Chandler
Well-Known Member
I'll have to dig out my old Life compilation of their WW2 coverage -- but I think I recall this was at the battle for Cologne (Köln) -- maybe Aachen?
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Best photos of famous people wearing true vintage leather jackets (military, but not only)
- Thread starter Lebowski
- Start date
Dany McDonald
Well-Known Member
Leipzig 1945.
rarehistoricalphotos.com
American soldier killed by German snipers in Leipzig, 1945 - Rare Historical Photos
Nearby war photographer Robert Capa captured images of the fight, Raymond J. Bowman's death by German sniper's bullet, and the immediate aftermath.
rarehistoricalphotos.com
Chandler
Well-Known Member
Interesting -- didn't realize it was Capa.Leipzig 1945.
American soldier killed by German snipers in Leipzig, 1945 - Rare Historical Photos
Nearby war photographer Robert Capa captured images of the fight, Raymond J. Bowman's death by German sniper's bullet, and the immediate aftermath.
Always thought it was interesting to follow the images as the photographer retreated to the back of the room.
And this link shows that pool of blood I remember. Interesting quotes from Capa. "Clean and beautiful death." Different times.
It's interesting to note the headgear on these G.I.s, not to mention the water-cooled .30 caliber MG still in use this late in the war.
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Dany McDonald
Well-Known Member
Amazing and sad story. That's the kind of story that reminds me how day to day must have been surrealistic for the fighting men and population caught in wartime action.
Yet Capa had this philosophical view about death two years later in a radio interview:
“It was a very clean, somehow very beautiful death and I think that’s what I remember most from the war”.
They really were the greatest gen.
Off the stool... back to jackets.
@Shanghai-Mayne --- Thank for sharing these images by the way, it made me think and feel.
Yet Capa had this philosophical view about death two years later in a radio interview:
“It was a very clean, somehow very beautiful death and I think that’s what I remember most from the war”.
They really were the greatest gen.
Off the stool... back to jackets.
@Shanghai-Mayne --- Thank for sharing these images by the way, it made me think and feel.
Enigma1938
Well-Known Member
The killed soldier wore a looted german leather flight helmet while his companion wore a heated luftwaffe flight jacket !Leipzig 1945.
American soldier killed by German snipers in Leipzig, 1945 - Rare Historical Photos
Nearby war photographer Robert Capa captured images of the fight, Raymond J. Bowman's death by German sniper's bullet, and the immediate aftermath.
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Chandler
Well-Known Member
"Looted" might be a bit strong. Not exactly family treasure and I doubt the original owner had much use for it anymore.
Shanghai-Mayne
Well-Known Member
Better to call it captured german flight jacket.
ZuZu
Well-Known Member
Kinda like Ol' Joe Stalin said (something like)- "the death of one man is a tragedy..." etc. "Clean, somehow very beautiful death..." is a bunch of true bullshit- it's the PTSD talking Mr. Capa.
There's something a little weird about this last little thread- can't put my finger on it. I honestly think that we like to talk about and be all in awe but in real life we're just a bunch of 12 year old boys. Secretly we think this stuff is just Neat! This definitely applies to me...
Dany McDonald
Well-Known Member
No, I am definitely not a 12 year old boy... unlike you I guess, from your reaction to my post.
My comment is a mature and thoughtful reaction to a set of graphic images showing the ultimate stupidity of war, the death of a young man in sequence, or just death itself.
Guess now I know why I should stick to jackets only.
How Mr Capa coped with the brutality of the war he was exposed to is part of the entire experience of surviving and reintegrating society. As an interested person of ''Human interest'' in general, Mr Capa & any veteran have my entire respect without any judgement. I wasn't there... you?
I sincerely cannot understand how a mature person can conclude in your manner to a candid comment about death...
Dany age 54.
My comment is a mature and thoughtful reaction to a set of graphic images showing the ultimate stupidity of war, the death of a young man in sequence, or just death itself.
Guess now I know why I should stick to jackets only.
How Mr Capa coped with the brutality of the war he was exposed to is part of the entire experience of surviving and reintegrating society. As an interested person of ''Human interest'' in general, Mr Capa & any veteran have my entire respect without any judgement. I wasn't there... you?
I sincerely cannot understand how a mature person can conclude in your manner to a candid comment about death...
Dany age 54.
ZuZu
Well-Known Member
I appreciate your sincere reaction to my post. My point was that to me the statement "clean and beautiful death" is full of Hemingwayesque bullshit- there is no such thing as a beautiful death- Capa was simply telling himself some quasi-spiritual crap to deal with stuff. We all do it- (or don't we) we are fascinated with this stuff but we don't like to admit certain underlying contradictions because we don't want to be ghouls. You can look at this stuff with made up reverence and awe or you can just admit that on some level- like 12 year old boys- we just like gross stuff- for some not TOO gross- Capa could make it just right.
A lot of my attitude comes from working 10 years at a VA. First of all- in my experience many vets resented the whole hero crap- the Vietnam vets I worked with certainly did at age 40 or so. (I worked there from 1985-1995). The stories they told were of the opposite of the hero variety- most were definitely anti-heroes. I have seen also that over the years as they grow old they come to accept the whole surrounding hero stuff that they rejected before. This has definitely happened with the so-called Greatest Generation also. After the war they just wanted to get on with life and forget- only in the last 20 years or so has that label been accepted- they are old and dim.
Finally- does "Greatest Generation" apply to Japanese and German soldiers? They certainly fought with as much heroism as Allied soldiers. I always wonder about that...
Jeff- 6 months from 70.
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Dany McDonald
Well-Known Member
Jeff, I sincerely feel bad for you, you just cant get along... Why the anger all the time?
Dany
Dany
ZuZu
Well-Known Member
How am I not getting along? I'm just being me- what do I do wrong to not get along? I just like to point stuff out- we're all mature here. Should I stifle myself? Do the platitude thing?
I am literally exchanging ideas- isn't that OK?
Silver Surfer
Well-Known Member
If we all wrote (said) the same shit in concert, we would be in the echo chamber forum. Some of can be what might be considered outspoken, but I have no problem with that, since I have to keep my fingers off of the key board sometimes lest I write my “unsolicited opinion” about something or other that might be over the top.
ZuZu
Well-Known Member
Thanks for that. I recognize that I'm way over the top sometimes- maybe I should try to "keep my fingers off the keyboard" more!
Dany McDonald
Well-Known Member
Enough for me.
Enigma1938
Well-Known Member
You cannot capture a dead object what a jacket or a helmet just is.
Shanghai-Mayne
Well-Known Member
My understanding is , loot soldiers or civilians personal belonging, capture enemy weapons ,equipments and other military issue items.
Shanghai-Mayne
Well-Known Member
Jeff
A friend of mine visited Yasukuni Shrine before Covid, he told me only old men go to there, young gun just don’t care.
Shanghai-Mayne
Well-Known Member
J.H.Howard, served in USN, AVG, AAF and USAF. Double Ace (AVG era and ETO) and MOH (covered 401st BG at 1944.1. single handed).
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