Royal Air Force pilot J.A. Smith stands next to his Supermarine Spitfire aboard the U.S. Navy’s aircraft carrier USS Wasp in May 1942. If Smith looks relieved, he probably is.
At the time, Wasp was delivering much needed British Spitfires to the beleaguered forces on the island of Malta. One problem: the British pilots who would fly the fighters had never taken off from an aircraft carrier. In fact, one pilot died when he couldn’t get enough power to get into the air and plunged into the Mediterranean.
Smith managed to lift off, but something went wrong with his drop tank and he released it.That meant he no longer had enough fuel to reach Malta and he had never made a carrier landing — nor was his Spitfire equipped with an arresting hook. It appeared the best possible outcome would be a lost airplane and a wet pilot. However, the ship’s captain, John W. Reeves Jr., decided to give Smith a chance to save the Spitfire by having him talked through his landing. In the end, Smith landed successfully.
“He carried out the drill exactly as he had been ordered and obeyed all signals both over the R/T [radio transmit] and from the deck landing officer with commendable coolness,” reported the wing commander. “It is believed this is the first time a Spitfire has ever landed aboard a carrier.” In recognition of his feat, Smith was awarded the title of “Naval Aviator” and given a set of U.S. Navy wings.
The American naval aviator who talked Smith back aboard was the landing signal officer in charge of launching and recovering the aircraft, a young lieutenant named David McCampbell. He who would go on to fly Grumman F6F Hellcats in the Pacific, become the Navy’s leading ace with 34 victories and receive the Medal of Honor. The navy lieutenant who pinned the wings on was actor Douglas Fairbanks Jr., who was serving aboard the carrier.
Smith did not survive the war, being reported missing in action after a mission on Aug. 10, 1942.
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Frequently Asked Questions
What does Military History have to offer that is different from other study areas?
There are many similarities between military and other disciplines like economics, politics sociology psychology philosophy, literature, and anthropology.
These subjects all have one thing in common: They deal with facts. They detail what took place at specific times. They tell us what was said and done, who won and lost. They explain why things were the way they were.
However, military history differs from all these disciplines in two important ways:
- It focuses on the past. It focuses on past events and not on present. It tells us what happened before we were born.
- It focuses only on the actions and motivations of individuals. It examines the thoughts and motivations of people, not abstract concepts like power, money, or ideologies.
As a result, military history can be described as a branch of history that examines the impact of armed conflict on society.
It explains why wars are fought, how they were won and lost, as well as how the world's history has changed over time.
Additionally, military history is not the only thing that has unique characteristics.
First, it requires a thorough examination of many sources. All sources contribute to the story about World War I. These include official reports, letters and diaries, interviews as well as photographs, films, paintings and maps.
Second, it gives a detailed account on battles, campaigns strategies and tactics. The reader learns how armies moved, attacked, defended, retreated, consolidated their positions, and counter-attacked.
Third, military history provides insight into the motivations for wartime decisions. What motivated generals to defend or attack certain cities? What were the factors that influenced these strategic decisions?
Fourth, military history demonstrates how individuals react to stress. Soldiers had learn new skills to adapt to changing situations. What was their reaction to the enemy? Did they fear? Did they panic? Did they show courage and panic? Did they run off? Or did they try to save themselves by surrendering?
Last but not least, military history can be used to teach. Students begin by reading books about historical conflicts. Then they have to discuss the books with each other and write papers summarizing the lessons. As a result, students develop an understanding of history through firsthand experience.
What happened the Ottoman Imperial after World War I.
After WWI Turkey lost most of its territory in Europe and was made an independent country. The empire continued until 1922 with the Treaty of Lausanne ending the war between Greece & Turkey. This treaty gave back the majority of the lands they had taken during the conflict. The West provided much-needed financial support and assistance to Turkey in return for these territories. This led the country to experience a period full of economic growth, modernization and modernization.
The Turkish Republic lasted from 1923 to 1923, when Mustafa Kemal Ataturk made himself president and turned the country into an independent secular state. He also abolished a caliphate. This was the beginning of modern Turkey.
Because Ataturk helped establish modern Turkey, he is one of the greatest leaders in history.
Who won Battle of Gettysburg and who did not?
This battle took part in the American Civil War (1861-65). The Union Army, led by General Ulysses S. Grant (1822–85), defeated Confederate troops under General Robert E. Lee (1807–70).
Both sides had huge effects from the battle's outcome. The battle marked the turning moment of the war for both the Confederacy and the Union. It marked the turning point of war for the Confederacy. For the Union it was the beginning of the end to slavery.
Lincoln's famous Emancipation Proclamation, which was published in 1863, freed slaves from rebel states. He signed the 13th Amendment, which ended slavery throughout America, in 1865.
General Robert E. Lee surrendered on April 9th 1865 to General Ulysses S Grant, Virginia at Appomattox County House.
Lee was made a prisoner after the surrender. He died in 1870.
Grant was awarded the Medal of Honor for his leadership and bravery during the battle.
He died in 1885.
Who is the inventor of the submarine?
Alfred Nobel built the first submarine in 1872. This invention was intended to enable ships to travel safely over the oceans without being attacked and destroyed by enemy warships.
Nobel built a series of submarines using compressed air to propel them forward. Two propellers were used in his first design. However, they were too noisy to be useful underwater.
His second design used only one propeller to allow the vessel silently to travel beneath the water's surface.
Nobel patented his invention on 1883. He named it the Hydrostatic Engine.
Statistics
- Fact: Kentucky provided more soldiers in the War of 1812 than any other state and suffered approximately 60 percent of the war's total casualties. (history.ky.gov)
- Kimball reports that: Of historians in the field of diplomatic history, 7% are Socialist, 19% are Other, 53% are Liberal, 11% are None, and 10% are Conservative. (en.wikipedia.org)
External Links
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How To
What did Viet Cong do in order to receive support?
To garner support for its cause the VietCong had must make the enemy look bad to win it. That meant depicting them as aggressive, violent, and bloodthirsty.
This strategy worked because it made the American public feel sorry for the Vietnamese government and the U.S. felt guilty about supporting an oppressive regime.
The key to making the enemy look bad is to paint him negatively. This means you have to portray the enemy negatively. That's why most VietCong images are either angry, or sad.
You may also see the VietCong depicted in media as courageous, noble, self-sacrificing. These positive images can create a false sense that Americans are secure and make them believe the war isn't worth the risk.
These misleading images can be countered by creating images depicting the VietCong as evil, brutal and ruthless. The more extreme images are better.
Fail to respond to propaganda is the worst option. If you ignore it, it becomes a common fact.
Instead, respond directly with facts to all propaganda. You could, for instance, claim that the VietCong massacred innocent civilians in the Tet Offensive.
As long as you provide accurate information, there's nothing wrong with showing the Viet Cong in a negative light. It's the best way to fight misinformation.
