Hello all - long time lurker, first time poster so please go easy! I am quite the fan of WWII history (CM is hands-down one of the best games that I've played PERIOD!!), and yearn to learn more whenever possible - an aside here, to all current war vets that are here (conflict doesn't matter), it's been said, but I don't think it's been said enough - you guys deserve all of the credit in the world! You've done something that can really never be repayed in a tangible fashion - I love all you guys..seriously...it's one thing to read a book and imagine the horrors of war, it's another to actually be able to do it...EVERY SINGLE ONE OF YOU are heroes - believe that.
Anyway, this is more of a general war/conflict question than anything else. Objectively, how many war veterans were nearing total deafness at the end of the war? I ask that because I cannot possibly imagine the amount of noise in a combat zone...reading "The Forgotten Soldier" gives you a sense of what it's like to be on the end of an arty barrage, but words can only express so much. So here's what it boils down to - (objectively) how loud was it? Like inside of a tank, taking a ricochet, or a direct shot that broke up: Or while manning arty, or being shot at by arty: What about on the manning end of a .50 cal: Firing a tanks main gun: etc. I realize how 'out-there' this question may be, but I'm quite curious as one who's never experienced ANYTHING close to this. Thanks for any informative replies!
Gol