We lost three Yanks in your fight

23 January 2020, 17:06

Bill/Oregon

They were doing what they loved. This happens here, too, from time to time. God rest their souls.

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-australia-51217076

23 January 2020, 21:57

Bakes

Yeah heard that this morning. Very sad news.

24 January 2020, 05:43

georgeld

Nasty business. You've got to
accept that will happen now and then.
We lose 'em here nearly every year in
the fires too.

Dau said they had 75-100mph winds around
Conder, blew some wires down and started
another big fire.

George

24 January 2020, 13:37

gryphon1

Sad news for their families and so far away. RIP.

24 January 2020, 14:10

Saeed

Very sad indeed.

Brave men.

God save their souls!

24 January 2020, 15:30

sambarman338

A noble sacrifice that won't be forgotten.

24 January 2020, 18:54

Grizzly Adams1

We have wildfires here every year and know how to deal with them, Australians haven't ? Seems strange they need so much outside help.

Grizz

25 January 2020, 09:55

Mike McGuire

quote:
Originally posted by Grizzly Adams1:
We have wildfires here every year and know how to deal with them, Australians haven't ? Seems strange they need so much outside help.

Grizz

I think you will find it is usually Australians going to America.

27 January 2020, 09:53

eagle27

quote:
Originally posted by Grizzly Adams1:
We have wildfires here every year and know how to deal with them, Australians haven't ? Seems strange they need so much outside help.

Grizz

You need to do a little research before making those sort of statements. I have Rural Fire trained work colleagues who have gone to the States to help fight your fires, one as a ground fire controller. They have also gone to Oz too.
In return both Aussies and some of your State side guys have come to help in the aftermath of the couple of big earthquakes we have had in recent years. ANZUS is still alive and working well.

27 January 2020, 10:49

georgeld

I used to volunteer. Fought a bunch of
grass fires. Nasty business, more so
when it's tall and dried out.

Once for a week or so in a forest.
That wasn't so bad til it topped out.
Then me and the rancher I worked for
left it for the experts and went home.

Takes months to get that smoke taste
out of your systems, I feel for all the
many Aussies in that shit storm.

George

27 January 2020, 13:06

gryphon1

quote:
Originally posted by Grizzly Adams1:
We have wildfires here every year and know how to deal with them, Australians haven't ? Seems strange they need so much outside help.

Grizz

you need to read a little more.Its not the only time we have sent men over your way.

https://www.smh.com.au/world/n...20180803-p4zv8u.html

27 January 2020, 17:11

mt Al

quote:
Originally posted by Mike McGuire:
quote:
Originally posted by Grizzly Adams1:
We have wildfires here every year and know how to deal with them, Australians haven't ? Seems strange they need so much outside help.

Grizz

I think you will find it is usually Australians going to America.

Spot on. Grizz, if you're confused just use google. The US brings in all kinds of help during bad fire seasons. Forest Service and BLM coordinate with Aussy, US and Canadian companies regularly.

27 January 2020, 18:10

Bill/Oregon

We are all in this together as good friends. Here's just one example.

https://www.columbiavalleypion...alifornia-wildfires/

28 January 2020, 07:15

Big Wonderful Wyoming

quote:
Originally posted by gryphon1:
quote:
Originally posted by Grizzly Adams1:
We have wildfires here every year and know how to deal with them, Australians haven't ? Seems strange they need so much outside help.

Grizz

you need to read a little more.Its not the only time we have sent men over your way.

https://www.smh.com.au/world/n...20180803-p4zv8u.html

Payback for the USA keeping the Japanese from owning the place a few years back.

Sorry about that Army idiot (MacAuther) good thing Chester Nimitz and the Army Air Corps sorted the problem.

28 January 2020, 11:29

shankspony

Actually, I believe the japanese themselves decided that they could not successfully invade Australia, and settled for trying to keep Australia from Helping America in the pacific.

28 January 2020, 18:15

Big Wonderful Wyoming

Australia would have had barely 1-2 million people in the 1940's. They could have ran through it like a hot knife through butter if it wasn't for the US military redirecting the battle. Midway and Coral Sea shut them down.

Any super power that wanted to could do the same thing now. There are less than 500,000 licensed gun holders in the whole nation. And a military of 30,000.

The other problem is thse two idiots Roosevelt and MacAurther, and Churchhill were preaching a Europe first mantra, and large numbers of both the Kiwis and Aussies were stuck tied up fighting in Europe and Tunisia when they should have been fighting the Japanese.

28 January 2020, 18:18

Big Wonderful Wyoming

I spent 3 years "taking the piss" from Aussies as an American Sailor stationed at the US Embassy in Canberra.

Love Straya, like a bloody native.

28 January 2020, 20:48

shankspony

About 7.2 million. Do some reading! The japanese knew they could not take Australia due to its size and logistical issues. It also wasn't their goal, they were looking to gain asian territory and their game plan consisted of forcing America to back off in a short swift war.
They also got surprised by the ability of the Aussie and New Guinea forces when they tried to take New Guinea and an underrated battle was the Australians lockdown of the Japanese forces, a much bigger army, on New Britain.
Europe was definitely where the war was won. Once Germany was defeated, it was only a matter of time as far as Japan was concerned.

29 January 2020, 07:17

Big Wonderful Wyoming

Shank's have a look at "A War to be Won, Fighting the Second World War" by Williamson Murray and Allan Millet.

Just finished a WW2 history course using this book.

World War II is incredible.

29 January 2020, 08:20

gryphon1

WW 111 will be even more incredible.

29 January 2020, 19:30

Bill/Oregon

Guadalcanal took the pressure off the fighting in New Guinea. It was a miserable place to fight a war. Read up on the Kokoda Track if you want lessons in endurance and sheer will.

30 January 2020, 06:33

Grizzly Adams1

quote:
Originally posted by Big Wonderful Wyoming:
quote:
Originally posted by gryphon1:
quote:
Originally posted by Grizzly Adams1:
We have wildfires here every year and know how to deal with them, Australians haven't ? Seems strange they need so much outside help.

Grizz

Hey, all the Aussie youth are working in our mountain resorts.

Grizz

you need to read a little more.Its not the only time we have sent men over your way.

https://www.smh.com.au/world/n...20180803-p4zv8u.html

Payback for the USA keeping the Japanese from owning the place a few years back.

Sorry about that Army idiot (MacAuther) good thing Chester Nimitz and the Army Air Corps sorted the problem.

30 January 2020, 09:01

shankspony

quote:
Originally posted by Bill/Oregon:
Guadalcanal took the pressure off the fighting in New Guinea. It was a miserable place to fight a war. Read up on the Kokoda Track if you want lessons in endurance and sheer will.

Yep absolutely. There were some amazing battles and fights that just dont get much mention, and often its because they did not involve the super powers of the war.
Thats not to down play the roles of the big nations or deride their input. But I do get mighty tired of the, "We saved your arses BS"
Because the smaller nations were in there punching well above their weight and fighting for the same cause. NZ for example had the highest casualty rate per head of population, of the entire allied forces.

And with the fire situation, this topic should not have gone down that path, because the same countries that came together to fight the war, help each other out to this day in fire fighting, sending men across the seas to help out where needed.

30 January 2020, 12:00

Rockdoc

quote:
Originally posted by shankspony:
quote:
Originally posted by Bill/Oregon:
Guadalcanal took the pressure off the fighting in New Guinea. It was a miserable place to fight a war. Read up on the Kokoda Track if you want lessons in endurance and sheer will.

Yep absolutely. There were some amazing battles and fights that just dont get much mention, and often its because they did not involve the super powers of the war.
Thats not to down play the roles of the big nations or deride their input. But I do get mighty tired of the, "We saved your arses BS"
Because the smaller nations were in there punching well above their weight and fighting for the same cause. NZ for example had the highest casualty rate per head of population, of the entire allied forces.

And with the fire situation, this topic should not have gone down that path, because the same countries that came together to fight the war, help each other out to this day in fire fighting, sending men across the seas to help out where needed.

Well said sir!

30 January 2020, 21:23

Big Wonderful Wyoming

Bullshit!

I love Australia, I spent 3 years living there from 2010-2013 with the US Military at the Embassy.

2 of my 4 kids were born in Australia, and consider it to be their home.

No disrespect to anyone, but it is just a friendly gaffe.

A good friend of mine is a Gunsmith in Australia. We talk a couple of times a month. he just returned from Kyrgistan for an ibex hunt, with a big bunch of guys from Canberra.

First thing he says to me is "why do all the fat Yanks, that can't shoot go hunt sheep in Asia?".

I served in Afghanistan, Kosovo, Somalia and Iraq. Kiwis and Aussies were there too, and spilled blood and lost lives just like we did and continue to do.

The fire is no different, and is a sad reality of life in Australia.

But if you can't take the piss, why talk to one another?