World War II Database

1. Gregg Heilman says:
2 Jan 2010 06:00:41 PM

In the book the Siege of Stalingrad it described how men tried to tie themselves to the wings of planes leaving Stalingrad. Others shot themselves, but it this was discovered the soldier was executed.

Rent the 1993 DVD "Stalingrad" it was made by Germans and was not allowed to be shown there for some years. It follows the true stories of many of the surviors and the horrors they experienced.

This is a quote from and another source stating how the men tried to hold on or tie themselves to the wings of the last planes out of Stalingrad.

http://www.militaryhistoryonline.com/wwii/stalingrad/annihilation.aspx

“Many others needed no such prompting. With a sense of urgency spurred on by the knowledge that each departing aircraft from Gumrak or Pitomnik might be the last, desperate soldiers overwhelmed the guards and clung to the outside of transports making their take-off run. Many still clung to the wings as the planes gained speed and became airborne, but all eventually lost their grip and fell onto the snowy steppe. Among those departing these final flights were a number of men with self-inflicted wounds who had managed to deceive the triage doctors who were determined to bar such men from evacuation. They had managed to hide the tell-tale marks of gunpowder burns by shooting themselves through thick blankets. Rather than inflicting an obvious wound such as shooting themselves in the hand or foot, many of them shot themselves in the chest or abdomen. Such acts were indicative of the level of desperation that drove many to try and escape the frozen Hell of Stalingrad at any cost.”

2. Nathan Judd says:
5 Apr 2010 08:43:32 AM

There are many accounts in military history of humans struggle. Old photographs capture the reality of war on both sides in a way that few people understand today. http://www.wig-wags.com/