The Wild Blue

The Men and Boys Who Flew the B-24s over Germany 1944-45

By: Stephen E. Ambrose

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Paperback | 7 May 2002

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304 Pages

Dimensions(cm)
22.86 x 15.24 x 1.91

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Stephen E. Ambrose, acclaimed author of Band of Brothers and Undaunted Courage, carries us along in the crowded and dangerous B-24s as their crews fought to destroy the German war machine during World War II.

The young men who flew the B-24s over Germany in World War II fought against horrific odds, and, in The Wild Blue, Ambrose recounts their extraordinary heroism, skill, daring, and comradeship with vivid detail and affection.

Ambrose describes how the Army Air Forces recruited, trained, and selected the elite 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 fifty 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 illustrates the enormous contribution that these young men of the Army Air Forces made to the Allied victory.

Industry Reviews

Larry King USA Today Brilliant...It is a terrific story. Calvin L. Christman The Dallas Morning News The Wild Blue is right on target...[the book] finally gives those men of the 15th Air Force the tribute they so richly earned. Dorman T. Shindler The Denver Post [The Wild Blue] demands our attention...page-turning reading.

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Acknowledgments	p. 9
Author's Note	p. 17
Prologue	p. 21
Cast of Characters	p. 25
Where They Came From	p. 27
Training	p. 49
Learning to Fly the B-24	p. 77
The Fifteenth Air Force	p. 105
Cerignola, Italy	p. 127
Learning to Fly in Combat	p. 153
December 1944	p. 173
The Isle of Capri	p. 199
The Tuskegee Airmen Fly Cover: February 1945	p. 209
Missions over Austria: March 1945	p. 225
Linz: The Last Mission: April 1945	p. 237
Epilogue	p. 253
Notes	p. 265
Bibliography	p. 279
Index	p. 283
Table of Contents provided by Syndetics. All Rights Reserved.

The Wild Blue

The Men and Boys Who Flew the B-24s over Germany 1944-45

At a Glance

Paperback

Industry Reviews

Shipping

How to return your order

Defective items

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