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Hell's Angels: The True Story of the 303rd Bomb Group in World War II
The true story of World War 2’s legendary Hell’s Angels—the 8th Air Force’s 303rd Bomb Group.
Although the United States declared war against Germany in December 1941, a successful assault on Nazi-occupied Europe could not happen until Germany’s industrial and military might were crippled. The first target was the Luftwaffe—the most powerful and battle-hardened air force in the world. The United States Army Air Forces joined with Great Britain’s already-engaged Royal Air Force to launch a strategic air campaign that ultimately brought the Luftwaffe to its knees. One of the standout units of this campaign was the legendary 303rd Bomb Group—Hell’s Angels.
This is the 303rd’s story, as told by the men who made it what it was. Taking their name from their B-17 of the same name, they became one of the most distinguished and important air combat units in history. The dramatic and terrible air battles they fought against Germany ultimately changed the course of the war.
INCLUDES PHOTOS
Although the United States declared war against Germany in December 1941, a successful assault on Nazi-occupied Europe could not happen until Germany’s industrial and military might were crippled. The first target was the Luftwaffe—the most powerful and battle-hardened air force in the world. The United States Army Air Forces joined with Great Britain’s already-engaged Royal Air Force to launch a strategic air campaign that ultimately brought the Luftwaffe to its knees. One of the standout units of this campaign was the legendary 303rd Bomb Group—Hell’s Angels.
This is the 303rd’s story, as told by the men who made it what it was. Taking their name from their B-17 of the same name, they became one of the most distinguished and important air combat units in history. The dramatic and terrible air battles they fought against Germany ultimately changed the course of the war.
INCLUDES PHOTOS
464 pages, Hardcover
First published January 6, 2015
128 people are currently reading
435 people want to read
About the author
Jay A. Stout
23 books32 followersJay A. Stout is a retired Marine Corps fighter pilot. An Indiana native and graduate of Purdue University, he was commissioned during June 1981 and was designated a naval aviator on 13 May 1983. His first fleet assignment was to F-4S Phantoms at MCAS Beaufort, South Carolina. Following a stint as an instructor pilot at NAS Chase Field Texas from 1986 to 1989, he transitioned to the F/A-18 Hornet. He flew the Hornet from bases on both coasts and ultimately retired from MCAS Miramar during 2001.
Aside from his flying assignments, he served as the executive officer of 1st Air Naval Gunfire Liaison Company, and in a variety of additional assignments with various staffs around the world. During his twenty-year career he flew more than 4,500 flight hours, including 37 combat missions during Operation Desert Storm.
Following his military career Stout worked for a very short time as an airline pilot before being furloughed after the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001. He subsequently flew for the Kuwait Air Force for a year before returning to the States where he now works for as a senior analyst for a leading defense contractor.
Lieutenant Colonel Stout's writing has been read on the floor of the U.S. Senate and has been published in various professional journals and newspapers around the nation. Works published while he was on active duty addressed controversial topics (women in the military, the MV-22 Osprey, effectiveness of the AV-8B Harrier, etc.) and took viewpoints that were often at odds with senior military leadership. Nevertheless, his cogent arguments and forthrightness contributed considerably to his credibility. Indeed, his expertise is widely recognized and he has made many appearances as a combat aviation expert on news networks such as Fox, Al Jazeera and National Public Radio.
Aside from his flying assignments, he served as the executive officer of 1st Air Naval Gunfire Liaison Company, and in a variety of additional assignments with various staffs around the world. During his twenty-year career he flew more than 4,500 flight hours, including 37 combat missions during Operation Desert Storm.
Following his military career Stout worked for a very short time as an airline pilot before being furloughed after the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001. He subsequently flew for the Kuwait Air Force for a year before returning to the States where he now works for as a senior analyst for a leading defense contractor.
Lieutenant Colonel Stout's writing has been read on the floor of the U.S. Senate and has been published in various professional journals and newspapers around the nation. Works published while he was on active duty addressed controversial topics (women in the military, the MV-22 Osprey, effectiveness of the AV-8B Harrier, etc.) and took viewpoints that were often at odds with senior military leadership. Nevertheless, his cogent arguments and forthrightness contributed considerably to his credibility. Indeed, his expertise is widely recognized and he has made many appearances as a combat aviation expert on news networks such as Fox, Al Jazeera and National Public Radio.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 43 reviews
November 25, 2015
LTC(R) Stout has produced another excellent look at an 8th Air Force Group at war. As the title says, this time he looks at the 303rd Bombardment Group (Heavy). The 303rd was one of the first groups to deploy to England and eventually flew more missions than any other Bomb Group in the 8th.
The author has collected stories that exemplify what life was like both on combat operations and in England. While most of the book concerns the men who flew the B-17s over occupied Europe, LTC(R) Stout also tells the story of the men who maintained, armed, fueled, kept them secure, etc – in other words those men who stayed on the ground. These men for the most part spent the whole war in England, while flight crews, if they completed their combat tours, spent at the most 6 or 7 months in Theater.
One of the stories the author includes is that of Jack Mathis, the first man in the 303rd to be awarded the Medal of Honor.
Another story that I found interesting was the tale of the B-17 Hell’s Angels.
In telling the story of the combat, the author also tells the story of what happened to the men who had to bail out over occupied Europe. To say if they got out of the aircraft, their war was over doesn’t quite tell their story. The author tells of many men who got out of aircraft, but were killed once they got on the ground. To say German civilians were not pleased with bomber crews in an understatement. Also if the downed airmen were found by SS personnel, their chances of survival were severely diminished. In telling the stories of the downed airmen, he also gives several examples of regular German troops both protecting and rescuing downed airman from the angry mobs, irate farmers and the SS and then delivering them safely to Luftwaffe authorities.
To balance the gruesome tales of combat, the author includes many humorous tales.
All in all this a very good telling of what it was like to be in an 8th Air Force heavy bomb group. In my opinion this is a sold 4 star read.
The author has collected stories that exemplify what life was like both on combat operations and in England. While most of the book concerns the men who flew the B-17s over occupied Europe, LTC(R) Stout also tells the story of the men who maintained, armed, fueled, kept them secure, etc – in other words those men who stayed on the ground. These men for the most part spent the whole war in England, while flight crews, if they completed their combat tours, spent at the most 6 or 7 months in Theater.
One of the stories the author includes is that of Jack Mathis, the first man in the 303rd to be awarded the Medal of Honor.
Another story that I found interesting was the tale of the B-17 Hell’s Angels.
In telling the story of the combat, the author also tells the story of what happened to the men who had to bail out over occupied Europe. To say if they got out of the aircraft, their war was over doesn’t quite tell their story. The author tells of many men who got out of aircraft, but were killed once they got on the ground. To say German civilians were not pleased with bomber crews in an understatement. Also if the downed airmen were found by SS personnel, their chances of survival were severely diminished. In telling the stories of the downed airmen, he also gives several examples of regular German troops both protecting and rescuing downed airman from the angry mobs, irate farmers and the SS and then delivering them safely to Luftwaffe authorities.
To balance the gruesome tales of combat, the author includes many humorous tales.
All in all this a very good telling of what it was like to be in an 8th Air Force heavy bomb group. In my opinion this is a sold 4 star read.
October 14, 2020
Having read a variety of unit histories over the years, I approached this book with a little hesitation as there was always the chance this would be another of those histories which is long on detail but short on personal anecdotes and recollections by the people who were actually there. Turns out, I shouldn't have hesitated at all.
I've read a few other books by Jay A. Stout and loved them all, and now I'm adding this one to that list. Starting with the humble beginnings of the 303rd Bombardment Group through it's final days in the skies over war-torn Europe, this book is a wonderful mixture of detail and personal stories. The 303rd flew over 300 missions against the Third Reich, but not all of them are recounted in the book--it would have been about triple in size if that had been the case! Instead, Stout weaves a tale of the group as seen through the eyes of those who were there: pilots, bombardiers, navigators, gunners, radio operators, crew chiefs, maintenance personnel and administrators. Sprinkled into the mix are anecdotes from English and German civilians, as well as German military personnel who fought against the 303rd. All of these personal stories convey the hardships, danger and moments of sheer terror which the members of the 303rd endured as they played their part in bringing Hitler's Nazi empire to ruin, but there are lighter moments as well which help to balance out some of the grisly details.
This book isn't short on detail, it just presents it differently than some other unit histories I've read. Being a former combat pilot himself, the author knows just what bits of information to present in order to inform the reader how things were done. While I've read many books on aerial combat and was familiar with pretty much all of the concepts and weapons discussed in the book, those who are unfamiliar with this aspect of warfare will find it very informative. Items such as anti-aircraft fire (aka flak), the Norden bombsight, gunnery basics and training, standard operations of the B-17 Flying Fortress, combat formations, and prepping a bomber for a mission are just some of the details which help the reader better understand what it took to get a bomber in the air, fly to the target, and hopefully survive. Many times, the latter did not occur and there are plenty of stories about those who either fell in combat or ended up as prisoners of war.
Definitely one of the best and most entertaining unit histories I've read, and I definitely have a deeper appreciation of what the brave men of the 303rd went through. Pick this one up--you won't be disappointed!
I've read a few other books by Jay A. Stout and loved them all, and now I'm adding this one to that list. Starting with the humble beginnings of the 303rd Bombardment Group through it's final days in the skies over war-torn Europe, this book is a wonderful mixture of detail and personal stories. The 303rd flew over 300 missions against the Third Reich, but not all of them are recounted in the book--it would have been about triple in size if that had been the case! Instead, Stout weaves a tale of the group as seen through the eyes of those who were there: pilots, bombardiers, navigators, gunners, radio operators, crew chiefs, maintenance personnel and administrators. Sprinkled into the mix are anecdotes from English and German civilians, as well as German military personnel who fought against the 303rd. All of these personal stories convey the hardships, danger and moments of sheer terror which the members of the 303rd endured as they played their part in bringing Hitler's Nazi empire to ruin, but there are lighter moments as well which help to balance out some of the grisly details.
This book isn't short on detail, it just presents it differently than some other unit histories I've read. Being a former combat pilot himself, the author knows just what bits of information to present in order to inform the reader how things were done. While I've read many books on aerial combat and was familiar with pretty much all of the concepts and weapons discussed in the book, those who are unfamiliar with this aspect of warfare will find it very informative. Items such as anti-aircraft fire (aka flak), the Norden bombsight, gunnery basics and training, standard operations of the B-17 Flying Fortress, combat formations, and prepping a bomber for a mission are just some of the details which help the reader better understand what it took to get a bomber in the air, fly to the target, and hopefully survive. Many times, the latter did not occur and there are plenty of stories about those who either fell in combat or ended up as prisoners of war.
Definitely one of the best and most entertaining unit histories I've read, and I definitely have a deeper appreciation of what the brave men of the 303rd went through. Pick this one up--you won't be disappointed!
January 31, 2017
While Stout's title is correct in that this is indeed a true story of the 303rd Bombardment Group during World War II, his book is certainly not a complete story. It is structured to give a certain impression of the life of some of the men that served in a heavy bombardment group during the war, and all other aspects of life that contradict this impression are ignored or minimalized. As a result, the book has a monotonous feel to it.
Every chapter includes multiple accounts of aircrew members’ combat experiences while on missions. The book is so filled with these war stories that it's easy to lose track of any given person even though they would occasionally reappear later in the book at a future point in time. Additionally, the accounts are all very similar in nature. They typically take the form of some plane, man, or enemy fighter being shot resulting in someone dying, being injured, captured, or lucking out. The effect is a virtual blender of combat situations.
The other issue with the book stems from the fact that life as a bomber crew member was often filled with other activities beyond those that brought death and destruction. Missing from Stout’s account is any meaningful sense of the downtime that had to be endured between missions or the hours of uneventful flight time that had to be endured while heading into danger. While these other stories would have been devoid of shrapnel and machine gun fire, they would have served to provide a more complete picture of the experience; a truer story.
Furthermore, the ground crews that kept the bombers flying are also missing in a significant way. They were equally important to the success and failures of the 303rd Bombardment Group, but their lives are only briefly mentioned. If they are the unsung heroes of the unit, then their contributions still remain unsung.
I can see this book as being of interest to flight crew members and their relatives. It chronicles their suffering in combat and enshrines their sacrifices. However, the true story of 303rd Bombardment Group is so much more than the one recorded in this book and so many other aspects of the Group’s history have been left unsaid.
Every chapter includes multiple accounts of aircrew members’ combat experiences while on missions. The book is so filled with these war stories that it's easy to lose track of any given person even though they would occasionally reappear later in the book at a future point in time. Additionally, the accounts are all very similar in nature. They typically take the form of some plane, man, or enemy fighter being shot resulting in someone dying, being injured, captured, or lucking out. The effect is a virtual blender of combat situations.
The other issue with the book stems from the fact that life as a bomber crew member was often filled with other activities beyond those that brought death and destruction. Missing from Stout’s account is any meaningful sense of the downtime that had to be endured between missions or the hours of uneventful flight time that had to be endured while heading into danger. While these other stories would have been devoid of shrapnel and machine gun fire, they would have served to provide a more complete picture of the experience; a truer story.
Furthermore, the ground crews that kept the bombers flying are also missing in a significant way. They were equally important to the success and failures of the 303rd Bombardment Group, but their lives are only briefly mentioned. If they are the unsung heroes of the unit, then their contributions still remain unsung.
I can see this book as being of interest to flight crew members and their relatives. It chronicles their suffering in combat and enshrines their sacrifices. However, the true story of 303rd Bombardment Group is so much more than the one recorded in this book and so many other aspects of the Group’s history have been left unsaid.
April 15, 2019
I feel like this really followed the 303rd bomb group throughout the entirety of the war. There was a lot of Information about how men got into the position they got (pilot, bombardier, ball turret gunner, etc) and how operations were carried out on each mission. I didn’t feel like this book had as much heart as some WWII nonfiction I’ve read but it still was very good.
August 28, 2015
I listened to the audio version of this book. It is by far the most highly detailed, non-academic account of this groups WWII campaign. An excellent blend of detailed research and recorded personal narratives.
April 28, 2025
I have read this book several times it’s an excellent history of the bombing campaign in Europe during ww2
March 23, 2021
A very well researched and written account of one of the 8th Air Forces Bomb Groups during World War II. This book covers everything from the mobilization of forces to the training of the aircrews through the successful bombing campaign in Europe. Very interesting and highly readable.
March 4, 2015
This was an excellent read. I had no idea of the massive size of this bomber group and the incredible number of B17's that were involved with this entire effort.
What makes this book interesting is that it is so much more than a history lesson. The author found the survivors and the inside stories of the 303rd describing what life was like on the base and on the B17 itself during the missions. Temperatures of -30F to -50F and no breathable ambient oxygen were constants on every mission. The horrible destruction of men and machines that occurred in an instant. If you were lucky enough to parachute clear and survive the landing - you faced another game of chance on the ground depending on who found you. Compassion or brutal execution were both possible. How the men bonded with one another, saved each others lives in the air and reacted to "empty bunks" at the end of the day is both inspiring and revealing of character.
The guys that flew these missions knew that that their chances of getting killed in a random way were very high - and there was nothing they could do about it. There are many humorous stories as well. This book was fun to read and once again I gained appreciation for the men of the greatest generation.
What makes this book interesting is that it is so much more than a history lesson. The author found the survivors and the inside stories of the 303rd describing what life was like on the base and on the B17 itself during the missions. Temperatures of -30F to -50F and no breathable ambient oxygen were constants on every mission. The horrible destruction of men and machines that occurred in an instant. If you were lucky enough to parachute clear and survive the landing - you faced another game of chance on the ground depending on who found you. Compassion or brutal execution were both possible. How the men bonded with one another, saved each others lives in the air and reacted to "empty bunks" at the end of the day is both inspiring and revealing of character.
The guys that flew these missions knew that that their chances of getting killed in a random way were very high - and there was nothing they could do about it. There are many humorous stories as well. This book was fun to read and once again I gained appreciation for the men of the greatest generation.
September 5, 2018
After reading this book I am amazed that anyone stayed in the USAAF Heavy Bombing Groups at all! Someone dies on almost every page. The statistics tell the story. The 303rd Bomb Group had 5,292 combat crewmen between 1942 and 1945. Of those 1,748 were casualties (killed and wounded). 841 crewmen were killed in action, 764 became Prisoners of War. The unit lost 210 B-17's. It is certainly a testament to the patriotism, sense of duty and courage of the members of the 303rd Bomb Group and all of the Eighth and Fifteenth Air Forces that they contributed to the victory in Europe.
Jay Stout does an outstanding job of telling the stories of the members of the 303rd Bomb Group. The book is filled with vignettes of the experiences of individual unit members as well as explanations of many of the missions the 303rd flew. The 303rd flew 10,721 combat sorties. Daily routines on base and off base are also covered as well as relationships between the airmen and the citizens around the base. This book makes one think about the wisdom of the leadership of the USAAF and it's insistence on sending daylight bombing missions without fighter escorts. It also makes one think about the impact the terror 0f flying had on those who experienced it. One poignant story is related about one of the enlisted men who returned to his quarters only to find that of the twenty men living there, he was the only man who returned from the mission.
For those interested in the air war in Europe in WWII and those interested in military history, this is a good read!
Jay Stout does an outstanding job of telling the stories of the members of the 303rd Bomb Group. The book is filled with vignettes of the experiences of individual unit members as well as explanations of many of the missions the 303rd flew. The 303rd flew 10,721 combat sorties. Daily routines on base and off base are also covered as well as relationships between the airmen and the citizens around the base. This book makes one think about the wisdom of the leadership of the USAAF and it's insistence on sending daylight bombing missions without fighter escorts. It also makes one think about the impact the terror 0f flying had on those who experienced it. One poignant story is related about one of the enlisted men who returned to his quarters only to find that of the twenty men living there, he was the only man who returned from the mission.
For those interested in the air war in Europe in WWII and those interested in military history, this is a good read!
April 14, 2024
A whirlwind tour through the bomber experience
Read a couple of Stout's books now and he just gets better. It's arrogant and presumptuous of me to say this is the best bomber book so I won't, but I will say that it does a great job of introducing the reader to a broad reach of what the bomber experience was like. If you could only read one book and you wanted to know a little about everything, this book would be a great candidate.
It teaches about the men, the planes, the diverse backgrounds they had, the paths they took to get to the army, to England, to their station in the B-17, and the horrors and sights and bravery of brutal air combat.
It teaches about the development of the bomber group, the logistics involved in getting the 303rd going, the officers and strategies behind it all, and the evolving technology used in the planes.
It teaches about the German pilots that faced the bombers, the old and young men that manned the anti aircraft guns, and the understandably angry civilians that meted out vigilante justice on downed pilots.
It teaches about the various dangers the bombers faced, not just opponents but also the altitude and the weather.
It teaches about the families back home and the families enduring the bombing attacks.
Sometimes a book with this kind of breadth lacks detail, not so here. This is a phenomenal read that can leave you simultaneously excited and saddened.
The audiobook is good too, clearly read and presented well.
Read a couple of Stout's books now and he just gets better. It's arrogant and presumptuous of me to say this is the best bomber book so I won't, but I will say that it does a great job of introducing the reader to a broad reach of what the bomber experience was like. If you could only read one book and you wanted to know a little about everything, this book would be a great candidate.
It teaches about the men, the planes, the diverse backgrounds they had, the paths they took to get to the army, to England, to their station in the B-17, and the horrors and sights and bravery of brutal air combat.
It teaches about the development of the bomber group, the logistics involved in getting the 303rd going, the officers and strategies behind it all, and the evolving technology used in the planes.
It teaches about the German pilots that faced the bombers, the old and young men that manned the anti aircraft guns, and the understandably angry civilians that meted out vigilante justice on downed pilots.
It teaches about the various dangers the bombers faced, not just opponents but also the altitude and the weather.
It teaches about the families back home and the families enduring the bombing attacks.
Sometimes a book with this kind of breadth lacks detail, not so here. This is a phenomenal read that can leave you simultaneously excited and saddened.
The audiobook is good too, clearly read and presented well.
March 11, 2023
This is an up-close and personal view of WWII, and specifically the war as experienced by the B-17 pilots and crews. Who were, let us remember, usually teenagers at the start. Since the author has focused so intently on the individual experience, there is very little connection with the familiar overall WWII narrative arc. That’s not a huge detractor but it did result in me retaining less than I usually do from a historical work.
The main thing that I recall is the grim reality of being shot down: escaping the plane and getting your parachute open was far from the last thing to worry about. You face long odds against successful evasion of capture. If captured by civilians, you were very likely to be murdered. Being captured by German military was no picnic either, but at least usually, except towards the end of the war, resulted in something other than a bullet to the head.
The main thing that I recall is the grim reality of being shot down: escaping the plane and getting your parachute open was far from the last thing to worry about. You face long odds against successful evasion of capture. If captured by civilians, you were very likely to be murdered. Being captured by German military was no picnic either, but at least usually, except towards the end of the war, resulted in something other than a bullet to the head.
February 16, 2024
(Audiobook) (3.5 stars) This work looks at the history of the 303rd Bomb Group, which flew missions against Nazi Germany in the European Theater of World War II. It is mainly a military history, chronological organized with the author (Stout) looking at the unit history, how it operated in England and the missions it flew in Europe. There are plenty of human interest events, and it is not all about the planes, targets and missions. It does discuss the support units, those who were captured and those who had indirect association with the unit. Not a bad overview of a group of airmen in the war. Helps that the author was a fighter pilot, so he can translate the military-speak that can permeate unit histories and accounts. Still, this may not appeal to all readers. Those with an interest in the air-war will get the most out of this one. The rating is the same regardless of format.
May 18, 2018
Angles from below
by Ian McEwan
The true story of the 303rd bomb group. Hell's Angels a really good book to me because I love learning and hearing stories about World War 2. Hearing each pilots individual story and hearing what each of them go through makes you understand and feel what these men felt during the war. Although I don't think this book is for every one, I do think that anyone who likes learning about world war 2 will think its a definite 5 star. This book strongly reminded me of The dog that could fly which is also a really World War 2 book. So definitely check out Hell's Angels.
by Ian McEwan
The true story of the 303rd bomb group. Hell's Angels a really good book to me because I love learning and hearing stories about World War 2. Hearing each pilots individual story and hearing what each of them go through makes you understand and feel what these men felt during the war. Although I don't think this book is for every one, I do think that anyone who likes learning about world war 2 will think its a definite 5 star. This book strongly reminded me of The dog that could fly which is also a really World War 2 book. So definitely check out Hell's Angels.
February 12, 2024
I really enjoyed this book, and it is one of the best covering the air war over Europe. Most books on the air war are extremely broad or are focused on individuals, but I feel like this book is a happy medium. It focuses in on a bomb group, which is a large organization but is small enough to allow detail of its actions and the heroics of its airmen. It is also nice getting a break from what I feel like is a focus on the 100th bomb group, which is the focus of a lot of literature and film. The 303rd is a remarkable BG made up of remarkable men, and this book does them justice.
January 4, 2022
Excellent account of what the 8th Air Force went through in wWWII . Incredible story of heroism, tragedy and endurance exhibited by these kids (most were under 25) . A lot different from how people are reacting to Covid. These guys faced terrible danger each day, then got up again and did it again the next day. That takes real courage. Few of them broke. Good thing we didn’t have social media. We’d have lost the war. I highly recommend this book.
July 10, 2021
A very well written history of the 303rd Bomb Group. Not for the faint-hearted though, as there were many instances that the utter brutality forced me to set the book down and do something else for a while. Jay Stout does not shy away from the details, whether they be good or bad. I do not regret reading it at all and in my opinion, is a must for anyone interested in aviation or WWII history.
November 11, 2021
Someone studying WWII could read Hell's Angels and get a great snapshot of what it was like for crew's of the B17 flying fortress. Mixed with some strategy of the air war and the fighter support squadrons this book focuses on the men and their experiences. What's more incredible than the extreme danger they faced was that the men were all volunteers for flight duty. Real courage.
July 30, 2024
Hell's Angels
My Father in Law was a ball turret gunner on a B17G in the 303rd bomber group during WWII. His plane the Myassis Dragon, was shot down. I never realized until I read this book how difficult it was for him to escape the plane. It was a great book. I really appreciate his efforts during the war.
My Father in Law was a ball turret gunner on a B17G in the 303rd bomber group during WWII. His plane the Myassis Dragon, was shot down. I never realized until I read this book how difficult it was for him to escape the plane. It was a great book. I really appreciate his efforts during the war.
June 9, 2017
This is one of the best histories of the 8th Air Force (and the 303rd) that I have read, and I haver read a lot of stories about the Mighty 8th. Lots of details about daily lives and hair-raising missions.
October 1, 2019
My military studies is lacking in the "fly boys" history so came across this title and decided to further my education. A very good listen with some endearing insights about the men and women who faught in the air to keep the ground troops safe.
March 8, 2020
Excellent book, about what bomber crews experienced during their missions over occupied Europe, what terror they faced flying their missions, and how they helped bring Germany to their knees, and helped end the war in Europe.
August 10, 2024
This was excellent. I especially liked that he wrote about more than just the main missions (other books have done that), but the stories around them including the support groups. I have read several of the authors other books (Air Apaches was really good!). This was a book that I would like to read again because it was that well written and interesting.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 8, 2017
Great compilation and presentation of information surrounding the 303rd's experience in WWII.
November 16, 2018
Nice unit history and look at the B-17 US bomber campaign in Europe.
October 3, 2019
Many stories about the brave men who fought. I snagged this on the Libby app after going to an airshow. Apparently I'm into World War II history these days.
September 18, 2020
An awesome account of the operational history of the 303rd Bombardment Group.
October 8, 2021
This is an incredible account of the 303rd. Anyone interested in the actual happenings in WWII should read this book.
April 22, 2023
A/UN Audible - Excellent detailed account - appreciation of the price paid by these airmen who had a very high casualty rate
Displaying 1 - 30 of 43 reviews