Claude Eatherly, Snow Job

August 6, 1945, Claude Eatherly takes b-29 Straight Flush over Hiroshima and reports that the weather is suitable for releasing the atomic bomb.  He then returns to Tinian and is 300 miles from the explosion.  

After being discharged from the Air Force for cheating on a test, with an honorable discharge, and being awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross for merely doing his job, he made a career of going mad because of the guilt he felt as a result of the bombing.  He stole, forged checks, made a big deal of how the bomb fucked him up, and in general served the left wing around the world as a showpiece on war's affect on even the winners.

Major Claude Eatherly, Con Artist.

No other member of the 509th Composite Group had any remorse about the attacks.  They had just saved a great deal of young men from the horror of invading the home islands.  While it is true that Japan was already defeated, George Marshall felt that America was sick of the war and wanted it over.  I can see his point.

Claude rode this shtick for the rest of his worthless life.

Finally.

Another court appearance from a once brave and useful man.  If I, as an enlisted man, had been caught cheating on a test, I would have been dishonorably discharged and broken in rank, forfeiting all pay and entitlements.  Officers belong to a club that protects their own.  I asked for infantry which means that usually one gets that assignment.  Never mind that I joined the post Vietnam Corps and was delighted to get in.  I was, and am, proud of my country and even as a teen I knew the recent war was no fault of the Corps. For my enthusiasm and can do attitude, I was sent to the biggest waste of time and money the military has going.  I wanted to fight and I feel that that counts for nothing.  Recently I wrote about a group of vets engaging in mock swordplay as an aide to keep their members from committing suicide.  Alright, well and good.  But re-enacting, to me, unless done for fun or the movies, is wishing you were back on that 4th grade playgruond.  I have never once felt it was my job or responsibility to help someone just because he had been in the Corps, and the other services may as well have been science fiction as far as my concern goes.  I do not believe in PTSD, which is a fiction designed to let people slough off responsibility for their actions.  Shell shock is much different.  I admire people who wish to help others, but look what happened to Chris Kyle.  That person was beyond help and he should have realized that.
Having said all this, Major Eatherly should have been crucified for being unworthy of his commission.
Character will tell when things come to the crunch.  Always.

 

A little of this bullshit goes a very long way.  I wanted to go to Okinawa and get tired and filthy all day long.  I couldn't get out of the Corps fast enough after this.  And, contrary to what is said, this was not volunteer work.  I told the Captain at the selection I wanted to go into the fleet for as to avenge Pearl Harbor.

PTSD was first heard of in the late 'seventies, and exclusively in courtrooms.  My experience is that combat vets will not shut up with the war stories.  But I was a Marine.