lestweforget5

[lestweforget5]

[lestweforget5]

Joining @winniemaywebber and I this week is NBC’s Chloe Melas, granddaughter of 100th Bomb Group Navigator, Frank Murphy. If you think you knew all there was to know about Frank Murphy, we can guarantee you that’s not the case! There is more to his story, and the legacy he left behind, than just the Luck Of The Draw- and Chloe reminds us of just that! As she so eloquently put it, there are no coincidences in life, and we’re inclined to agree!

Full episode coming Wednesday ☕️🍩

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B-17-shaped weathervane at the 100th Bomb Group Memorial Museum, Thorpe Abbotts — 7 May 2025

[lestweforget5]

Today is D-Day +81 years. For some people, that’s a lifetime come and gone. For others, it’s a moment in history that we read about in books, and watch in films. For all of us, it’s a day that we stop and remember the ultimate sacrifices made by the men and women of our armed forces as they fought for freedom. It’s our job now, to keep their memories and their names, alive. To remind the world what they fought for, and that they did not die in vain.

Lest we forget.

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100thbgf Happening Today - The Normandy Institute is dedicating four life-sized bronze statues by renowned sculptor Benjamin Victor depicting icons of the Eighth Army Air Force at the La Fiere Bridge Memorial site in France. The airmen depicted include Staff Sgt. Maynard "Snuffy" Smith, Gen. James "Jimmy" Doolittle, Col. Donald J.M. Blakselee and Lt. Col. Robert "Rosie" Rosenthal. This memorial serves to honor the men from the Mighty 8th Air Force, especially the 26,000 airmen who gave the ultimate sacrifice. We will highlight additional photos after the unveiling occurs, and we extend our sincere thanks and appreciation to everyone who made this special memorial possible.

The artist, Benjamin Victor, made a post back in February with an additional picture of statue when it was still a WIP and wrote a beautiful caption describing how he feels honored to have been chosen to work on Rosie’s statue.

therealbenjaminvictor on insta —

The monument, commissioned by the Normandy Institute, will stand as a testament to the courage and sacrifices of these legendary aviators.

The Normandy Institute is dedicated to preserving the legacy of the men and women who contributed to the Allied victory in World War II. By commissioning this monument, the Institute seeks to inspire future generations with the stories of those who risked everything for freedom and democracy.

Rosenthal was a true hero of WWII. As a Jewish man, he fought against the Nazis who were murdering six million Jews during the Holocaust.

He re-upped for more combat missions than almost any other bomber pilot, knowing the stakes were not just winning the war-they were about saving his own people from being wiped out. He was also a deeply patriotic American, willing to risk everything to defend freedom and justice.

After the war, Rosenthal, a lawyer, helped prosecute Nazi war criminals at the Nuremberg Trials, ensuring that those responsible for the Holocaust were held accountable.

It's an immense honor to commemorate his legacy with this sculpture. His courage, sacrifice, and commitment to stopping the Nazi genocide of the Jewish people make his story powerful and meaningful.

[lestweforget5]

I think I saw it a while ago that Millies parents maybe met overseas during WWI? Or maybe that was a head cannon and you hadn't decided yet?

But it is kind of funny how Millie really followed in her mothers footsteps.

Gets deployed to Europe

Goes through a lot (struggles to talk about it to her family?) and comes back home a little (or a lot, in Millies case) traumatised

Then surprises everyone with a fiancé out of (seemingly) nowhere.

Really like mother like daughter

xx

Hello, Nonnie! Thank you for the ask!

I've never 100% decided where Millie's parents met during WW1. Her mother was a nurse; her father was a chaplain. So they almost certainly met at a hospital or an aid station. It's pretty likely they met in Europe, though.

So, assuming her parents met overseas, Millie really did follow in her mother's footsteps. It's funny how our stories can come full circle like that sometimes!

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Writing historical fiction is always like I think I hauve to read several more 700 page nonfiction books before I can write this paragraph

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Every time I watch episode 4 of Masters of the Air I feel robbed.

Robbed that we didn't follow Just-a-Snappin on the Bremen mission.

Robbed that the escapee storyline was so underwhelming. It could have been so good, but they decided not to develop it much at all. I would love a whole mini series about the escape network.

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Bomber Crew Clothing

I am no expert, but I thought I’d make an effort to help explain some of the clothing B-17 and other bomber crews wore in WWII because I know they can get a little confusing at times. Flyboys were flying in temps as low as -50 deg F aka -45 deg C, so they really had to make sure they didn’t get frostbite by wearing a lot of different layers. In general, the clothes worn by each crew member was at their own discretion. Some wore more, some wore less, it really all depended on preference for the most part.

Pilots and copilots were a little bit different, though, because the heating systems on the B-17 Flying Fortress warmed up the cockpit using warm air from the engines. This is why most pilots are not seen wearing the thick wool/alpaca lined pants or the F-1 heated “blue bunny” suit. This is how many of the pilots, including Bucky as pictured below, was able to get away with only wearing their A-2 leather jacket instead of a thick sheepskin jacket like Buck. Again, this was likely personal preference based on what other layers they elected to wear.

If you look carefully at most of the Masters of the Air characters while they’re wearing their flight gear, you’ll see this to be accurately represented. For example, in the picture on the left, Crosby is wearing the A-3 sheepskin lined trousers unlike Buck, Bucky, and Brady. Brady elected to wear his A-2 while Bucky and Buck are wearing sheepskin jackets.

The F-1 Blue Bunny suit was traditionally worn over the top of long johns or undergarments. In the pictures below, you can see that some gunners put their A-3 sheepskin pants with suspenders straight over their F-1 “Blue Bunny”suits. In the picture at right, a staff Sargent can be seen putting on the suit over the top of his long johns.

Looking at the flyboys while they’re in Africa, we can see other examples of the undergarments they might have worn underneath the blue bunny suit.

Harry Crosby described in his book he would wear his OD (olive drab) wool pants and shirt over the top of his blue bunny suit. And then over the top of that he would put on his flying coveralls. This could likely be because he was an officer, and thus officers typically wore their blouses with ranks. Crosby, Douglass, and Blakely are wonderfully modeling their flying coveralls for us in the image below.

Later in the war, the B-3 sheepskin lined jackets (see left) were replaced by the B-11 Alpaca lined jackets (see right). Similarly, the A-3 pants were replaced by A-11 pants.

They also had two pairs of gloves, one of which were heated and could be hooked to their blue bunny suits. They also had fleece lined boots that would go over their shoes.

[lestweforget5]

In a break from my regular WW2/MOTA content, the poll I put up a few weeks ago said you all would be interested in seeing my current writing project while I take a temporary sabbatical from The Sunward Verse, and I'm very pleased to be able to share the first chapter with you:

AO3 Link for those who prefer to read there: https://archiveofourown.org/works/65758543/chapters/169351234

Tumblr Link on my new sideblog for those who prefer to read there: https://www.tumblr.com/ihrespideysonstorm/784158678890807296/ihre-spidey-son-storm-chapter-1-post-season

[lestweforget5]

In a break from my regular WW2/MOTA content, the poll I put up a few weeks ago said you all would be interested in seeing my current writing project while I take a temporary sabbatical from The Sunward Verse, and I'm very pleased to be able to share the first chapter with you:

AO3 Link for those who prefer to read there: https://archiveofourown.org/works/65758543/chapters/169351234

Tumblr Link on my new sideblog for those who prefer to read there: https://www.tumblr.com/ihrespideysonstorm/784158678890807296/ihre-spidey-son-storm-chapter-1-post-season

[lestweforget5]

In a break from my regular WW2/MOTA content, the poll I put up a few weeks ago said you all would be interested in seeing my current writing project while I take a temporary sabbatical from The Sunward Verse, and I'm very pleased to be able to share the first chapter with you:

AO3 Link for those who prefer to read there: https://archiveofourown.org/works/65758543/chapters/169351234

Tumblr Link on my new sideblog for those who prefer to read there: https://www.tumblr.com/ihrespideysonstorm/784158678890807296/ihre-spidey-son-storm-chapter-1-post-season

[lestweforget5]

The following chart and table display the frequency of different injury locations as percentages for the different crew positions on a bomber aircraft. I took the data collected in the Survey of Battle Casualties, Eighth Air Force,June, July, and August 1944 by Allan Palmer, M.D. and put it into the graph you see below.

I’ve taken the time to point out the positions with the highest and lowest chance of injury to that location for each location, and I’ve pointed out any additional points of interest below.

Position most likely to be wounded in a given location:

Head-Pilot and Top Turret Gunners (20.2%)

Chest-Copilot (9.4%)

Abdomen-Tail Gunners (3.8%)

Upper Extremity-Bombardier (37.9%)

Lower Extremity-Ball Turret Gunners (58.5%)

Position least likely to be wounded in a given location:

Head-Ball Turret Gunners (9.2%)

Chest-Radio Operator (2.9%)

Abdomen-Ball Turret Gunners (0%)

Upper Extremity-Top Turret Gunners (18.3%)

Lower Extremity-Bombardier (35.2%)

Points of Interest

Ball Turret Gunners had zero abdomen injuries over the three month span. This is likely because of how their abdomens aren’t as exposed as other regions of their body when they’re in the ball turret.

Tail gunners and Navigators have a higher likelihood of having an abdomen wound than any other positions with 3.8% and 3.2% respectively. That is relatively uncommon compared to the frequency of other wound locations, but it is more frequent for them than other positions by a non insignificant amount

Bombardier is the only position where the lower extremities were NOT the most common wound location. Most injuries were sustained on their upper extremities, meaning their shoulders, arms, and hands

Bombardiers had the lowest percentage of lower extremity injuries with 35.2% and Navigators were a close second with 36.8%. The next lowest were Tail Gunners with 42.8% of all injuries being to lower extremities.

[lestweforget5]

Got something you want us to yap about? A story you love? Is there a WWII subject you’re interested in and want us to cover? Send in your requests and suggestions! After all, Uncle Sam said so! ☕️🍩

[lestweforget5]

Pros of re-reading your own fic

a good time;

Has exactly the tropes you like and the characterization you want to read;

Gratification: yes you did finish a thing and yes you did do good;

just a very fun time all around.

Cons of re-reading your own fic:

Is that another TYpO

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Oooh so I was reading about Stalag 17B on this website ( https://b24.net/powStalag17.htm ) and read this part about the evacuation of POWs back into Germany ( On 8 April 1945, 4000 of the PWs at Stalag 17B began an 18-day march of 281 miles to Braunau, Austria. The remaining 900 men were too ill to make the march and were left behind in the hospitals. These men were liberated on 9 May 1945 by the Russians. ) And obviously the men were only left there because there was too many to deal with in time without major protest from the other POWs but Millie being left at Stalag Luft III? I could definitely see Murph (or maybe Macon) trying to make their injury/illness seem worse to stay with her. How do you think Millie would cope with the Russians? Obviously they also had women in combat positions so would maybe be more sympathetic? But the not speaking English with a recognisable accent would be hard for Millie, especially with medical care and her PTSD. And maybe being interned?

But then my brain was like, Rosie went down and was rescued by the Russians within like a week of the Russians getting/capturing Stalag Luft III and as he was commanding the 418th at the time, (Millie (and Murph's!) squadron.) them being brought to Rosie to evacuate with him and his crew?

Like Kenny and everyone at Thorpe being excited that Rosie and some of his crew are back but then Millie is also in the jeep and Kenny just being gobsmacked?

Rosie making sure Millie is healthy enough for a stop by Thorpe Abbotts before going back to hospital?

Just man.. the whole Sunward world is such a brain worm. Well done!

Hello, Nonnie! Thank you for the ask!

b24.net is such a helpful website, and I've used it a lot for details about Stalag Luft III.

The sick/injured being left behind at Stalag Luft III when the rest were moved out? Now that's a fascinating AU. And I can definitely see Murph and Macon trying to stay behind with Millie. That would probably be the only way the other 100 BG boys wouldn't start an absolute riot at the prospect of leaving their most vulnerable member behind.

In her right mind, I think Millie would probably manage with the Russians. She's an engineer, which gives her respectable skills, and she's pretty senior in rank for an enlisted. And having Murph and Macon for buffer would also help. And she's not particularly strong but not sick at the time she was transferred out of Stalag Luft III in Sunward!Canon. Without the heavy stresses on her body of the transfer to Switzerland and then to the boat and further attacks by the Germans transferring her, she might well not get seriously ill like she does as soon as she arrives in New York, especially with maybe limited medical care from the Russians.

And then them linking up with Rosie, who is being evacuated home, that leaves so many cool possibilities. I H/C a friendship between Rosie and Kenny and imagine Rosie has heard stories about Millie from Kenny, since they interacted very little, if any, before she was shot down at Munster. So that would add an interesting dynamic.

And the thought of Millie being in the jeep and Kenny's reaction is so 🥺😭❤️. It would be really hard for Kenny to stop hugging her and to let her out of his sight at all so she could be taken to Redgrave Hospital. It would be such a heartwarming, tear-jerker reunion.

I continued to be touched by everyone's reactions to The Sunward Verse. I've given so many people brain-worms. It's amazing to me.

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Do you think if Millie had landed safely from her jump over Munster and was given the same choice that Quinn got in episode 3 she would have chosen to escape?

Do you think by then (late ‘43) the network that got airmen out of Nazi territory would know about the different treatment women would have gotten?

And do think that the warning of the treatment would have changed Millie’s mind?

Hope you have a good break! 😊

Hello, Nonnie! Thank you for the ask and your kind wishes.

Many apologies for my delay in replying to this. I had totally forgotten I hadn't already and just rediscovered this ask in my drafts folders, so thank you for your patience!

This is a very interesting question. Enlisted had less of a duty to escape than officers did, according to general expectations, I believe, so there wouldn't be that weight on Millie's shoulders.

I don't know much at all generally about the escape/resistance networks in Germany, so it's difficult for me to hypothesize generally about what they might have known in this AU. And you also have the complicating factor that how female American POWs were treated could well have differed somewhat by where there were captured/held and under what circumstances that happened (like with the massacre Bucky survives).

And, assuming rumors of the treatment of female POWs was known to the resistance, then there might be the question in Millie's mind, if they do that to female POWs, if I'm captured, what the heck are they going to do to a female 'spie' before they shoot me? As a POW captured in uniform, she still has some protection under the Geneva Convention.

So my instinct right now is slightly leaning toward not attempting to evade capture, but I'm not totally sure.