Why was Angel taken alive?

Originally posted by pendell
In the WC3 Novel by Forstchen, all the Covert Ops
crew of the transport had undergone deep hypnotic
preparation with instructions to "forget" if they were
captured. So there wasn't much point in interrogating
them -- they no longer knew anything.
Click to expand...

It's been a while since I read the WCIII novel. I'll have to look thorugh it again, I don't recall that, but my early onset Alzheimer's likely is kicking in.

As for Angel being on the mission, I almost wonder if it was similar to the US preperations for the atomic bomb. At the time Col. Tibbets was responsible for assembling the personnel to deliver the bomb. He did a whole lot more than you would think a Colonel would have been responsible for. He was in charge of finding a traing location, setting up, moving to Tinian and setting up there, and all the while keeping his people in the dark about what was going on. That kind of secrecy did help lead to the end of his first marriage. On the Hirsohama mission he and the crew were give cyanide capsules that they were take should they feel they were going to fall into enemy hands.

I do wonder if Angel was there also because Angel was going to be the one to fly the mission, if she made it back?
 
More on Tibbets

In March 1943, he was returned to the states to test the combat capability of Boeing's new Super Fortress, the B-29, an airplane plagued with problems. He taught himself to fly the airplane and subsequently flew it about 400 hours in tests. This eventually gave him more experience as to the capabilities and limitations of a B-29 than any other pilot at that time.

In September 1944, Paul was briefed on the Manhattan Project, the code name for the development of the atom bomb. It was to be his responsibility to organize and train a unit to deliver these weapons in combat operations. He would also determine and supervise the modifications necessary to make the B-29 capable of delivering the weapons, and for this, the unit had to be self-sufficient. Secrecy was paramount. The unit would support Los Alamos with flight test airplanes to establish ballistics and detonator reliability to explode the bombs. Paul was told, "You are on your own. No one knows what to tell you. Use normal channels to the extent possible. If you are denied something you need, restate your need is for "SILVERPLATE" (a codename) and your request will be honored without question."

Paul requisitioned 15 new B-29s and specified they be stripped of turrets and armor plating except for the tail gunner position; that fuel-injected engines and new technology reversible-pitch propellers be installed; and the bomb bay re-configured to suspend, from a single point, ten thousand pounds. Such an airplane would fly higher, faster, and above the effective range of anti-aircraft fire.

A B-29 bombardment squadron, the 393rd, in its final stage of training, and Wendover Army Air Base located on the Utah/Nevada border were selected by Paul for "starters". The 393rd was fully equipped and the base had a fully manned "housekeeping" group. Wendover was isolated but close enough to Los Alamos to work together. The Salton Sea was an ideal distance for bombing practice. Then on December 17th, 1944, formal orders were issued activating the 509th Composite Group, consisting of seven subordinate units. In March 1945 the First Ordnance Squadron, a unit designed to carry out the technical phases of the group responsibilities, became part of the 509th. The personnel count now exceeded 1500 enlisted men and some 200 officers. Then, quietly, the group started moving overseas to Tinian Island in the Marianas chain.
 
Fine that they got executed.:) But how should I know without having played what was it...WC3???
I only know it by the novel.
 
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