1. ) Generally speaking, there was no such thing as an average fighter pilot during WWII. You were either an ace or a target. For instance, Japanese ace Hiroyoshi Nishizawa shot down over 80 planes. He died while a passenger on a cargo plane.

2.) The first German serviceman killed in World War II was killed by the Japanese (China, 1937), the first American serviceman killed was killed by the Russians (Finland 1940), the highest-ranking American killed was Lt. Gen. Lesley McNair, killed by the U.S. Army Air Corps – so much for allies.

3.) German Me-264 bombers were capable of bombing New York City but it wasn’t worth the effort.

4.) The youngest US serviceman was 12 year old Calvin Graham, USN. He was wounded and given a Dishonorable Discharge for lying about his age. (His benefits were later restored by act of Congress.

5.) More US servicemen died in the Air Corps than the Marine Corps. While completing the required 30 missions your chance of being killed was 71%.

6.) The German submarine U-120 was sunk by a malfunctioning toilet.

Wanna know more? Visit this compilation of WWII facts and trivias.

Airline industry is facing critical situation due to high fuel prices and remedies such as layoffs, grounding of planes and 21 price increase may not be sufficient enough.

 Airlines had several attempts to cut costs by reducing capacity, downsizing and hiking fares and fees, but cash flow is seemingly futile. United Airlines, Delta Airlines and Northwest Airlines only emerged from bankruptcy protection since June 2007, as stated in reports the current situation could get worse than the industry’s last financial crisis. Some analysts agreed that the airlines’ present dilemma is incomparable to the previous industry struggles.

 Recent bankruptcies in the industry were limited to small carriers like Aloha Airlines, ATA and Skybus which have insufficient capital to cover losses from fuel costs. American Airlines and Continental were reported and listed to be stable.

 However, analysts are still uncertain if the bankruptcy is imminent and as a result, continuous cutbacks and grounding of planes are definitely expected. American Airlines announced on July 15, 2008, Tuesday that they will be cutting 200 pilot jobs to cope with higher costs for jet fuel. Midwest Airlines announced on July 14, 2008, Monday it will cut 1,200 jobs or 40% of staff and will be grounding 12 planes by this fall.

 Fuel price was burdensome to airlines, both in business operations and its customers. In 2008, analysts expect the airlines will cut capacity by 9%, while continuing to hike fees and cut staff.

On July 14, 1963, relations between the Soviet Union and China reach the breaking point as the two governments engage in an angry ideological debate about the future of communism. The United States was delighted to see a wedge being driven between the two communist superpowers.

Soviet statement was the first clear public indication that Russia and China were deeply divided over the future of communism. American officials greeted the development with glee, for they believed that the Sino-Soviet split would work to America’s advantage in terms of making the Russians more amenable to fruitful diplomatic negotiations on a variety of issues.

U.S.-Soviet relations continued to be chilly throughout 1960s. Nevertheless, the United States continue to attempt to use “divide and conquer” tactic into the 1970s when it began rapprochement with communist China in order to gain leverage in its dealings with the Soviet Union.

It flew on a daring but unsuccessful raid to free American POWs in North Vietnam 38 years ago. Now, after subsequent tours in Bosnia and Iraq, helicopter No. 357 is being retired, and with honor. This particular MH-53 has made its final landing at the National Museum of the United States Air Force, where it went on permanent display on July 7.

The 88-foot-long special operations chopper, nicknamed “Magnum” after the gun, is the last to remain of the few helicopters used in the Son Tay raid in Vietnam in 1970. The Soy Tay raid used MH-53s in an attempt to rescue over 50 US POWs believed to be held at the camp in North Vietnam. No. 357’s final flight was a combat mission in Iraq on March 28.

The MH-53 was an upgraded version of the HH-53 “Jolly Green Giant”, with new engines, rotors and skins. Later the helicopters were equipped with infrared sensors, global positioning systems, and terrain-avoidance radar. There were originally about 70 MH-53s. There are still 12 in service, but those will be retired in September and replaced by the Osprey tilt-rotor aircraft.