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A funny, but true, story about Sir Douglas Bader, World War II RAF Pilot and Hero:
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Douglas Bader was a true BADass. Not only could he talk the talk as he apparently did at this girls school but he could literally “walk the walk” (without legs). He joined the RAF IN 1928 and in 1931 doing some aerobatics crashed and lost both legs. He was told that not only would he not fly again that he would likely not walk again without crutches.
Bader pushed his rehabilitation and showed he would walk without crutches. Finding no regulations against it he applied and soon requalified to fly; however, the RAF still retired him in 1932. At the start of WWII he applied for the RAF and when he found the only jobs he was being considered for were ground jobs he was ready to withdraw his application. After gaining an endorsement from an Air Marshal his flight capabilities were assessed and he was returned to flying duties and given command of a Canadian RAF squadron. His flyers were less than enthusiastic at having a double amputee as a commander until he showed them what he could do in a Spitfire.
During WWII Bader had 22 aerial victories (a quadruple Ace). In 1941 his aircraft was severely damaged prompting him to jettison his canopy to escape; however, his prosthetic leg was trapped. He pulled his parachute ripcord and the straps to his prosthetic leg snapped and he parachuted into captivity.
Bader was treated with respect by the Germans and General Adolf Galland (Hitler’s favorite pilot) notified the British of Bader’s damaged leg and offered them safe passage to drop off a replacement. Goering even approved the operation and the Brits dropped a new prosthetic leg by parachute over a German base.
You would think a double amputee POW would mean the war was over for Bader. Well not for Bader who felt it was his duty to escape. He attempted to escape so many times the Germans threatened to take away his prosthetic legs.
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