Who started the idea of writing messages on Bombs or Payload?

Question

I'm just curious, because I see pictures of fighter jets, and bombers that have bombs with messages on them such as this:

http://www.confluere.com/img/bomb.jpg

Thank you all

Answer 1

I believe that started back in WWII. It was written on bombs, by the loaders in the U.S. Army Air Corps sqadrons, before they would bomb Germany. They would put messages, like "Hiel Hitler" on 500 hundred pounders, just before they would send them off to be dropped on a ball bearing factory. The U.S. Navy, not to be outdone, also wrote on thier torpedoes. The Navy liked to write the name of the big battleships, cruisers and aircraft carriers, they were about to blow up. It has been handed down like that, ever since. Rock On, Red!

Answer 2

I'm 14 as well (turning 15 in less than a month) and I enjoy writing stories. I get my ideas from everything around me : other books that I've read (but not plagarising) thoughts about life and other things. You can't really use other peoples ideas to write your story though, and I won't be giving you any becuase I write them all down and combine a few that fit together to write a story. I suggest that this is what you should do, just write down random ideas that you get, it doesn't matter if they're not good, becuase you can make them better when you actually write the story. I also think that to be a good writer, everything you hear ect, you'll go, 'that's a good idea for my story". And you're kind of born with it. I know I am. I hope this helped.

Answer 3

I was told by one of the crew members involved that the first instance of this in World War Two happened with the munitions loaded onto the B-25 bombers which were flown off the deck of USS Hornet in the aerial attack on Tokyo, early in the Pacific War. That operation, which became known as "Doolittle's Raid" for the Army Air Corps officer leading the effort, was the first attack we launched against Japan after the Pearl Harbor debacle.

Answer 4

Actually the person who mentioned the sling stones is the most correct.

Graffiti on weapons goes back since the dawn of war.

It is a psychological thing. The enemy may not even see the inscription or the design but it adds a personal touch to ones equipment, almost like saying “This is my weapon, and I will kill you with it.”

Ancient Greeks would paint their shields with horrific images or rude, perverted, crass or down right dirty slogans to bolster their moral or reduce the enemy’s moral. Some armies would dress in garb reminiscent of skeletons or beasts, Spartans would wear blood red cloaks so you could not tell if the blood they were covered in was theirs or the enemies.

Some men would carve initials in to bullets. Knight’s armor would be emblazoned with designs, spikes, images meant to inspire or terrify. Planes would be covered in monstrous animal faces or dazzling designs. Swords would have mottos or inspirational slogans carved in to the blade it’s self.

There is no one person who came up with the idea, it is an ancient and very human thing that dates back long before civilization even sprang up.

On a side note, the graffiti also helped identify a person’s kit, if they lost a shield or sword they could identify it by the designs on it.

Answer 5

I remember seeing something on this. It may have been "War Stories."

There was this guy who used to put "Kilroy was Here" and draw this little guy with his nose hanging over a wall.

That was WWII, but I think it started further back than that.

Here's a link I found on it...

Answer 6

Pearl Harbor

Answer 7

AFAIK, this trend started during WW1 in the Alliance (Entente) artillery units.

Answer 8

This stared in biblical times. They find sling shots with inscriptions on them.

Answer 9

Some amercian guy in WW2 when they wanted to bomb Hiroshima

Answer 10

To the best of my knowledge they have been doing this since WWII.