The Story of a Toggalier 

By 1Lt Melvin F. Larson

"Just when our Pilot was about to hit the Bail out button an Angel dove out of the sky in the form of a P-47 fighter. Our two adversaries then took off in a hasty retreat being pursued by the Thunderbolt. Later it returned and flew along the Pilots side, When Lt, Soldato asked who our savior was the answer came back in a casual voice; " Just call me Gabby"...complete story

A Diary  of a B-24 Gunner 

By SSgt. Stanley Zaborowski, Jr.

 

Funny how one forgets some things but remembers others. I completed Armament school in Denver, Colo. some of us were sent to Pocatello (or was it Boise. Idaho) I can' t recall which came first but I was sent there to become part of a B-24 crew.  When I arrived I was assigned to the crew that had this huge Texan as Pilot (Bill Bonner) and some kid who looked like he just got out of high school as co-pilot (John Richmond).  I just turned 19 myself but after basic training, gunnery school and armament school, I aged, Most of our flight training was local flights around Idaho and Washington - swinging compasses and practice bombings.  We did go cross-country once to Fairfield Susan Air Base out of San Francisco...complete diary

STRAYGOOSE: Memoirs of a Special Ops C-130 Pilot 

By Capt. Richard H. Sell

I was a pre-World War II baby. Born on 29 May 1940 in Lafayette, Indiana, it's likely I was conceived at the time France and Great Britain declared war on Germany in September 1939, but before America entered the fray on December 7th, 1941. Global conflicts and the military have always influenced my choices in life. complete story

Evading Enemy Fire - An eyewitness account of air action over Germany on January 11 1944

By Flight Officer Don R. Fisher

 

There have been a number of accounts written about this mission in Harry E. Slater’s book, “Lingering Contrails of the Big Square A “ (required reading).  My written account of this mission deals specifically with the artist’s drawing.  I was the copilot on John Wedding’s crew.  We were the lead crew for the 331^st Squadron.  On many occasions, when our crew was leading the group or “wing”, a senior officer from the group or wing headquarters would occupy the right seat with Wedding in the left seat.  I became the tail gunner and group or wing observer for the senior officer in the co-pilot’s position.  I became his “eyes” to what was happening in his formation behind him.  Complete Story

Rescue of an F-82 Pilot

By 1Lt. Daniel T. O'Brien

 

On 8 February 1952 a fighter pilot bailed out as dusk was approaching over North Korea. He was picked up by Air Rescue Helicopter and taken to an island off the North Korean shore. His foot had been severed hitting the canopy during ejection...complete story

An Airman To His Mother:

"My Earthly Mission Is Fulfilled"

 

The following letter was published in The Times on June 18, 1940.  It was written by Flying Officer Vivian Rosewarne, co-pilot of a Wellington bomber stationed at RAF Marham, Norfolk to be posted to his mother in the event of his death.  He was reported missing, believed killed on May 31, 1940 over Dunkirk.  His station commander, Group Captain Claude Keith, found the letter among the missing airman's personal possessions.  It had been left open, so that it could be passed by the censor.  Group Captain Keith sent the letter to Flying Officer Rosewarne's mother and gained permission from her to have it published anonymously.  During the war over half a million copies were printed...complete story

Night Flight To Davao  

By Capt. Roland T. Fisher

Meanwhile, the 63rd Squadron was still flying its missions to Davao from Owi and on the night of September 4, al about eight o'clock. Lieutenant Roland Fisher lifted the B-24D Miss  Liberty off the runway. Fisher and his crew had been briefed to search for shipping south of the Philippines and in Davao Gulf, with Matina airstrip as their secondary target. By midnight they had found no shipping, and Fisher decided to attack the airstrip...complete story

Deceived!

By CWO2 Steven D. Vermillion

 

The day was typical for the Delta—hot, a little hazy with scattered clouds around 3000 feet and busy.  We were flying a field standby out of Tan An and had been there for nearly three days.  Tan An was a small military compound located on the edge of the “city limits” of the Tan An village...complete story

Natong at Night

By Capt Bud Biteman

 

During the desperate early days of the Korean War, 4 August, 1950 was to be the "day of decision"at 5th Air Force Headquarters. The holding actions of the 8th Army and Marines had failed to sufficiently slow Red troop advances and, despite the heavy pounding by our fighter planes on all three fronts circling Taegu, and even a desperate but futile mass saturation raid by B-29s near Waegwan, we could not keep the enemy from crossing the Naktong River...complete story

BRIEFING AT THREE

By 1^st Lieutenant HAROLD A. VOGEL

"BRIEFING AT THREE" is my account of 35 missions in Europe as Pilot of a B-17 Flying Fortress.  With few exceptions, these experiences were shared with the fellow members of my crew. To any crewman who chances to read these pages, I ask only that they bear in mind the fact that the perspective of war appeared different from the tail of a Flying Fortress, or from the downward look of the Ball Turret than it did from my post in the Pilot's seat...complete diary

John Swihart tells about flying the very first B-29 to land on Okinawa Island in the midst of fierce fighting between the Japanese and American forces.

 

Dear Ms. Parker,

 

My son, who lives in Chicago, has urged me to write to you and tell you the story of my landing the first B-29 on Okinawa during World War II.  He read an article you had written about being invited to speak at WWII Bomb Group reunion and believes that you and your readers may find this story very interesting. I will be 79 years young in December and was just a 21-year-old kid from a small town in Ohio at the time of this flight...complete story