Didn't the Japanese kill a gunboat crew (before Pearl Harbor) in the Pacific then later apologized?
He was killed in Norway when the Germans were preparing to attack Great Brittan by over running the countries bordering the channel.
ThePresence
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The first German military casualty of WWII died in China, 1937, at the hands of the Japanese. The first American military casualty of WWII died in Finland, 1940, at the hands of the Russians. LtGen. Lesley McNair was the highest ranking American killed in WWII, at the hands of the U.S. Army Air Corps.
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China. A US ship was attacked by Japanese aircraft during the rape of Nanjing.
Also, the Flying Tigers, famous volunteer air group in China, flew P-40's and owned the japanese. Still i'm sure some of them died.
I think they operated pre-Battle of Britian in which a few US pilots fought (they are making a movie about one of them . . . in real life didn't accomplish much and was shot down by a Stuka tailgunner without any kills . . . in the movie a hero, probably saving the helpless british from certain doom).
probably could have been many more killed in the various areas where the war first broke out. I know there were some British airmen flying with the Russians, I don't know if there were any american's actually fighting over there. . . .
Also, the Flying Tigers, famous volunteer air group in China, flew P-40's and owned the japanese. Still i'm sure some of them died.
I think they operated pre-Battle of Britian in which a few US pilots fought (they are making a movie about one of them . . . in real life didn't accomplish much and was shot down by a Stuka tailgunner without any kills . . . in the movie a hero, probably saving the helpless british from certain doom).
probably could have been many more killed in the various areas where the war first broke out. I know there were some British airmen flying with the Russians, I don't know if there were any american's actually fighting over there. . . .
Volounteer pilot flying in Spain? Well, that would have been before what is considered WW2 start (invasion of Poland)
However, I remember the war in Pacific started some hours (one or two hours I think) earlier in Phillipines somewhere.
Whats your definitiom of WWII. It as a whole? Or just the duration in which US was involved actively.
That's where the first Canadians would have died. The Makenzie-Papaneau Regiment went over there to support the government. When they returned home, traumatized and beaten, they were treated as traitors and refused benefits. Sad story.
The americans were ferrying planes from USA to the Russians. They flew over Alaska, Siberia and left the planes somewhere near Moskow. Their planes (fighter planes, mostly P39 I think) were led by a bomber, and they returned to USA aboard of a transport plane to move other planes to Russia.
P-39 were very good for the war on the Eastern Front, as most of the air actions were at low altitude, and P-39 happened to be very well armed.
If it had low range, than it wasn't really a problem - many times soviet airstips were in the german artillery range.
JulesMaximus
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Oh, right. Because despite the fact that it was going on well before America was involved, it wasn't a war until they DID get involved, huh? Even still, despite the fact that it wasn't declared yet, I'd say the second the first bomb dropped or the first bullet hit that most of America, aware or not, thought to themselves "It's on bitches!"
I think what people are trying to say is that Pearl Harbor wasn't a part of WWII because the US wasn't in the war yet. It would be like if America attacked Turkey, which isn't a part of the Iraq war. Does that mean the Turks are casualties of the Iraq war, just because the US happens to be engaged in that war at the time?
The P-39 as sent over wasn't a good plane. When the russians pulled out all the heavy armor plating it became an excellent plane, very rapid turn, decently fast and OK climb - it was very finicky due to the mid-engine arrangement (engine behind cockpit to make room for a big 37mm cannon firing out the propeller hub). Once a pilot mastered the plane though, the finicky-ness of it worked to his advantage allowing him to make very rapid and improbable maneuvers. The P-63, now there was a plane. Almost identicle in appearence to the P-39, the kingcobra was bigger, a little, with a much larger engine and improved flight characteristics. It truly was a beast. very very fast, too, where the P-39 had always been middle of the pack / slow
the US pilots ferrying planes to the soviets weren't involved in combat. I know that some british squadrons were flying combat missions on the eastern front, I don't think any american squadrons did that, though I could be wrong.
I'd say first US soldier to fall was probably in China.
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