The Incredible 305th; The "Can Do" Bombers of World War II

New York: Duell, Sloan, & Pierce, 1962. First Edition [stated], presumed first printing. Hardcover. Very good. x, 181, [1] pages. Format is approximately 5.5 inches by 8.25 inches. Pencil erasure residue on fep. Wilbur H. Morrison was a radio announcer and news commentator before joining the Army Air Corps and becoming a B-29 bombardier-navigator during WWII. Derived from a Kirkus review: When the Eighth U.S. Air Force showed up in England in late 1942, their faith in the use of the B-17 for daylight bombing of Germany was considered foolhardy by many. The job of proving the efficacy of the daylight raid fell first to the ""Can Do"" 305th Heavy Bombardment Group. Col. Curtis LeMay, of SAC fame, was their first commander. LeMay went on the raids over U-boat pens and other installations, to study the problems first hand. Day after day during 1943 the 305th pounded the enemy in the face of AA fire and fighter attacks. When Col. Donald Fargo replaced LeMay, the B-17s were flying in tighter formations but were still suffering heavy losses. The planes kept dumping thousands of tons of high explosives on Germany, until the War was won. This book, carefully written yet retaining the high tension of those years, is a real tribute to the 305th. It will also be a welcome addition to any war or aviation collection.