They just left him out there.
The guys were all laughing when he first fell over. Then, when they realized that the ships weren't going to stop to pick him up, they stopped laughing and got real serious.
I have heard of actual incidents like this.
I heard a very similar story, told by a British soldier, on one of the History Channel documentaries.
There were times when the ships weren't going to stop for any reason, and the guys who fell overboard were out of luck.
Also, survivors of sunken ships sometimes would get picked up and treated well by the enemy. Other times, they were left to die or intentionally killed.
The Iwo Jima convoy was over 500 ships. They left at a certain time and were travelling at a certain speed so they would arrive off the coast of Iwo at dawn under the cover of darkness. Stopping or even slowing down would have thrown the schedule off. Of note, the first Marines arrived at the beaches exactly on time.
Step one: Cut a hole in the box. Step two: . . .
Couldn't one of the other ships throw him a line or something???? I mean, being dragged to the Coast is a 1000x better alternative than being stranded there to die.
shareThey tried throwing him a line, and they missed. The ship behind them had no idea the guy was in the water.
The realistic way that that scene was done (good directorial work by Clint Eastwood) really gave you a sense of what it must have been like. No fake looking indoor sets/actors in swimming pools.
You could see the size of those ship, and the speed in which they were traveling. You could hear the noise and the activity going on (planes wizzing by, noise of the engines, etc.)
You cou see how the when the guy fell overboard, he quickly disappeared like a small dot in the giant ocean and the big ships cruising by. Only a few guys nearby even notice he fell overboard. They could have reported it to someone on the bridge, but it probably would not have made a difference.
You would think that maybe the Navy could have possibly had small boats patrolling out there to pick up guys that fell overboard, but I guess not. Remember, in those days there were no helicopters for rescue...
But couldn't they radio the other ships to tell them about his falling. I mean, if the public found out, this kind of thing could absolutely cripple the war movement, as it's incredibly cruel and even murderous for the navy to just strand him
shareThe point was -- they weren't stopping for anyone or anything. In those days, the press and Hollywood didn't put out news what would turn the public against the military.
Maybe stopping to pick up that one guy would have meant logistical delays that could have cost hundreds of other lives....
To the coddled young of today it is inconceivable that a fallen overboard man should be left behind to die. They don't understand wartime excigiencies. They live in a 'no child left behind' world where even sports events don't have losers. Every kid is declared a winner just for participating.
As others have said, even the contemporaries on board laughed at the percieved embarrassment of the man fallen overboard. But it was dead serious for him.
Ships of such a size don't stop like a Kia. It takes miles to bring one to a halt. Theer were schedules to adhere to, enemy who could be lurking anywhere below the water.
That one man just wasn't important.
Sorry but it's true kids. You ain't that important either, and once school is over you will learn an ugly lesson that the rest of the world doesn't really care about your life, let alone your fragile ego. The education system coddling you is actually doing you a disservice in preparing you for the world out there.
But that is another matter.
There just was no incentive to put things in place so that some pirvate or sailor who might do such a foolish thing as fall overboard should be rescued.
Spend all those resources for some unfortunate buck private?
He ain't worth it. Might get mowed down in the first wave of some beach assault without accomplishing anything at all.
Now fighter pilots who were shot down were rescued wherever possible. PBYs were on patrol for just such things in the English Channel and other Atlantic areas.
But a brownshoe doesn't warrant such effort. We got a war to fight.
And the news agencies were not like they were in the Vietnam era and later. They were not likely to print anything that might embarrass the military. That would be unpatriotic.
And Ma and Pa Kettle at home wouldn't believe it anyway.
I think most Marines, especially the privates, know just where they stand in the grand scheme of things. An old saying is "MARINE means My Ass Really Is Naval Equipment". That's sad but true.
Step one: Cut a hole in the box. Step two: . . .
ya what is the deal with the coddled young of today, sounds like some P.C crap to me. back in my day (i was born in 1980) we sucked it up, if we didnt make the team too bad, you suck. you made the team, so what. your girl friend breaks up with you, who cares, give it a few weeks, then go out a find a new one, now you cant even bring peanut butter to school. all b/c some little kid might get sick, please what ever.
or you cant say that about that race, or read that bible in school we dont want to offend other religions. i was told that once, i told them to piss off, i can read what ever i want.
I miss the days when you could say what you felt.
sorry for the rant. but the world of today is TOO P.C
Prov. 4:23... Be careful what you think, because your thoughts run your life.
I WAS IN THE POOL, I WAS IN THE POOL
Nobody is stopping you from saying what you like. But in life, there are consequences. The soldier that fell off the ship learned that lesson the hard way.
shareIn normal times, the U.S. Navy would have stopped the the ship or sent out a rescue craft to pick up a guy that falls oeverboard.
But, this was not a normal time.
They were heading to one of the biggest American/Japanese land battles in WWII, and it was full speed ahead. No stopping for some poor, unimportant private that's careless enough to fall over the side.
That was the point Clint Eastwood was making. And, it was probably true. I do know there were numerous incidents where this happened.
I'm being surprised to hear of this fact, because
I'd have assumed that America's treatment for soldiers life is far better than Japan's.
what about the guys that didnt jump out of the airplanes? did they get shot or something?
I read some where that a guy hid under bodys untill Dday was over, and he was found and got charged. i forget where i read it .
Prov. 4:23... Be careful what you think, because your thoughts run your life.
I WAS IN THE POOL, I WAS IN THE POOL
I'm sure if there were any jump refusals on D-Day they would've exited the aircraft by force back in those days. And if you have ever watched Band Of Brothers you would kinda figure not too many guys would've had any problems moving with a purpose out of the aircraft over Normandy with all the Anit-Aircraft batteries.
shareSo why couldn't they have gotten a lifeboat in the water, picked the guy up, and come back to the same ship, or another ship? Doesn't seem like that hard a thing to do.
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That gave me chills, I hope he didn't drown. That was like lingering in my mind all throughout the movie, poor dumb guy.
shareIn reality, wouldn't you be immediately sucked underwater and chopped to bits by the humongous prop?
sharerotto-2 <...I'm being surprised to hear of this fact, because I'd have assumed that America's treatment for soldiers life is far better than Japan's...>>>
There was a great documentary about the battle for Iwo Jima on the History Channel.
It showed the difference between the Japanese soldiers dug into the island, and the invading American soldiers.
It showed the differences in equipment, tactics, etc..
It also described the "mentality" difference. (I also read a good book on this -- "Flyboys.")
The Japanese were basically trained to follow ordersi without question and be ready and willing to die for their country. They considered it an honor to die in battle.
The Americans definitely valued life more. The soldiers all wanted to fight and live to tell about it -- not die.
In general, the Marine motto of "Leave no man behind" holds. But, there were cases such as this where the mission was just too important for one individual.
Oh, I see, I've very understood the "mentality" difference between Japan and America.
The Japanese were basically trained to follow ordersi without question and be ready
and willing to die for their country.
They considered it an honor to die in battle.
My wife and I watched the movie yesterday, and she commented about the "Leave no man behind" line also.
Everyone is right on point about these ships being huge and unable to stop to pick up one man. I told her even if one ship stopped, what are the ones behind it going to do, swerve out of the way? and what does that mean the ships on the sides are going to have to do, swerve also? Next thing you know, they're all over the ocean in a real *beep* ramming into each other. You've now endangered the lives of 500,000 men for 1 man.
Okay; so the last ship in the line actually gets word that someone in their line fell overboard and stops. Now you have 3,000 occupants of that ship in danger of submarine attacks.
So I told her about "risk management" where you weigh the risks and rewards. Do you risk the life and success of an entire invasion fleet for one person?
BTW, "Flyboys" is an awsome book also written by James Bradley (in case anyone reading this string didn't know.) Should be on a required reading list like I hope this one is.
In Letters Japanese officers were openly defying straight orders of their superior officers.
So much about "follow roders without question".
And they had really no special trained men to save this guy?
By the way: What difference would have made it, when they had arrived hours sooner or later. The Japanese had no air force, ships or heavy tanks left. They had nothing. The dug themsleves in the ground and waited for the fleet.
I'd call it an awfully bad recon and intelligence, if the US command didn't know it.
Almost as bad as with Pearl Harbour.
Ich bin kein ausgeklügelt Buch, ich bin ein Mensch mit seinem Widerspruch.
Conrad Ferdinand Meyer
From what I've read, yes they didn't stop BUT, they did have radios and the destroyers and small sub detectors circling the main force were informed of the man overboard. Whether they were able to find the stranded Marine and pick him up...who knows. Probably not.
shareWe did treat our personnel better. They had better weapons and equipment, better clothed, better fed, better trained and were much healthier than the Japanese or Germans for that matter.
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Jesus, what an imbecile this guy is :)) Youre a real tough guy eh?
shareI don't disagree with much of what you put there, but I think it's a bit insulting that you referred to the "coddled young of today". If people had known then, they would have been shocked anyway.
Like you said in your last paragraph - the media would never have reported anything like it, precisely because it might have affected morale. I disagree that parents at home wouldn't have believed it, and I don't think that you believe that anyway.
This thread is amazing to me. Yes, the scene was disturbing .. but, how come you don't ask about the guys who were shredded by machine gun fire, en mass, mowed down, shelled etc ? ONE guy drowning is worse than the carnage you watched after that scene for how many hours ??? As far as the command being heartless to have just let him drown - these officers knew that many of these men were going to be butchered, some of them with in moments of stepping off the landing craft, and yet still proceeded with the battle plan. IIRC, the planners always made estimates of how many losses would occur upon 'taking the beach' ... I forgot now what they were for Normandy but its amazing to think they know this number and yet proceed on. I get it, not arguing anything here other than the out pouring of sympathy for this one soldier and none for those slaughtered a short time later !
This is what movies do to the 'uninitiated' - we become desensitized by repletion. It was a unique situation - one we aren't accustomed to seeing so we are shocked by the seemingly in humanity of those who could have 'done something'. But we're so used to gun shots, machine guns, artillery strikes, arial bombings, grenades ... hell, even flame throwers and we don't bat an eye ... but one guy potentially drowning "Oh NO, some one help the poor man !!" What ? So he can get cut in half and hour later ?? I have to admit, I watched this scene over 2 hours ago and its still haunting me so don't get me wrong here ....
War is temporary insanity.
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I'm sure you'd be saying that if it were YOUR kid or brother or father that drowned :)
"You idiot, that's condensation. It's on the outside!"
Heres a simple solution, you radio the ships behind to throw out lines. SIMPLES.
shareThe transport ship would have reported the man overboard either by radio if allowed (often convoys would practice radio silence, aka EMCON condition) or by semaphore and a destroyer would have gone looking for him. A transport ship would have to conduct a slow 270 degree turn to make it back to the man and slow down to a stop. This would not only be chaos in a tight formation with other ships but it would have presented an easy target to enemy submarines and jeopardized the lives of all the other men on the ship.
shareyou guys got it pretty much right. They COULD NOT STOP for any reason, If they had a lot more marines would have died on that Island than did. Also The first marines didnt hit the beach right on time, They arrived 120 seconds after they where supposed to :)
shareGuess I forgot to tell ya, one hand for the boat the other one for yourself... 1st rule of sailing.
share"...as it's incredibly cruel and even murderous for the navy to just strand him"
Since when is the Navy/Marines/...humane?
From the trivia:
The scene in which a sailor falls from a ship and is left in the water as the fleet steams toward Iwo Jima actually happened. The incident is described in "Iwo" by Richard Wheeler, himself a veteran of the fighting. Quote: "According to Coast Guardsman Chet Hack of LST 763: 'We got the man-overboard signal from the ship ahead of us. We turned to port to avoid hitting him and threw him a life preserver, but had orders not to stop. We could not hold up 24 ships for one man. Looking back, we could see him waving his arms, and it broke our hearts that we couldn't help him. We hoped that one of our destroyers or other small men-of-war that were cruising around to protect us would pick him up, but we never heard that they did.' "
yeah so long for no man left behind
Destroyers, which are lighter and faster ships, would patrol the outside perimeter around the main group of ships looking for enemy submarines. If a man fell overboard, then the only hope for him would be that a destroyer would find him before he drowned or a shark got him.
----Gordy----
"Things ain't what it use to be."
Couldn't they had lowered a small boat from one of the ships while sailing? May have beén a bit tricky though.
shareCouldn't they had lowered a small boat from one of the ships while sailing? May have beén a bit tricky though.
OK this is for everybody on this thread. Both the "OMG they just left him?!?" and the "Yup thats exactly what would happen" crowds...
Remember who it was who was telling the others that the ships cant stop. It was just another low ranking Marine, not some officer in charge. Yes the Marines were told (Anecdotally) that ships would not stop for them and this Marine was just passing on what he had heard.
The Movie itself does not dwell on the scene long enough to know if any real effort was made to rescue him. Of course the ship he fell from could not stop and go back. Nor could any of the ships behind just stop. They are in a formation and any ship that stops and gets out of formation risks collision with the others. This is not to say that the ship he fell from could not message by blinker light to the ships astern and one of the could angle over just a bit and try to throw a line and catch him on the fly.
Failing this, one of the Combatant escorts (say: a Destroyer) could detach long enough to attempt a rescue but it would have to wait until the main body of the Convoy passed on ahead. By this time though it may be impossible to locate the marine (Even if he hasn't drowned yet)
In summation: This scene was not offered up as any sort of proof that the US Navy will not make an attempt at rescue. The Scene was to show how it looks from the viewpoint of a lowly Marine Pvt.
From the Marines point of view and in the very few minutes the Movie dwelt on the scene, Yes the Navy was not making an attempt.
But the Movie does not dwell on the 45 minutes to several hours that a real rescue would take. and the effort would probably be beyond the view of the Marines anyway.
The Navy WILL make every effort FEASABLE to rescue someone. Sadly sometime it just isnt feasable.
Sir, Put the mouse down slowly and step away from the keyboard!
CG-23 Sailor
USN Vet
Served on Cruisers and Carriers
Participated in many a "Man Overboard" Drill
and a few "this is not a drills" as well
back in my day (i was born in 1980)"
I'm sorry, that just struck me as funny...
Is that really considered a long time ago now..
I have clothing older than that...
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my mom says that line back in my day, i laugh at her when she says it, so i just wanted to say it. i was trying to be funny when i said it. haha
Prov. 4:23... Be careful what you think, because your thoughts run your life.
I WAS IN THE POOL, I WAS IN THE POOL
Hell i'm 16 and I think things are too PC... I had a teacher tell me about 2 months ago "I dont like how today we coddle you and go 'oh well, you did your best, A PLUS!' Screw that, if your stuff sucks, I tell you it sucks" Its true, I mean so many people are getting 95 averages because their in C grade or remidial classes (which I like to refer to them as playdough classes) Yet I'm working my ASS off in college level classes, getting around 80 averages, and so are alot of people I know yet they will never be recognized for that, because (I swear this is true) the down syndome kid in a wheelchair is getting a 90 average...
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i know when i have kids, i'm not going to coddle them, if they suck i will tell them they suck, and make them work hard. more so in school, school is such a trip, after your 18yrs in grade/highschool/ and sometimes college the real world doest care if you made the deans list, they dont care if your girl friend broke up with you, they just care if you show up to work , and give your soul to them from what ever hours they force you to work.
every thing is P.C b/c of all the lazy parents not wanting to do there jobs.
Prov. 4:23... Be careful what you think, because your thoughts run your life.
I WAS IN THE POOL, I WAS IN THE POOL
"The Navy WILL make every effort FEASABLE to rescue someone. Sadly sometime it just isnt feasable."
Well said my good man, and from a background of experience.
For the matter of the Japanese military philosophy, as compared to Allied, it's actually a bit more extreme than "...the soldier must be willing to die..."
The Japanese soldier/sailor/airman when entering military service in time of war is already considered to have GIVEN his life to the emperor! That's why the ceremony wherein the family is supposed to supress all emotion and congratulate their son and schoolgirls all add a stitch to a headband of a thousand stitches that the serviceman wears into battle.
That's also why there was such dishonour associated with a Japanese serviceman surrendering. It is like the enemy has a trophy in the captured man, and that is too embarrassing to consider.
After all, the enlisted man's life has already been given to the Emperor.
I'm not positive about this but wouldn't the fleet also be doing a preset zig-zag pattern? Submarines would of still been a threat and I'm pretty sure navy doctrine would of required it. If so, that would certainly complicate the situation. Of course, as others have mentioned, the DD's & DE's would of made some attempt to find him.
shareMy grandfather was in the Navy during WWII, and said that there was a reunion decades later. He said that one of the guys that showed up had fallen off the ship and was thought to be dead. Hell of an experience I would imagine, for all involved.
shareI also heard that they eventually picked the guy up too. There where smaller PT boats in the convoy also. Of course the big battle ships couldnt stop but some of the smaller more maneuverable craft would, if contacted via radio, make the pickup and not lag to long behind the convoy.
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But still, it kind of bothers me when they avoid historical accuracy to evoke emotion. It just makes it seem so..Uggh.. "Hollywood" Its disrespectful in a way. Its kinda like the saying the one thing most marines hold most sacred is that, to never leave no man behind, is just a hoax compared to the mission, which isn't true, and historically not true. There are many historical events where soldiers and marines risked both life and limb to save a lost comrade, and this pretty much says..they will leave you if they want to..which is a lie.
shareGood points, mlrock.
Clint Eastwood, who was considered a neandrathal in Hollywood during his "Dirty Harry" heyday, is now all of the sudden the big toast of the town.
Why?
Because he makes politically correct movies like the two recent Iwo Jima sagas.
And, you're right. It seems like including the scene of abandoning a drowning U.S. Marine does fly in the face of "leave no man behind." In fact one of the characters says something like "well, so much for 'leave no man behind.'"
It is a Leftist slap at America. So, the Hollywood elite now loves Clint. He gets invited to all their parties.
I haven't seen "Letters from Iwo Jima" yet, but I'm not sure I want to see the humanity side of Imperial Japanese soldiers.
Maybe the best way to depict the Imperial Japanese was the way the old Hollywood did it -- in movies like "Sands of Iwo Jima" -- as sub-human "Unter-Menchen."
Well Letters is a very decent film, and I don't think it really goes out of its way to give you sympathy for all whole Japanese Imperial Army, rather then shows a couple more idealistic soldiers questioning their countries tactics. But I think they tried to hard to make both sides appear similar, which in reality, they weren't. It may not be PC to say this, but the Japanese military at the time had an entirely different perspective then the U.S. military, and it seems the only way they could get there point across that "we are all the same" is to edit certain facts. The Japanese though death was "Light as a feather" but honor and duty was "heavier then a mountain" and the U.S. marines considered life more valuable where is why we value such military quotes as, "Leave no man behind" and "don't die for your country, make the other poor bastard die for his" You really can not compare the two together without editing facts. Which is why we have scenes put in like that. pity.
shareI'm sure they at least threw a liferaft over.
My name is Jim.....but my friends call me.....Jim.
"So much for no man left behind."
shareYeah, it bothered me to. And I read all the posts about why they couldn't stop because of time, but they seriously didn't have just one raft a guy could have rowed, or propelled with a little motor, out to get him? And the ships behind were going to eventually run into him, so they could have picked him up. Also, isn't the Army's, marines, etc motto "Leave no man behind"! Leaving a man behind during battle is unquestionable, let alone a guy who falls overboard.
P.S. If you think about it that was the first casualty of that battle.
But I loved my neighbor...and his wife.
I think the lifeboats just have oars. You think men can row faster than the large ships with their turbine engines? Do you want to volunteer to go in a life boat and go to him and also be left behind?
Ah. Fresh victims for my ever-growing army of the undead.
I dont understand the problem..Youve got 500 multi-million dollar crusisers and not one of them can send out a lifeboat and pick the guy up? Absurd. I cannot believe this ever happened..all you have to do is send out a small boat to pick him up...period..simple.
shareAnd where does the small boat go? A little dingy (small boat) cannot match the speed of a warship. There would be no way it could return to the fleet. They would have to have a ship stop and wait for the lifeboat. But that would just delay things further. If they did stop one ship to wait for the lifeboat, it would take at least an hour for the lifeboat to catch up.
"Indie Sux, Hardline Sux, Emo Sux, You Suck!"
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I have read all of the posts on why he couldn't be rescued and i guess i understand, but the line of thinking is still this-- we're the United States, we can do anything we want. We're going over to defeat the Japanese, we've thought of everything in preparation for this, and...OOOPS---man overboard! We aren't prepared for that little situation. Kinda like a *beep* in our massive armor,huh.
Here lies Les Moore-two slugs from a .44 - No less no more.
For the record, in my last post, the *beep* word was "ch" followed by "ink".
Don't know why it was edited, i wasn't swearing. *beep*
Here lies Les Moore-two slugs from a .44 - No less no more.
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How about cheenk? or cheeenk? it's what armor gets. like a crack or defect.
Here lies Les Moore-two slugs from a .44 - No less no more.
Imagine you're riding a train going 110mph on one of 5 lane railroad tracks. Someone in your car accidentally lets his water bottle fly out of the window. The water bottle would NOT be easily retreived even if the train u were in were to inform any one of 3 to 8 trains travelling behind it. They'd have to slow down, and THAT would cause MAJOR delays for a tight schedule. PLUS, finding a water bottle set against such a LARGE landscape (say no grass, but dirt and gravel) would be time consuming AND difficult. You wouldn't be just looking 10 to 20ft away from you, given the terrain, it could've rolled up to 50 ft away for all anyone knows. BUT U CANNOT DELAY YOUR SCHEDULE AT ALL. All their trains, their cargo, and passengers MUST get to their destination on time.
Long story short, given the vastness of the ocean, it is an even bigger undertaking.
ORANGE for all
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Not to mention that the only ship that would be able to send a lifeboat out would be a destroyer. Destroyers are used to protect the larger vessels (mainly Carriers) from submarine attacks. If one of the destroyers broke formation to rescue that one man, there would be an opening for a Japanese submarine to get a shot on the larger ships.
"Indie Sux, Hardline Sux, Emo Sux, You Suck!"
"i know when i have kids, i'm not going to coddle them, if they suck i will tell them they suck, and make them work hard. more so in school, school is such a trip, after your 18yrs in grade/highschool/ and sometimes college the real world doest care if you made the deans list, they dont care if your girl friend broke up with you, they just care if you show up to work , and give your soul to them from what ever hours they force you to work."
LMAO!!!
I think your kids are going to hate you to an extent lol. My girlfriend loves her mother but she does have some resent towards her because as a child her mother would tell her she was useless sometimes because there were some things she couldn't do. If parents tell their children things like that it can hurt them greatly. I understand what you are saying about not coddling them but I don't think you wanna be a jerk to them and then have them resent you later in life.
Regarding the scene in the movie I felt terrible for the poor guy but then again he was an idiot for falling over. It was a funny scene but at the same time it was pretty bad at what happend to the guy.
"Rejoice O young man in thy youth"
To the coddled young of today it is inconceivable that a fallen overboard man should be left behind to die. They don't understand wartime excigiencies.
What kind of bullsh!t are you trying to pull? Im 15, so I could be considered part of this "coddled young of today" and I understand full well why they had to leave him behind. It doesnt have anything to do with being coddled. It deals with the fact that our military has the "zero tolerance for casualties, leave no man behind" mentality. But even so, they couldnt risk the entire invasion force for one man. Those who dont understand why they had to leave him behind dont understand that it would be damn near impossible to rescue him; and if they did, they put the fleet at risk.
Edit: And in regards to what krazie835 said, thats true. If you coddle a kid too much, they feel the whole word revolves around them. But if you dont coddle them at all, they feel worthless.
"Whoa, I'm hotter than your *beep* sister today man!"
-Corporal Michael Picoli
that you understand full well why he had to be left behind, puts you WAY ahead of others posting here that are WAYYY older than you. For that you are to be commended. I lurk alot and by doing so, learn alot (i hope..lol). All too often I feel as though I am watching a pissin contest.
btw...does anyone happen to know which country is the most powerful on earth?
that guy that fell was stupid
first he should been carefull and second he shoulda
swam towards the way of the boats so he could swim to iwo jima or somethin
"somtimes You stubborn and shlt, thats the mcCoy in you"
When was the Darwin award introduced?
The Awards honour people who ensure the long-term survival of the human race by removing themselves from the gene pool in a sublimely idiotic fashion.
I'm sure a PBY Catalina was sent to search for the guy that fell overboard. Whether they found him or not is hard to say. But a PBY could have flown in and landed, picked him up, then flew off again.
Since the Corsair Fighters were taking off while the Carriers were on the go, why couldn't a PBY do it?
But the movie doesn't mention that because it wants the Marine Commanders to look like heartless, lying and uncaring tyrants.
Pilots are rare and valuable. It's worth the risk and effort to have a PBY look for them in wartime, just as they have an elaborate CSAR capability to do the sam3e now. Marine infantrymen are not rare and so less valuable. Taking a PBY away from it's regular duties to look for him is harder to justify.
Incidentally, PBY's did not do plane guard for carriers. That was done by destroyers back then. PBY's did ASW and Combat Search and Rescue. They might send a PBY to look for the Marine if there's one available, but he'd likely be dead before one could get there so they might not bother.
The destroyers at the back of the fleet may have set out a lifeboat to pick him up.
R.I.P Heath Ledger 1979 - 2008
Being 14, I find it very offensive how people refer to the "youth of today" collectively, and almost invariably with negative connotations. Sure, many kids are "coddled," but no one really believes any of it after the age of seven. The people talking about the coddled youth obviously know nothing about the youth of today. We are smart enough to see past all of the bull$h!t. When the world is ****** up, and the parents and teachers are actively sheltering us, all it does is make us more cynnical. Don't think for a second that we actually believe all the "coddling."
black and white movies were better
i am sure if a ship was passing him by they could o thrown him a donut thing and he could of grabbed on. so ya never know
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