I understand that they all know each other, that they've been through hell and back together. But would they really be calling Val "Val" and Phil "Phil"?
I want the doctor to take your picture so I can look at you from inside as well.
Yes they would a combat unit especially a bomber crew would during those days rank formality was not a big deal unless they were on the ground or in a more official capacity etc..Even today they still do call superior officers by their names like my brother n law who is a F-15E pilot he is a Major and his WSO is a Capt and they call or talk on missions by their names, not during battles mind you but non combat flying etc. I also did my medical residency in the US Army and retired as a Capt and we called each other by our names as well. Its like in a private setting sorta thing. Hope I make sense..
Dr.Nichole A. MD. AKA Nicki was here.
I never revisit posts or read PM's too mature to argue.
Right, but that's just superior officers. I can see officers doing that. I'm asking about enlisted guys and officers. Would all those guys in the back of the plane really call the officers by their first names/nick names?
I want the doctor to take your picture so I can look at you from inside as well.
It's a good question and I think the answer can be found by watching William Wyler's original documentary Memphis Belle. All of the voice over is the actual MB bomber crew. I'll have to watch again some time, but I believe they refer to each other by first name.
shareBeing an Air Force vet, I highly doubt it. Also, my late father-in-law was a B-24 pilot in WW2, and one of the many stories he mentioned about his experiences in the war was that as a new aircrew commander he got written up for not requiring his crew to salute him. He was only in his early 20s himself and apparently wasn't as strict with his crew on military protocol as his C.O. thought he should have been. Of course, that may have varied some from C.O. to C.O., but if he got written up for not making them salute, I would guess being on a first name basis was out. I also spent 8 years active duty on jets in the AF in the '70s and '80s, and I never heard enlisted call an officer by his first name, or even jr. enlisted addressing NCOs as anything but their rank and last name. For that matter, even enlisted of the same rank tended to call each other by their last names, not their first names.
In general, even aside from the name issue, the list of silly inaccuracies in this movie would be long. It's like a live action cartoon with an all-star cast.