Dave -
You are close in your interpretation of 5 by 5 meaning "loud & clear" in
radio talk. In earlier days (maybe currently too) of radio communication a
recipient could report to the sender the quality of his radio transmission
by giving a Signal Report using numbered references. As used in Morse Code
transmission this was referred to as RST signal report, meaning
Readability, Signal Strength, and Tone. When used in voice transmission the
Tone portion of the report doesn't apply so only RS is used.
Readability ranges from a 1 (unreadable) to a 5 (perfectly readable) and
Signal Strength covers from 1 (faint & barely perceptible signal) to a 9
(extremely strong signal). Tone also goes from 1 to 9 for Morse code. Your
"5 by 5" would be interpreted as: "perfectly readable" and "fairly good
signal".
Any of you radio ops.out there might confirm the above as it is from dim
memory from my ham radio days.
Rich Young
From hans.reusink@planet.nl Fri Mar 22 08:25:52 2002
From: hans.reusink@planet.nl (hans reusink)
Date: Fri, 22 Mar 2002 09:25:52 +0100
Subject: [303rd-Talk] five by five
Message-ID: <000e01c1d17b$30ccdf40$a77e79c3@default>
This is a multi-part message in MIME format.
------=_NextPart_000_000B_01C1D183.8FBF89A0
Content-Type: text/plain;
charset="Windows-1252"
Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable
Dave,
As a Dutchman, I can tell you what the code stands for.
So we have five digits in a row
An example:1.2.3.4.5
When you listen to the radio on board you can fly in areas where =
reception is rather poor especially, when you are using high frequency
Say I am on my way from Schiphol to Gander.
In the very beginning, I am using V.H.F., that means, very high =
frequency.
There, you hardly get any trouble either transmitting or receiving.
Once, I have to switch to High Frequency, there we may run into trouble.
The type of trouble, plays an important role.
I can get connected with Iceland, but listenning, I hear their voice as =
a wave,
That can be either a short wave (SHORT FADING) or a long wave(LONG =
FADING)
We can also hear a lot of noice and hardly understand, what the guy is =
talking into his microphone, that we call (NOICE LIMMITER)We can fly and =
especially, when you are compelled to use your high frequency, at that =
moment,there are erruptions on the surface of the sun,
that we call (PROPAGATION DISTURBANCE)
Then to top it of , we use the term (OVERALL MERIT) that means, how good =
or how bad you receive the guy, who is talking to you.
Now as you can see, we have five items to deal with in order how you =
will experience, the way you receive his message.
Each item, we can give a digit from 1 up to5. Again depending on the =
situation you are in at that moment.
If all five are clear to under stand and no side effect of long or short =
fading, no propagation disturbance, no noice limmiter.
At such a moment, you will tell the station, you are connected to. I =
READ YOU FIVE BY FIVE. SO IN OTHER WORDS, EVERY THING IS OKAY.If there =
are any shortcommings, you can use this code and tell the station how =
bad the situation is concerning, the item you experience trouble., =
understanding him.
Hope, this will clear up things for you Dave.
Wish, you may always say I READ YOU FIVE BY FIVE. YOU GOT IT?
Wish you a nice and sunny weekend.
Greetings from Hans Reusink hans.reusink@planet.nl
------=_NextPart_000_000B_01C1D183.8FBF89A0
Content-Type: text/html;
charset="Windows-1252"
Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable
Dave,
As a Dutchman, I can tell =
you what the=20
code stands for.
So we have five digits in a =
row
An =
example:1.2.3.4.5
When you listen to the =
radio on board=20
you can fly in areas where reception is rather poor especially, when you =
are=20
using high frequency
Say I am on my way from =
Schiphol to=20
Gander.
In the very beginning, I am =
using=20
V.H.F., that means, very high frequency.
There, you hardly get any =
trouble=20
either transmitting or receiving.
Once, I have to switch to =
High=20
Frequency, there we may run into trouble.
The type of trouble, plays =
an important=20
role.
I can get connected with =
Iceland, but=20
listenning, I hear their voice as a wave,
That can be either a short =
wave (SHORT=20
FADING) or a long wave(LONG FADING)
We can also hear a lot of =
noice and=20
hardly understand, what the guy is talking into his microphone, that we =
call=20
(NOICE LIMMITER)We can fly and especially, when you are compelled to use =
your=20
high frequency, at that moment,there are erruptions on the surface of =
the=20
sun,
that we call (PROPAGATION=20
DISTURBANCE)
Then to top it of , we use =
the term=20
(OVERALL MERIT) that means, how good or how bad you receive the guy, who =
is=20
talking to you.
Now as you can see, we have =
five items=20
to deal with in order how you will experience, the way you receive his=20
message.
Each item, we can give a =
digit from 1=20
up to5. Again depending on the situation you are in at that =
moment.
If all five are clear to =
under stand=20
and no side effect of long or short fading, no propagation disturbance, =
no =20
noice limmiter.
At such a moment, you will =
tell the=20
station, you are connected to. I READ YOU FIVE BY FIVE. SO IN OTHER =
WORDS, EVERY=20
THING IS OKAY.If there are any shortcommings, you can use this code and=20
tell the station how bad the situation is concerning, the item you =
experience trouble., understanding him.
Hope, this will clear up =
things for you=20
Dave.
Wish, you may always say I =
READ YOU=20
FIVE BY FIVE. YOU GOT IT?
Wish you a nice and sunny=20
weekend.
Greetings from Hans Reusink =
hans.reusink@planet.nl<=
/DIV>
------=_NextPart_000_000B_01C1D183.8FBF89A0--
From Thor542086@aol.com Fri Mar 22 12:37:52 2002
From: Thor542086@aol.com (Thor542086@aol.com)
Date: Fri, 22 Mar 2002 07:37:52 EST
Subject: [303rd-Talk] Foggia, Italy
Message-ID: <1e.2528249f.29cc7fa0@aol.com>
Ford, my dad was in the 15th AF near Cerngolia, Italy. He told me one time
flak hit the plane in front of him and that it went into the plance next to
it. He almost shot down a P-51 because some silly flight leader lead his
flight into my dad's bomber formation, which you never were suppose to do. He
had the leader in his sights and then realized it was not an ME109.
Terry
From kevinmpearson@hotmail.com Fri Mar 22 18:23:33 2002
From: kevinmpearson@hotmail.com (Kevin Pearson)
Date: Fri, 22 Mar 2002 12:23:33 -0600
Subject: [303rd-Talk] April 24th, 1945 Raid to Pilsen
Message-ID:
Ford and all the rest: The 8th AF lost bombers all the way to the very end
of the war, not just until March. Yes, the Luftwaffe had been
systematically disembowled, but they made an effort until the bitter end and
contiued to be successful in downing the Heavies, even if only one or two at
a time, but the fact reamins, Heavies and their crews were lost until the
very end. Here is one of the best stories I have found on what would be the
last mission for many Bomb Groups. And there were losses. This was written
by my very good friend Lowell Getz, a retired psychology professor from the
University of Illinois, Campaign Urbana. As with all of Lowell's stories,
it is meticulously researched to the infinite detail. Don't let the 91st in
the title throw you, he mentions several Bomb Groups in the story, including
crews from the 303rd, like No.300 ("Fancy Pantz"),Lt. Gerald S. Hodges'
crew. It even shows the SNAFU principal was still at work on one of the
final missions of the war. Enjoy! Kevin
The Last Mission of the 91st
Pandemonium Over Pilsen: The Forgotten Final Mission
By Lowell L. Getz. Copyright 1997. All rights reserved
By mid April 1945 the war in Europe was winding down rapidly. The Soviets
were fighting in the suburbs of Berlin, and had occupied much of the eastern
region of Germany to the north and south of the city. From the west,
American and British forces were moving swiftly in a broad front across
central and southern Germany. General Patton's Third Army was closing on the
Czechoslovakian border. It was obvious to all that the final collapse of the
German ground forces was only a matter of days. Still, the air war was
continuing unabated. Heavy bomber missions were being flown almost every
day. However, substantive strategic targets were becoming fewer and fewer.
Most heavy industrial plants were either in Allied hands or lay in ruins.
The rail transportation system was in shambles. There was little opportunity
for the Germans to move war materials that were being produced to their
collapsing front line forces.
The German fighter command was ineffective. Although a large number of
fighter aircraft were available, many of them Me-262 jet fighters, there
were neither enough experienced pilots nor adequate fuel supply to put
sufficient numbers of aircraft in the air to disrupt our bomber formations.
Allied fighters controlled the air over Europe. Anti-aircraft defenses, on
the other hand, were potentially effective around the few remaining targets.
German gunners were capable of throwing up large quantities of accurate
anti-aircraft fire. The 8th Air Force was therefore faced with the problem
of identifying targets of sufficient strategic importance to warrant risking
lives of the airmen. One of the few major industrial plants not yet damaged
by allied bombing was the Skoda Armament plant at Pilsen, Czechoslovakia.
Although long a potential strategic target, it had not been bombed because
of its location within a Czech city.
The Skoda plant produced tanks, heavy guns and ammunition. While some of
these materials were being sent directly to the front, most of the
production would not reach the front in time to have an effect on the allied
advances. Therefore, the Skoda plant did not seem a target worthy of the
risk. However, other factors came into consideration when evaluating the
priority of the Skoda plant for targeting.
By Spring 1945, it had become obvious to the Western Allies that the Soviets
were positioning themselves to lay political claim to as much of post-war
Eastern Europe and Germany as possible. Bickering and lack of cooperation on
the part of the Soviet negotiators over plans for governance of the
liberated countries of Eastern Europe and of occupied Germany had raised the
specter of the coming "Cold War" in the minds of many at the higher
political levels in England and the United States. It was also assumed all
usable industrial machinery would be stripped from factories in occupied
territories and shipped back to the Soviet Union to rebuild her postwar
industry. This industrial capacity would be put to use in strengthening the
military posturing against the Western Allies. Destruction of the Skoda
plant would prevent usage of its industrial machinery by the Soviets.
Concern was also growing over what would happen when the main forces of the
approaching Soviet and Western armies came together. Some feared that the
Russians may keep driving westward to ensure their perceived territorial
prerogatives. A bombing mission in strength that deep in Europe, combined
with other strikes, would provide a show of f