General Discussions
This is the place to discuss general issues related to the U-boat war or the war at sea in WWII.
RE: Allied Subs and friendly fire???
Posted by:
Craig McLean
()
Date: June 26, 2001 02:57AM
<HTML>\"Fog of war\" and \"friendly fire kills\" will always exist, I think. General Stonewall Jackson was killed by some of his own sentries late one night in the Civil War. One U-boat commander sank the BB HMS Malaya one night, not knowing what ship it was (that British warship usually did not venture out at night---but at least it was a legitimate target, even if a surprising victory at the time). Erich Topp felt the USS Reuben James was a British destroyer, not a US (still not in the conflict) ship. Wolfang Lueth was shot and killed by a German sentry after the war was over. I know a fine Colonel in Desert Storm, helicopter pilot/unit commander, who killed an American BFV (Bradley Fighting Vehicle) by fire one night--thinking it was an Iraqi vehicle--only his instruments had given him false compass bearings, if I remember right. Anyway, he was made an example of---and he only made the same mistake many others have made thousands and thousands of time throughout history.
A war is just not a safe place to be.
Still, I will read thru this thread over the next days, as I would be interested what precautions can and have been made. I know, just off the wall, many German WWI warships would have a white circle painted atop at least one turret, to avoid their own aircraft attacking them....but that is a day-time/WWI precaution....
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A war is just not a safe place to be.
Still, I will read thru this thread over the next days, as I would be interested what precautions can and have been made. I know, just off the wall, many German WWI warships would have a white circle painted atop at least one turret, to avoid their own aircraft attacking them....but that is a day-time/WWI precaution....
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