Usage of Pervitin

[James A Pratt III]

men and women of the RAF in England liked to visit pubs. On the night of 26/27 Apr 1941 one was hit by a bomb and a few men of 222 Squadron were KIA including F/Lt B Van Mentz. this is from the Foreman 1941 book and the book "Fly For Your Life"

[John Manrho]

Alcohol abuse was widespread in Luftwaffe units, especially late war.

[James A Pratt III]

Heavy drinking was common among Russian officers pre-WW I . I understand there was a lot of drug use opium, MJ, and cocaine in Russia during the WW I period.

Herman Goring was a drug addict do to his WW I wounds

WW I German ace Ernst Frieherr Von Athaus was a heroin user according to some accounts.

[edwest2]

An overview of the use of Pervitin among the military and civilians.


https://thesecuritydistillery.org/al...are-in-1939-45

[keith A]

Neville Duke's war diaries certainly show an affection and a culture for drinking. Both in Britain in 1941 and later in the Middle East he hits the booze every moment he can, always in the company of other pilots, both with his squadron and on leave. Tony Bartley admits he was drinking a bottle of whisky a day in 1943 before finally being taken off ops.

[BruceMk11]

I was examining the 1942 diaries for 2/48th Battalion (9th Australian Division) recently and found mention of the court martial of a chap for possession of hashish.

No doubt other servicemen, including aircrew, dabbled during their time in the Middle East.

[keith A]

I have also found that SLdr Wally McLeod RCAF was disciplined for regular drunkenness when on his rest tour in 1943 but also Ray Hesselyn, Ken Charney and Johnny Plagis (fellow Malta aces) developed an alcohol dependency post war. Whether this was PTSD or the more common result of no longer experiencing the thrill of combat and combating boredom I cannot say. I believe Sldr John Mungo Park of 74 Squadron also was drinking heavily before he was killed in 1941. The american ace Bill Whisner was disciplined more than once for his drunken outbursts.

[Richard Aigner]

somewhat off topic: Valerio Borghese, on p.90 of "Sea Devils", (Italian Original: Decima Flottiglia MAS), writes the Italian crew of the maiale/pig manned torpedoes were fortified "with three tablets of Simpamine and a spoonful of Dextropur...as well as an injection of kidney tissue" for their attack on Gibraltar. What would be the benefit of the kidney tissue?
Richard

[richdlc]

The Norman Ohler book 'Blitzed' in really excellent on this subject

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Blitzed-Dru...8131671&sr=8-2

[James A Pratt III]

Some of the survivors of Merril's marauders in India after their operation got out of control drunk on a drink called "Bullfight Brandy" which was laced with marajuana. I don't know of any other US military personel in the CBI drank it.

Drug use was widespread in the US military during the later Vietnam war period late 1960s -1970s

Korean war ace M.J. Fernadez was KIC 17 Oct 1980 on Grand Bahama Island flying a plane load of Marajuana. see:
AAHS Journal Winter 1982 Volume 27 No 4 pages 316-318 and wiki