Nauru Mission
Where is the Super Man crew stationed?
Funafuti
Where are the men when they are bombed at the beginning of Chapter 10?
Funafuti
Who is Louie, and what does kind of trait(s) does he demonstrate throughout the story?
The main character of the book who demonstrates undying resilience/perseverance/survival skills throughout the story
What is Louie's job during the bombing run?
He is the bombardier.
What does the description of men "bleeding all over the plane" reveal about air combat?
It shows the physical violence and human cost of war.
What is the target of the April 1943 bombing mission?
Nauru
What plane are Louie and the other men asked to fly?
The Green Hornet
Who is Harry Brooks?
A member of the Super Man crew who is wounded during the Nauru mission and later dies.
What does Louie manage to hit on Nauru?
His target on the island. (fuel station)
Why is the word "volunteers" ironic when the lieutenant asks for men to search for Clarence Corpening's missing plane?
The mission is extremely dangerous, so calling the men "volunteers" is ironic because they are being asked to willingly accept a potentially deadly mission.
About how high is the Super Man flying during the mission?
About 8,000 feet
What reputation does the Green Hornet have?
It is known to be a dangerous/unreliable plane.
What does Stanley Pillsbury do after he is wounded?
He continues performing his duties as a gunner, despite being seriously wounded.
How many holes are found in the Super Man after the mission?
594
Why is Louie's note in his locker especially ironic?
He leaves a note as though he may not return, and shortly afterward the Green Hornet crashes.
Why is flying at this altitude so dangerous?
The plane is vulnerable to Japanese Zero fighters and enemy fire.
What happens to the Green Hornet during the mission?
It loses engine power and crashes into the Pacific Ocean.
What did the crew initially believe had caused Harry Brooks's death?
They initially believed he had been killed by a bullet/shrapnel wound, but his fatal injury was actually an internal injury to his skull.
What happens to the Super Man's brakes?
They are damaged/destroyed, making the landing extremely dangerous.
What caused the Green Hornet to crash?
Mechanical problems caused the plane to lose engine power, eventually resulting in the crash.
How many Japanese Zero fighters does the Super Man face during the mission?
Twelve
What happens immediately after the Green Hornet crashes? (How many men are left alive and what do they have?)
Only Louie, Phil, and Mac initially surface alive, with very limited equipment/supplies to help them survive.
Why is Harry's hidden injury significant to the chapter's portrayal of war?
It shows that the effects of war are not always immediately visible. Someone can appear to survive an attack while actually suffering a deadly internal injury.
Why does the author repeatedly emphasize the number 594?
The specific number makes the enormous amount of damage concrete and emphasizes how much punishment the plane and crew endured.
What larger idea about war is shown by both the Super Man's damage in Chapter 9-10 and the Green Hornet's crash in Chapter 11?
War is unpredictable and dangerous. Even when soldiers are doing their jobs, they can face enemy attacks, injuries, equipment failures, and circumstances beyond their control.