Cherry Blossoms.

This is coolbert:

 From the web site: "World War II: Eighth Air Force Raid on Schweinfurt"

"The punishment being meted out was not always one-sided, however. Fortress [B-17] gunners claimed 186 aircraft [German] shot down, although German documents reviewed after the war placed their losses at approximately 40. Some over claiming by gunners was inevitable, since several gunners within a combat 'box'of bombers would fire on the same plane."

Exaggerated claims of the American B-17 Flying Fortress gunners that should not however be thought of as lies, propaganda or outrageous falsehood. Everything happening so fast with multiple gunners engaging simultaneously the same aircraft from different angles and this occurring over and over the human mind not able to keep track of events in a manner conducive to tabulating a final accurate "tally"! American B-17 gunners at Schweinfurt NOT fabulists [tellers of tall tales!]

From an authority whose judgement I trust we have this response:

"If a German fighter sped through a B-17 or B-24 bomber 'box' formation from the top, at least a couple dozen bomber gunners would be firing at it. And maybe an American escort fighter was following it down when it passed through the formation. When and if it was hit and seen to be going down, there would be dozens of claims for the same "

Perceived and outrageous claims of enemy tanks destroyed, ships sunk, planes shot down during World War Two [WW2] were more the rule than the exception.

Indeed, the only instance [?] in modern warfare of where actual combat results exceeded claims was the Japanese kamikaze attacks on the American fleet as experienced in the latter months of WW2. Ships DAMAGED the total of which in reality was GREATER than that tally as claimed by the Japanese!! Important here to differentiate between ships DAMAGED as opposed to those ships SUNK!

From the web site: "Operation Iceberg - Okinawa Invasion"

"All kamikaze operations beginning with Leyte Gulf and ending at Okinawa had actually sunk 34 American ships, although official claims were made for 81; 288 had been damaged, claims were made for 195."

[that figure of 34 American ships sunk disputed even by American authorities, depending upon your definition of kamikaze attack and a careful understanding of that term and word "sunk"!]

Cherry blossoms of course those young Japanese men dedicated to the kamikaze mission, seen as persons in the prime of youth and beauty, falling from the sky and dying at the height of their perfection, as indeed for the cherry blossom as well!!

Understand it to be so and appreciate it!

coolbert.