Falling asleep in combat

Ad: This forum contains affiliate links to products on Amazon and eBay. More information in Terms and rules

The Basket

Senior Master Sergeant
3,712
1,891
Jun 27, 2007
So the P-51 could stay airborne for 8 hours maybe.

How did the USAAF combat fatigue?

I watched a video where a Zero pilot would watch fellow pilots crash into the sea due to falling asleep.
 
When the longer range P-47N came out it had an auto- pilot, arm rests for the seat and if I remember correctly, the rudder pedals folded down so the pilot could stretch out.
In Greg (Pappy) Boyington' book Has Baa Baa Black Sheep he wrote that because his Crosair was so stable, on long missions he would rig a series of strings to his control stick and take short naps telling his fellow squadron members to keep an eye on his plane.
 
I remember reading in a memoir (I'm pretty sure Lancaster Target by Jack Currie) that on long missions he sometimes nodded off -- but each time his hearing 'shut off' first and he thought all four of his engines cut and he bolted awake in a cold sweat.
 
Slightly O/T but related.
We had just come off a 36 hour shift after three A-6's fodded themselves out on the flight deck. (We processed 12 J52's including six test cell runs in 36 hours.) Afterwards, our Div-O caught someone leaning against a bulkhead and fast asleep while on watch. (This is a huge no-no and the LT had it out for this kid as well.) He went up to the kid and shook him to wake him up. As the the kid was waking up he had the presence of mind to say "Amen."
 
I remember reading a book on WWI and hearing that when the French were finally able to check the Germans initial rapid advance, hitting into an exposed flank, they (the French) captured not a few sleeping boche, they having exhausted both their natural and chemical stamina.
 
Possibly affected long range PR pilots flying alone and having to maintain radio silence. From my experience the more you do something the more you are inclined to lose respect for it. I never felt drowsy on my first few drives across Europe, but then after years of doing it and it being normal and boring I did, I came close to sleeping at the wheel, most dangerous when you aren't tired but bored. Also many people used to fall asleep at Motorhead concerts, I saw my sister do it in Newcastle, you would think loud noise would keep people awake, but a long time in noisy environments can just make your body switch off, it is a physical stress the body wants to escape from.
 
I fell asleep at a Firm concert, had a dream my friend got up in the middle of a song and clapped, finally woke up during the last song. This may have be due to depressive substances.
 
Explains why I could never drive listening to heavy metal.
 
Heat, fatigue and boredom.

Combat operations are either balls to the wall, or complete boredom. Most of the time it is boring. Just the time with enemy action gets hairy. Everything in between is monotonous boredom.

I flew 4 to 8 hour missions a day as a crew chief/door gunner in Iraq for an entire year. Lack of sleep, 120 degree heat, and usually nothing to see over the desert can make you nod off quickly. I would lie if I said it never happened to me.
 
If a pilot falls asleep then the consequences are maybe not good.

I fell asleep at the wheel during basic training when I had a weekend off. The only thing that saved me was my passenger.

So I can sympathise and empathise
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Users who are viewing this thread

Total: 1 (members: 0, guests: 1)

Similar threads

J
fiatG.55 combat history
Replies
0
Views
682
Jerrybandit67
J
W
The scarcity of fighter to fighter FW-190A pilot combat accounts...
2 3
Replies
52
Views
3K
GrauGeist
The real combat history of the Ki-43
19 20 21
Replies
411
Views
34K
MiTasol
617th squadron and the bunkers in Ijmuiden.
2
Replies
23
Views
759
DerAdlerIstGelandet
M
Train in a PT-19
Replies
3
Views
497
MIflyer
M
Menu
Log in
Register