soc.history.war.world-war-ii

On Tue, 19 Feb 2008 02:20:09 -0500, Rich Rostrom
wrote:

>>Also, a large number of Japanese military, especially early in the war,
>>were conscripts, both in the Army and Navy, and didn't re-up.
>
>They were given the choice?

No. Japanese pilots mostly flew and fought until they died. A few
lucky ones lost a leg or otherwise were deemed unfit for further
service, and were invalided home. Many of these learned to fly again
with prosthetics, and were used as instructors and in homeland
defense.

The fate of the 77th Sentai, an army fighter group, is instructive.
When the 77th lost its last aircraft, the pilots and ground crews were
given rifles and used as footsoldiers. There were almost no survivors.


Blue skies! -- Dan Ford

Claire Chennault and His American Volunteers, 1941-1942
new from HarperCollins www.FlyingTigersBook.com