Cruel Sky

A Heavy Bomber Group in World War II

Inbunden, Engelska, 2025

324 kr

Kommande

Beskrivning

The men who flew American heavy bombers over Europe in World War II were very young—most were either in their late teens or early twenties. Before they deployed overseas, they were military amateurs who knew nothing of the violent, dangerous world of air warfare. Heavy bombers flew over Europe in steady formations at high altitudes. There they faced a gauntlet of razor sharp antiaircraft artillery bursts and fighter aircraft firing cannons that shattered Plexiglas, metal, engines, and bone. It is no wonder that bomber crews suffered some of the highest casualty rates of any service during the war. Yet, their courage and sacrifice would help the Allies secure an overwhelming victory over Hitler’s Germany. That bravery and the extreme dangers these young men faced in combat over Europe are vividly portrayed in The Cruel Sky: A Heavy Bomber Group in World War II. Using the 451st Bombardment Group (Heavy) of the Fifteenth Air Force as the focus for this compelling narrative, author Robert Thompson describes how the bomber group was established and trained, what is took to fly its aircraft—the Consolidated B-24 Liberator—the opposition they faced, and the harrowing stories of the missions for which the group received three Distinguished Unit Citations, one of only two units so honored during World War II. Relying on official reports and firsthand accounts of those who flew with the 451st, the book provides a fresh and personal perspective of the deadly air war over Europe that was critical in defeating the Nazis and liberating millions.

Produktinformation

Utgivningsdatum:2025-05-23
Mått:152 x 229 x 25 mm
Vikt:399 g
Format:Inbunden
Språk:Engelska
Antal sidor:248
Förlag:Westholme Publishing, U.S.
ISBN:9781594164415

Utforska kategorier

Historia inom Historia och arkeologi

Mer om författaren

Robert Thompson is a historian and former career military officer, serving on B-52 bombers. He has a BA in history from Texas Tech University and a graduate degree in military studies from American Military University. He is author of a number of books, including Suddenly Soldiers: The 166th Infantry Regiment in World War I and Nine Desperate Days: America’s Rainbow Division in the Aisne-Marne Offensive, both of which were finalists for the Army Historical Foundation Distinguished Writing Award. He lives near St. Louis, Missouri.

Recensioner i media

“Author Robert Thompson’s deep research into the Army Air Forces 451st Bombardment Group (Heavy) has resulted in this excellent book that offers an account of one bombardment group’s wartime experiences from its commissioning to the war’s end. His writing is superb, and it holds the reader’s interest. . . . This book stands out from other books about the air war. . . . Based on solid and extensive research in primary sources backed up by credible secondary sources, The Cruel Sky is a go-to book for details on the war as Fifteenth Air Force B-24 crews knew it. It is highly recommended for World War II, air power, and European air war scholars, as well the casual reader of military history.”—Journal of America’s Military Past“The Cruel Sky is an excellent read for anyone interested in the air war over Europe during World War II. The author’s depiction of the bomber group’s key missions bring to life the harrowing experience of aerial combat. Highly recommended.”—William C. Atkinson, author of The Jolly Roger: An Airman’s Tale of Survival in World War II