Did this German fighter pilot kill a children's literary hero?

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Webgear
Did this German fighter pilot kill a children's literary hero?

 

Webgear

If only he had known. Now, in the winter of his life, an elderly German war veteran has stepped forward to say he believes he shot down his literary idol - Antoine de Saint-Exupйry, author of the beloved children's tale, The Little Prince.

[url=http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20080317.wprince17/BN..."If I had known, I wouldn't have fired - not on him," said the 88-year-old former Luftwaffe fighter pilot Horst Rippert."[/url]

martin dufresne

If not on him, on who?
Of course, the people killed by today's fighter pilots and altitude bombers are probably not any literary giants - and certainly not from a noble French family. They are mere Afghani/Iraki/Palestinian civilians, and there is little chance that an Alliance vet will someday step forward - or garner any media attention - to express regrets for their murders.

[ 17 March 2008: Message edited by: martin dufresne ]

Webgear

Herr Rippert must have great difficult in knowing that he killed a great literary individual, especially one he respected so greatly.

I am sure many people have regrets about their wartime experiences. Personally, I do not care for regrets and misgivings because I believe one’s actions depend on that moment of time.

If you believe at the time of the incident, that your actions are justifiable and moral then you have no regrets or misgivings.

Cueball Cueball's picture

Well there is no doubt in my mind that this litterary hero would have killed Rippert, had he the chance. Likely he would have considered it a good day.

[ 17 March 2008: Message edited by: Cueball ]

Le T Le T's picture

quote:


If you believe at the time of the incident, that your actions are justifiable and moral then you have no regrets or misgivings.

That's what the military teaches anyhow. Which probably explains the PTSS and other serious effects of dehumanizing people into killing machines for suits in Ottawa's video game vision of war.

If that's how you deal with it fine but you need to acknowledge that there is a reason that you find yourself in certain "incidents" when you are in the military.

Webgear

quote:


Originally posted by Le Tйlйspectateur:
[b]
That's what the military teaches anyhow. Which probably explains the PTSS and other serious effects of dehumanizing people into killing machines for suits in Ottawa's video game vision of war.

If that's how you deal with it fine but you need to acknowledge that there is a reason that you find yourself in certain "incidents" when you are in the military.
[/b]


What does the military teach? What manual or doctrine are you referring to?

Very few people in the Canadian military have combat experience. I would speculate that less than 3000 soldiers in the Canadian military have any serious combat experience.

There are very few “killing machines” in Canada.

Yes, I acknowledge military personnel will always be in incidents beyond there control, that is the nature of the beast. Politicians never have the soldiers best interest at heart when making decisions.

Proaxiom

quote:


Originally posted by Webgear:
[b]Yes, I acknowledge military personnel will always be in incidents beyond there control, that is the nature of the beast. Politicians never have the soldiers best interest at heart when making decisions.[/b]

Indeed, like all the Imperial Army bureaucrats on the first Death Star. They probably thought they had a pretty damn safe posting. How were they to know about a small thermal exhaust port that, when hit by proton torpedo, would trigger a chain reaction and destroy the battlestation?

That's how it goes, though. Budget cuts, skills shortages, and it's too easy to skip over the required security design audit before starting construction on a planet-destroying superweapon.

[ 18 March 2008: Message edited by: Proaxiom ]

Webgear

quote:


Originally posted by Proaxiom:
[b]

Indeed, like all the Imperial Army bureaucrats on the first Death Star. They probably thought they had a pretty damn safe posting. How were they to know about a small thermal exhaust port that, when hit by proton torpedo, would trigger a chain reaction and destroy the battlestation?

That's how it goes, though. Budget cuts, skills shortages, and it's too easy to skip over the required security design audit before starting construction on a planet-destroying superweapon.

[/b]


If the Imperial Navy employed a proper screening fleet such as Corellian Gunships and Lancer-class Star Frigates along with Imperator-class Star Destroyers around the Death Star, then a hand full of Rebel fighters would never have been a serious threat.

Once the Rebel X-Wing fighters and Y-Wing Bombers appear, Lord Vader or the Duty Officer should have immediately launched the TIE fighters to provide a screen around the vulnerable exhaust port thus providing another layer of defence to the space station.

Imperial bureaucrats most likely did not have a clue about the military and had most likely design a huge layer of paperwork and procedures in order to make the military more productive which in fact provided to be the exacted opposite of their intentions.

Proaxiom

quote:


Originally posted by Webgear:
[b]If the Imperial Navy employed a proper screening fleet such as Corellian Gunships and Lancer-class Star Frigates along with Imperator-class Star Destroyers around the Death Star, then a hand full of Rebel fighters would never have been a serious threat.[/b]

Now if the Imperial government had thought to unify the commands, maybe this would have been feasible. When you've just extorted a rebel leader into giving you their base location, you don't have time to get all the required approvals to initiate a joint action, and then try to negotiate an operational plan with all those egos at the table. You have to move [i]before[/i] the rebels figure out the game is up and move their base.

quote:

[b]Once the Rebel X-Wing fighters and Y-Wing Bombers appear, Lord Vader or the Duty Officer should have immediately launched the TIE fighters to provide a screen around the vulnerable exhaust port thus providing another layer of defence to the space station.[/b]

They didn't know about the exhaust port until after the fighter attack was analyzed. And given that it took them all of about 12 minutes, you'd think they might have gone through the effort before they were actually under attack. That's design by committee for you.

quote:

[b]Imperial bureaucrats most likely did not have a clue about the military and had most likely design a huge layer of paperwork and procedures in order to make the military more productive which in fact provided to be the exacted opposite of their intentions.[/b]

They thought an AT-AT and Stormtrooper 'surge' would take care of the problem.

Webgear

quote:


Originally posted by Proaxiom:
[b]
Now if the Imperial government had thought to unify the commands, maybe this would have been feasible. When you've just extorted a rebel leader into giving you their base location, you don't have time to get all the required approvals to initiate a joint action, and then try to negotiate an operational plan with all those egos at the table. You have to move before the rebels figure out the game is up and move their base.
[/b]

The Imperial Navy had a unified chain of command; there should have not been a delay in orders or operational planning. The lack of proper defensive measures around the Death Star is the result of civilian bureaucrats interfering in military matters.

quote:

[b]
They didn't know about the exhaust port until after the fighter attack was analyzed. And given that it took them all of about 12 minutes, you'd think they might have gone through the effort before they were actually under attack. That's design by committee for you.
[/b]

Regardless of the knowledge of weakness of the exhaust port, standard military procedures were not carried out, screening ships around a command ship is common military procedure in any blue, brown or space navy.

quote:

[b]
They thought an AT-AT and Stormtrooper 'surge' would take care of the problem.
[/b]

At the Battle of Hoth, the surge of Imperial troops did take care of the Rebel threat. The lost of Echo Base was a devastating loss got the Rebellion, the lost of equipment, personnel which prolonged the conflict longer than what was necessary.

rural - Francesca rural - Francesca's picture

I finally understand the Iraq war now.

Proaxiom

I have been soundly out-geeked by Webgear.

Webgear

quote:


Originally posted by Proaxiom:
[b]
I have been soundly out-geeked by Webgear.[/b]

Webgear is performing a victory dance at this moment as he tries to get his 3 overly happy kids in to the van in order for them to meet their new sister at the hospital.

Proaxiom

Congratulations!

Four kids??

rural - Francesca rural - Francesca's picture

which brings us to the Ja-wa portion of the scenario...dink dink.....

Bacchus

Congrats Webgear!!!!

Webgear

Baby girl, 7 pounds 12 ounces, 20 inches long (30 days early), both mother and daughter are doing fine.

The other kids (two girls, one boy) are more like Wookies in Ewoks bodies, lots of hair and fury of activity and destruction around the house.

Thank you every one.

Cueball Cueball's picture

Excelent news!

Michelle

Lovely! Congrats!

Proaxiom

7 pounds 12 ounces, and 30 days early?

Yikes.

Michelle

Heh. No kidding. My little one wasn't so little - he was full term, and was 10 lbs, 1 oz. I suppose if he'd been early, he'd have been in the 7 lb range too!

Webgear

Both my daughter’s weighted in at 10 pounds 4 ounces and 10 pounds, 14 ounces.

The boy was 6 pounds and 10 ounces (he was 6 weeks early also).

pookie

Congratulations Webgear! I love the way you just slipped in the announcement, too.

Proaxiom

Four kids means you'll never be able to fit the family in a sedan. [img]smile.gif" border="0[/img]

Webgear

I have started to think about my next vehicle, I have thought about a few ideas. Here is the short list for large families.

[url=http://www.nikkisponyexpress.net/Springwagondetails.html]Option number one[/url]

[url=http://www.voituresrobert.com/en/cat_wagon8.shtml]Another possibility for a family vehicle[/url]

[url=http://www.army.forces.gc.ca/lf/English/2_display.asp?product=64&more=64... last possibility if things start going bad in Canada[/url]

Proaxiom

Does the LAV III have UAS/LATCH?

Webgear

What is an UAS?

It does have a hatch.

Proaxiom

Anchoring system for child seats.

Webgear

I am seriously looking at owning some horses and a wagon for short trips into town, and for being mobile in the next 9 years or so. I want to be off the gird by 2017.

Webgear

Yes it does have a UAS. All the seats include 5 point seat beats also.