Subject: #1 Piston Fighter was British
From: David Lentz
Date: 7/1/03 9:10 AM Pacific Daylight Time
Message-id:



ArtKramr wrote:

snip

should have said the war in western europe. Sorry I left that out.

Fair enough, and I agree that the critical period in the west was
D-Day to V-E Day. Nonetheless, the real war existed beforehand. Like
Paul, I'd have been interested to

In Western Europe before D Day there were only impotent failed thrusts that
led
to nothing. Dieppe for example. The moment the first Allied soldier set
foot
on the Normandy beach, the end was in sight for Germany. We flew two
missions
that day. You would have loved the fun.

In all fairness, Dieppe was a raid. It not intended to take and
hold territory, but rather only as a test of the German's
defenses. Dieppe did establish that any Allied invasion of
Europe would mean coming across the beach and not by capturing
and using a sea port.

Dieppe had its value, and its cost. Was it worth it? I don't
know.

David


It was a terrible blow to Biritsh morale.

Arthur Kramer
Visit my WW II B-26 website at:
http://www.coastcomp.com/artkramer