Ninety five million people were killed between 1937 and 1945 in the war and 95% of the casualties were civilians. It was fought on all seas and land masses around the world.

 

The war lasted 2,174 days and claimed an average of 27,600 lives every day or 1,150 an hour.

 

A total of 16 million Americans served in uniform and untold numbers, both male and female, worked in defense plants and other war efforts.

 

When Germany invaded Poland, the U. S. Army ranked seventeenth among armies in size and power.

 

In 1941, United States  built 3.5 million cars; for the rest of the war only 139. In 1943 alone, 86,000 planes, 45,000 tanks and 648,000 trucks were built.

 

The combat losses were heavy on all sides. For example:

 

A typical division contained 15,000 soldiers, a B-17 and B-24 ten or eleven crewmen.

 

In Europe, 18 divisions had more than 100% casualties; 5

 divisions had more than 200% casualties.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

USAF lost 11,687 aircraft in Northern Europe flying 1,440,000 bomber missions and 2,680,000 fighter missions and 6,731 in the Mediterranean area and lost 80,000 airmen total.

 

 

 

 

 

Iwo Jima was the Marines deadliest campaign costing 6,821 Marines killed in action.

 

In the Okinawa campaign, 4,582 Army, 2,792 Marine and 4,907 Navy personnel killed.

 

 

The British Bomber Command lost 10,688 bombers.

 

Russia lost an estimated 26 million people in the war.

 

The Luftwaffe lost 70,000 airmen and 25,000 fighters.

 

Germany lost 743 U Boats and 26,000 crewmen with  a personnel loss ratio of 75%.

 

 

Some random comments from veteran's interviews

 

Ray Arsenault  Air Force Port Moresby, New Guinea etc.

 

"had a new group of pilots come in and they built a fire to drink some beer around but did not put the fire out when the party was over. The Japs bombed the smoldering fire that night and we lost eleven killed including my best friend who was cut in half in a foxhole".

 

Angelo Melluso Army North Africa, Italy, France,Germany

 

"at Casino I would take a jeep up to the front and deliver some food and clothes to my buddy. My last trip I learned he was killed. I didn't go up there anymore".

 

Bill Busby BEF in France

 

"we didn't have any information. We only drove at night and hid in the woods during the day. Finally they told us to evacuate out of Brest as Dunkirk was over with. The ship that left before mine was sunk"

 

Ronald Kilmer- P-47 pilot Battle of the Bulge and Germany

 

"they called me flak bait because I returned with so many holes in my aircraft after strafing missions. We shot up everything we saw - trains, tanks, troops, guns, aircraft". 

 

Ralph Phipps USMC Guam and Okinawa Campaigns

"that's the way it is, the lack of sleep, hunger, the constant

combat, the smells, the killing,  the Banzai charges, the hand to hand combat, the losses".

Phil True, Air Force B-29 navigator on bombing missions over Japan...

"my life was saved by the Marines who gave their lives taking that ugly piece of rock and sand Iwo Jima".

Bill Levy, B-24 navigator shot down over Yugoslavia

"seeing the number of people here tonight on this rainy, miserable night is a tribute to this World War 11 Round Table. I salute you"

James Kelley, B-17 gunner POW

"traded $100.00 watch for a piece of cheese, bread and sausage on our 87 day forced march as POW"

Erwin Harlfinger

"wake up America" message after his experiences as a member of the Hitler Youth and paratrooper and POW in the states and later becoming an American citizen and physician.