Synopses & Reviews
Stephen Ambrose is the acknowledged dean of
the historians of World War II in Europe. In three
highly acclaimed, bestselling volumes, he has
told the story of the bravery, steadfastness, and
ingenuity of the ordinary young men, the citizen
soldiers, who fought the enemy to a standstill
the band of brothers who endured together.
The very young men who flew the B-24s over
Germany in World War II against terrible odds
were yet another exceptional band of brothers,
and, in The Wild Blue, Ambrose recounts their
extraordinary brand of heroism, skill, daring, and
comradeship with the same vivid detail and
affection.
Ambrose describes how the Army Air Forces
recruited, trained, and then chose those few who
would undertake the most demanding and
dangerous jobs in the war. These are the boys turned pilots, bombardiers, navigators, and
gunners of the B-24s who suffered over 50
percent casualties.
With his remarkable gift for bringing alive the
action and tension of combat, Ambrose carries
us along in the crowded, uncomfortable, and
dangerous B-24s as their crews fought to the
death through thick black smoke and deadly flak
to reach their targets and destroy the German
war machine. Twenty-two-year-old George
McGovern, who was to become a United States
senator and a presidential candidate, flew
thirty-five combat missions (all the Army would
allow) and won the Distinguished Flying Cross.
We meet him and his mates, his co-pilot killed in
action, and crews of other planes. Many went
down in flames.
As Band of Brothers and Citizen Soldiers
portrayed the bravery and ultimate victory of the
American soldiers from Normandy on to
Germany, The Wild Blue makes clear the
contribution these young men of the Army Air
Forces stationed in Italy made to the Allied
victory.
Synopsis
Stephen Ambrose is the acknowledged dean of the historians of World War II in Europe. In three highly acclaimed, bestselling volumes, he has told the story of the bravery, steadfastness, and ingenuity of the ordinary young men, the citizen soldiers, who fought the enemy to a standstill -- the band of brothers who endured together.
The very young men who flew the B-24s over Germany in World War II against terrible odds were yet another exceptional band of brothers, and, in The Wild Blue, Ambrose recounts their extraordinary brand of heroism, skill, daring, and comradeship with the same vivid detail and affection.
Ambrose describes how the Army Air Forces recruited, trained, and then chose those few who would undertake the most demanding and dangerous jobs in the war. These are the boys -- turned pilots, bombardiers, navigators, and gunners of the B-24s -- who suffered over 50 percent casualties.
With his remarkable gift for bringing alive the action and tension of combat, Ambrose carries us along in the crowded, uncomfortable, and dangerous B-24s as their crews fought to the death through thick black smoke and deadly flak to reach their targets and destroy the German war machine. Twenty-two-year-old George McGovern, who was to become a United States senator and a presidential candidate, flew thirty-five combat missions (all the Army would allow) and won the Distinguished Flying Cross. We meet him and his mates, his co-pilot killed in action, and crews of other planes. Many went down in flames.
As Band of Brothers and Citizen Soldiers portrayed the bravery and ultimate victory of the American soldiers from Normandy on to Germany, The Wild Blue makes clear the contribution these young men of the Army Air Forces stationed in Italy made to the Allied victory.
Description
Includes bibliographical references (p. 279-281) and index.
Table of Contents
Contents
Acknowledgments Author's Note
Prologue
Cast of Characters
CHAPTER ONE Where They Came From
CHAPTER TWO Training
CHAPTER THREE Learning to Fly the B-24
CHAPTER FOUR The Fifteenth Air Force
CHAPTER FIVE Cerignola, Italy
CHAPTER SIX Learning to Fly in Combat
CHAPTER SEVEN December 1944
CHAPTER EIGHT The Isle of Capri
CHAPTER NINE The Tuskegee Airmen Fly Cover: February 1945
CHAPTER TEN Missions over Austria: March 1945
CHAPTER ELEVEN Linz: The Last Mission: April 1945
Epilogue Notes
Bibliography
Index