Ethiopian soldiers fallen behind a trench. Italo-Ethiopian war, 1935-36. Note the BAR rifle. DVX

Fallen serving their Country

Last seconds of life of an American bomber crew, all KIA, shot down by AA fire over Niš (at this time Yugoslavia, today Serbia) on 15 April 1944 during a raid against a German command post at an altitude of 20,000 ft: a dramatic event captured by an alert 483rd Bombardment Group photographer. The bomber was hit by a FLAK direct shell between the right engines with instant explosion of the fuel tanks and detachment of the right wing. Crew and aircraft was part of the 840th Bombardment Squadron, 483rd Bombardment Group, 5th Bombardment Wing, 15th Air Force, based at Sterparone Airfield, Foggia Airfield Complex, Apulia, Southern Italy. Both crew and aircraft was the firsts lost in action by the 483rd. The aircraft, Boeing B-17F-20-VE, serial 42-5786, ''Whizzer II'', a Flying Fortress of Lockheed-Vega production, was originally assigned to 99th Bombardment Group (another BG of the 5th Bomb Wing) on 5 May 1943. Damaged by fire on 16 September 1943 was repaired and transferred to 483rd Bombardment Group early April 1944. Remember the men which formed the crew of ''Whizzer II'': James O. Preston, pilot (Bowerton, OH); Harry L. Johnston, co-pilot (Galesburg, IL); Gordon G. Lindholm, navigator (Welch, MN); Jesse D. Gresham, bomber (Los Angeles, CA); John T. Cieslak, radio/gunner (Milwaukee, WI); James E. Cooper, tail gunner (Raleigh, NC); Albert H. Cline, left waist gunner (Baltimore, MD); John C. Toutant, engineer (Webster, MA); Harold J. Pierce, ball turret gunner (Oklahoma City, OK); Jack Brown, Jr. right waist gunner (Greer, SC). Victor Sierra

Last seconds of life

250.000 Czechoslovak citizens protesting against surrender. Women shouted, "We´ll give you our sons, give them weapons!" A few hours after the protests president Beneš announced the mobilization (Prague, 23rd September 1938).