# Any good WWII books?



## B-17engineer (Feb 21, 2009)

I was wondering if there were any good WWII books out there that are like, first person accounts, whether its the air-war, ground or on ships was just curious if you guys knew some good books ? 

Thanks!


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## drgondog (Feb 21, 2009)

B-17engineer said:


> I was wondering if there were any good WWII books out there that are like, first person accounts, whether its the air-war, ground or on ships was just curious if you guys knew some good books ?
> 
> Thanks!



First of the Many by Tex McCrary is an excellent compilation of short stories about the 8th AF from start to early 1944.

An Ace of the Eighth - by Norman "Bud" Fortier

Mission With LeMay - McKinley Cantor (LeMay Biography)

American Caesar - William Manchester (MacArther Bio)

Those Devils in Baggy Pants - Ross Carter (best US Airborne memoir by a survivor of 504/82nd from start to finish of WWII)

First and the Last - Galland

Horrido - Toliver/Constable

Panzer Commander - Von Luck

Run Silent, Run Deep - Edward Beach

Samurai - Sakai


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## mhuxt (Feb 21, 2009)

"Terror in the Starboard Seat" - Dave McIntosh


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## Bill G. (Feb 21, 2009)

Zemke's Wolf Pack - Roger Freeman

The War as I Knew It - General George S. Patton

(31 Knot) Burke (Admiral Burke) - Ken Jones Hubert Kelley Jr.

Japanese Destroyer Captain - Tameichi Hara

Pacific War Diary 1942 - 1945 - James J. Fahey A sailor's story aboard the USS Minneapolis in the Pacific. An excellent read!

Tibbet's Story - Paul W. Tibbets

Whistling Death - Boone T. Guyton The story of the test pilot on the F4U Corsair.

I Could Never Be So Lucky Again - General James H. Doolittle

The Man Who Flew the Memphis Belle - Col Robert Morgan A great story of a leader you would follow anywheres, but never let your daughter within 20 miles of!

Jimmy Stewart Bomber Pilot - Starr Smith A SUPER Read! A real military leader!

Into the Mouth of the Cat - Malcolm McConnell This isn't first person, but I most highly recommend it. It is the story of Medal of Honor winner Lance Peter Sijan in Vietnam.

These are a few that I have in my library. 

Bill G.


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## syscom3 (Feb 21, 2009)

Warpath Across the Pacific - The story of the 345th BG (regarded as the best unit history ever published)

Shattered Sword, the untold story of the Battle of Midway.

Queen of the Midnight Skies - the story of the P61 Black Widow


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## brickhistory (Feb 21, 2009)

mhuxt said:


> "Terror in the Starboard Seat" - Dave McIntosh



Agreed. Excellent, humorous read!


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## Amsel (Feb 21, 2009)

I just got done reading "Wings of Gold" by Gerald Astor. I highly recommend this book about the Navy pilots in WWII. It has some very good stories from pilots in every theater and campaign.


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## Corsair82pilot (Feb 22, 2009)

Have any of you read "Reach for the Sky"? It is about British Ace Douglas Bader.
He lost both legs in a pre war flying accident and was mustered out of the RAF. When the war started he got back into the RAF and became an Ace with about 22 kills before being shot down. He was captured and tried to escape a few times, so he was put in Colditz. Galland sprung him from the POW camp a time or two and took him out to dinner. They became great friends.
Old book, but a great story. 8)


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## mhuxt (Feb 22, 2009)

brickhistory said:


> Agreed. Excellent, humorous read!



Yep, that book got me started on this whole Mosquito mularkey.

I've since been able to identify one or two of the incidents he describes, I've got copies of a couple of Dave Sid's combat reports, ID for some of the aircraft and other airman. One or two mysteries remain though, have never yet been able to trace the French Canadian pilot.


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## Dream Flyer (Feb 22, 2009)

I'd like to add to the list:

"Serenade to the Big Bird" - by Bert Stiles

"Wing and a Prayer" by Harry Crosby

"Command Decision" by William Wister Haines

"The Mighty Eighth" by Gerald Astor

Combat Crew" by John Comer

"The Wrong Stuff" by Truman Smith

"First of the Many" - by John R. McCrary and David E. Scherman

"12 o'clock High" by Beirne Lay, Jr. (he also wrote some articles that appeared in The Saturday Evening Post - if you have access to old magazines it's worth the effort to seek them out. Nov. 6, 1943 "I Saw Regensburg Destroyed", Feb 5, 1938 "Should I Jump?" and 1938 (I lost the date) "No More Glamour".)

Enjoy!


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## ppopsie (Feb 22, 2009)

Das Tagebuch Hauptmann Helmut Lipfert

Das Tagebuch des Hauptmann Lipfert: Helmut Lipfert: Amazon.de: Bücher


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## rochie (Feb 22, 2009)

with the old breed by E.B. Sledge
wing leader by Johnnie Johnson
nine lives by Al Deere
band of brothers by S.E.Ambrose


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## Vassili Zaitzev (Feb 22, 2009)

Here's my personal favorites. 

"A Bridge Too Far"- Cornelius Ryan

"The Longest Day"- Cornelius Ryan

"Citizen Soldiers"- S.E. Ambrose

"Midway- The Incredible Victory"- Walter Lord

And if you like Historical fiction:
"Disaster at D-day"- Peter Tsouras.


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## tomo pauk (Feb 22, 2009)

After a fairly good opinion from a fellow members, I've bought Gudeian's "Panzer leader". Just discard the 10% of the "I've told Hitler, but he won't listen" stuff and the rest 90% is one superb read.


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## glennasher (Feb 22, 2009)

Enemy Coast Ahead- Guy Gibson
The Dam Busters- Paul Brickhill
The Jolly Rogers- Tom Blackburn

There are stacks and stacks of them, these are some of my favorites.


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## Juha (Feb 22, 2009)

I agree with ppopsie, that Das Tagebuch Hauptmann Helmut Lipfert is very good and IIRC it’s translated to English, the title something like Captain Lipfert’s War Diary.

Other very good LW memoirs are IMHO those of Peter Düttmann, hopefully it is translated to English.

Finnish AF aces

Eino “Eikka” Luukkanen’s memoirs, translated as Luukkanen, Eino. Fighter Over Finland: the Memoirs of a Fighter Pilot. London: Macdonald Company Ltd.., 1963. (Reprinted 1980 by Arno Press, NY as ISBN 0-405-12191-1. and in 1989 by Time-Life, NY as ISBN 0-80949-620-8.) 
see more on him Eino Luukkanen

Juutilainen, Eino Ilmari (translated by Nikunen, Heikki). Double Fighter Knight. Tampere, Finland: Apali Oy, 1996. ISBN 9-52502-604-3. 

Soviet
IMHO best memoirs are Vasili B. Emelianenko’s Red Star Against Swastika. He was Il-2 pilot.

RAF
“Johnnie” Johnsson’s Wing Leader
Neville Duke’s War Diaries

USAAF

US members know these better but there is a series of books by Eric Hammel, Aces Against Germany, Aces Against Japan etc

USN
Among of the best books on WWII airwar are Lundstrom’s The First Team and The First Team and The Guadalcanal Campaign. They are excellent histories of early carrier campaigns in Pacific but have many personal recollections.

On Ground war
I liked very much on Keith Jones' Sixty-Four Days of A Normandy Summer. With a Tank Unit After D-Day.

KarlHeinz Münch's The Combat History of German Heavy Anti-Tank Unit 653 in World War II

Dr. Franz-Wilhelm Lochmann's et al The Combat History of German Tiger Tank Battalion 503 in World War II

Juha


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## magnu (Feb 22, 2009)

Tumult in the clouds James Goodson 
Lonely warrior Jean Offenburg
They gave me a seafire Winc Co. Mike Crossley
Ten fighter boys 
Shot down in flames Geoffrey Page


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## BombTaxi (Feb 22, 2009)

I'll second Panzer Leader, a good read that is.

Also worth looking at:

'Fighter Pilot' by Paul Richey (Hurricane pilot with the BEF in France, 1940)

'Reich Intuders' by Martin Bowman is not a first hand account as such, but incorporates a large amount of first hand stuff into it's text. The book covers the operations of the RAF's light bombers throughout the war, on a vast range of types including Blenheims, Bostons, Mitchells, Hudsons, and of course Mossies. Very, very good read.


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## Amsel (Feb 22, 2009)

BombTaxi said:


> I'll second Panzer Leader, a good read that is.
> 
> Also worth looking at:
> 
> ...


Another good book that is easily attainable is 'Panzergrenadier' by Kurt Meyer. Stackpole puts it out. If you liked Panzer Leader try that one.


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## brickhistory (Feb 22, 2009)

Historical fiction:

Leon Uris' "Battle Cry."

Non-fiction:

"Night Fighter" by C.F. Rawnsley and Robert Wright

"Pursuit Through Darkened Skies" by Michael Allen, DFC**

"The Doolittle Raid" by C.V. Glines

"The Other Battle" by Peter Hincliffe

warning/warning/shameless self-promotion/warning/warning

"Beaufighters in the Night: 417 Night Fighter Squadron, USAAF" 

"Miracle at Midway" by Gordon Prange

"KG200" by P. W. Stahl


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## ppopsie (Feb 22, 2009)

Enemy Coast Ahead by G. P. Gibson; this is not only about the famous mission, but also describes life in the raf bomber squadrons early in the war.

Pocket Battleship by Theo Kranke Jochen Brenecke; an excellent naval story about the battleship Admiral Scheer and its men. 

Juha-sama; Helmut Lipfelt's book is not only a good war story but also a good textbook for real flying, particularly for how to live though pressures and stresses that may occur on while flying an airplane. 

I would like to note the writing style of "Samurai" by S. Sakai was quite different from his Japanese language version. In my opinion the former's way of storytelling was much like in western fashion of its time.


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## B-17engineer (Feb 22, 2009)

Thanks a lot guys! 

Reason I am asking is because , in New Jersey there was a big windy sotrm, and a tree fell on my neighbors house, so I helped him cut it up and move it which took a good 7 hours.....and I have read a lot of my books and want some more lol thanks again!


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## ppopsie (Feb 22, 2009)

I got a ton of wartime documents from this forum that I am grateful but I am afraid that I won't have enough time to read all of them while I am living.


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## Bill G. (Feb 22, 2009)

B-17engineer:

Kindly let us know which books you read. You certainly have a bunch of excellent books to choose from! And now plenty of reading to catch up on!

Oh yea, how many from our list have you already read?

I am just being curious as to how we all did?

Bill G.


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## Waynos (Feb 23, 2009)

Mention of Enemy Coast Ahead reminds me of how wierd I felt reading Gibsons introduction, specifically the point where he says how fortunate he feels to have survived the war. That was damned spooky.


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## pbfoot (Feb 23, 2009)

As mentione by a couple of other guys Terror in the Starboard Seat is very high on my list as a 1st person story easy to read


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## slaterat (Feb 24, 2009)

Agreed 

Terror In the Starboard Seat Dave McIntosh
Hell On Earth Dave McIntosh

1000 Shall Fall Murray Pedan

Battle For Palembang (reissued as Hurricane vs Zero) Terence Kelly

Slaterat


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## Wildcat (Feb 24, 2009)

No moon tonight by Don Charlwood is an excellent account of a navigator flying with Bomber command.


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## ppopsie (Feb 24, 2009)

Wildcat said:


> No moon tonight by Don Charlwood is an excellent account of a navigator flying with Bomber command.



Don Charlwood made a bad navigation mistake on his first mission but lived it through, and eventually a tour.

Now I would like to add; 
Sigh for a Merlin by Alex Henshaw
Bring Back My Stringbag by John Godley
Spitfire by Jeff Quill

and a host of excellent personal accounts on the war, in Japanese.


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## mhuxt (Feb 24, 2009)

ppopsie said:


> and a host of excellent personal accounts on the war, in Japanese.



Hi ppopsie:

Can you recommend any? I can read (most) Japanese, will be in Tokyo mid-March. 

In particular, is there anything on the night air defence of the home islands?

Thanks in advance.


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## ppopsie (Feb 24, 2009)

mhuxt said:


> Can you recommend any? I can read



Please look at below. I will post the titles later. These are only part of my collection and a fraction of the whole.


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## B-17engineer (Feb 24, 2009)

Wow great collection!


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## archerynut (Feb 24, 2009)

i can second "Panzer Commander" what a great book! if you're looking for 
WW2 fiction, "Black Cross" by Greg Iles was an amazing read, as well as "Jackdaws" and "Hornet Flight" by Ken Follett. for me, reading these last two was like watching a movie! the suspense and drama mr. Follett creates is pretty...well i've never read another book that made my palms sweaty and my pulse race like those two. "Eye of the Needle" was pretty good, as was "The Key to Rebecca" but they didn't come close to "Hornet Flight" to which i'm hoping he will write a sequel because he left it WIIIIIIIIIIIDE open!


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## Elvis (Feb 24, 2009)

B-17engineer said:


> I was wondering if there were any good WWII books out there that are like, first person accounts, whether its the air-war, ground or on ships was just curious if you guys knew some good books ?
> 
> Thanks!


Forgive me if this has already been mentioned, but I read a very good _fictional_ tale about 4-5 years ago.
It was called "Hornet Flight".
Basically, its about two people who try to escape from the German's in a DeHavilland Hornet.
I heard that at one time, it was slated to be turned into a motion picture.
People say I look like the book's author.


Elvis


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## Elvis (Feb 24, 2009)

ppopsie said:


> Please look at below. I will post the titles later. These are only part of my collection and a fraction of the whole.


Back in the early 60's, my father belonged to a "book-of-the-month-club" and one of the books he got was something that I think was called "From Pearl Harbour to Iwo Jima", or something like that.
It was an account of the Pacific side of WWII.
Do you have that in your collection?
I remember trying to read it as a youngster, but I didn't have the patience back then.
...might have to give that one another going over.
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JUHA said:


> Finnish AF aces
> 
> Eino “Eikka” Luukkanen’s memoirs, translated as Luukkanen, Eino. Fighter Over Finland: the Memoirs of a Fighter Pilot. London: Macdonald Company Ltd.., 1963. (Reprinted 1980 by Arno Press, NY as ISBN 0-405-12191-1. and in 1989 by Time-Life, NY as ISBN 0-80949-620-8.)
> see more on him Eino Luukkanen
> ...


THANKS!
I'm gonna look for those.



Elvis


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## mhuxt (Feb 24, 2009)

Thanks pposie:

The two hon-do books look like the kind of thing I'm after. 

If there's more you could recommend, I'd be most interested. Is there a good specialist bookstore in Tokyo?

Thanks,

Mark


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## ppopsie (Feb 24, 2009)

mhuxt-sama,
hon-do>of these, following are related to homeland air defense in varied degree, and I think are categorized as bunko-bon (文庫本）normally available at larger bookstores in Tokyo;

by Yoji Watanabe
Omoi-Hikoki-Gumo
Haruka-Naru-Shun-Yoku
Shito-no-Hondo-Joku
Hondo-Boku-Sen 

by Matsuo Hagiri
Ozora-no-Kessen

by Tsutomu Iwai
Ku-bo Zero-Sen Tai (correctly pronounced title)
Above are from Bun-Shun Bun-Ko

by Tsune-emon Shindo
Shippu-Sento-Tai 
from Kojin-Sha Bun-Ko

If you are to use Haneda airport, try Books Fuji on the B1 floor in the old terminal building (for JAL), next to Keiku Line exit. The bookstore is specialized in aviation.


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## mhuxt (Feb 24, 2009)

Many thanks p-popsie, mata yoroshiku.


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## GhostBlue (Feb 27, 2009)

The English translation of Anna Yegorova's memoir, Russian IL-2 pilot, is just of the press(2/25). Here is a link to the translator/editor's site.

Red Sky, Black Death

GhostBlue


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## BombTaxi (Feb 28, 2009)

Slightly OT, and I don't know if you can get this in the States, but a fascinating read is 'First Blitz' by Neil Hanson. It discusses the night raids on London by German bombers in WWI, and shows how the Germans had a very detailed plan to destroy London with incendiary bombs, forcing the UK out of the War. Fortunately for London, the Germans made the common WWI mistake of over-estimating the power of the bomber, and could not get enough aircraft on the raids to make the difference. Nevertheless, it was a well thought-out plan, and could have been deadly, as the Brits had no effective way at all of fighting back.


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## model299 (Feb 28, 2009)

I second "Shattered Sword." Very good book. 

Also if you're into navel action:

*The Last Stand of the Tin Can Sailors* by James D. Hornfischer
I could not put it down until I was finished.


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## Amsel (Feb 28, 2009)

The Last Stand of the Tin Can Sailors is a great book.


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## pbfoot (Feb 28, 2009)

For a fiction book I don't think many surpass the Cruel Sea for you not familiar with it its about the RN war in the North Atlantic in corvettes


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## Vassili Zaitzev (Feb 28, 2009)

Here's another one: 

Miracle at Midway- Gordon Prange


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## Ferdinand Foch (Feb 28, 2009)

"The Last Battle" by Cornelius Ryan, about the Battle of Berlin. 
The Rommel Papers-editied by Liddell Hart.
The Patton Papers-edited by Mark Blemenson(this might be spelled wrong). 
Is Paris Burning?- Larry Collins and Dominique Lapierre. 
Enemy at the Gates-William Craig.
Pegasus Bridge-Stephen Ambrose
An Army at Dawn-Rick Atkinson.


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## ppopsie (Mar 2, 2009)

Other books from my bookshelf; of these The Shepherd by F. Forsyth on top left is a very old printing of late 70s but it was one of bestselling books. Admiral Ugaki's War Diary is long and a bit tedious.

Kon-nichi-no-Wadai on the top middle is one of early postwar documentary series magazine of very low price. I bought it in early 70's.

Note; none of these are useful for modeling.


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## starling (May 6, 2009)

i was ikes driver-kay summersby.a ripping yarn,cheers.


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## syscom3 (May 6, 2009)

pbfoot said:


> For a fiction book I don't think many surpass the Cruel Sea for you not familiar with it its about the RN war in the North Atlantic in corvettes




That was movie too!!!!!!


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## syscom3 (May 6, 2009)

This outfit has published two fantastic books. Many people call them the best unit histories ever published. I have both of the published ones, about the 345th BG and the 22nd BG.

The 312th BG book will be released next week! I have mine ordered!

World War II Air Wars - International Historical Research Associates

World War II - Air Wars Catalog


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## Njaco (May 6, 2009)

Thanks for the list, ppoopsie!



> Note; none of these are useful for modeling.



I think you will find that most here read books first and modelling is what comes from it - not the other way around!


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## imalko (May 6, 2009)

My personal favorites always have been "The Last Battle" and "The Bridge Too Far" by Cornelius Ryan.

Other titles I also like are "Rommel's Afrika Corps" by Kenneth Macksey and "Fighter - The True Story Of Battle Of Britain" by Len Deighton.


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## Bernhart (May 6, 2009)

some really good Canadian stuff out there too. mark Zuehke writes allot of WW 2 stuff, theres George Blackburns series on artillery his first hand accounts as a artillery officer and FOO (forward operating observer)

WW1 stuff by Tim Cook i hear is excellenct stuff...


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## TenGunTerror (Jun 25, 2009)

Sorry that this book is not about aircraft, but a great book would be Hell on Wheels about the 3d armor division
Edit: Death Traps is a great book about the inferiority of the Sherman after Normandy-very good


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## sabrina (Jun 26, 2009)

Some of the best WWII-era aviation books that I have reviewed for the magazine I work for would be the following: 

The Man Who Flew the Memphis Belle by Col. Robert Morgan
Eddie Rickenbacker: American Hero by W. David Lewis (covers his role in WWI and WWII)
Jimmy Stewart: Bomber Pilot by Starr Smith (wonderful - well written and not focused on the actor side of the man, but the pilot and soldier side)

Go to Atlantic Flyer - Voice of the General Aviation Community for some good articles, WWII and not.


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## GrauGeist (Jun 26, 2009)

Currently reading "Five Miles High Forty Below" by Bill Williams.

It's a great memoir about his 50 missions aboard a B-17 from June through August 1944 while assigned to the 773rd Sq., 463rd BG, 15th AF out of Foggia, Italy (Celone Airbase).


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## Butters (Jun 26, 2009)

A lot of good books already mentioned. Here's a few more:

Battleship Bismarck: A survivor's story - Mullenheim-Rechburg
Hitler's U-Boat War - Blair
The Two Ocean War - SE Morrison
U-Boat Commander - Prien
I-Boat Captain - Z Orita, IJN/JD Harrington
Japanese Destroyer Captain - Hara IJN
Take Her Deep! - IJ Galantin
The Other Side of the Hill- BH Liddell Hart 
The Memoirs of Field Marshal Kesselring
Panzer Battles -FW Mellenthin
Tigers in the Mud -Otto Carius
Brazen Chariots -R Crisp
Flame Thrower - A Wilson
Soldat -F Knapp
Rocket Pilot - Mano Ziegler
Stuka Pilot - Rudel
The Blond Knight of Germany - Tolliver
Luftwaffe War Diaries - Cajus Bekker
Samurai! - Sakai/Caiden/Saito
To War in a Stringbag - C Lamb
The Other Battle - Hinchcliffe (Nightfighters vs Bomber Command)
Overlord - Hughes (Misleading Title. Concerns Pete Quesada and the 9th AF)

That's enough for a little while 

JL


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## Amsel (Jun 26, 2009)

Just read- Tail End Charlies By John Nichol and Tony Rennell 

It is one of the best books I have ever read about the massive bombing campaign against Germany. It covers many things in depth that are hard to find in one book.


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## Marshall_Stack (Jun 26, 2009)

I will add...

"Death Traps" - about American tanks
"Fire in the Sky" - analysis of South Pacific air battles
"Fortress Malta" - about Malta early in the war
"The Airmen and the Headhunters" - survival of a shot down B-24 crew over Borneo
"Doomed at the Start" - the USAAF in the Philippines at the start of the war
"God is my Co-Pilot" - Flying Tiger Pilot's story
"Flying Tigers" - by Daniel Ford


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## Ferdinand Foch (Jun 27, 2009)

The Victors- Stephen Ambrose. 
The Day of Battle- Rick Atkinson.
The Fall of Japan- William Craig. 
The Fall of France- Julian Jackson. 
Naval Battles of the Twentieth Century- Richard Hough.
To Lose a Battle-Alistair Horne. 
The Bitter Woods- John D. Eisenhower.


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## Waynos (Jun 27, 2009)

Currently reading 'Churchill's Wizards' the British art of deception 1914-45.

Only two chapters in but a cracking good read so far.


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## BombTaxi (Jun 27, 2009)

I read Hornfischer's Last Stand Of The Tin Can Sailors on Holiday, an excellent book. Also read Barrett Tillman's Clash of the Carriers about the Marianas Turkey Shoot and was very impressed. I am currently reading the Official US Army history of the Seizure of the Gilberts and Marshalls, and have a volume on the Marianas to read next. I am very impressed by what I have read so far, and would recommend any of the series on the merits of the volume I'm reading at the moment. I wish I had bought the other two volumes I saw in that shop in Durham NC (On Guadalcanal and Rabaul, IIRC), but sadly the weight of my suitcase was already becoming an issue 8)


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## Smoke (Jul 31, 2010)

Though it's been mentioned already in this thread, I highly recommend "Beaufighters in the Night."

It's an amazing book, it really gives a feel for what night fighting was like.


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## renrich (Aug 1, 2010)

"The Road Past Mandalay" by John Masters. Autobiographical, Burma and the Chindits and excellent.
Historical fiction, "Killing Rommel" by Pressfield. Gives a perspective about the North African campaign and the LRDG.


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## ToughOmbre (Aug 1, 2010)

"Strong Men Armed" by Robert Leckie of HBO "Pacific fame.

Book was excellent, might have to read more of the something like 40 books he has written.

Also, "Last Stand of the Tin Can Sailors" is a must read!

TO


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