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Hi
My Dad was in WW2, in the 17th Weather Squadron in the South Pacific. You didn't have to be in combat to die. Everyone who wasn't a devote Jew came near death from bad pork on Guadalcanal in 1945. One guy that made Dad VERY mad, blew off his weather briefing and flew through a storm into a mountain near Finschafen. Dad didn't feel very sorry for HIM, but felt VERY SORRY for his crew. No combat, lots of dying.
Look up the development of the aircraft in the 1950's. The B-58 Hustler wrecked at least 5 planes and as many as 15 just in development and initial deployment. The Air Force just wasn't safe.
Later
Indeed - good points. My dad was on the B-36D. Never talked about issues with the hardware, but I never ever thought he served any less for not having fought.