Average life span of a WW1 pilot...

[Brutuskend]

17 days. :Q

how did they grow up, learn to fly, and die over the battlefield in 17 days?

[Brutuskend]

Originally posted by: FallenHero
how did they grow up, learn to fly, and die over the battlefield in 17 days?

[geno]

Off topic, but what qualifies a war to be called a "World War" and not just a normal war?

[Brutuskend]

Originally posted by: geno
Off topic, but what qualifies a war to be called a "World War" and not just a normal war?

Number of countries involved. Though I don't know what % is takes.

[halik]

Originally posted by: FallenHero
how did they grow up, learn to fly, and die over the battlefield in 17 days?

hahaha that was great!

[chrisms]

There isn't a percentage, it's just dubbed that by the media. The current war doesn't really have a name yet.. I see "War in Iraq" and "Iraq War" most often.

I'm not sure if this is true, but in Rules of Engagement there is a scene where Tommy Lee Jones says the average life span of a Vietnam infantryman was two weeks.

[beer]

Originally posted by: chrisms
There isn't a percentage, it's just dubbed that by the media. The current war doesn't really have a name yet.. I see "War in Iraq" and "Iraq War" most often.

I'm not sure if this is true, but in Rules of Engagement there is a scene where Tommy Lee Jones says the average life span of a Vietnam infantryman was two weeks.

That's bull because the majority of troops that went over did come back. While 57000 died, it was a small percentage of the millions we sent over there.

[TitanDiddly]

Wow. I guess the planes were unreliable and underarmored.

Originally posted by: beer

That's bull because the majority of troops that went over did come back. While 57000 died, it was a small percentage of the millions we sent over there.

how many of those that we sent over there were combat troops?

[DOSfan]

Originally posted by: chrisms
There isn't a percentage, it's just dubbed that by the media. The current war doesn't really have a name yet.. I see "War in Iraq" and "Iraq War" most often.

I'm not sure if this is true, but in Rules of Engagement there is a scene where Tommy Lee Jones says the average life span of a Vietnam infantryman was two weeks.

No... It was the average life expectancy of a 2nd (iirc) lieutenant dropped in a hot lz. And it was 17 minutes. Of course, this is if I remember the quote correctly.

[ElFenix]

Originally posted by: geno
Off topic, but what qualifies a war to be called a "World War" and not just a normal war?

[Queasy]

FYI - At the time, WWI was not called WWI. It was called the "Great War" or "The War to End All Wars". It wasn't until during or after WWII that they started to call it WWI.

I've heard some call the Cold War "WWIII" and the current War on Terrorism "WWIV".

[Queasy]

Originally posted by: PhasmatisNox
Wow. I guess the planes were unreliable and underarmored.

You hit the nail on the head on both accounts. WWI planes were extremely fragile. More often than not, pilots were killed in non-combat situations.

Example, pilot brings a plane in for a landing and the plane flips forward on touch-down driving the engine back into the pilot's seat, crushing him.

In the grand scheme of things though, airplanes had little to no affect on WWI. They were used primarily for reconaissance and artillery spotting. They were glamorized in the media as chivalrous knights of the sky.

[Yossarian]

in the early 20's, 31 of the first 40 airmail pilots were killed. that has more to do with lack of instrument capability, charting, and reliable aircraft than combat ability but still it shows how dangerous flying was in the early days.

[ElFenix]

Originally posted by: Yossarian
in the early 20's, 31 of the first 40 airmail pilots were killed. that has more to do with lack of instrument capability, charting, and reliable aircraft than combat ability but still it shows how dangerous flying was in the early days.

well i would sure hope that airmail pilot deaths weren't due to combat ability

[Yzzim]

Originally posted by: Brutuskend

Number of countries involved. Though I don't know what % is takes.

Wouldn't the War on Terrorism be a world war? Source

Since September 11, President Bush and Secretary of State Colin Powell have built a worldwide coalition for the war against terrorism. The coalition is stronger than ever and continues to grow.

• Since September 11, President Bush has met with leaders from at least 51 different countries to help build support for the war against terrorism.
  
  
• 136 countries have offered a range of military assistance.
  
  
• The U.S. has received 46 multilateral declarations of support from organizations.
  
  
• The U.N. General Assembly and Security Council condemned the attacks on September 12.
  
  
• NATO, OAS and ANZUS (Australia, New Zealand and the U.S.) quickly invoked their treaty obligations to support the United States. Our NATO allies are assisting directly in the defense of American territory.
  
  
• 142 countries have issued orders freezing the assets of suspected terrorists and organizations.
  
  
• 89 countries have granted over-flight authority for U.S. military aircraft.
  
  
• 76 countries have granted landing rights for U.S. military aircraft.
  
  
• 23 countries have agreed to host U.S. forces involved in offensive operations.
  
  
• Through intelligence cooperation with many nations, we are acquiring evidence against those responsible for the attacks of September 11 and we are better able to prevent future attacks.
  
  
• With U.S. leadership and with international support, Afghans have put aside long-standing ethnic and political differences to form a new interim government, naming a president and 29 ministers with portfolio. The new government will also include women, who have been oppressed by the Taliban regime.
  
  
• On December 11, more than 120 nations around the world answered President Bush?s call to reject terrorism and commemorate the victims of the September 11 attacks by holding remembrance ceremonies.
  
• The United States and several other allies have reopened embassies in Kabul.
  The President was joined by U.N. Secretary General Kofi Annan on November 11 for a memorial service honoring the citizens of all the countries killed in the World Trade Center.

Yes, technology at the time was definatly not tried and true.

Same thing can be said for submarine crews in WW2.

It was definatly a rank of honor to be in one of these ultra dangerous positions. If you came home alive, you were forever a hero.