Art, obsession, and identity
Military jobs are inherently dangerous, especially during wartime. Indeed, all branches of the military have specific jobs that are more dangerous than others. And we're not just talking about modern warfare, but taking into account the entire history of armed conflict, from medieval times until today.
Many warriors, soldiers, and pilots, among others, had high-risk military positions. In this gallery, we look back at some of these. Click on to find out more.
The life of a submariner during World War II wasn’t easy. While submarines had been used before in battle, it was not until both German U-boats and Allied submarines came onto the scene that the real underwater war began.
Submarines were quite dangerous at the time. It was not uncommon for accidents to happen. Things like depressurization and gas leaks occurred frequently, often resulting in fires, explosions, and, of course, death.
Out of the approximately 16,000 American submariners who served in WWII, around 4,000 died in action. That’s roughly a 25% chance of death! The number was equally high among other Allied forces.
As for German U-boats, out of the 41,000 who served on these, the death toll is estimated to be around 28,000.
Trench runners were key during World War I. Their job was to pass messages between trenches. While wireless communication technology already existed, it wasn’t very reliable, hence the need for people to do this job.
Trench runners were usually young, fit, low-ranked officers. They had to sprint from one trench to the other as fast as possible. They were also easy targets and often perished on the job.
“With a runner, it was merely a question of how long he would last before being wounded or killed,” said World War I veteran Lt. Allan L. Dexter in a 1931 newspaper article.
Tin-opener was the nickname given to British Royal Navy deep sea divers during World War II. Their job was to collect information from sunken enemy submarines.
Submarines held precious information aboard, including coded communications. Tin-openers would dive and raid sunken German U-boats to try and gather all the information they could. But the job was quite dangerous.
To begin with, many submarines were sunk in areas filled with naval mines. Many U-boats also had live ammo that could easily blow up.
Greek fire was an incendiary weapon system (very much like a flamethrower) used during the time of the Byzantine Empire. It was popular from the 7th to the 14th centuries.
The flammable liquid was preheated, pressurized, and then shot through bronze tubes. These would be employed in both ships and on land.
The people who operated Greek fire would very often sustain fatal injuries. To this day, the exact formula of its composition remains unknown, but we know that water was useless against it.
Many of us are familiar with the concept of a medieval siege. Essentially, it involved many men, weapons, and force. But there was a particular group of men known as sappers, whose job it was to dig tunnels and erect wooden posts to support them.
Sappers would lure enemies to run over the tunnel. The posts were set on fire and the tunnel would eventually collapse beneath their enemies’ feet. When things went wrong, siege sappers would die, crushed under their own creations.
The technique continued to be used throughout history, albeit with a few adaptations. Pictured are Union troops digging a sap with a sap roller on Morris Island in 1863.
Deactivating and dismantling mines is not a job for the fainthearted. Landmines have been used since the 19th century. To this day, undetected mines continue to kill people.
Thousands of deminers have been severely injured or lost their lives doing their job, which is certainly one of the most dangerous in the military.
Being a pilot during World War I was one of the most dangerous jobs ever. If they were not killed by the enemy, then an in-flight accident could well do the job.
At the time, planes were made out of wood and canvas. Their double wing design, while iconic, was faulty, and sometimes wings would collapse, leading to crashes. There was also no communications system aboard, so without a radio, pilots could not effectively communicate with each other.
It's estimated that most pilots lasted an average of 10 weeks on the job before dying. Many of them never saw a battlefield. In Britain alone, it’s estimated that over 8,000 young pilot trainees died in training accidents.
Children served as "powder monkeys" during the Age of Sail. From the 16th century all the way to the 19th century, kids as young as seven were tasked with operating gunpowder in vessels.
Not only did they put their lives at risk, these boys were the lowest-status crew members who got paid the least. Many died over centuries of exploitation.
Great Plains indigenous groups in North America engaged in a battle practice known as counting coup, an intimidating and defiant act intended to show bravery. A warrior would make contact with an enemy with their bare hands. This was usually done by riding towards him on the battlefield.
For the enemy, being touched like this was embarrassing and considered a dishonor.
Special forces remain one of the most dangerous jobs in the military. Specialized units in warfare date back to the 17th century. They continue to operate to this day.
Not exactly a military job, but a role that had a huge impact during WWII, merchant mariners traveled long distances to deliver supplies to soldiers in Europe.
One route, known as the Murmansk Run, pushed merchant mariners through the Nazi U-boat infested waters of the North Atlantic and the Arctic Ocean.
It’s estimated that about 10,000 American sailors from the US Merchant Marine died at sea during the conflict. In the late 1980s, their efforts were recognized and they were provided with veteran status.
Sources: (Listverse) (Military.com)
Perilous military jobs over the course of history
From medieval times to the present day
LIFESTYLE War
Military jobs are inherently dangerous, especially during wartime. Indeed, all branches of the military have specific jobs that are more dangerous than others. And we're not just talking about modern warfare, but taking into account the entire history of armed conflict, from medieval times until today.
Many warriors, soldiers, and pilots, among others, had high-risk military positions. In this gallery, we look back at some of these. Click on to find out more.