author writes in Builders and Fighters, "strong-beaked booby birds on the island...found the cats an appetizing treat." Following the advice of ornithologist James Chapin of the American Museum of Natural History, they destroyed 40,000 eggs. The terns wisely relocated to a no-fly zone of the island. The engineers, displaying the resourcefulness and ingenuity of their profession, found the tern's guano made good bricks for constructing base housing.

Today in World War II History

70 Years Ago—May 16, 1941: Blitz officially ends with Luftwaffe attacks on Birmingham and West Midlands. Overall 43,000 civilians have been killed in the Blitz. Italians surrender at Amba Alagi, Ethiopia.

Today in World War II History

70 Years Ago—May 15, 1941: Gloster-Whittle E28/39 jet engine designed by RAF’s Frank Whittle powers aircraft in flight for first time. Sybil Hathaway, Dame of Sark, sent to concentration camp for anti-Nazi activities. British recapture Halfaya Pass on Egypt-Libya border from Germans. Joe DiMaggio begins 56-game hitting streak for New York Yankees.

Today in World War II History

70 Years Ago—May 14, 1941: Nazis arrest 3600 Parisian Jews. British forces approaching from Sudan and Kenya link at Amba Alagi, Ethiopia.

Today in World War II History

70 Years Ago—May 13, 1941: Martin Bormann replaces Rudolf Hess as Nazi Party Chancellor, third in command to Hitler.

Book Beat - A Great Catch by Lorna Seilstad

What a privilege to get to read this novel in advance for endorsement. This is what I said about A Great Catch by Lorna Seilstad..."A grand slam! In a story as refreshing and invigorating as lemonade, Seilstad raises deep questions about a woman's relationship with God, her dreams, and the people in her life - while making me laugh so hard my kids came running to get in on the joke."

Set in 1901 at the lakeside resort of Lake Manawa, Iowa, A Great Catch follows ambitious suffragist Emily Graham and baseball player Carter Stockton. Emily's meddlesome aunts want to make a suitable match for her - and Carter Stockton would be the last man on their list. Fine with Emily because her work leaves little time for men. However, Emily's dream of having the women's "Bloomer Girls" baseball team play an exhibition game against the Manawa Owls comes with the provision that uncoordinated Emily play for the Owls - under Carter's tutelage. Emily and Carter fall for each other, but their dreams leave little room for each other.

On the surface, this is a fun summer read. Seilstad has a light, breezy writing style shot through with humor. The episode with the little pills from her aunties - I almost busted a gasket laughing. But this novel also looks at issues modern women frequently face. What do you do when your goals don't align with the goals of the man you love? Does your work interfere with the relationship? Does your work squeeze out time for the Lord? And how do you deal with these issues?

Any novel that encourages you to examine your heart while making you laugh is a grand slam. Enjoy!

Today in World War II History

70 Years Ago—May 11, 1941: Germans complete occupation of Aegean Islands.

Today in World War II History

70 Years Ago—May 10, 1941: Last major Luftwaffe attack on London. 700 acres burnt; Tower of London, House of Commons, Big Ben, Westminster Abbey, & British Museum hit. Germany’s Deputy Führer, Rudolf Hess flies Me 110 to Prestwick, Scotland in misguided attempt to broker peace with Britain. German Messerschmitt Me 163 jet plane is first plane to exceed 1000 km/h (625 mph).

Flying in a Fortress

On Monday, May 2, I had the privilege of flying in a B-17 Flying Fortress. The Experimental Aircraft Association (http://www.b17.org/) visited Buchanan Field in Concord, California with their beautifully restored B-17G, Aluminum Overcast. I've enjoyed walking through this plane every year and always dreamed of taking a flight. This year one of my readers, who volunteers with EAA, arranged for me to participate in the media flight.
What an experience!

The video below includes footage on the ground, takeoff, my rollicking tour of the plane in flight, and the landing. I hope you enjoy! Here's the direct link if the embedded video doesn't work: Sarah's B-17 Video

My flight included journalists from local newspapers and news blogs, two B-17 veterans, and me. After we were briefed on safety, we were strapped into military-style jump seats. I was seated in the waist compartment, toward the rear of the plane.

They started the engines, which set the plane to bumping and rocking. After the pilot taxied into position, he ran up the engines. I couldn't hear my own voice, so I'm stunned that the camcorder continued to pick up my narration. It didn't take long to get us airborne, and as soon as the landing gear was raised, the volunteers gave us the thumbs-up to move around - while the plane was still climbing and banking. I didn't waste any time getting up!

Moving around the plane was challenging and not for the faint-hearted. At five foot six, I had a bit of room over my head, but not much. Climbing around the ball turret apparatus and through the doors requires some maneuvering, watching what you hold onto, and giving yourself plenty of clearance so a sudden dip or turn won't make you bonk your head. I gained even more appreciation for our airmen moving through the plane wearing full high-altitude flight gear.

I made my way from the waist compartment through the radio room and bomb bay, and into the cockpit. This particular restoration does not include the apparatus for the top turret in the back of the cockpit, leaving more room for spectators. I spectated.

Then I stepped down into the passageway between the pilots' seats and crawled - yes, on hands and knees - into the nose compartment. The clear conical nose allowed great visibility for World War II bombardiers - and now gives the same great visibility to aviation buffs. I turned around and enjoyed watching the engines and whirling propellers from the front. As I did so, Mount Diablo came into view. Oh my goodness. For once I had the presence of mind to take a still picture.

Not wanting to hog the best seat in the house, I made my way back to the waist compartment. Only a few minutes later it was time to sit down for the descent and landing. That was one of the smoothest landings I've ever experienced. The veteran pilot was extremely impressed and remarked that it was a crosswind landing, which is more difficult.

I am so thankful for groups like the EAA which make history come alive and commemorate the outstanding things our airmen did. The combat airmen flew long missions in unpressurized, unheated aircraft at over 25,000 feet, where the temperature often falls to forty degrees below zero. They endured antiaircraft fire and fighter attacks over enemy territory. They watched too many of their friends, promising young men, come to early deaths. One of the veterans on our flight admitted, "We were scared." They didn't consider themselves heroes, but they were. Despite their fear, they acted. And because of their actions, we live in freedom today.

Today in World War II History

70 Years Ago—May 9, 1941: HMS Bulldog takes German Navy Enigma machine & codes from abandoned sub U-110.

Happy V-E Day Anniversary!

Sixty-six years ago today, the Allies celebrated Victory in Europe. People went to church and prayed. Bells rang. Parades rejoiced through small towns and cities.

The cost of victory was high. Tens of millions were killed in battle. More tens of millions were murdered and starved in concentration camps. And more millions perished as civilian casualties of bombing. Many of Europe's great cities lay in heaps of rubble. The infrastructure of factories, railways, bridges, and roads lay in tangled ruins.

But the cost of defeat would have been even higher. The fascist dictators had conquered most of Europe and ruled with totalitarian brutality. They trampled the freedoms of the occupied lands, freedoms we take for granted - to speak our mind, to worship as we please, to associate with the people of our choice, to keep the fruits of our labor, and even to listen to the radio. They ruled through fear, and it was legitimate fear. Entire villages were emptied and massacred. Dissenters were tortured and executed. Anyone who didn't fit in the fascist regime due to ethnicity, religion, or mental or physical incapacity, was eliminated with horrid efficiency.

We reap the benefits of that victory today. Despite today's economic woes and terrorist threats, we live in relative prosperity and peace - and we have freedom. We must never forget what a blessing freedom is - or how much it costs. Use it wisely. Use it well.

Thank you to all those veterans who set aside their individual rights to ensure freedom for the future. God bless you.

Today in World War II History

70 Years Ago—May 8, 1941: Study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association shows chewing tobacco causes oral cancer.

Today in World War II History

70 Years Ago—May 7, 1941: First B-17 arrives in Britain for use by RAF. HMS Somali captures German weather ship München, Enigma machine & code books.

Today in World War II History

70 Years Ago—May 6, 1941: Stalin replaces Molotov as Chairman, and becomes actual head of Soviet government, not just of Communist Party. Experimental flight of Republic XP-47 Thunderbolt fighter plane.

Today in World War II History

70 Years Ago—May 5, 1941: Emperor Haile Selassie returns to Ethiopian capital of Addis Ababa after 5-year exile. News of penicillin announced to public for first time. Pulitzer Prize in literature awarded to Robert Sherwood for There Shall Be No Night.

B-17 Flight Video Coming Soon...



View of Mount Diablo from the nose compartment of B-17G Aluminum Overcast

I know, I know. I promised to have the video of my B-17 flight posted today. Due to technical difficulties - the difficulty being that I'm not technical - it won't be up today. But soon. Very soon.



Me standing under the chin turret.

B-17G Aluminum Overcast, owned by the Experimental Aircraft Association

Here are some photos of the B-17 Flying Fortress bomber I had the privilege of riding in.

To see if Aluminum Overcast will be visiting an airfield near you, check out the Experimental Aircraft Association's website at http://www.b17.org/.

Today in World War II History

70 Years Ago—May 4, 1941: Germans take Greek islands of Lesbos and Khios, off Turkish coast.

Today in World War II History

70 Years Ago—May 3, 1941: British and Italians engage at Amba Alagi, Ethiopia.

The B-17 Flying Fortress, Part 2 - Crew



B-17G Shoo Shoo Baby at the US Air Force Museum, Dayton OH
USAF Photo

Few World War II airplanes have captured the imagination like the Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress.


Today I have the privilege in taking a flight in Aluminum Overcast, the restored B-17 owned by the Experimental Aircraft Association (http://www.b17.org/). This is the second of a three-part series on the legendary Flying Fortress - a starring side character in my novels.

Last week I talked about the plane (Part 1), today about the crew, and on Wednesday May 4 I hope to share photos and video from my flight.

Crew Loyalty



B-17F All-American
USAF Photo

Both the B-17 Flying Fortress and the B-24 Liberator were used by the United States Army Air Force as long-rage, high-altitude, four-engine heavy bombers. A friendly rivalry grew between crews of the "Fort" and the "Lib." On paper, the B-24 seems to be the winner, with a higher speed, larger bomb load, and longer range. But fans of the B-17 not only liked its graceful lines and the ability to fly at higher altitudes, but its ruggedness. While the B-24 had a tendency to break up when ditching at sea, the B-17 was more likely to stay intact, and the survival rate from ditching was far higher in the B-17.
The Flying Fortress could take lots of damage and still get the crew home. The photo to the left shows the All-American, a B-17F almost severed in half by a collision over Tunisia. The pilot compensated for the lost and damaged controls and brought the plane home. Miraculously, even the tail gunner survived. Numerous stories like this brought fierce loyalty from B-17 crews.

Over time, the B-24 became favored in the Pacific for its range and bomb load, while the B-17 became the heavy bomber of choice in the European Theater.

The Crew in the Cockpit

This cutaway view of a B-17G shows the postions of the ten crew members.
The pilot and copilot sat at position #1 in the cockpit. Both started as lieutenants. The pilot also served as crew commander, in charge of discipline and morale. The copilot assisted the pilot in flying the plane and could take control if the pilot was disabled. During a mission, the copilot took responsibility for interphone communications with the rest of the crew.

Just behind the pilots stood the flight engineer/top turret gunner (position #4). A technical sergeant, this man knew the plane's operating systems extremely well and took responsibility for repairs in flight. In combat he operated the top turret gun.

Crew in the Nose Compartment

The nose compartment was separated from the cockpit by a narrow crawlway. The navigator, a lieutenant, sat at a desk at position #3, where he carefully charted the plane's position and course using dead reckoning, pilotage, radio aids, and even celestial navigation. Although B-17s flew in large formations, each plane had to be able to find its way to the target and home if separated from the group. In combat, the navigator was responsible for the left cheek gun (in the B-17F) and for both cheek guns in later models of the B-17F and in the B-17G.

The bombardier also served in the nose compartment (position #2). A lieutenant, the bombardier was responsible for loading the bombs on the ground, arming the bombs in flight, and most importantly, for accurately aiming and dropping the bombs. He operated the Norden bombsight, a complicated piece of machinery that took into account the plane's speed, wind speed and direction, and drift to more precisely hit the target. Later in the war, fewer bombardiers were trained, and a "togglier" served in most planes. The togglier released the bomb on the signal of the lead aircraft in the formation but did not operate the Norden. The bombardier operated the right cheek gun in the B-17F, the nose gun in the later B-17F models, and the chin turret guns in the B-17G.

Crew in the Radio Compartment

Heading back from the cockpit, we walk through the bomb bay along a narrow aluminum catwalk. On either side, racks hold bombs on the way to the target.

Behind the bomb bay sits the radio compartment, home of the radio operator (position #5), a technical sergeant in charge of the multiple radio communication and navigation devices on board the plane. In some models, the radio room contained a machine gun, which fired out of the roof to the rear. However, vision was limited and most groups did without the extra weight of this gun.

Gunners in the Waist, Belly, and Tail

Four staff sergeants manned the guns in the ball or belly turret (position #6), to the left and right in the waist compartment (position #7), and in the tail turret (position #8). In addition to constantly watching for enemy fighter planes, these gunners also monitored the positions and condition of other planes in the formation. The ball turret was a cramped location, so the smallest crew member usually took this station.

To see a gorgeous interactive cutaway of a B-17, including interviews with combat crewmen, visit the Experimental Aircraft Association's website (Interactive B-17 Tour). Also check out their tour schedule to see when Aluminum Overcast will visit an airfield near you (EAA 2011 Tour Schedule). At these tour stops you have the amazing opportunity to walk through the B-17 - or even fly in one! If you do walk through, imagine ten men at their stations, all wearing heavy high-altitude flight gear, including parachutes, life vests, and flak vests. Then imagine them at -40 degrees with flak and fighters in all directions. You'll gain a deep appreciation for what our veterans did for the sake of freedom.

Today in World War II History

70 Years Ago—May 2, 1941: British and Indian troops secure Basra, Iraq from pro-Axis Iraqi forces.

Today in World War II History

70 Years Ago—May 1, 1941: US Defense Savings Bonds and Stamps go on sale. General Mills introduces Cheerios cereal. Movie premiere of Citizen Kane starring Orson Welles, in New York.