[johnbrowning]

I have not heard of hearing protection In wartime. I'm a big WW II buff and have not heard of hearing protection. Especially in aircraft tanks or any part of warfare. I recall Red Buttons got his chute caught on a steeple and the bells in St Mare Eglise made him deaf.

[c3shooter]

Radio/ intercom headphones worn in aircraft and tanks serve to keep out noise. Artillerymen and infantrymen went deaf.

[Vincine]

Originally Posted by johnbrowning

I have not heard of hearing protection In wartime. I'm a big WW II buff and have not heard of hearing protection. Especially in aircraft tanks or any part of warfare. I recall Red Buttons got his chute caught on a steeple and the bells in St Mare Eglise made him deaf.

What?

(It was too obvious to let pass.)

[johnbrowning]

Flick Longest day Buttons was a paratrooper. His chute got hung up on the church steeple after a drop. I would think the soldier would have hearing protection so his Tommy or grease gun wouldn't deafen him on his way down. The bell was being struck the whole time he was stuck.
Ass/ume d every one saw this movie.Dont gun people such as yourself enjoy a good war flick?

[c3shooter]

Real world here- combat parachute drop is very much unlike a civilian skydiver. Airborne troops are fair game while in their parachutes (unlike a pilot escaping a damaged aircraft). For that reason, they are dropped as low as they can be and still have their chutes deploy. When you jump, your firearm is not in your hands, but in your equipment bag. You will have about 3 seconds between canopy making that lovely CRACK! noise and hitting the ground. You are not going to be firing on the way down.

We do issue earplugs to soldiers now. How much they get used in combat.....


BTW, the personae you mentioned, played by Red Buttons in The Longest Day was a real person- John Steele of the 505th PIR. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Steele_(paratrooper)

[Vincine]

Originally Posted by johnbrowning

Ass/ume d every one saw this movie. Dont gun people such as yourself enjoy a good war flick?

I know the movie. It was a joke. Now I gotta go post "John has a long mustache." on the movie quote thread.

[elfmdl]

My grandpa serves on iwo jima in world war 2 and last year he went to the VA for a hearing test for some new hearing aids. The nurse doing his test was like didn't you wear earplugs. My grandpa responded with we didn't know what earplugs were and If we did you expect us to stop what we are doing while getting our a55 shot off to put in earplugs??