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Forgotten Fifteenth: The Daring Airmen Who Crippled Hitler's War Machine
November 1943—May 1945 —The U.S. Army Air Forces waged an unprecedentedly dogged and violent campaign against Hitler’s vital oil production and industrial plants on the Third Reich’s southern flank. Flying from southern Italy, far from the limelight enjoyed by the Eighth Air Force in England, the Fifteenth Air Force engaged in high-risk missions spanning most of the European continent. The story of the Fifteenth Air Force deserves a prideful place in the annals of American gallantry.
In his new book, Forgotten The Daring Airmen Who Crippled Hitler’s War Machine , Tillman brings into focus a seldom-seen multinational cast of characters, including pilots from Axis nations Romania, Hungary, and Bulgaria and many more remarkable individuals. They were the first generation of fliers—few of them professionals—to conduct a strategic bombing campaign against a major industrial nation. They suffered steady attrition and occasionally spectacular losses. In so doing, they contributed to the end of the most destructive war in history.
Forgotten Fifteenth is the first-ever detailed account of the Fifteenth Air Force in World War II and the brave men that the history books have abandoned until now. Tillman proves this book is a must-read for military history enthusiasts, veterans, and current servicemen.
In his new book, Forgotten The Daring Airmen Who Crippled Hitler’s War Machine , Tillman brings into focus a seldom-seen multinational cast of characters, including pilots from Axis nations Romania, Hungary, and Bulgaria and many more remarkable individuals. They were the first generation of fliers—few of them professionals—to conduct a strategic bombing campaign against a major industrial nation. They suffered steady attrition and occasionally spectacular losses. In so doing, they contributed to the end of the most destructive war in history.
Forgotten Fifteenth is the first-ever detailed account of the Fifteenth Air Force in World War II and the brave men that the history books have abandoned until now. Tillman proves this book is a must-read for military history enthusiasts, veterans, and current servicemen.
338 pages, Hardcover
First published May 26, 2014
31 people are currently reading
225 people want to read
About the author
Barrett Tillman
118 books64 followersBorn a fourth-generation Oregonian, descended from American pioneers, Revolutionary War Patriots, Pilgrims (e.g. Priscilla Alden) and Pocahontas, Tillman was raised on the family wheat and cattle ranch. His younger brothers include a breeder of exotic animals and a Rhodes Scholar. In high school he was an Eagle Scout[citation needed], won two state titles as a rudimental drummer, and was a champion speaker and debater. Tillman was first published in 1964 at age 15 and graduated from the University of Oregon in 1971 with a bachelor’s degree in journalism.
Like his father, a Navy trained pilot in World War II, Tillman developed an early passion for aviation and learned to fly at age 16. Over the next several years he flew a variety of vintage and historic aircraft, including a pre-WW II Navy trainer and a restored dive-bomber. The latter became the subject of his first book, The Dauntless Dive Bomber of World War II, published in 1976. It established the format for many subsequent books, operational histories of U.S. Navy aircraft.
After college Tillman worked as a freelance writer until 1982 when he founded Champlin Fighter Museum Press in Mesa, Arizona, publishing out-of-print and new titles on military aviation.
In 1986 he moved to San Diego to become managing editor of The Hook, quarterly journal of the Tailhook Association. He remained in that position for three years before deciding to focus full time to writing fiction. His first novel was published in June 1990. Warriors[1] depicted a Mideast air war and became an immediate best seller when Iraq invaded Kuwait two months later.
Tillman's next two novels appeared in 1992: The Sixth Battle, (written with his brother John) which captured a wide following among computer war gamers; and Dauntless, intended as the first in a trilogy. It was followed by Hellcats, nominated as military novel of the year in 1996. He has also published original fiction in the Stephen Coonts anthologies, Combat and Victory.
Tillman remains active as a magazine writer. He is a regular contributor to The Hook, Flight Journal, and several firearms publications. He has also reported from Africa for Soldier of Fortune magazine.
Tillman is a former executive secretary of the American Fighter Aces Association.[2]
-http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barrett_...
Like his father, a Navy trained pilot in World War II, Tillman developed an early passion for aviation and learned to fly at age 16. Over the next several years he flew a variety of vintage and historic aircraft, including a pre-WW II Navy trainer and a restored dive-bomber. The latter became the subject of his first book, The Dauntless Dive Bomber of World War II, published in 1976. It established the format for many subsequent books, operational histories of U.S. Navy aircraft.
After college Tillman worked as a freelance writer until 1982 when he founded Champlin Fighter Museum Press in Mesa, Arizona, publishing out-of-print and new titles on military aviation.
In 1986 he moved to San Diego to become managing editor of The Hook, quarterly journal of the Tailhook Association. He remained in that position for three years before deciding to focus full time to writing fiction. His first novel was published in June 1990. Warriors[1] depicted a Mideast air war and became an immediate best seller when Iraq invaded Kuwait two months later.
Tillman's next two novels appeared in 1992: The Sixth Battle, (written with his brother John) which captured a wide following among computer war gamers; and Dauntless, intended as the first in a trilogy. It was followed by Hellcats, nominated as military novel of the year in 1996. He has also published original fiction in the Stephen Coonts anthologies, Combat and Victory.
Tillman remains active as a magazine writer. He is a regular contributor to The Hook, Flight Journal, and several firearms publications. He has also reported from Africa for Soldier of Fortune magazine.
Tillman is a former executive secretary of the American Fighter Aces Association.[2]
-http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barrett_...
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Displaying 1 - 23 of 23 reviews
February 2, 2015
I enjoyed Mr. Tillman’s look at the Forgotten Air Force. The author gives us the history of the 15th from its formation out of units of Jimmy Doolittle’s 12th AF in November 1943 through to the end of the war. While the main focus of the book is on the heavy bomber units and their supporting fighter groups, Mr. Tillman also gives the story of the more specialized units – the photo recon, weather groups as well as those that supported the special ops forces.
In telling the story, I thought Mr. Tillman made good use of first person accounts. He cites personnel from the highest, including Gen Doolittle who was the first commander before begin transferred to England a command of the 8th to the gunners and pilots who actually flew the missions.
His discussions on the why of the 15th – better weather than England, so more opportunities to bomb, and closeness to oil targets, mainly Ploesti was enlightening. While he does discuss the 2nd Ploesti raid of August 1943, he spends considerable time discussion the subsequent raids in 1944 the ultimately turned off the oil tap for Hitler’s Wehrmacht. The last raids were flown shortly before the Soviets captured the Oil field in the summer of 1944. In addition to the Ploesti campaign, Mr. Tillman also discusses the 15th campaign against the synthetic oil plants around Vienna, which the air crew disliked as much or more than the ones to Romania.
In addition to the Oil Campaign missions, the author also looks the other two main target categories the 15th flew against – aircraft manufacturing and transportation targets. He discusses some of the problems that were inherint in targeting bridges and other transportation targets.
In addition to the bomb groups and crewman, the author also looks at the fighter groups that supported them. One of those groups was the 332nd Fighter Group – the Tuskegee Airman.
In addition to the combat operations, the author tells the story of the POWs taken by the various Axis powers. One of the stories that I enjoyed was the operation to get the POWs held by the Romanians after Romania switched sides. This was the brain child of a Romanian officer who flew his ME-109 to one of the bases around Foggia with a POW and convinced the American command that it feasible to get the majority of the POWs back before the German’s moved them.
All in all, I found this to be an enlightening well written look at an under reported part of World War II. I think it is a solid 4 star read and would recommend it to anyone interested in the Air War in WWII.
In telling the story, I thought Mr. Tillman made good use of first person accounts. He cites personnel from the highest, including Gen Doolittle who was the first commander before begin transferred to England a command of the 8th to the gunners and pilots who actually flew the missions.
His discussions on the why of the 15th – better weather than England, so more opportunities to bomb, and closeness to oil targets, mainly Ploesti was enlightening. While he does discuss the 2nd Ploesti raid of August 1943, he spends considerable time discussion the subsequent raids in 1944 the ultimately turned off the oil tap for Hitler’s Wehrmacht. The last raids were flown shortly before the Soviets captured the Oil field in the summer of 1944. In addition to the Ploesti campaign, Mr. Tillman also discusses the 15th campaign against the synthetic oil plants around Vienna, which the air crew disliked as much or more than the ones to Romania.
In addition to the Oil Campaign missions, the author also looks the other two main target categories the 15th flew against – aircraft manufacturing and transportation targets. He discusses some of the problems that were inherint in targeting bridges and other transportation targets.
In addition to the bomb groups and crewman, the author also looks at the fighter groups that supported them. One of those groups was the 332nd Fighter Group – the Tuskegee Airman.
In addition to the combat operations, the author tells the story of the POWs taken by the various Axis powers. One of the stories that I enjoyed was the operation to get the POWs held by the Romanians after Romania switched sides. This was the brain child of a Romanian officer who flew his ME-109 to one of the bases around Foggia with a POW and convinced the American command that it feasible to get the majority of the POWs back before the German’s moved them.
All in all, I found this to be an enlightening well written look at an under reported part of World War II. I think it is a solid 4 star read and would recommend it to anyone interested in the Air War in WWII.
October 22, 2014
Author Tillman claims that his book is the 'first
full-length history of the Forgotten Fifteenth' and
sets off to prove it in a compact 270 pages.
He packs in a lot of information, mixing the high
level perspective with up-close-and-personal stories,
from the men in command to the mechanics on the
ground. The chapters are short, and divided into
shorter sections, making for quick reading, easy to
pick up and read a bit.
The iconic image of the Fifteenth (even if you
weren't aware it was the Fifteenth) is forever
identified with the photos of B-24s ploughing through
the smoke of the first raid on the Ploesti oil
refineries.
Yes, Tillman covers the various Ploesti raids, and
the lovable B-24s, but the Fifteenth also had plenty
of the rival B-17s whose crews regarded the B-24 as
'the crate a B-17 came in'. Along with the bombers,
there are plenty of stories of the fighter pilots who
flew in the Lightnings, Thunderbolts and Mustang wings,
along with recon groups and the weather chasers.
Tillman provides insightful analysis of the results
of the air battles with the Luftwaffe, for example,
how much of the tonnage really landed on target, as
well as claims by both sides of downed planes. The
Luftwaffe looking to be more accurate in that area.
The human interest tales add reality to the whole
story, the weather was fairly miserable most the
time, contrary to the travel agent vision of 'sunny
Italy', and while we have the image of the flyboys in
England in their quaint brick abodes on airbases,
taking leave into nice English towns, most the men in
Italy spent their time in tents, often going to mess
outdoors, battling the rain, snow and mud with nearby
towns barely surviving the difficulties of war.
There are episodes with the German jets, an American
defector, the dedication of the ground crews, partisan
rescues and missions to Russia and tangles with
Russian fighters, a lot of variety.
The 'Forgotten Fifteenth' covers a lot ground and is
a good way to get started on look at the air war from
the Mediterranean theater.
On a personal aside : Goodreader Happy pointed out a
pre-release review of this book. I forwarded it to my
friend Bob Cook who was B-24 pilot with the 455th Bomb
Group, 15th Air Force. I knew Bob would enjoy the
article, however since he's 95 years old, says his
eyes are 100, he doesn't read books often, so I was
pleasantly surprised when the review enthused him to
buy and read the book, and lend it to me with sections
highlighted that described some of the 35 missions in
which he he took part. Certainly adds a entertaining
personal aspect to the story.
The author replied to an email I sent him telling him
how I appreciated his book, so bonus points for that!
In the acknowledgements I noticed that James
Hornfischer, author of 'Neptune's Inferno' and 'Last
Stand of the Tin Can Sailors' is Tillman's agent.
April 11, 2017
This is a comprehensive history of the 15th Air Force and it read like a comprehensive history with the author trying to list every detail down to the minutia in a chronological order wherever possible. However, I happen to appreciate minutia. All in all, I really liked the book and I am thankful that Barrett Tillmen performed all the detailed research to carefully preserve the true history of the 15th. This is a good book.
The 15th was created because the Allied Air Command thought that they could take advantage of the relatively better weather for flying bombing missions into Central Europe from Italy. Up until this time, all missions originated from England – the home of the 8th Air Force. According to the author, this book was necessary because a history of the 15th Air Force had been previously ignored while the 8th Air Force received the limelight. I think this is probably true. Other than the movie Catch 22, I do not recall a movie, documentary, or book dedicated to the 15th. It appears that the 8th has received a disproportionate amount of attention from historians. I have heard about isolated events such as the bombing of the Ploesti oil fields, the P-38’s dueling with the Soviets due to an error in navigation, and the Tuskegee Airmen. I just did not attribute this to the 15th Air Force. Barrett Tillman’s book ties the entire history of the 15th together in one readable 272 page edition. It gets a little choppy at times such as when Tillman tells the story in a chapter entitled Other Players. This chapter was dedicated to the weather scouts, “Photo Joes,” and the mechanics. He spends ample time describing life back on base. He talks about the heroic efforts of the ground crews and their dedication to keep the birds in the air and how they broke down in tears if their plane did not return. These were stories that needed to be told.
Tillman made the effort to get the story from the actual men who fought the air battles. The personal account of the survivors brings the 15th Air Force back to life and preserves their story for generations. I enjoyed the story of Lieutenant Donald Pucket who was awarded the Medal of Honor for giving his parachute to a wounded man whose own chute was shot off his back and POW Sergeant Bill Hess whose feet froze when his captors forced the POW’s to move deeper into Germany.
I found Tillman’s insight very helpful to understand failed strategies such as the bombings of non-military targets like Bucharest. These bombings were supposed to anger civilian populations into demanding that their countries exit the war. Tillman argues that such bombings were a waste of time at best since these people lived under brutal dictators that did not yield to the will of the people anyway. All they accomplished was to kill innocent civilians and distract the 15th from their primary mission of destroying strategic targets such as the oil fields, ball bearing and aircraft production facilities, and rail yards. Later, Eastern European communists used the bombings of civilian targets as fodder, arguing that the Soviets never bombed civilians. Tillman points out that the Soviets did not because they lacked strategic bombers such as the B-17 or B-24 aircraft.
Another strategy that the 15th employed was to gain air superiority by not tethering the fighters to the bombers. Tillman said that the Allied air command credited Germany’s loss of the battle of Britain to the fact that the German fighter escorts would not chase Allied planes below a certain altitude. The German fighters were ordered to stay with the bombers. Similarly, the Allies had ordered their fighter escorts not to chase Axis fighters below 15,000 feet. With the advent of the P-51, the Germans falsely believed that they could out dive a Mustang. Allied air command ordered a change in strategy for the fighter escorts to pursuit the enemy and destroys them at any altitude. The goal was to destroy the Axis fighters. This would give the Allies air superiority.
As the war drew to a close, during one of the last missions, the lead bomber dropped his payload in what appeared to be an open field far from the target. The other bombers followed suit. Enough was enough. At this point the rank and file of the 15th felt that any further destruction was unnecessary.
The author also had the moral courage to describe the Tuskegee airmen without exaggerating their accomplishments. According to Tillman, the fact was that they had less air to air combat victories than any other fighter group in the 15th. Also, the claim that they never lost a bomber was just not true. Tillman thought that there was no need to rewrite history and exaggerate their accomplishments just because the Tuskegee airmen happened to be of a certain color. Instead, Tillman describes their accomplishments without exaggeration. Tillman reasoned that they did their duty and that should be enough. There was no need to distort facts.
All in all, I really liked the book and I am thankful that Barrett Tillmen performed all the detailed research and carefully preserved the true history of the 15th. I also want to thank my daughter Jami who gave me the book for a Christmas present. This is a good book.
The 15th was created because the Allied Air Command thought that they could take advantage of the relatively better weather for flying bombing missions into Central Europe from Italy. Up until this time, all missions originated from England – the home of the 8th Air Force. According to the author, this book was necessary because a history of the 15th Air Force had been previously ignored while the 8th Air Force received the limelight. I think this is probably true. Other than the movie Catch 22, I do not recall a movie, documentary, or book dedicated to the 15th. It appears that the 8th has received a disproportionate amount of attention from historians. I have heard about isolated events such as the bombing of the Ploesti oil fields, the P-38’s dueling with the Soviets due to an error in navigation, and the Tuskegee Airmen. I just did not attribute this to the 15th Air Force. Barrett Tillman’s book ties the entire history of the 15th together in one readable 272 page edition. It gets a little choppy at times such as when Tillman tells the story in a chapter entitled Other Players. This chapter was dedicated to the weather scouts, “Photo Joes,” and the mechanics. He spends ample time describing life back on base. He talks about the heroic efforts of the ground crews and their dedication to keep the birds in the air and how they broke down in tears if their plane did not return. These were stories that needed to be told.
Tillman made the effort to get the story from the actual men who fought the air battles. The personal account of the survivors brings the 15th Air Force back to life and preserves their story for generations. I enjoyed the story of Lieutenant Donald Pucket who was awarded the Medal of Honor for giving his parachute to a wounded man whose own chute was shot off his back and POW Sergeant Bill Hess whose feet froze when his captors forced the POW’s to move deeper into Germany.
I found Tillman’s insight very helpful to understand failed strategies such as the bombings of non-military targets like Bucharest. These bombings were supposed to anger civilian populations into demanding that their countries exit the war. Tillman argues that such bombings were a waste of time at best since these people lived under brutal dictators that did not yield to the will of the people anyway. All they accomplished was to kill innocent civilians and distract the 15th from their primary mission of destroying strategic targets such as the oil fields, ball bearing and aircraft production facilities, and rail yards. Later, Eastern European communists used the bombings of civilian targets as fodder, arguing that the Soviets never bombed civilians. Tillman points out that the Soviets did not because they lacked strategic bombers such as the B-17 or B-24 aircraft.
Another strategy that the 15th employed was to gain air superiority by not tethering the fighters to the bombers. Tillman said that the Allied air command credited Germany’s loss of the battle of Britain to the fact that the German fighter escorts would not chase Allied planes below a certain altitude. The German fighters were ordered to stay with the bombers. Similarly, the Allies had ordered their fighter escorts not to chase Axis fighters below 15,000 feet. With the advent of the P-51, the Germans falsely believed that they could out dive a Mustang. Allied air command ordered a change in strategy for the fighter escorts to pursuit the enemy and destroys them at any altitude. The goal was to destroy the Axis fighters. This would give the Allies air superiority.
As the war drew to a close, during one of the last missions, the lead bomber dropped his payload in what appeared to be an open field far from the target. The other bombers followed suit. Enough was enough. At this point the rank and file of the 15th felt that any further destruction was unnecessary.
The author also had the moral courage to describe the Tuskegee airmen without exaggerating their accomplishments. According to Tillman, the fact was that they had less air to air combat victories than any other fighter group in the 15th. Also, the claim that they never lost a bomber was just not true. Tillman thought that there was no need to rewrite history and exaggerate their accomplishments just because the Tuskegee airmen happened to be of a certain color. Instead, Tillman describes their accomplishments without exaggeration. Tillman reasoned that they did their duty and that should be enough. There was no need to distort facts.
All in all, I really liked the book and I am thankful that Barrett Tillmen performed all the detailed research and carefully preserved the true history of the 15th. I also want to thank my daughter Jami who gave me the book for a Christmas present. This is a good book.
February 29, 2016
It seems as if the efforts of the 15th Air Force in World War II have mostly been viewed as a sideshow to the main attraction which was the 8th Air Force. But that was just not true and Barrett Tillman has come through once again with a great book on a seemingly unknown subject (like he did with the Battle of the Philippine Sea).
The role of the 15th was to cripple Germany's oil production in the Balkans, along with hitting vital targets in Europe which the 8th couldn't hit. While they didn't have the same numbers as their 8th AF counterparts, the pilots and crewmen of the 15th played a critical part in the Allies' successful bombing campaign. They severely damaged the flow of oil, aviation gas and synthetic fuels to Hitler's war machine, they tied up Luftwaffe units which could have been used elsewhere, and they made a mess of German freight trains all over Southern Europe. While the first raid on Ploesti is well-known, there were many other raids on the oil production facilities there over the next year and Tillman has done a great job of recounting that critical bombing campaign.
Since the 15th wasn't just made of bombers, there is plenty of fighter action as well. Opposed by planes from five different nations (Germany, Italy, Bulgaria, Romania and Hungary) as well as by an ever-changing weather pattern, the fighter groups of the 15th didn't put up the same victory totals as their comrades in the 8th and 9th AFs but they still exhibited the same skill and courage in getting the job done. The famed Tuskegee Airmen were part of the 15th and are discussed in part, but with a more balanced and critical view than previously given. Tillman knows aircraft and pilots and he gives some attention to those who never really get much: the photo reconnaissance and weather squadrons. You can't have a bombing campaign without photos of the target and knowing what the weather is going to be like on the way to the target, so shining a light on these critical elements was a nice part of the book and makes it a better chronicle.
Filled with personal recollections from reports and interviews, this book fills a void which was long overdue. Tillman's aviation expertise shines through page after page and you will finish this book knowing that the role the 15th AF played in the air war over Europe was a critical one and should not be looked upon as less than any other.
The role of the 15th was to cripple Germany's oil production in the Balkans, along with hitting vital targets in Europe which the 8th couldn't hit. While they didn't have the same numbers as their 8th AF counterparts, the pilots and crewmen of the 15th played a critical part in the Allies' successful bombing campaign. They severely damaged the flow of oil, aviation gas and synthetic fuels to Hitler's war machine, they tied up Luftwaffe units which could have been used elsewhere, and they made a mess of German freight trains all over Southern Europe. While the first raid on Ploesti is well-known, there were many other raids on the oil production facilities there over the next year and Tillman has done a great job of recounting that critical bombing campaign.
Since the 15th wasn't just made of bombers, there is plenty of fighter action as well. Opposed by planes from five different nations (Germany, Italy, Bulgaria, Romania and Hungary) as well as by an ever-changing weather pattern, the fighter groups of the 15th didn't put up the same victory totals as their comrades in the 8th and 9th AFs but they still exhibited the same skill and courage in getting the job done. The famed Tuskegee Airmen were part of the 15th and are discussed in part, but with a more balanced and critical view than previously given. Tillman knows aircraft and pilots and he gives some attention to those who never really get much: the photo reconnaissance and weather squadrons. You can't have a bombing campaign without photos of the target and knowing what the weather is going to be like on the way to the target, so shining a light on these critical elements was a nice part of the book and makes it a better chronicle.
Filled with personal recollections from reports and interviews, this book fills a void which was long overdue. Tillman's aviation expertise shines through page after page and you will finish this book knowing that the role the 15th AF played in the air war over Europe was a critical one and should not be looked upon as less than any other.
May 29, 2023
Lt. Daniel S. Wilson served in the 15th Army Air Force, 14th Fighter Group, 38th Fighter Squadron, based at Triolo in the Foggia complex, near the Adriatic coast of Italy, from late 1944 through early 1945. His brother, Lt. Dale R. Wilson, was Missing in Action in New Guinea, having flown several times over the treacherous Owen Stanley Mountains.
Dan Wilson also flew over mountains, the snowy Alps, on his missions. Established by Maj. Gen. Jimmy Doolittle (in November, 1943, before being transferred a few months later to command the 8th Air Force in England). Bomber and fighter groups of the 15th Air Force were based around the same area of Italy. Their missions were mostly in Austria, Yugoslavia, and eventually Germany.
The winter of 1944-45 was a miserable one, with heavy persistent rain and dense clouds, keeping operations from proceeding. Dan Wilson experienced that, but was also kept busy trying to scrape together materials with other pilots to build a shack for a decent shelter during the winter.
Forgotten Fifteenth takes the reader from Tunisia to the move to Italy and combat over occupied Europe, especially oil refineries, through heavy flak and anti-aircraft fire around these heavily guarded industrial sites.
An appendix lists all the units of the 15th Air Force and the name of their bases, bombing statistics, names of leading aces, sources, notes, and a bibliography. Very thorough.
Dan Wilson also flew over mountains, the snowy Alps, on his missions. Established by Maj. Gen. Jimmy Doolittle (in November, 1943, before being transferred a few months later to command the 8th Air Force in England). Bomber and fighter groups of the 15th Air Force were based around the same area of Italy. Their missions were mostly in Austria, Yugoslavia, and eventually Germany.
The winter of 1944-45 was a miserable one, with heavy persistent rain and dense clouds, keeping operations from proceeding. Dan Wilson experienced that, but was also kept busy trying to scrape together materials with other pilots to build a shack for a decent shelter during the winter.
Forgotten Fifteenth takes the reader from Tunisia to the move to Italy and combat over occupied Europe, especially oil refineries, through heavy flak and anti-aircraft fire around these heavily guarded industrial sites.
An appendix lists all the units of the 15th Air Force and the name of their bases, bombing statistics, names of leading aces, sources, notes, and a bibliography. Very thorough.
November 9, 2014
This book covers the story and exploits of the 15th AAF in World War II from its inception and duration during the long campaign based out of southern Italy. I took particular interest as my dad served with the 15th as a support machinist for the aircraft launching their missions into southern Europe. The relentless bombing particularly of the Ploesti oil refineries as it turned out though taking a great toll on these men and machines became a deciding factor in bringing a halt to Hitler's Wermacht machine.
As pointed out in the book the 15th played second fiddle through the war to the vaunted Mighty 8th based out of England. A number of factors contributed to this but the bravery and sacrifice of these airmen is certainly is no less significant up against the 8th. They are called the Greatest Generation and for good reason. What these men took on can not be underestimated in its scope and significance for creating a world free from the tyranny that called them to action. A book much appreciated for telling one of those stories that all of us need to witness.
As pointed out in the book the 15th played second fiddle through the war to the vaunted Mighty 8th based out of England. A number of factors contributed to this but the bravery and sacrifice of these airmen is certainly is no less significant up against the 8th. They are called the Greatest Generation and for good reason. What these men took on can not be underestimated in its scope and significance for creating a world free from the tyranny that called them to action. A book much appreciated for telling one of those stories that all of us need to witness.
April 6, 2021
It is hard to imagine a more illustrious gathering of airmen than those who comprised the leadership of the Fifteenth Air Force during WWII. Doolittle, Twining, Eaker, and Quesada led the air assault against Hitler's industrial engine, hitting targets from bases in northern Africa and later Italy. Tillman's history is unique in that is the only one (as of publication) that focused on the men who waged the campaign to cripple Nazi capacity to make war. The Fifteenth did not have the notoriety or glory of the Eighth Air Force, but were every bit as essential to the outcome of the contest.
Well researched and written, the work melds strategic planning, personal stories, and important but seldom mentioned inflection points. Worth the read, and enjoyable.
Well researched and written, the work melds strategic planning, personal stories, and important but seldom mentioned inflection points. Worth the read, and enjoyable.
June 30, 2015
I read this book to gain more background knowledge of my grandfather's experiences during the war as a ball turret gunner on a B-24 and by some huge coincidence this book includes commentary from one of his crewmembers on a mission where their plane crash landed. I even have my grandfather's perspective on the same mission in his journal.
A+, blew my mind, would recommend.
A+, blew my mind, would recommend.
May 31, 2021
An excellent overview of the little-known Fifteenth Air Force. In my opinion, having read a number of books on the Eighth Air Force, the Fifteenth did more with less to win the war than the Eighth. I'm sure that many will disagree but hey, it is my opinion.
June 22, 2022
Many WWII aviation enthusiasts are well familiar with the 8th Air Force and their storied exploits and of how it germinated the seed for Strategic Air Command. Yet, far less are familiar with the 15th Air Force and its contributions to victory in the European theater. Published in 2014, Tillman’s account is the first (hard to believe) comprehensive history of the forgotten fifteenth, whose WWII life spanned from November 1943 through May of 1945. Primarily focusing its effort in Romania, Bulgaria and Hungary, the Airmen of the 15th had the primary mission of degrading the industrial capacity—particularly oil refining—of Hitler’s war machine in these countries. A prominent commander in this effort was Nathan Twining who later by circumstance nearing retirement would eventually become the first USAF CJCS in the late 1950s. In pursuit of the 15th’s mission, they would encounter the wrath of German FLAK and Italian fighters, morally corrupt for their continued shoot down of bailed-out Allied Airmen.
June 8, 2019
There is a special place in my heart for the military. The top of the list is anything from World War II. A truly phenomenal generation who did the unthinkable with grace and good old American know how. I've heard many a tale of the 8th Air Force flying out of England. Dog fights over the Channel and bomber crews limping in after a difficult run. I'd never heard of the Fifteenth Air Force. Glad I read this book. Filled with details and the day to day tally of planes lost and damage done; it's difficult to imagine how many good men died to keep our world free of Nazi evil.
November 8, 2018
Very well done. Many facts that I never thought about contained in the book. I enjoyed the afterward where he traced many of the men in the book, allied and enemy, and what happened to them after the war. A good read.
January 9, 2021
It was more a fact book than a factual story book. Although the accounts were accurate and the missions were on different days, by the time I was halfway through it seemed repetative and I lost desire to complete. However, I did read the whole book and do have an appreciation for the 15th.
May 15, 2018
WOW A lot of History Crammed in One Book
March 13, 2023
Just okay.
June 17, 2024
Ver well done. Wonderfully researched and well told.
November 10, 2014
Including the Prologue, Tillman gives us 286 pages of text, making this one of the more concise WWII history books around. He accomplished this by omitting the chit-chat and filler prose which makes so many non-fiction books more readable. Here we have just the facts, and that is enough to make for engaging reading.
Far from a litany of bombing runs, this effort includes many personal stories plus information on non combat flying. The weather service, for instance, and a successful effort to transport downed flyers from the Balkans after allegiances changed. That would make a movie which could easily stand with many of the better war movies already on the shelves.
For those familiar with the ground war in Italy and southern Europe, or with the Battle of the Bulge, the impact of the "Forgotten" air force will be clear. The main contribution of the heavy bombers and their fighter escorts was to reduce the amount of gasoline and oil available to the German armed forces. The Bulge ended, for instance, with huge numbers of tanks stranded without fuel, and was fought with little German air support due to a lack of aviation fuel.
Included is a section on "After the War" activities of many of the players, and details on deployment, tonnage dropped, etc.
Recommended.
Far from a litany of bombing runs, this effort includes many personal stories plus information on non combat flying. The weather service, for instance, and a successful effort to transport downed flyers from the Balkans after allegiances changed. That would make a movie which could easily stand with many of the better war movies already on the shelves.
For those familiar with the ground war in Italy and southern Europe, or with the Battle of the Bulge, the impact of the "Forgotten" air force will be clear. The main contribution of the heavy bombers and their fighter escorts was to reduce the amount of gasoline and oil available to the German armed forces. The Bulge ended, for instance, with huge numbers of tanks stranded without fuel, and was fought with little German air support due to a lack of aviation fuel.
Included is a section on "After the War" activities of many of the players, and details on deployment, tonnage dropped, etc.
Recommended.
March 23, 2015
Many movies and books have heralded the 8th air force based from England. Primarily because they supported D-Day and all the intrigue that surrounded that amazing feat. But as the titles alludes, the "Forgotten Fifteenth" flying from Foggia, Italy across southern Germany and the Mediterranean flew extremely tough, hard-fought missions to mainly stop oil productions from Romania, Hungary, Austria, and southern Germany. Sometimes the book can be a little dry and hard to keep who is who in order, but overall the author, Barrett Tillman, intersperses personal glimpses of reflection from the men who were there or gives a little anecdote regarding a mission that helps break up what could be a slow or plodding read.
So I tip my hat to the men who flew missions, supported the bombing effort, fixed the planes, took the photos, and in general, helped reduce WW2 by cutting the pipelines and refineries.
So I tip my hat to the men who flew missions, supported the bombing effort, fixed the planes, took the photos, and in general, helped reduce WW2 by cutting the pipelines and refineries.
March 27, 2017
Excellent book on a forgotten air force. While the Mighty 8th got a majority of the attention and first rate supplies the Fifteenth had to make due while conducting just as important and harrowing missions. The author does a good job blending the history with the first hand accounts. Some pictures would have been nice but still a good publication.
March 6, 2015
Excellent review of the 332nd Fighter Group record in the summation
January 22, 2017
Very personal book for me ... my father flew in the 15th AAF during WWII and any account of those young men's lives through that period hits close to home. Well researched and written.
September 13, 2016
Great historical book about world war two and requires you're complete attention all the way through.
April 12, 2017
The book is well-researched, well-documented and comprehensive. However, the narrator's mispronunciation of German and Romanian place names was annoying.
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