On Fri, 27 Feb 2004 10:19:56 -0500, "Kevin Brooks"
wrote:

And you think the "historical" input of a clown who cannot acknowledge that
the entire national Guard was mobilized and a goodly chunk of them already
were in the fight when he graduated from high school, and goes on to lable
those same personnel as "shirkers", has any real value? A guy who makes the
astonishing claim (repeatedly) that his outfit *never* missed its designated
target, despite the clear evidence that such results would have been
impossible during that time period? One who disparages the efforts of those
in his generation who served honorably and went where they were told, and
did what they were instructed to do, as being somehow of less value than his
own efforts? Sorry, but all of that adds up to a rather biased and
untrustworthy source IMO.

I don't disagree with all of your criticisms - he seems happy enough
to denigrate others and seems to lack the intellectual honesty to
apply the rather intolerant historical standards he applies to others
to himself, but on the other hand, warts and all, his views of his own
experience are important historical information, and should be
preserved.

His personal contribution to WW2 exists independently of all the
ephemeral usenet bitching, even when he is a primary instigator of the
same bitching.

Gavin Bailey