What would you have been?

I am wondering what would you have chosen to be if you lived during WWII?

I mean: would you have been pilots, sailors, artillery men, infantry men, armoured men, spies, paratroopers?

What branch of your native countries (considering that everyone's countries fought this war) would have you chosen to serve in?

I know you would have done your jobs pretty well an serve each of your countries finely.

But there is something I should not have liked: meeting someone of you during combat. Just Andreas and me against all of you...

I would have liked to serve within the infantry or the U-boats. But since 1914! I would like had being a sniper during my youth so I could have survived WWI and being an experienced officer during the Second War, lets say an admiral or a general.

I do like tanks, but I think that infantry is the essence of an army, the foot soldier who has just his rifle is the quintaessential brave man!

If I had been a general I would have been always in the front, with my men, with my dusty uniform and a nice Mauser on my shoulder (A strange weapon for a general, doesn't it?). I don't like the idea of being inside a HQ all the time...

What would you have been? How do you imagine those lives in a dream?

 

I would have to choose the army. The war doesnt get much more personal than that. A sgt's rank with combat infantry would be fine for me, nothing higher. Also I would have to choose the ETO and not the PTO as it was a more "civilized" war than in the Pacific.

 

Most probably a German or British Night fighter pilot. If my mothers side of the familie would not have moved here from Germany or my fathers from Scotland/England then of course there would of been no hope of me being an American. Night fighter sounds fine with me as it is partially in my blood. A 3rd cousin was a German night fighter ace.

E

 

Yes, I know I am a little ambitious but nostalgic as well...

I would have loved not to have a Ritterkreuz mit Eichenlaub, Schwerten und Brillianten. That's too much for me. Just A Normal RK would have been OK. But I would have love having an "Odre pour le Mérite". I think it is the most beautiful war medal ever... As well as the Knight's Croos of the order of Hohenzollern... WWI medals were more classy...

And supossing I would have been a fine soldier after WWI I would have join la Légion Étrangère and fight. Just fight, even with my ex enemies... By the way. Do you know about some men of la Légion Étrangère being awarded la Médaille Militaire or the Croix du Guerre?

 

I am sure we would have all been there; but who knows where is the best place to be in conflict? Even at home you have to pick up the pieces when a loved one is killed or missing...

I once saw this on a headstone in a (British) military cemetery:

"He saw beyond the filth of battle and thought death a fair price to pay to belong to the company of these fellows"

 

Its on the grave of a WW1 officer, buried on the Somme. The sentiments apply to any war, however. I'm sure you'd agree?

 

Your post made me have a dream the night I read it, and it went something like this:
RECRUITER:Well how about serving on a fine Battleship?
WALT: Nope, cant swim !
RECRUITER: well then, how about a nice tank with a big gun on it.
WALT: Nope, cant stand tight spaces !
RECRUITER: Well then how about a pilot. You know the Wimmin really go for fly-boys.
WALT: Nope, I get air sick !
RECRUITER:uuuuuummmmmm, well then, How about the Infantry then?
WALT: Nope, got flat feet !
RECRUITER:uuuuuuuuummmmmmmmmmm.You dont seem to be good for anything ! What do you exspect me to do with you then?
WALT:Well, I could always be an OFFICER!

 

This is hard. I would probably be a pazergrenadiere or a german medic. But I want to look uber sexy I would be a comander of a Pz IV or a panther. But most likely I'd be the medic. I still think that if I was, I would be a very hard thing to deal with afterwards.

Now if I was fighting for Uncle Sam I'd be a para with the 101st.

 

I'd probably would have been some kind of Infantry, Airborne hopefully, or armored.

My choice would have been some kind of pilot, I guess. Turning and burning in the skies...

 

a Royal Marine, or perhaps a clerk far from the front,depending on my mood.

 

I don't really think I would have "liked" to be anything in the war. If I could just pick any role, I'd be the supreme commander so we can avoid just a few of the major cock-ups for once.

 

Yes, I know it had not been nice to fight each other of us or to suffer the horrendous things that happen in a war... No one of us would have liked a killed friend, brother or son, a raped sister or wife, a bombed house, etc...

That's why I said "in a dream", where nothing bad happens and you just enjoy firing arms and using big and powerful machines!

 

Given the choice I would have been an Unterfeldwebel in either Panzergrenadier or Aufklarung's Abteilung. As far as medals go; EK 2 and 1 and a Panzer assault badge.

Langemann

 

Germany: Luftwaffe Leutnant in France-EK2, Pilots Badge, EK1, DKiG, RK.
Kriegsmarine Leutnant-IWO-Usual U-Boat men badges-Destroyer War Badge

America: 101st Airborne or 2nd Ranger Battalion-D-day landings

Good Old Australia: RAAF Bomber Command
Australian Army-Sergeant

I would love to say that i would be decorated with things such as the MOH or Navy Cross, but these medals are awarded to brave men and i don't deserve to be in that category.

I would also have loved to meet the U-Boats in the icy Atlantic on a merchant convoy also.

 

I would have chosen the air force, preferably in a fighter. Being that I was born in the US, and they did not have any anti tank capabilities which I would have chosen, I would then go to the air.

[ 28 May 2002, 09:30 AM: Message edited by: PzJgr ]

 

I would have been drafted and thrown where ever the army wanted me. If I had a choice, combat medic. Actually, if I really was in a war and I was given a choice, I'd probablly pick bomber ground crew or something that had as high a survival rate as possible. Maybe typist. But if it's a pure fantasy type of choice, I'd pick US or German combat medic in the ETO. None of that Pacific / Eastern front horror for me, thank you.

 

Had I had my purely fantastical choice of service positions among the American army, I'd have to say that I'd choose to be a Marine. Then again, with my flat feet, I'd probably be exempt - not that I wouldn't volunteer after December 7th.

 

Great one Walt...

I would like to have been General Gotthard Heinrici's aide. Thie was a brillient Defensive and very successful General.

If I couldnt be his aide--then I would want to be Rudels gunner.