Disgracefully Easy: A B-24 Pilot's Letters Home

by William Hanchett, Thomas F. Hanchett

In this posthumously published collection of letters and postal cards, William “Bill” Hanchett shares his candid experiences as a flight-school cadet, and later as an Army Air Forces pilot in command of a B-24 Liberator bomber during World War II.

Through Bill’s first-hand accounts, we learn that mastering the art of flying during wartime is about more than understanding engine throttle and airspeed. It’s about wondering when you’ll be called to fight and if you’ll be asked to betray your ideals. It’s about working hard and documenting the days, dreaming about the future, and longing for home.

An extraordinary primary document, Disgracefully Easy offers us a rare glimpse inside the military in the 1940s, a time when Americans worried about the fate of their great country and looked to the brave and courageous to deliver them from fear. This unique collection will be long remembered as an important addition to the annals of aviation history.

Genres: Nonfiction

491 pages, Kindle Edition

Published May 27, 2025

Reviews

[Thomas Wing · Rating 5 out of 5]

Tom's research compliments his father's letters superbly, giving us a wonderful view of World War II service that, while not involving deployment to the theaters of combat, was just as important. Those who fought the battles could not have done so without the support of those who remained behind, men and women, to keep material, munitions, weapons, aircraft, ships, tanks....well, you get the picture. Of great importance were those who trained the men who would fight. Tom Hatchett's father was one.
The details and perspective his father's letters provide are an important contribution to the story of the Greatest Generation and what it took to defeat fascism and restore freedom. It is a story that needs to be told, and Tom has done a magnificent job in doing so.

[Theresa Williams · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you like history

If you like history you will love this and the letters home are so insightful.

This was so detailed about flying and the war.

[Military Writers Society of America (MWSA)]

MWSA Review

Disgracefully Easy: A B-24 Pilot's Letters Home by William Hanchett, with Thomas F. Hanchett, is a thoroughly entertaining first-person account of one's experiences in becoming a U.S. Army Air Force pilot during World War II. This is a book not written from memory, years later, but is a primary firsthand account that is candid and observant, giving the reader exacting insight into pilot training during the war.

What makes the book especially effective is the author's feelings. For example, he discusses how he disliked flying after being berated by overly bellicose instructors. That immediacy gives the narrative its strength. In one passage, Hanchett says, “Man has not changed for the last thousand years … and that we must learn that peace will come only when we cease to think of good and right in terms of just over nations, ourselves.”

Disgracefully Easy is exceptionally well laid out. This structure makes the letters easy to follow with sharp, definitive chapter introductions written by Thomas Hanchett. For readers interested in World War II history, especially the Army Air Corps, this is a valuable and compelling book. There are no heroics from bombing missions over Europe; instead, it tells the story of a frustrated pilot who wanted just that but understood his mission to train new pilots so they could carry on the mission. Highly recommended.

Review by James Bultema

[Vanessa · Rating 5 out of 5]

ASTOUNDING book! I’d highly recommend it. It’s intriguing to visualize Army Air Forces Pilot’s perspective during WWII. It’s like visualizing myself during his era.

[Laura Rader · Rating 5 out of 5]

Disgracefully Easy is a fascinating and intimate look into the life of a WWII Lieutenant and pilot. Thoughtfully organized chronologically, the author introduces each set of his father’s letters with context and insight. The letters themselves reveal a very young, idealistic, and intelligent young man, Bill Hanchett. Writing from his stateside Army quarters, he tells his parents about basic training, college coursework, meals, friends, each stage of his flight and pilot training, and also compliments his mother on her new job and persistently encourages his father to share more details about his occupation. Although his skill in flying a variety of airplanes is obvious, to his disappointment he is not assigned to active duty, but given the role of flight instructor. He dedicates himself to that task and cares deeply about the success of his students.
Disgracefully Easy is very well-written by the narrating author, as are the letters of his father, the WWII soldier, delivering all the emotion, introspection, and conflict of a novel but with the added bonus of a behind the scenes dive into the US military of 80 years ago. Peppered with charming vintage expressions “golly,” “swell,” and “darn,” Lt. Bill Hanchett’s letters also share his strong opinions about government and world events and his tender emotions for his family and the woman who will become his wife.
This epistolary memoir will appeal to any reader who wants to learn more about WWII, life in the Army, flight, or who simply wants to walk in the shoes of a young man making the most of a time that was anything but easy.

[Emily Hanchett · Rating 5 out of 5]

Not just a record of military service, Disgracefully Easy reveals the thoughts and concerns of a young man living through extraordinary times. William Hanchett’s account of his meals - chow- his early morning runs, his swims in the ocean which are so special to a midwesterner, are both familiar and touching as is his concern for his parents who had been financially ruined during the Depression and in the 1940s are adapting to a whole new way of life. Well-documented and supported, the letters make for a great read.

[R.K. Emery · Rating 5 out of 5]

These kind of books put even more humanity to the people who were involved in these wars. We see how they communicated during difficult times.

Bill's letters are so very detailed in his letters that you get such an account of what was really happening.

This is such a powerful read and should be read by members of the younger generations. As well as being a testament to the endurance of the human spirit, it should convince our younger readers that freedom is not free.

[C. Gonzales · Rating 5 out of 5]

Disgracefully Easy achieves a pitch-perfect balance between a ground view of combat and the seismic forces that drew men to war. Its prose is sharp, efficient, and entertaining, its characters thoroughly human.

Hanchett is the master of putting the reader in the heat of the action. Disgracefully Easy is vivid and compelling, a crisp narrative about heroism, war, and going above and beyond the call of duty.

[Tim Weed · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hanchett gives us a fascinating, highly readable account of his father's lived experience of WWII and the lead-up, providing a meaningful contribution to the literature that should be of great interest to historians, history buffs, and general readers alike. The book is a joy to read, rich with anecdote and the textures of this bygone age. Highly recommended!

[Samantha Turley · Rating 5 out of 5]

From the beginning, Thomas F. Hanchett uses Williamm "Bill" Hanchetts words and letters to take the reader along on his journey.

Not every true story is like a good novel, but this one is. This was an interesting look into history.

This book will keep you interested its inspiring and just expertly done.

[Gina Stamper · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a remarkable and inspiring story that chronicles the Bill Hanchett’s journey. Through the letters, the author takes us back in time.

A wonderful, engaging book of a difficult time from someone who was there.

It's easy to read and very structured.