Amazing Photos of Iwo Jima Circa WWII

[Hostile]

I cannot give any particular reason, but I am really moved by this picture.

 

[the kid 05]

I know this isn't about Iwo Jima but deals with WWII. Does any one here know if its true after we dropped the bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki is it true that peoples shadows were "burnt" into the cement or where ever they were casted and the material stayed

 

[SaltwaterServr]

I cannot give any particular reason, but I am really moved by this picture.

I think #5 or something is the one that gets me. The aerial shot over the island from the opposite side of Suribachi once we had it all scratched out as an operational airfield. So many men of honor and courage died on such an insanely small piece of real estate. I never really got an idea of how small that island was until now. Damn.

 

[SaltwaterServr]

I know this isn't about Iwo Jima but deals with WWII. Does any one here know if its true after we dropped the bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki is it true that peoples shadows were "burnt" into the cement or where ever they were casted and the material stayed

It's common to see that effect. I forget the exact effect's name, but I believe its caused by the initial surge of gamma rays hitting the person, scorching off their clothes/skin and the carbon from it being blasted into the surface behind it by the overpressure from the blast wave.

Some shadows are also caused by thermal radiation.

This site shows examples of both.

http://www.gensuikin.org/english/photo.html

 

[Viper]

I was going to read Flyboys, but the reviews were really mixed.

I enjoyed it, but you have to enjoy history to appreciate the book. Give it a go.

 

[Rampage]

is there any pictures of the plane that dropped the 1st Atomic bomb or of the bomb itself?

 

[Zaxor]

Great pics

My Dad...while serving as navigator/radio operator in the Navy in WWII was shot down not once but twice... after being shot down the second time he was giving the duty of guarding the President of the United States Harry S. Truman when the president would take to ship.

His son...me... During my war time was one timed tasked to drive around General Schwarzkopf...The General was...ah...a interesting study in Human behavior...I asked to be relieved of the duty after a week and gave it to a buddy of mine who had more interest in hobknobbing with celebrities than I did. I was than tasked with giving military briefings to dignitaries ...I just could not escape them no matter how hard I tried.

 

[CF74]

is there any pictures of the plane that dropped the 1st Atomic bomb or of the bomb itself?

 

[Rampage]

so that's the bad *** plane that dropped the 1st A-bomb. I'm assuming Enola Gay was the name of the plane? what does Enola Gay mean?

that also must've been something else flying those things with the nose like that.

 

[Aikmaniac]

so that's the bad *** plane that dropped the 1st A-bomb. I'm assuming Enola Gay was the name of the plane? what does Enola Gay mean?

that also must've been something else flying those things with the nose like that.

The bomber was named after the pilot's mother. It is now on display at the Udvar Hazy Museum...part of the Smithsonian Institute.

 

[burmafrd]

Zaxor, could you give a few details about General S? Really bad of you not to!

 

[Zaxor]

Zaxor, could you give a few details about General S? Really bad of you not to!

He wore his heart out on his sleeve... So you didn't get a veil between him and his feelings both good and bad. That alone made for some interesting conversations.

 

[the kid 05]

so that's the bad *** plane that dropped the 1st A-bomb. I'm assuming Enola Gay was the name of the plane? what does Enola Gay mean?

that also must've been something else flying those things with the nose like that.

Every time I see that plane I chuckle a little bit as I remember a comedic bit from Carlos Mencia about USA's supremacy. def not board friendly though:laugh2:

 

[Hostile]

I think #5 or something is the one that gets me. The aerial shot over the island from the opposite side of Suribachi once we had it all scratched out as an operational airfield. So many men of honor and courage died on such an insanely small piece of real estate. I never really got an idea of how small that island was until now. Damn.

Yeah, that picture blew my mind. I have always envisioned the island as fairly large. That picture made me realize it was actually very tiny, but obviously strategic to the air dominance.

 

[Hostile]

The bomber was named after the pilot's mother. It is now on display at the Udvar Hazy Museum...part of the Smithsonian Institute.

When I went to the Smithsonian several years before they expanded the Air and Space Museum, I looked for that plane in particular. It wasn't there. I couldn't believe it wouldn't be. So I asked. I was told that it was the most controversial exhibit there, but that when they finished expanding it was going to be on display forever. I can't wait to go back. I spent one entire day there. It wasn't enough.

 

[Aikmaniac]

When I went to the Smithsonian several years before they expanded the Air and Space Museum, I looked for that plane in particular. It wasn't there. I couldn't believe it wouldn't be. So I asked. I was told that it was the most controversial exhibit there, but that when they finished expanding it was going to be on display forever. I can't wait to go back. I spent one entire day there. It wasn't enough.

I've been to many aviation museums, including Warner-Robbins AFB, the Mighty 8th Museum, etc., however that Udvar-Hazy Museum takes the cake. The space shuttle Enterprise, an SR-71, the first Boeing 707, an FW-190, the Enola Gay, a Concord...the list goes on and on.

Yes, you can spend hours upon hours in there looking at everything. The one museum/display I have not been to is Davis-Mothan or Pima, which is your neck of the woods, Hos. I expect that aircraft graveyard will give me goosebumps.

I also was very close to visiting the Imperial War Museum in Duxford when we were all in England last season. I hope I get another chance.

EDIT: By the way, if anyone wants to research a site dedicated to the P-51, try www.mustangsmustangs.com. Every mustang still airworthy is logged.

 

[Chief]

I posted this in the book thread, but anyone interested in the story of the first atomic bomb should read "Shockwave: Countdown to Hiroshima," by Stephen Walker.

A great read.

 

[TellerMorrow34]

One of the men who raised the flag at Iwo Jima was a Native American from here in Arizona named Ira Hayes. Johnny Cash wrote a song about him that is really a sad tale. There is a school named in his honor here, and I often wonder if people even know what he did.

Little known fact, the 3 men in that photo who survived played themselves in the John Wayne movie "The Sands of Iwo Jima." The flag they raised in the movie was the actual flag they raised. John Wayne handed it to Ira Hayes in the movie.

That's a fantastic song. One of my favorite Cash songs there is. Very sad but very good.

Thanks for the pictures Hos.

The fate of Rene Cagnon was equally sad. He really hoped to cash in on his role in raising the flag, and instead wound up embittered and working various odd, menial jobs towards the end of his life. Not to mention his wife was an even bigger glory hound.

People should really read Flags of Our Fathers.

I've heard a lot of great things about the Flags of our Fathers book. I might actually start trying to read some of these types of books instead of nothing but the fiction and stuff I read now.

 

[Rampage]

I posted this in the book thread, but anyone interested in the story of the first atomic bomb should read "Shockwave: Countdown to Hiroshima," by Stephen Walker.

A great read.

thanks, I'm gonna have to check that out.

 

[MetalHead]

One interesting fact about the bombs is that they never touched the ground.The Hiroshima bomb(Fat Man) detonated on Friday August 6th 1945 08:15 hours at 1,800 feet above ground.
Some in the government wanted to detonate the bomb in a remote section of Japan just to show off our new weapon and minimize civilian casualties.
Truman wasn't buying it.