The Last of the Dambusters Dies

2015-08-04T09:29:07-04:00

http://news.yahoo.com/zealander-last-wwii-dambuster-pilot-dies-96-104132529.html

New Zealander who was last WWII 'Dambuster' pilot dies at 96

WELLINGTON, New Zealand (AP) — A New Zealander who was the last surviving pilot from the specialized World War II "Dambuster" mission targeting German infrastructure died Tuesday. Les Munro was 96.

Response by CPO Jon Campbell made Aug 4 at 2015 9:34 AM

2015-08-04T09:34:52-04:00

This guy was truely a great hero. Not only forhis part in the dambuster mission, but this past year he donated his medals for an auction to save the Bomber Command Memorial in London.

Response by LTC Stephen F. made Aug 4 at 2015 10:22 AM

2015-08-04T10:22:37-04:00

Thanks for letting us know CPO Jon Campbell. Those dambuster pilots flew missions deep into Germany with what would be very primitive bomb targeting capability, through dense antiaircraft fire to target dams holding back water critical for many German war industries including the German atomic bomb development industry. The pilots of those RAF B-24 Lancaster versions which participated in those long and dangerous missions displayed courage on a routine basis.

Response by MSgt Robert Pellam made Aug 4 at 2015 10:51 AM

2015-08-04T10:51:04-04:00

I did a research paper on Sir Barnes Wallis, inventor of the Bouncing bomb, last spring. Through my research I read some of the amazing stories of these pilots and their venerable Lancaster bombers. These pilots had courage beyond anything believable. Even their training was dangerous, as one aircraft crashed killing all on board. Incredible humans for an incredible time.

Response by 1SG Private RallyPoint Member made Aug 4 at 2015 12:02 PM

2015-08-04T12:02:33-04:00

Godspeed Mr Munro.
A personal story:
My grandfather in this point of the war was an Oberstleutnant, commanding a panzer battalion in Normandy. This raid caused the German High Command to detach his 88mm Battery and emplace it near Calais to protect the V-1 bases being constructed there.
Later, when the allies landed, most of his armor and over half of his vehicles were destroyed in their kazarne by allied dive-bombers. Those 88s would have come in pretty handy. He subsequently fought a nasty running battle with the scattered 82d Airborne and 1st British Paras, eventually retreating east.
You never really know how one action affects another. If my grandfather's unit had attacked Utah Beach (in his sector) with armor on June 7th, it may have been a very different story. This man and the men who served with him very likely saved a lot of allied lives.
My grandpa didn't often talk about the war, but when we were watching the episode in Band of Brothers when Easy Company assaults those 88s, he went off for over an hour about the "stupidity" of Jodl taking away his AA capability.