This question is asked over and over in the course of Twelve O'Clock High regarding the limits of bomber pilots in the 8th Air Force in 1943. The movie and book of the same name are wonderful and a great historical compliment to both is Masters of the Air by Donald Miller.
Reading the Miller book is rather humbling for me having neither been in the military or seen combat. It reminds me that no matter what my problems are, none of them will result in me having a greater than 60% chance of being dead at the end of them.
Of course, the motivation to deal with these problems is a bigger issue. Admittedly, though many aspects of WWII were gruesome and brought out the worst in humanity, finding motivation to put everything they had into the cause of Victory was not, even if it meant almost certain death.
Again, humbling.
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