from Hacker News

WWII heroics of 'Bazooka Charlie' doubted until daughter sets record straight

by alehlopeh on 12/31/23, 6:13 PM with 24 comments

  • by ilamont on 12/31/23, 7:05 PM

    There was a story from the Vietnam War which sounds totally outlandish - a damaged USAF jet pushing another damaged jet via its tailhook (pressed up against a glass windshield of the pusher) as it leaked fuel and was in danger of crashing in enemy territory. But the account is real, despite sounding so improbable. https://theaviationgeekclub.com/pardos-push-how-an-f-4-pushe...

    For WW2 air crews, I believe gun cameras were standard in many aircraft (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gun_camera), but for an ad hoc weapon like the one described in the article it would less likely, which makes witness accounts or other evidence so important.

    My grandfather was in a US Navy salvage group in WWII. At the time, to verify an enemy vessel (especially subs) were sunk, they would send down divers in the old fashioned "heavy gear" suits to identify the vessels. They would also bring up proof, usually something that could be tied to the vessel, which could be a piece of military-grade equipment or even silverware engraved with the name of the ship.

    This is what the suits looked like: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Standard_diving_dress

  • by ChrisMarshallNY on 12/31/23, 7:23 PM

    That's a great story. I liked hearing about his daughter.

    My father was affected by PTSD. He never treated it, and I think he never recovered. He was a war hero, and is buried in Arlington[0].

    I have another friend who is a Vietnam vet (and also a decorated hero), and treated his PTSD. The difference is night and day.

    My father was quiet, and never talked about the war. We're still not sure what earned him his stars.

    My friend has absolutely no problem talking about his action. He's not boastful, but it doesn't bother him to talk about it.

    [0] https://cmarshall.com/miscellaneous/MikeMarshall.htm

  • by throw0101a on 1/1/24, 1:15 AM

    Reminds me Desmond Doss and the movie Hacksaw Ridge: while certain elements were fictionalized for the purposes of telling a story on film, some actual events were left because no one would believe they were real and would come off as too fantastical:

    > Other changes occur near the end of the film, when Doss is placed on a stretcher. In real life, Doss had another wounded man take his place on the stretcher. After treating the soldier, a sniper shot fractured Doss's arm, and he crawled 300 yards (270 m)[55] to safety after being left alone for five hours.[56] Gibson omitted that from the film because he felt that the audience would not find the scene believable.[57]

    * https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hacksaw_Ridge

  • by vasco on 12/31/23, 10:01 PM

    People online will prove that all kinds of things would never be possible, come up with explanations of why pictures are doctored or videos edited or CGI'ed, even calculate based on physics, and it has happened to me more than once that they could convince me of the impossibility of things I've witnessed myself.

    Tells you something about what we think we know about history.

  • by eszed on 12/31/23, 9:59 PM

    What a cool story! I just bought the book referred to in the article. Won't link, but search for "Bazooka Charlie" on an online book seller site. I'll give it to my dad when I finish it.
  • by WalterBright on 12/31/23, 7:39 PM

    What a great story! Glad it has been preserved.
  • by bvan on 12/31/23, 11:12 PM

    Such a neat story.
  • by tetris11 on 1/1/24, 12:02 AM

    it's a really nice story, though the last few paragraphs really read like it was finished off with ChatGPT. Yes, yes, please don't lost such things, it detracts from the discussion...