I want a new book...

[Melvin]

I think I'm gonna order a new book or two this week.

My primary interest this time around will be the European theater.

I'd like some suggestions regarding first hand accounts from fighter pilots, bomber pilots and armor units.

Thank you in advance.

[Blooz]

"The Lucky Ones" - Erik Dyreborg


Not WW2 ETO but a great read:

"Fighter Pilot" - Robin Olds

[Dace]

The last three I've read: (I've read "Thunderbolt!" about 10 times now)


"Thunderbolt!" - Robert S. Johnson

"The Big Show" - Pierre Clostermann

"JG26: Top Guns of the Luftwaffe" - Donald L. Campbell

[mbailey]

Masters of the Air:America's Bomber Boys Who Fought the Air War Against Nazi Germany ------Donald Miller   http://www.amazon.com/Masters-Air-Americas-Against-Germany/dp/0743235444    

The Few: The American "Knights of the Air" Who Risked Everything to Fight in the Battle of Britain -------Alex Kershaw
 http://www.amazon.com/Few-American-Knights-Everything-Britain/dp/0306813033



 

[AAJagerX]

It's a Pacific theater book, but "Unbroken" by Laura Hillenbrand is one of the best I've ever read.  It's the story of a B-24 crew that got lost at sea and eventually were captured.  Amazing read.

[Guppy35]

'Serenade to the Big Bird" by Bert Stiles.  Written in 44, it's the best, in the moment account of a B-17 co-pilot written. 
"Wing Leader" J.E. "Johnnie" Johnson.  Still the best of the RAF fighter pilot biographies. 


Not an ETO book, but the best Fighter Pilot book ever  "Nanette", by Edwards Park.  He was a P39, P47 pilot in the PTO.  If I had to choose one book in all of my collection to survive with and lose the rest, it would be that one.

[Fender16]

"Those Who Fall" by John Muirhead.
About a B-17 Pilot who was stationed in Italy during the 1943-1944 time frame.
Very interesting read with striking detail. I was also able to pull some historic facts from it.

[RufusLeaking]

Anything by Cornelius Ryan (The Longest Day, A Bridge Too Far, The Last Battle) or Stephen Ambrose (Band of Brothers, D-Day, Citizen Soldiers) is good. John Keegan is a favorite of mine, but his scope is all of military history. A cool fact/trivia book is Dirty Little Secrets of World War II by James Dunnegin

When I was in my "German planes are cool phase" as a kid, I read Stuka Pilot, (Rudel) and The Luftwaffe War Diaries,(Bekker.)

[Dichotomy]

Winged Victory

http://www.amazon.com/Winged-Victory-Army-Forces-World/dp/0375750479

really good and informative read

[KayBayRay]

Good book about BOB is "The Few". Written about the few RAF pilots that faced the Luftwaffe eyeball to eyeball.

Good book about the Strategic Bombing effort from USAAF perspective is "Air Force Spoken Here". A Biography of Ira Eaker which starts at his early days in WWI. A lot of insight into the strategy, the commanders from various countries and the issues faced and how they were dealt with.

Later,
KayBay

[Soulyss]

One of the first books that I got, the one that sort of jump started this whole crazy obsession of mine was "To Fly & To Fight" written by "Bud" Anderson and Joseph Hamelin.   It covers his days as a cadet, two combat tours in the P-51, on through his days as a test pilot and combat tour in Vietnam.  I've worn out that book reading it, even had to re-glue the binding once or twice.

There's a preview on Col. Anderson's website, you can read the first chapter.
http://www.cebudanderson.com/ch1.htm

[Pigslilspaz]

A Dawn Like Thunder

It's about US Navy's Torpedo Squadron 8. Very good read, albeit chilling.

[ScottyK]

'Serenade to the Big Bird" by Bert Stiles.  Written in 44, it's the best, in the moment account of a B-17 co-pilot written. 
"Wing Leader" J.E. "Johnnie" Johnson.  Still the best of the RAF fighter pilot biographies. 


Not an ETO book, but the best Fighter Pilot book ever  "Nanette", by Edwards Park.  He was a P39, P47 pilot in the PTO.  If I had to choose one book in all of my collection to survive with and lose the rest, it would be that one.

stiles died while in a p47 if i remember correctly. he switched to the the 47 late in the war.   

me personally just got done reading  "Sweet Pea, the story of the USS PORTLAND" my grandfather was on this shiip, it was in almost every major naval battle in the Pacific, had 11 torpedos fired at her and only 1 connected and damaged her.

[TOMCAT21]

Clifford the Big Red Dog... ............................ .... band of brothers

[EskimoJoe]

Clifford the Big Red Dog... ............................ .... band of brothers

Hey man, don't diss Clifford