3 ms·
My grandfather was a WWII B-29 pilot. For a very long time he didn't talk in much detail about the horrors. It was only in his later years before he passed did
by iwillbenice 4y ago
My grandfather was a WWII B-29 pilot. For a very long time he didn't talk in much detail about the horrors. It was only in his later years before he passed did he talk openly about some of the real nasty aspects. One time I asked him what the most unpleasant thing he experienced was during his time in the military. His answer was the stench of burning humans. When they started low level firebombing, his initial spot was the center-rear wave. So when he flew in to drop his stuff... the smell was horrendous.
I suspect he shared that with us younger folks to illustrate that war is not glamorous, even if you win. Yes they won, but it was a disgustingly ugly affair for all parties involved.
I'm glad he shared that, because I have a very healthy aversion to unnecessary conflict, in part due to a few stories shared by him.
- kwertyoowiyop 4y agoI wish more of our politicians and pundits had the enlightenment and empathy that comes from such an experience. So many rude, riled-up chickenhawks these days.
- wantoncl 4y agoI read something a while ago, a veteran who said something to the effect of: "all war would end immediately if the perpetrators had to smell it." I think he had liberated a concentration camp. I wish I had remembered it better. I think that this informed a lot of the fury towards the ordinary German population, that they could allow something like that to happen, or that they would ever just get used to it and go on with their lives. I'm probably conflating that with a scene from Band of Brothers, or some other written work.