An Interview With Chuck Yeager

Look! A PC idiot! The truth always draws them out. Probably loses sleep
that Hiroshima and Nagasaki were nuked, too.

"William R Thompson" wrote in message
ink.net...

1: There is a considerable difference between "Japanese citizens living
in US territory" and "American citrizens of Japanese ancestry." Interning
foreign nationals during time of war is legal, and obviously a good idea.
Detaining American citizens on the basis of their ancestry is neither
legal nor a good idea. (And I don't recall that any of my Prussian
ancestors were locked up during either of the World Wars.)


While it was not as wide spread and is not nearly as well known as the
incarceration of Japanese-Americans, there were Americans of Italian and
German descent that received similar treatment. I'm working from memory
now, but I believe approximately 5000 Italian-Americans, 10,000
German-Americans, and 120,000 Japanese-Americans were interned during the
war. As I recall, Italian-American internment ended shortly after Italy
surrendered in 1943. German-American internment lasted until well after the
war ended, 1947 I believe. Some internees were even transferred to Germany
after the war! I don't remember when Japanese-American internment ended.

Snidely wrote:
We were absolutely justified in locking up Japanese during the war, to
suggest otherwise is retarded.

Interning enemy aliens is fairly standard, and generally thought to be a
good idea, sure.

We were not, however, justified in locking up American citizens, born in
the United States, who happened to have parents of Japanese descent
(often also American citizens, but naturalized rather than native-born).

Nor did they see a need to do this in (for example) Hawaii, where you
might think there was an even better argument for it.

And there was *certainly* no justification in confiscating and not
returning their property into the bargain.

The whole thing was barbaric, and a major national embarrassment.

The Rape of Nanking was barbaric, but it tells us nothing about the
ethical or practical considerations involved in herding a bunch of
American citizens into concentration camps. To think that it does is
the very essence of racism.

I served in Vietnam with loyal Americans who spent WWII in internment camps.
Their parents were second generation Americans who owned orchards in
California, which they were required to sale at a great financial loss.

Like them I am a third generation American with German ancestry. Why were
they interned and I allowed a normal youth? Were they less of an American
then I? If so, why?

Bye the way, one of my friends with Japanese ancestry also spent time in
the Hanoi Hilton. When his mother was interviewed by the news media she
stated "you know, this is the second time he has been a prisoner of war.
The first time was in Idaho."

I am saddened that there are people who still don't see the injustice in the
mass internment of west coast US Citizens with Japanese ancestry.

Wayne
CDR USN (Retired)


"Snidely" wrote in message
...
We were absolutely justified in locking up Japanese during the war, to
suggest otherwise is retarded. Unlike the so-called "wars" the US has been
in since then, WWII was a fight to the death. When up against a capable
and ruthless opponent that thinks of all others as sub-human, there is no
room for any PC bull****. Those that applauded that day understand this.

Any Japanese (or anybody else) that are offended by this need to read some
history about how they (the Japanese) waged war at that time. Our locking
up a few people was absolutely harmless in every imaginable respect in
comparison. Don't believe it? Start reading. As good a place to start as
any is what is now called "the rape of Nanking".



wrote:
And he's a bigot. It's a shame to see that someone who was promoted up to
Brigadier General in the USAF could still hold such attitudes. Two years
ago
at EAA/Oshkosh, my wife and I went to see him give a talk titled "Best of
the Best", expecting it to be a motivational speech. He spent the first
10
minutes in a racist rant justifying locking up Japanese-Americans in
concentration camps during WW2. We were more than a little bit offended.
Several people of apparent Japanese descent got up and left. When he
finished this rant, we were disappointed that a number of people
applauded
Yeager. We stayed awhile longer, and he began telling war stories about
being shot down and evading capture during the war. His language was
foul,
and he came across as an arrogant asshole to us. We got up and left a few
minutes later. I won't bother seeing him speak again.
Scott Wilson

"Snidely" wrote in message
...
We were absolutely justified in locking up Japanese during the war, to
suggest otherwise is retarded. Unlike the so-called "wars" the US has been
in since then, WWII was a fight to the death. When up against a capable
and ruthless opponent that thinks of all others as sub-human, there is no
room for any PC bull****. Those that applauded that day understand this.

Any Japanese (or anybody else) that are offended by this need to read some
history about how they (the Japanese) waged war at that time. Our locking
up a few people was absolutely harmless in every imaginable respect in
comparison. Don't believe it? Start reading. As good a place to start as
any is what is now called "the rape of Nanking".


One case that I am familiar with is that of the Nakagawa family. They owned
an orchard in Oregon. When the decree was issued they were required to sale
their property, which they had recently purchased, within 24 hours. The
"sharks" came out and their best offer was about 1% of the value of their
property. They were required to leave with only the items that could be
packed in a suitcase and shipped out to a desolate camp in Idaho.
(http://www.nps.gov/archive/miin/home.htm)

One of the sons of this family was named Gordon. He was an A-6 Intruder
pilot during Vietnam and was unfortunate enough to be shot down and spend
some time in the "Hanoi Hilton" POW prison. Shortly after he was captured
his mother was interviewed by CBS television. During that interview she
stated "you know, this is the second time Gordon was a prisoner of war. The
first time was in Idaho." (http://www.pownetwork.org/bios/n/n041.htm)

You can't deny that the Japanese internment was based on race. Gordon is a
forth generation American citizen who was interned. I am a forth generation
American with German ancestry whose father didn't speak English until after
he entered public school. Gordon was lock up and my family were allowed to
continue a normal life.

Post war review of the families in the Minidoka camp has shown that NONE
were security risks. The only explanation for their internment is racism
and greed for the prime farmland they owned.

Wayne
CDR USN (Retired)
http://www.soaridaho.com/Schreder

"Wayne Paul" wrote in message
...

You can't deny that the Japanese internment was based on race.


What was German and Italian internment based on?

Snidely wrote:

We were absolutely justified in locking up Japanese during the war, to
suggest otherwise is retarded. Unlike the so-called "wars" the US has
been in since then, WWII was a fight to the death. When up against a
capable and ruthless opponent that thinks of all others as sub-human,
there is no room for any PC bull****. Those that applauded that day
understand this.

Any Japanese (or anybody else) that are offended by this need to read
some history about how they (the Japanese) waged war at that time. Our
locking up a few people was absolutely harmless in every imaginable
respect in comparison. Don't believe it? Start reading. As good a place
to start as any is what is now called "the rape of Nanking".

442 RCT and the 100th INf Bn.

redc1c4,
going for broke..... %-)
--
"Enlisted men are stupid, but extremely cunning and sly, and bear
considerable watching."

Army Officer's Guide

I remember back in 1986, I was stationed at Beale AFB in California. My
wife and I were shopping in the commissary and Chuck Yeager was in there
also. I tried to speak to him and he totally ignored me. He lived outside
the Grass Valley Gate at Beale and was seen alot on base. On the other
hand, when I was stationed at Wright Patterson AFB in Ohio, I used to take
care of Paul Tibbits and his wife when I was a medic in 1990. He is a very
friendly guy and willing to speak with anyone.
wrote in message
et...


On 27-Apr-2007, "Byron Covey" wrote:

He is not "sort of a prick." He is 100% prick.



And he's a bigot. It's a shame to see that someone who was promoted up to
Brigadier General in the USAF could still hold such attitudes. Two years
ago
at EAA/Oshkosh, my wife and I went to see him give a talk titled "Best of
the Best", expecting it to be a motivational speech. He spent the first 10
minutes in a racist rant justifying locking up Japanese-Americans in
concentration camps during WW2. We were more than a little bit offended.
Several people of apparent Japanese descent got up and left. When he
finished this rant, we were disappointed that a number of people applauded
Yeager. We stayed awhile longer, and he began telling war stories about
being shot down and evading capture during the war. His language was foul,
and he came across as an arrogant asshole to us. We got up and left a few
minutes later. I won't bother seeing him speak again.
Scott Wilson

I can guarantee that He doesn't suffer fools. Take that for what it's worth.
Chuck
"Byron Covey" wrote in message
...
I have had several one-on-one conversations with him, and can report that
you are incorrect. He is not "sort of a prick." He is 100% prick.

As another poster noted, he gives no credit to anyone other than himself,
with the possible exception of recognizing Bob Hoover as a good test
pilot.


BJC


"Snidely" wrote in message
...
I stumbled across this recent interview of Chuck Yeager on a PBS station
in West Virginia.

Part 1 - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DIeiMNjv0BQ
Part 2 - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u0tku2b-Xms

Not a good one for Yeager. He comes off as being quite arrogant and not a
little condescending. I'd heard rumblings from time to time that he's
sort of a prick, but until now had not seen or heard anything concrete.

I think it is sad.

"Byron Covey" wrote (in part):

As another poster noted, he gives no credit to anyone other than himself,
with the possible exception of recognizing Bob Hoover as a good test pilot.

Now there's someone I really admire. Not only is he one of the
world's best pilots, but he's a really nice guy. We got him out to
one of our airshows at Archerfield (Brisbane) about ten years ago, and
he did his usual immaculate performances in both a Shrike Commander
and a Trojan. After the show, at the Aero Club, he was happy to talk
to and encourage anyone interested in aviation, and he autographed
just about anything.

And, of course, the girls loved him.

Mike

--
Mike Mackenzie (AVCOM Services)
Brisbane, AUSTRALIA
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