Masters of the Air
Summary
The combat unit thatMasters of the Airfocuses on , the centesimal Bomb Group , developed a repute as one of the unluckiest groups to see action in World War II , and for good rationality . Thereal history of the hundredth Bomb Groupindicates the unit of measurement was nicknamed the " Bloody Hundredth " due to the staggering amount of losses they sustain over the path of their many bombing running play during WWII . They developed a reputation among other pilots as being categorically luckless , and it ’s fair to question if that unluckiness was simple soldierly superstitious notion or statistically meaning .
Most of the pilot program of the 100th Bomb Group ran missions in"Flying Fortress " B-17 sub , and while they were considered to be top - of - the - line in 1943 , they still put up little protective covering against the many dangers of executing a bombing run over foe territory . The unsafe nature of bombing missions resulted in heavy casualty across the globe during World War II , yet the 100th Bomb Group still develop a report for being in particular unlucky . AsMasters of the Airundoubtedly reveals , there may be some truth behind the reputation of the " Bloody Hundredth " .
Though it seemed that Austin Butler ’s Gale “ Buck ” Cleven would be the lead of Masters of the Air , the war drama ’s storyteller tote up an unexpected crook .
The 100th Bomb Group Was Considered Jinxed - But Why?
A number of high-casualty missions gave them a bad reputation.
Per theNational World War II Museum , in 1943 a new airman specify to the 100th Bomb Group wept , " I ’m not go to make it … they just put me in the 100th Group . I have n’t got a hazard . ” Such was the reputation of the 100th Bomb Group ; they were famous for how many casualties they suffer on their dangerous daytime bombardment runs . While the chemical group flew slews of delegacy , the notion that they were " hexed " staunch from a few especially devastating missionsthatMasters of the Airdepicts .
In August 1943 , the 100th Bomb Group participated in a tumid - shell commission to bomb the German factories at Regensburg before pivot to lash out German forces in North Africa . The 100th Bomb Group was flee in the most vulnerable section of the organisation , and ended up losing nine of the 22 total sheet direct on the mission . Their reputation was further cemented two months later , in October 1943 , with a raid on the city of Munster . The centesimal Bomb Group sent out 13 plane to attack worker housing , but thanks to heavy attack and enemy fighters , only one plane return home .
How Many Losses The 100th Bomb Group Suffered In World War 2
The numbers are hard to comprehend compared to other combat units.
While it was not rare for bombard mission to ensue in lost or disabled planes due to the nature of the work and mechanical undependableness of the aircraft , the 100th Bomb Group have from an unprecedented loss of life . Per the100th Bomb Group Foundation , during the 22 month of action that the original 100th Bomb Group take care , anunbelievable 77 % of the original air echelon ( 361 Isle of Man ) became casualty of war(killed in natural action / crash , severely hurt or injure , prisoners of war , internee , evadees ) . Only 57 of the original 361 are on phonograph recording as completing their tour of duty .
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An incredible 450 replacement crew were used in the 100th Bomb Group over their about two yr of action . Over 700 of the 4000 + that served in the 100th Bomb Group lose their lives in less than two long time of combat , which certainly underscore the idea that the mathematical group itself was cursed or jinxed . As discussed inMasters of the Air , theUS choose to fly daytime vs nighttime bombingruns for maximise preciseness may have helped get the war to a ending preferably , but it came at a terrible cost .
The Eighth Air Force As A Whole Had A Disproportionate Number Of Casualties
It wasn’t just the 100th Bomb Group that suffered from a high casualty rate.
While the centesimal Bomb Group did bear from a disproportional figure of casualties compared to other fighting units , their particular group was not any more unlucky than most of the quietus of the Eighth Air Force . Per theEighth Air Force , the organization answer for for an calculate 47,000 casualty , which is more than one-half of the integral US Army Air Force ’s loss . The Bloody Hundredth depicted inMasters of the Airsuffered from a ruinous loss of life along with the rest of the Eighth Air Force , who braved some of the fiercest aeriform resistance of WWII over mainland Europe .
beginning : National WWII History Museum,100th Bomb Group Foundation , Eighth Air Force
