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Hell Hawks!: The Untold Story of the American Fliers Who Savaged Hitler's Wehrmacht
Hell Hawks sets a new standard for histories of the tactical anti-war in Europe. Veteran authors Bob Dorr and Tom Jones combine masterfully crafted veteran interviews with the broader picture of the air war fought by the Thunderbolt men. You gain a new appreciation of just how tough their deadly task was, and the courage needed to fly close air support against the Nazi fighters and flak. This outstanding book raises the bar on aviation history as it brings alive the true story of an aerial band of brothers." - Colonel Walter J. Boyne, National Aviation Hall of Famer, former director of the National Air & Space Museum, and best-selling author Hell Hawks! is the story of the band of young American fighter pilots, and their gritty, close-quarters fight against Hitlers vaunted military. The "Hell Hawks" were the men and machines of the 365th Fighter Group.
Beginning just prior to D-Day, June 6, 1944, the groups young pilots (most were barely twenty years old and fresh from flight training in the United States) flew in close support of Eisenhowers ground forces as they advanced across France and into Germany. They flew the rugged, heavily armed P-47 Thunderbolt, aka the Jug. Living in tents amid the cold mud of their front-line airfields, the 365ths daily routine had much in common with that of the G.I.s they supported.
Their war only stopped with the Nazi surrender on May 8, 1945. During their year in combat, the Hell Hawks paid a heavy price to win the victory. Sixty-nine pilots and airmen died in the fight across the continent. The Groups 1,241 combat missions -- the daily confrontation of sudden, violent death -- forged bonds between these men that remain strong sixty years later. This book will tell their story, the story of the Hell Hawks.
Beginning just prior to D-Day, June 6, 1944, the groups young pilots (most were barely twenty years old and fresh from flight training in the United States) flew in close support of Eisenhowers ground forces as they advanced across France and into Germany. They flew the rugged, heavily armed P-47 Thunderbolt, aka the Jug. Living in tents amid the cold mud of their front-line airfields, the 365ths daily routine had much in common with that of the G.I.s they supported.
Their war only stopped with the Nazi surrender on May 8, 1945. During their year in combat, the Hell Hawks paid a heavy price to win the victory. Sixty-nine pilots and airmen died in the fight across the continent. The Groups 1,241 combat missions -- the daily confrontation of sudden, violent death -- forged bonds between these men that remain strong sixty years later. This book will tell their story, the story of the Hell Hawks.
336 pages, Hardcover
First published June 15, 2008
41 people are currently reading
271 people want to read
About the author
Robert F. Dorr
82 books41 followersAuthor of "HITLER'S TIME MACHINE."
Author (1955- ); Air Force veteran (1957-60); retired Foreign Service officer (1964-89).
Author of about 75 books on the Air Force and on military history and operations.
Author of the weekly "Back Talk" column in Air Force Times newspaper, the monthly "Washington Watch" column in Aerospace America magazine; the monthly "Front Line" column in Combat Aircraft magazine; the monthly "Washington News" column in Air International magazine; the "The Way It Was" photo feature in Warbirds magazine; the "History Mystery" feature in Air Power History magazine, and other stuff.
I live in Virginia with spouse and Labrador retriever, have grown sons, new iMac. "HITLER'S TIME MACHINE" was published in December 2014
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Displaying 1 - 28 of 28 reviews
March 18, 2011
Robert F. Dorr and Thomas D. Jones'"Hell Hawks!: The Untold Story of the American Fliers Who Savaged Hitler's Wehrmacht" allows you to journey with the 365th Fighter Group from its inception through its training in Richmond, Virginia and Millville, New Jersey across the Atlantic Ocean with on the Queen Elizabeth with 15,000 other soldiers to England where they trained and were based during the invasion. We move to their base in France and experience the close air to ground combat with them as the move across France and ultimately into Germany with a series of bases that that keep them in close support of the ground troops. It tells the story of the air to ground battle. The book is well-researched. Nearly 200 interviews of 365th FG veterans and other combat veterans, plus interviews with family are the fodder for this well written and organized book. I was shocked to learn while reading the book that 15,000 Americans died in aircraft crashes during training and forty percent of the student pilots washed out during training.
The book tells the story of death from above. It is filled with the details of the daily combat and struggles of the "Hell Hawks!" As you read the book you will encounter the people who made up the 365th Fighter Group. I might suggest you begin the book by reading the appendix "What Happened to Them?" It gives a great overview of the key people in the book. Dorr and Jones do a marvelous job of painting the picture of the life and death fighting these young men engaged in on an almost daily basis. I loved the story of George Brooking who later commanded the fighter group. He arrived as a "senior" Captain and experienced fighter pilot having served in the Aleutians. He was shot down on his first mission, survive spending time with the Luxembourg resistance and then returning to take over the Fighter Group. I smiled when I read of Paris in August of 1944 and how few men spent much time on their feet while there. We continue to move up with the troops, survive the Battle of the Bulge, move into Germany and fight Jet airplanes. The group took a large number of causalities before their last combat mission on May 8, 1945.
"Hell Hawks!: The Untold Story of the American Fliers Who Savaged Hitler's Wehrmacht" is both an excellent military history, great book for anyone who enjoys flying and aviation writing, and maybe most importantly provides the best story of the air to ground battle. The book forcefully makes the point that the Hell Hawks with their P-47 Thunderbolts were as responsible as any other aircraft in winning the war. I highly recommend Hell Hawks! The further I got into the book the more spellbound I became. I had studied and read of the ground operations (which included the air to combat battle in the Falaise Gap) and knew the story of the B-17s and the B-24s, but was ignorant of the overall air to ground combat battle that took place across the European Theater.
Buy the book. Read it. You will love it and learn something along the way. I highly recommend the book. Thank you Robert F. Dorr and Thomas D. Jones for a needed work on a neglected subject.
Read by and Reviewed on May 4, 2010 by Jimmie A. Kepler
The book tells the story of death from above. It is filled with the details of the daily combat and struggles of the "Hell Hawks!" As you read the book you will encounter the people who made up the 365th Fighter Group. I might suggest you begin the book by reading the appendix "What Happened to Them?" It gives a great overview of the key people in the book. Dorr and Jones do a marvelous job of painting the picture of the life and death fighting these young men engaged in on an almost daily basis. I loved the story of George Brooking who later commanded the fighter group. He arrived as a "senior" Captain and experienced fighter pilot having served in the Aleutians. He was shot down on his first mission, survive spending time with the Luxembourg resistance and then returning to take over the Fighter Group. I smiled when I read of Paris in August of 1944 and how few men spent much time on their feet while there. We continue to move up with the troops, survive the Battle of the Bulge, move into Germany and fight Jet airplanes. The group took a large number of causalities before their last combat mission on May 8, 1945.
"Hell Hawks!: The Untold Story of the American Fliers Who Savaged Hitler's Wehrmacht" is both an excellent military history, great book for anyone who enjoys flying and aviation writing, and maybe most importantly provides the best story of the air to ground battle. The book forcefully makes the point that the Hell Hawks with their P-47 Thunderbolts were as responsible as any other aircraft in winning the war. I highly recommend Hell Hawks! The further I got into the book the more spellbound I became. I had studied and read of the ground operations (which included the air to combat battle in the Falaise Gap) and knew the story of the B-17s and the B-24s, but was ignorant of the overall air to ground combat battle that took place across the European Theater.
Buy the book. Read it. You will love it and learn something along the way. I highly recommend the book. Thank you Robert F. Dorr and Thomas D. Jones for a needed work on a neglected subject.
Read by and Reviewed on May 4, 2010 by Jimmie A. Kepler
February 3, 2017
This book is about a squadron of pilots who flew some of the most dangerous missions of World War II. They specialized in Air-to-Ground attack and flew P-47 Thunderbolts. In this book, we follow the lives of the men in this squadron as they travel across Europe, constantly moving to airfields right by the front lines. From the Normandy Invasion all the way to the last battle in the European Theater, this book will have you laughing crying, and even in awe of the stuff that these men went through. For example, strafing convoys in the Falaise Gap, shooting down Fw-190s and Me 109s and even the legendary German jet fighter Me 262, as well as being shot down by the enemies flak. This book is one of the best about the Pilots who lived, breathed, and slept behind the front lines with the soldiers. You don't want to miss this book.
I believe that this book is for people who love aviation, history, and a lot of action. Throughout the book, the authors portray stories by the men who flew the missions not only with utter clarity, but with complete reality, making you feel like you're the one whose flying 500 mph toward the ground., in the cockpit, with guns a-blaze The stories are magnificent and very rare. The authors have gathered there info by means of official records, interviews, as well as eyewitness accounts which allow you to see certain events in a different perspective.
After reading this book, I think it would be safe to say that was one of my all-time favorites. Definitely worth 5+ Stars. I’ve been looking for a book like this for some time now and to have finally found one that has everything I wanted I am beyond happy. I love these historical books that are written 80% by stories of men who witnessed certain events. I also found interesting what the pilots thought of their jobs. They knew that every time they took the air that they may not come back. It was pure bravery and courage.
I believe that this book is for people who love aviation, history, and a lot of action. Throughout the book, the authors portray stories by the men who flew the missions not only with utter clarity, but with complete reality, making you feel like you're the one whose flying 500 mph toward the ground., in the cockpit, with guns a-blaze The stories are magnificent and very rare. The authors have gathered there info by means of official records, interviews, as well as eyewitness accounts which allow you to see certain events in a different perspective.
After reading this book, I think it would be safe to say that was one of my all-time favorites. Definitely worth 5+ Stars. I’ve been looking for a book like this for some time now and to have finally found one that has everything I wanted I am beyond happy. I love these historical books that are written 80% by stories of men who witnessed certain events. I also found interesting what the pilots thought of their jobs. They knew that every time they took the air that they may not come back. It was pure bravery and courage.
December 30, 2008
My father gave me this book when I was home for the Christmas holidays. A friend of his who is a WWII buff was reading it when he came across two stories about my grandfather (who happens to share the same name as my father). The book is a nonfiction account of the 365th Fighter Group of the Armed Air Forces during WWII. It begins at the inception of the unit in 1943 and tells the story of the training, travel and combat involvement of this fighter-bomber unit through the end of the war in 1945. The unit was comprised of about 1,000 men, approximately 75 of whom were the pilots of the famous P-47 Thunderbolt, or "Jug" as it was nicknamed. This unit pioneered the air to ground combat that is critical to our armed forces today.
The book is highly readable and is a series of stories about various bases, battles and the men who were called the "Hell Hawks." I normally do not read war related literature but I found this book very interesting and I learned a great deal about the weapons, aircraft and tactics used during the war, which I found educational rather than sensational (sensational war related non-fiction seems grotesque to me). The unit was critical to both the D-Day attacks as well as the Battle of the Bulge and the account of the war during these years was new to me, as it went into much more detail than any history class that I took in high school or college.
I finished this book feeling like I now know a great deal more about the forces that shaped my grandfather's personality (he was a tough one) and his life. I understood for the first time the exact timing and context in which he met, courted and married my grandmother. I also had a much greater understanding of the war and how it shaped the world today and the people of my grandfather's generation.
The book is highly readable and is a series of stories about various bases, battles and the men who were called the "Hell Hawks." I normally do not read war related literature but I found this book very interesting and I learned a great deal about the weapons, aircraft and tactics used during the war, which I found educational rather than sensational (sensational war related non-fiction seems grotesque to me). The unit was critical to both the D-Day attacks as well as the Battle of the Bulge and the account of the war during these years was new to me, as it went into much more detail than any history class that I took in high school or college.
I finished this book feeling like I now know a great deal more about the forces that shaped my grandfather's personality (he was a tough one) and his life. I understood for the first time the exact timing and context in which he met, courted and married my grandmother. I also had a much greater understanding of the war and how it shaped the world today and the people of my grandfather's generation.
July 27, 2012
Great
April 4, 2022
In Hell Hawks! aerial Authors and Veterans Robert F Dorr and Thomas D/ Jones take us along with the 365th Group of the 9th Air Force- the "Other" American Air Force in the UK in WWII. Most folks know about the Strategic 8th Air Force with its deep penetration raids to attack Axis Cities and Factories- but may not have heard of the Tactical 9th. In this case the P-47 Pilots of the 365th spent their time giving air support to front line troops, tank and truck busting on logistical tails, and their favourite- Train Busting. Along the way, they also did fighter sweeps and attacks on enemy air bases. The P-47 with it's simpler air cooled radial engine and strong armour on key points was the best of the American WWII Fighters for this Fighter-bomber role, and you get lots of stories about wounded planes and pilots getting home due to its rugged construction. Its a compelling look at one of the best tools in the WWII US armoury- real close air support and tactical air.
Dorr and Jones are writing a combination unit history, oral history, and also giving us more context to Allied Victory in WWII. Lots of memories from pilots and ground crew, sometimes from the infantry who got the help they needed, sometimes even from the enemy. The authors try to show you what missions were like, what it was like to fly them, and then just how exhausting the overall pace of operations could be. He's also careful to keep track of the many accidents that happen when people fly so much with bombs and machine guns loaded at all times. Our boys start in the UK and end up flying from Luftwaffe bases, all the while raining mayhem on the enemy. Really interesting book on a less well known topic. I learned things I did not know before, a sign of a good read.
There are some adult themes and some graphic injury descriptions that make this best read by the Junior Reader over 13/14. For the Gamer/Modeler/Military Enthusiast, this is a cool book. The Gamer gets a lot of ideas for different scenarios for WWII Aerial games other than high altitude raids on Germany. The Modeler gets a different P-47 gang to model, as well as build and diorama ideas - there are some nice B/W photos that appear in the book. The Military Enthusiast gets a key insight into a different aspect of the Allied Air War on the Axis- as well as Tank and train busting two topics that always garner interest. It's a really good read and gives you a real feel for war in the cockpit- whether the reader is new to military history or reads it all the time.
Dorr and Jones are writing a combination unit history, oral history, and also giving us more context to Allied Victory in WWII. Lots of memories from pilots and ground crew, sometimes from the infantry who got the help they needed, sometimes even from the enemy. The authors try to show you what missions were like, what it was like to fly them, and then just how exhausting the overall pace of operations could be. He's also careful to keep track of the many accidents that happen when people fly so much with bombs and machine guns loaded at all times. Our boys start in the UK and end up flying from Luftwaffe bases, all the while raining mayhem on the enemy. Really interesting book on a less well known topic. I learned things I did not know before, a sign of a good read.
There are some adult themes and some graphic injury descriptions that make this best read by the Junior Reader over 13/14. For the Gamer/Modeler/Military Enthusiast, this is a cool book. The Gamer gets a lot of ideas for different scenarios for WWII Aerial games other than high altitude raids on Germany. The Modeler gets a different P-47 gang to model, as well as build and diorama ideas - there are some nice B/W photos that appear in the book. The Military Enthusiast gets a key insight into a different aspect of the Allied Air War on the Axis- as well as Tank and train busting two topics that always garner interest. It's a really good read and gives you a real feel for war in the cockpit- whether the reader is new to military history or reads it all the time.
January 8, 2022
This was a random Half-Price Books pickup, and what a find—it’s phenomenal. Hell Hawks is a history of an attack fighter unit that flew the P-47 Thunderbolt in Europe during World War II, following their progress across the continent all the way to the war’s conclusion. The interviews and research that went into this are tremendous, but it’s also very well-written—the aerial battles are thrilling and easy to follow, the authors take care to explain concepts without jargon, and the personalities of the unit’s men are vividly sketched. This sets a high bar for WWII aviation books.
March 4, 2024
The Hell Hawks piloted the P47 - Thunderbolt, a fighter/bomber known for being extremely resilient and versatile. This book accounts the action experienced from first hand perspectives. What struck me is how the roles these planes carried out now is very much that of a drone, targeting armour, infrastructure and transport. The force was visionary, with ground/air forces working in tandem to clear obstructions to the push for the German heartlands.
November 25, 2018
the record of the P47 fighter in the european theater in WWII. Much accomplished by the plane that did not get the PR of the P51 Mustang.
January 11, 2021
This was a wonderfully detailed set of stories from participants set with equally detailed overview of events. A should read for anyone studying the air war in Europe.
December 27, 2024
More anecdotal reminiscences than focused, linear history, it’s fine for what it is. I’ve just read too many oral histories to be engaged by this one. DNF
October 12, 2010
The book “Hell Hawks” by Robert F. Dorr and Thomas D. Jones is about the 365th fighter group of WWII. The 365th fighter group's job was to give air to ground support to the American soldiers in eastern Europe. The plane the 365th fighter group used was the P-47 thunderbolt which had thee most fire power of any fighter plane in WWII. The story is told in a 3rd person point of view from the pilots of the 365th fighter group.
I like d the book but I didn't like how it didn't really have a plot. The book was kinda like a bunch of stories put together. The liked the suspense and action of the book and the.
I like d the book but I didn't like how it didn't really have a plot. The book was kinda like a bunch of stories put together. The liked the suspense and action of the book and the.
October 5, 2011
If ever you get the notion that war is somehow glorious....you should read this book! First hand accounts from the pilots of the famous P47 "Flying Jug" from "D-Day" to the end of the war. These pilots where young & put to the test...a lot didn't make it. The book really focuses on this amazing plane & the heroics of it's brave pilots. The backdrop is the war itself and the toll taken on both sides. It was quite fascinating to read about the details of the campaign & the eventual defeat of the German war machine.
May 27, 2013
Highly readable and informative, a fitting tribute to the "Hell Hawks," the P-47 Thunderbolt fighter-bomber crews that played such a vital role in the American victory over Nazi Germany, from D-Day onward. Chock full of interviews with the actual pilots and crew chiefs themselves, telling stoties in equal parts humorous, harrowing, and tragic. Mr. Dorr, a columnist for Air Force Times Magazine and author of several other books on military aviation,knows his stuff.
July 14, 2016
The Nitty Gritty of the War in Europe
An excellent book about the American Ninth Air Force close combat air support groups. While an excellent book on the day to day missions, the book does suffer a bit from sounding like a rehash of the days action report. All in all a excellent read for those interested in close air support and those interested in aerial combat outside of dogfights.
An excellent book about the American Ninth Air Force close combat air support groups. While an excellent book on the day to day missions, the book does suffer a bit from sounding like a rehash of the days action report. All in all a excellent read for those interested in close air support and those interested in aerial combat outside of dogfights.
December 14, 2010
My brother loaned me a author signed copy...good so far.
Enjoyable and very informative about the contributions to the war effort by a group of young figter-bomber pilots. Somewhat repetitive, but does give a good accounting of the battles that took place as the Allies prepared to invade Europe, and the difficulties involved in moving onto Germany.
Enjoyable and very informative about the contributions to the war effort by a group of young figter-bomber pilots. Somewhat repetitive, but does give a good accounting of the battles that took place as the Allies prepared to invade Europe, and the difficulties involved in moving onto Germany.
January 14, 2014
It's fairly easy to find 8th Air Force accounts from P-51 pilots, but except for Robert Johnson's Thunderbolt!, find P-47 accounts, much less 9th Air Force P-47 books is another matter. Here's a account of a squadron of ground pounding Thunderbolts, the pilots who flew them and the cost they made the German's pay...as well as the cost to the pilots in the aircraft. Should be in any P-47 library.
February 8, 2014
Great story about the men who flew in combat during WW ll. It’s hard to imagine how they took their planes and willingly flew into combat knowing that the chances were that they would not return. I have the privilege to live near one of the pilots mentioned in the book and have had some great conversations with him offering some great insights about the times.
April 2, 2016
I love world war II history and this gives a lot of it, from the perspective of the role of the P47 thunderbolt aircraft and its role in the changing the tide of the war in Europe.
I must warn you though, it is a hard read, relatively poorly written, and difficult to stay awake with all the details and names, but I must give the authors credit for putting it out there.
I must warn you though, it is a hard read, relatively poorly written, and difficult to stay awake with all the details and names, but I must give the authors credit for putting it out there.
June 23, 2016
Wonderful book about American's flying against the German enemy during world war two.
Great book filled with many stories about American pilots flying their beloved p-47 against German soldier's on the ground and in the air. Many details and a must read for anyone interested in airpower during world war two.
Great book filled with many stories about American pilots flying their beloved p-47 against German soldier's on the ground and in the air. Many details and a must read for anyone interested in airpower during world war two.
February 13, 2009
Just finished this. The author (well one of the two, Robert Dorr) was signing books at a museum I was at. To be honest before I read this I heard little of the P47. This is a good, thorough book about how this plane was used in the European theater during WW2 and the men who flew it.
June 14, 2010
This is a great view of WWII from a lesser know point of view. I did not know the role of the P-47s in Europe. This was a well written, and engaging book that tells the stories of the men, both in the air and on the ground supporting the the flying Jugs.
Read
August 5, 2011Interesting - written much like a sequential combat journal with some extra info thrown in along the way about the airplanes, the situation on the ground in Europe, and the personnel of the squadrons.
December 18, 2013
The Thunderbolt in the ground attack role
This book gives P47 pilots recognition for their part in defeating Germany during World War II. It's an aspect of the plane's history often overlooked.
This book gives P47 pilots recognition for their part in defeating Germany during World War II. It's an aspect of the plane's history often overlooked.
March 11, 2015
Love me some WWII aviation! This book definitely doesn't disappoint! These guys in the IX Army Air Force were as front line as it gets for a flier. Pioneering the air to ground war and out scoring the Luftwaffe in the air. It's crazy how some of these guys weren't even 20 yet!
March 23, 2011
I received this book as a gift, signed by the author. I enjoyed it, I'd kept track of various aircraft types in my youth, it was great to recapture some of that wonder and interest.
February 20, 2015
Awesome book covering the cooperation between air and ground forces during WWII. The action sequences were outstanding! Want more books like it.
July 10, 2015
Highly Recommend
August 23, 2023
Pretty good, I'm glad I gave it a second try. Draws heavily from Charles Johnson's very limited print, History of the Hell Hawks. Lots of quotes. Not for the squeamish.
Displaying 1 - 28 of 28 reviews