The Bloody Hundredth (2024)

The-Bloody-Hundredth-(2024)
The Bloody Hundredth (2024)

As I just finished reviewing “Masters of the Air,” this history titled “The Bloody Hundredth” depicting how the Eighth Airforce airmen lived literally felt like more like part ten of the series. First off, it is also recounted by Tom Hanks, but included many historians as well as Steven Spielberg, and the real pilots, many of who are in “Masters of the Air.” The documentary contains real archival footage that has a satisfying tone and storyline. In fact, some of the old stock footage was not only resurrected but also colorized so that it reaches render quality of today’s standards.

A member of the airborne strike group, ‘The Bloody Hundredth’ featured one interesting personality by the name of John Lucky Luckado, who has still alive for over 25 years since completing combat missions roughly 80 years ago. Luckado, who lives in Dallas, Texas, seems fortunate considering 77 percent of airmen from the 100th Bomb Group were either killed or captured during World War II. What is even more exceptional is that Luckado is already 102 years old and still managed to ‘retire’ no other than a US B-17 bomber pilot who completed a significant ‘number of formidable missions.

The raid on Munster on the 10th of October, 1943 was the end of the eighth Air Force battles during what would be marked as “black week” in air operations, which left 88 B-17s downed in a span of three days throughout Germany. In fact, USAID reports that the Eighth Air Force suffered more losses than any other branch of armed forces the USA had. The mission on Munster is what led to the 100th becoming known as “The Bloody Hundredth” because it was after this battle that out of 13 engaged in conflict, just 1, Robert Rosie Rosenthal returned to England.

There is actual interview footage of Rosenthal in the documentary, who was prominently featured in “Masters of the Air,” which took place before his own death in 2007 at age 89.

Only one-quarter of those who formed part of the bomber crew managed to finish 25 missions. The circumstances and events, involving Rosenthal and one of his later missions, are recounted by Rosenthal’s war document, who remembers ‘buzzing the tower’ after completing his 25th mission. Apparently, General Huglin happened to be in the tower at that time and, in his effort to protect his uniform dropped down to the deck but instead of cursing, the general told Rosenthal “That was one hell of a buzz job, Rosie”. Rosenthal was so excited about the war that he went for the second tour and honorably fulfilled 52 bombing missions after being shot down on two separate occasions.

Once the P-51 Mustang was made available as a bomber escort in late December 43, the United States was beginning to gain aerial superiority over Germany. Mustang was a fast and agile fighter aircraft powered by a British Rolls-Royce Merlin engine which enabled it to escort bombers deep into the heartland of Germany. The Allies were aware, however, that a successful D-Day attempt to overrun the Western European countries would depend on dealing with the Luftwaffe.

In this respect, the situation was however resolved. In 1944, the American bombers did not ease their efforts in the bombing of the territories of Eastern Europe and the resources of American fighters would eliminate as many of the German fighters as possible.

Their intention was to eliminate enough German pilots so that the Luftwaffe became less of a threat to anti-aircraft attacks. A staggering fact emerges as part of the documentary; the casualties that Luftwaffe pilots suffered on the Western front between January and May 1944 was at an appalling 99%.

The Allies landed at Normandy France on June 6, 1944, thus providing another theater of action in the west against the Nazis the Luftwaffe put minimal or no resistance. The weather advantage gained, the Eighth Air Force began systematic bombing of Berlin and other strategic military sites deep within Germany until the Third Reich could hardly sustain itself. The fighting continued after D-day for almost another year until VE day May 8th, 1945.

The war was won but as Tom Hanks at the end of the documentary points out “The Second World War was the most horrific occurrence in history. It caused more deaths than any other war in history.” As the war came to an end and they had to return home, the British people dressed up for the Sunday church service to pay respects and appreciation to the Eighth Air Force men who were based in the UK.

The film concludes with a passionate message from Frank Murphy, a 100th Bomb Group pilot, who remarked “The freedoms that we enjoy today were not just handed out for free. My generation and other generations before it ensured that there was always a price for such freedoms. That is why I think that the World War II generation should never be forgotten”.

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