Awards to airmen and not to GIs

["Diego Zampini" <dzampini@hotmail.com>]

Mr.

>Gentlemen, help me to understand something. A flier like McConnell, who 
>with his weapon shoots down 26 (?- the number doesn't matter) of >the enemy 
>who have a similar weapon-for this he receives the MOH. I >know of hundreds 
>of riflemen, who with their weapon killed 26 of the >enemy possessing a 
>similar weapon, and did not even get a "well done". >Am I missing 
>something?

McConnell score was 16 MiGs. And what you said is an irony who had been 
polemic since the beginning of the use of airplanes in the warfare: the 
artillerymen of both sides in WWI complained that while they contributed to 
kill hundreds and thousands of enemies, they did not earn a single medal; 
but an airman who killed 5 enemies (actually shot down a plane, not 
neccesarly its crew) recieved automatically an award. One of the many crazy 
things that the wars cause.
Addittionally, in defense of the airmen, and without discreting the brave 
GIs; to shot down a plane requires many other skills than good aim and good 
sight. It requires a 3-dimensions thinking, good reflexes, a huge amount of 
technical knowledge and the capacity to be one step forward of your enemy. 
And that is not piece of cake.
Respectfully yours,
Diego Zampini.

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