Synopses & Reviews
'B-17s OVER BERLIN, edited by the respected British air historian Ian Hawkins, is a collection of stories told by the men of the U.S. Eighth Air Force, 95th Bomb Group, about their experiences in World War II. It is a labor of love of the men of the 95th Bomb Group and a fitting tribute to their contributions to the Allied victory over Hitler in the skies over Europe. The 95th is known as the first bomb group to bomb Berlin. Early in the war, Hermann Goring boasted that if Allied bombers ever appeared over Berlin, his name would be Meyer-an obvious anti-Semetic snub. Of course, by the time the B-17s of the 95th appeared over Berlin, Goring had pressing problems of a more serious nature--how to stop the Allies from bombing his cities into submission and how best to produce and allocate his own air resources. This story is told by many different men, divided more or less chronologically and following their progress from training through the war's end. The result is an excellent portrayal of life in the Eighth, from terrifying missions over Europe to the occurences of everyday life back on the base in England. The book is full of photos carefully chosen by Col. Ed Charles, the 95th Bomb Group's able historian.