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A Wing and a Prayer: The "Bloody 100th" Bomb Group of the U.S. Eighth Air Force in Action over Europe in World War II
The author describes his experiences as navigator on a B-17 Flying Fortress
336 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 1993
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 145 reviews
June 12, 2025
This is one of the best air war memoirs I have read. Written by a B 17 navigator, this book has a completely different feel to it than so many others written by pilots. Harry Crosby was an original member of the 100th Bomb Group and was there from the start right till the end of the war. This makes it unique as you get a first-hand look at how the unit and the air war evolved over the skies of Europe.
The unit's first year of war was full of deadly missions where Luftwaffe fighters decimated formations, where on one mission only one unit plane returned. The missions were long, navigation was difficult in bad weather, opposition was strong and there were no fighter escorts. While in its last year of war there were almost no Luftwaffe planes challenging them and when there was they had escorts to protect them, they had better technology to help find their targets and crews survived longer, thus having more experience and training than the originals.
Crosby does a great job at taking you into the actions and vividly describes the actions he survived. In between all the action he also focuses on everyday base life and what the crews did to cope with everything they experienced. Crosby had a good and long war, and I am thankful that he left this great book so that we can see what these men went through and sacrificed for the freedoms we still enjoy today.
Great book and very highly recommended reading, especially alongside the TV series Masters of the Air.
The unit's first year of war was full of deadly missions where Luftwaffe fighters decimated formations, where on one mission only one unit plane returned. The missions were long, navigation was difficult in bad weather, opposition was strong and there were no fighter escorts. While in its last year of war there were almost no Luftwaffe planes challenging them and when there was they had escorts to protect them, they had better technology to help find their targets and crews survived longer, thus having more experience and training than the originals.
Crosby does a great job at taking you into the actions and vividly describes the actions he survived. In between all the action he also focuses on everyday base life and what the crews did to cope with everything they experienced. Crosby had a good and long war, and I am thankful that he left this great book so that we can see what these men went through and sacrificed for the freedoms we still enjoy today.
Great book and very highly recommended reading, especially alongside the TV series Masters of the Air.
November 17, 2012
This is one of the best war memoirs I've ever read. Crosby spares no punches in conveying the sheer fright and horror experienced by him and his squadron mates as they flew mission after mission in their B-17 bombers into the heart of German-occupied Europe.
September 23, 2023
Crosby was one of the most experienced and best navigator’s in WW II. This is his extraordinary memoir. He reveals all his self-doubts in a most humble fashion. His superior navigating (he often ascribed it to luck, got him promoted to Group Navigator. At one point he was just one mission shy of the twenty-five needed to get sent home, when, ironically, because the horrendous loss rate had begun to decline, the number needed was raised to thirty. The rationale for doing so was truly monstrously evil. The assumption was that given the loss rates approaching 100% over 25 missions, when loss rates dropped, the logistics of supply changed:
“Until then, 8AF losses were about four percent per mission. Theoretically, by the time we had flown twenty-five missions, we were KIA or POW, and we had to be replaced. If we bucked the odds, we got to go home. Since the Eighth couldn’t plan on our being there we might as well not be taking up bunks and rations. Now, losses declined a little, down to about three percent, and our human logistics changed. We had to fly thirty missions”.
“On this mission, one crew, piloted by Glenn Dye, flew their twenty-fifth. They were done. They could go home. They were the only original crew of the 100th’s original thirty-five who finished a tour. One out of thirty-five made it through a tour. And even on Dye’s crew, one gunner was killed. None of the original crew all made it. That did not encourage us much.”
Navigators were crucial to the success, and return, of a mission. In his scrapbook* on the Smithsonian website, Crosby flatly states, “From a good pilot all I expected was a good truck driver. I wanted him to shut up, drive the plane, and stay out of things and as the navigator and the bombardier took care of the mission.” They had to rely on dead reckoning and radios for navigation; all the celestial navigation skills they had been taught as school were basically useless, and their octants soon piled up in the trash.
Lots of interesting tidbits. My favorite was why he decided not to bomb Bonn and picked another target. It’s in the scrapbook, if you don’t want to read the memoir. Crosby suffered from severe airsickness, common among navigators, as they spent considerable time watching the ground from low altitudes where it was always more turbulent. On one mission, they spun out of control, the pilot recovering with just two functioning engines. The plane had 1200 shell holes, 1 dead crewman, and five injured. They just made it back to England, landing on a “dummy” airfield.
Harmony between the Brits and Americans was problematic. So many British men were overseas, leaving the country to American males. Crosby was sent to attend a conference to discuss inter-ally relations. He found it enlightening. “All during the conference, no matter what the announced subject for discussion, we always kept returning to two knotty problems, disharmony among the Allies and too much harmony between the genders.”
The B-17 was known for being a tough old bird. There was always competition between B-24 and B-17 pilots on which was the better aircraft. “You can still start an argument with a WWII Air Corps veteran as to which was better, the B-24 or the B-17. Because of its highly efficient Davis wing, the B-24 carried a heavier load and flew faster. However, because of that same slim, narrow wing, the Lib was vulnerable. Hit that wing and down went the plane. A B-17 could get its crew back on one engine. Even with half its tail torn off or with a huge, gaping hole in the wings, fuselage, or nose, a good pilot could get his Fort and his crew back to the base.”
Regardless, the 100th was notorious for its high losses. “We had too much combat exhaustion, which was what they called it when a crew member was afraid to fly and quit. We had too many midair crashes of our own planes. We had too many cases of our airmen getting into fights at the local pubs."
Losses were horrendus. Crews had a 1 in 35 chance of making it back alive.
A truly fascinating and humble look at what it was like to fly missions in a B-17 over Europe.
*https://timeandnavigation.si.edu/navi...
“Until then, 8AF losses were about four percent per mission. Theoretically, by the time we had flown twenty-five missions, we were KIA or POW, and we had to be replaced. If we bucked the odds, we got to go home. Since the Eighth couldn’t plan on our being there we might as well not be taking up bunks and rations. Now, losses declined a little, down to about three percent, and our human logistics changed. We had to fly thirty missions”.
“On this mission, one crew, piloted by Glenn Dye, flew their twenty-fifth. They were done. They could go home. They were the only original crew of the 100th’s original thirty-five who finished a tour. One out of thirty-five made it through a tour. And even on Dye’s crew, one gunner was killed. None of the original crew all made it. That did not encourage us much.”
Navigators were crucial to the success, and return, of a mission. In his scrapbook* on the Smithsonian website, Crosby flatly states, “From a good pilot all I expected was a good truck driver. I wanted him to shut up, drive the plane, and stay out of things and as the navigator and the bombardier took care of the mission.” They had to rely on dead reckoning and radios for navigation; all the celestial navigation skills they had been taught as school were basically useless, and their octants soon piled up in the trash.
Lots of interesting tidbits. My favorite was why he decided not to bomb Bonn and picked another target. It’s in the scrapbook, if you don’t want to read the memoir. Crosby suffered from severe airsickness, common among navigators, as they spent considerable time watching the ground from low altitudes where it was always more turbulent. On one mission, they spun out of control, the pilot recovering with just two functioning engines. The plane had 1200 shell holes, 1 dead crewman, and five injured. They just made it back to England, landing on a “dummy” airfield.
Harmony between the Brits and Americans was problematic. So many British men were overseas, leaving the country to American males. Crosby was sent to attend a conference to discuss inter-ally relations. He found it enlightening. “All during the conference, no matter what the announced subject for discussion, we always kept returning to two knotty problems, disharmony among the Allies and too much harmony between the genders.”
The B-17 was known for being a tough old bird. There was always competition between B-24 and B-17 pilots on which was the better aircraft. “You can still start an argument with a WWII Air Corps veteran as to which was better, the B-24 or the B-17. Because of its highly efficient Davis wing, the B-24 carried a heavier load and flew faster. However, because of that same slim, narrow wing, the Lib was vulnerable. Hit that wing and down went the plane. A B-17 could get its crew back on one engine. Even with half its tail torn off or with a huge, gaping hole in the wings, fuselage, or nose, a good pilot could get his Fort and his crew back to the base.”
Regardless, the 100th was notorious for its high losses. “We had too much combat exhaustion, which was what they called it when a crew member was afraid to fly and quit. We had too many midair crashes of our own planes. We had too many cases of our airmen getting into fights at the local pubs."
Losses were horrendus. Crews had a 1 in 35 chance of making it back alive.
A truly fascinating and humble look at what it was like to fly missions in a B-17 over Europe.
*https://timeandnavigation.si.edu/navi...
April 25, 2025
This was an amazing memoir! I love WWII nonfiction, and this one is definitely going on my favorites list. The incredible heroism and bravery displayed in this book was nothing short of inspiring, and I also really enjoyed getting to see the WWII air combat from a veteran’s perspective. The horrible things that happened are heartbreaking, but books like these are so important to read. I highly recommend this one!
January 10, 2012
Epic book, really gives you an inside look into the lives of those who served in some of the world's hardest air combat.
October 7, 2024
More than a 4 star. 4.75.
May 17, 2024
Excellent. Just cream of the crop, extremely well written. Crosby has interesting shit to write about, interesting thoughts about his experiences, and this was just a joy to read. I could not put this down, and its the rare memoir where its a huge disappointment when its over simply because of how much it feels like being left behind by the author; dont go, take me with you, I want to hear more.
A fascinating and moving snapshot of this aspect of the war, but also of just life during this period as Americans were thrown onto the world stage. I can't rec this highly enough.
A fascinating and moving snapshot of this aspect of the war, but also of just life during this period as Americans were thrown onto the world stage. I can't rec this highly enough.
May 4, 2024
so. i think this is the book to read if i want more about the 100th. also it's not 700 pages long yay
harry crosby the man that you were. the history of the 100th is unbelievable, and i am incredibly grateful to be able to read and watch and learn about it, discovering these incredible stories that to me showcase the true human spirit in the face of war.
also every single mention of bucky&buck just absolutely warmed my heart
harry crosby the man that you were. the history of the 100th is unbelievable, and i am incredibly grateful to be able to read and watch and learn about it, discovering these incredible stories that to me showcase the true human spirit in the face of war.
also every single mention of bucky&buck just absolutely warmed my heart
August 10, 2023
An absolute must read! one of the best World War 2 accounts I’ve ever read!
April 13, 2024
I picked this up having watched the mini series Masters of the Air looking for background and found it in this compelling narrative. I recommend it for anyone seeking the same, and for the details that bring that time and the war to life.
May 4, 2022
A remarkable book and I enjoyed it immensely. I thought it would be an American bravado-fueled look at the 8th USAAF, and particularly the 100th Bomb Group but, no, I was wrong. The author, a navigator, was anything but, and in fact he had little time for the "cowboys" he flew with in the early months (1943), although he also admired them for the way the "cowboys" (pilots all) provided a lot of needed esprit-de-corps. Crosby's descriptions of the procedure to form up squadrons, groups and divisions for raids over Europe were especially revealing. Not a matter of just gaining altitude and away we go! And it was largely all navigators, and RF techs, who did that. Pilots were merely bus drivers, and got the plane to the target so that the bombardier could take control of the plane on the bomb run (yet the pilots were promoted, and were given commands). The losses experienced by the Group were simply staggering, and yet those young men (23 for an officer was considered old) went out time and again. Fifteen aircraft lost out of 21 was not unusual, and folks, that's 150 experienced aircrew either dead or captured. That's daylight bombing for you. Crosby was a very thoughtful man, and he expresses himself well in his book. He made mistakes (as a nav, not writing), he was constantly airsick, and yet he was the sole survivor of the original 100th. He was also a very, very skilled navigator who practiced his craft with great seriousness, and he was just plain lucky. Did he have reservations about what they accomplished, and the destruction and death the USAAF rained on Germany? Sure he did. But at the end of the day, he did his job to the best of his ability, knowing that was what was required. There's a nice Epilogue included, where he sums up a lot of loose strings. You don't often see that in a memoir such as this. Harry Crosby died in 2010, having reached 91 years, but thank goodness he left this exceptional book about a period in time the world will never experience again.
April 30, 2025
Nostalgic for a time when I did not live
July 3, 2023
Slightly rambly autobiography with some interesting deets about the bloody 100th. Some outdated gender assumptions but readable.
March 16, 2021
Unfortunately, this is not a book I can recommend due to the profanity and immoral actions scattered throughout the entire book. For those who may be researching the Bloody 100th Bomb Group, this book certainly gives a lot of its history, but it needs heavily censored.
I am giving it two stars because I was reading it with the specific intention of learning more about the 100th BG, and it did accomplish that goal. I do not intend to ever reread the entire book, however, because of all of the immorality and profanity. I will probably reread certain sections of the book, from time to time, but will not do a complete reread.
I am giving it two stars because I was reading it with the specific intention of learning more about the 100th BG, and it did accomplish that goal. I do not intend to ever reread the entire book, however, because of all of the immorality and profanity. I will probably reread certain sections of the book, from time to time, but will not do a complete reread.
February 16, 2025
Read this because I’m a huge MOA fan, and wish I had done it in the opposite order. For having so much technical information regarding planes and aviation I still would recommend this to people who are not in the industry or have WW2 as a special interest. One of the best memoirs I’ve ever had the pleasure of reading. Even with the imagery from the show I find it difficult to fathom just how harrowing this experience was for everyone who survived. Crosby also does a really good dive into morality and the human psyche in this book in addition to all of the facts, it’s extremely well balanced. The plunge into the abyss. Man becoming the monster he set out to defeat, perfection.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 31, 2024
After watching Masters of the Air I knew I wanted to pick up another world war memoir, this time from an airman. Whose better to read but a navigator's story, whose job was to keep flight records noting down shutes, fights and targets met or missed. Overall, it's a captivating history of the 100th bomber group but as a product of it's time, some of the comments about women were hard to hear. In the later chapters Crosby turns 26, a old timer compared to his group, but it was amazing so much had occurred and how much he grew in a short time.
Ps thanks for being book 200 in 2024!
Ps thanks for being book 200 in 2024!
April 20, 2024
One of the better war memoirs that I have read, due in large part to the combination of Crosby's daring and exceptional exploits and humble attitude. Crosby's first hand accounts of military politics, daylight bombing missions from France to Berlin to the Russian front, and life in wartime England as a young American airman brings this time and place to life and gives the reader a picture of those who took part in this theater of WWII and flew in the B-17 Flying Fortress. Told from the unique perspective and pressures of a navigator this book puts a different spin on the air war memoir and Crosby's maturity for his age allowed for the reader to see different parts of the life of an American airman as his leadership responsibilities increased. I received a free copy of this book from the publisher.
September 24, 2024
This is one of the rare WWII memoirs that emphasizes the personal aspects of battle rather than blow-by-blow military actions. In that sense it is refreshing, though in no way does it gloss over the horrors of war. I've read dozens of military memoirs, and this one is definitely in the top tier.
February 9, 2024
Wow, just wow. I love books like this. I absolutely loved it.
April 15, 2024
A great companion to "Masters of the Air" (both the book and the series), giving a slightly different perspective, as told by one of the participants.
January 2, 2025
Harry Crosby was my grandfathers first cousin! I was excited to watch Masters of the Air and thought it was excellent.
This book is a very interesting on a number of levels: the bravery of the bomber crews, the social commentary, crosby’s character himself, and the drama of the missions. I would recommend it if you are wanting a first person history read.
This book is a very interesting on a number of levels: the bravery of the bomber crews, the social commentary, crosby’s character himself, and the drama of the missions. I would recommend it if you are wanting a first person history read.
March 13, 2024
I have read roughly a dozen 1st hand accounts of the experiences of World War 2 veterans and this one rates right up there, sometimes hard to track all the planes and crew as the “Bloody 100th” casualty rate was hard to keep up with. I have often thought the air crews had it better in WW2 - this book made me seriously question that idea. Read the book while watching Apples Masters of the Air, some things do not match up 100% but for the most part Harry Crosby’s version agreed with the TV version of events.
January 16, 2025
Interesting recap of bombing over Europe during WWII. Reads like a novel so is easy to digest and provides a viewpoint from a navigator and not just a pilot. I'm not sure about the quality of publishing as there is a significant amount of very odd spelling erros.
March 20, 2024
I’ve been watching ‘Masters of the Air’ on Apple TV, and this memoir forms the basis for parts of the story. It’s interesting to see some of the artistic license the film makers took, and the different point of view that Crosby had about some of the main protagonists in the show. Good read with some fascinating detail.
May 12, 2025
I have read dozens of books on WWII, some average, some good, and some excellent, but this one is quite simply the best. Read it. That is all.
Six stars (out of five).
Six stars (out of five).
March 24, 2024
One day I will read a book about the air war, and not sob violently. But it is not this day! What a lovely memoir, showing us a very personal side of the war. Crosby balances technical details with hilarious anecdotes, making it a very readable book. So many incredible scenes that didn’t make it into the TV show, it’s a great read if you crave more 100th bomb group stories!
June 25, 2011
The amazing first-hand account of the navigator in a B-17 bomber flying his alotted 25 missions during World War 2.
December 30, 2021
I just finished re-reading this. My Mom had given it to me when I was young and had watched the movie "Memphis Belle", and was getting into WW2 history. I read it several times as a youth, but now reading it in my late 30s it definitely strikes me differently. It is a masterful memoir of what being on a B17 crew was like. Crosby provides exceptional details of his experiences as a navigator and crew. He also provides some very good lessons about leadership, professionalism, and how to cope with war.
The theme that strikes me throughout is how, early on, the 100th BG was relatively undisciplined. Crosby uses the term 'raunch' to describe some of its early members and leadership, and partially for these reasons his unit is hit particularly hard on missions. They don't fly formation well, and so are picked off by the Luftwaffe in preference to other groups. This attitude is influced in particular by several of the squadron leaders, who are all shot down in the process. Later leaders are much more professional, and as they drill the unit into better performance and less cowboy individualism, the group performs much better. Crosby pulls few punches here, but despite his criticisms, I think he is very fair and it seems that he admires the cowboys to some extent in spite of his critiques. He wants to be one of them too, to some extent.
One of the other things that stands out to me is how Crosby correlates his military experiences with some of his other assignments. He is assigned to a multinational discussion group to figure out how to solve problems between US and UK soldiers and people, particularly the problem of how American GIs are hooking up with too many UK women. Crosby relates this back to the American raunch cowboy attitude, but at the same time he learns some classical philosophy from his British hosts. This also applies to his own life, and how he deals with the longterm and long-distance separation from his wife. Crosby is very careful here, and I think it is reasonable to suspect that he was as faithful as he could be, but this was not 100%.
Men fight and die. It hurts when they die or are wounded, and you feel as if you know some of them. Crosby builds suspense for the men who are shot down, because you don't know if they lived or not...at least until the end.
Structurally, the book is a bit unique. The most difficult missions, which form a clear climax of the story, occur relatively early in the book, because it is a history, not fiction. Unfortunately, that means the last half of the book is a little less 'exciting' if you are really out to only read about the action. Those that do so are missing out, because the core philosophy and inner demons that Crosby writes about are well worth the time.
Oh, and that movie I mentioned, "Memphis Belle"? As a sidenote, it is often criticized for being too hollywood and fake. However, Crosby's book/story must have been influential to its production, as that movie follows more of Crosby's experience than the history of the Memphis Belle itself. Nearly all of the more hollywoodish events of that movie can be found in A Wing and a Prayer.
The theme that strikes me throughout is how, early on, the 100th BG was relatively undisciplined. Crosby uses the term 'raunch' to describe some of its early members and leadership, and partially for these reasons his unit is hit particularly hard on missions. They don't fly formation well, and so are picked off by the Luftwaffe in preference to other groups. This attitude is influced in particular by several of the squadron leaders, who are all shot down in the process. Later leaders are much more professional, and as they drill the unit into better performance and less cowboy individualism, the group performs much better. Crosby pulls few punches here, but despite his criticisms, I think he is very fair and it seems that he admires the cowboys to some extent in spite of his critiques. He wants to be one of them too, to some extent.
One of the other things that stands out to me is how Crosby correlates his military experiences with some of his other assignments. He is assigned to a multinational discussion group to figure out how to solve problems between US and UK soldiers and people, particularly the problem of how American GIs are hooking up with too many UK women. Crosby relates this back to the American raunch cowboy attitude, but at the same time he learns some classical philosophy from his British hosts. This also applies to his own life, and how he deals with the longterm and long-distance separation from his wife. Crosby is very careful here, and I think it is reasonable to suspect that he was as faithful as he could be, but this was not 100%.
Men fight and die. It hurts when they die or are wounded, and you feel as if you know some of them. Crosby builds suspense for the men who are shot down, because you don't know if they lived or not...at least until the end.
Structurally, the book is a bit unique. The most difficult missions, which form a clear climax of the story, occur relatively early in the book, because it is a history, not fiction. Unfortunately, that means the last half of the book is a little less 'exciting' if you are really out to only read about the action. Those that do so are missing out, because the core philosophy and inner demons that Crosby writes about are well worth the time.
Oh, and that movie I mentioned, "Memphis Belle"? As a sidenote, it is often criticized for being too hollywood and fake. However, Crosby's book/story must have been influential to its production, as that movie follows more of Crosby's experience than the history of the Memphis Belle itself. Nearly all of the more hollywoodish events of that movie can be found in A Wing and a Prayer.
August 10, 2024
this, without a doubt, is one of my favorite books i have ever read. i finished it about twenty minutes ago and ive been sitting here trying to put into words how incredible it is, but i don’t think i fully can.
i grew up around Vietnam and Korea veterans- my family having a long line of vets in general and my dad having grown up on bases around the country- and always had an interest in military history. moreso the people who survived the wars rather than the actual war itself. i am currently an intern at my local county museum when im not away at college, and my main focus is local veterans and war history. obviously this book was a perfect read for me.
Harry Crosby’s voice immediately had me hooked, and i don’t believe a single person who could ever say that they didn’t immediately fall in love with him when reading this. he’s funny, he’s descriptive in an extremely human and relatable way, and by god does he not skip details. from the missions he flew to days off in London, his descriptions made me feel like i was actually there. the way he talked about the people he met and the men he served with at Thorpe Abbots had my heart wrenching and i could feel the respect and love radiating from the page.
normally i don’t cry over books, i’ve been pretty good at keeping it together. but with A Wing and a Prayer, i have cried countless times and had to put the book down so times to step away and process what i had read. especially with the ending of the epilogue.
one of my favorite details and parts of Crosby’s writing is his use of repetition throughout to create and help the audience understand the disbelief and numbness of the loss and devastation through the war. i’m a sucker for repetition as a symbol, i will admit, but when he spoke about planes and crews going down and could only describe them as “gone,” it really puts it into perspective. things happen so quickly in the clouds, you don’t have time to process- just do your job and make sure to hit the target.
A Wing and a Prayer is an incredible book. the story of the 100th is immortalized through history, but Crosby’s account is a truly special insight into how it was in reality. may he and the members of the 100th we have lost rest in peace, and may the families of those who served prosper!
i grew up around Vietnam and Korea veterans- my family having a long line of vets in general and my dad having grown up on bases around the country- and always had an interest in military history. moreso the people who survived the wars rather than the actual war itself. i am currently an intern at my local county museum when im not away at college, and my main focus is local veterans and war history. obviously this book was a perfect read for me.
Harry Crosby’s voice immediately had me hooked, and i don’t believe a single person who could ever say that they didn’t immediately fall in love with him when reading this. he’s funny, he’s descriptive in an extremely human and relatable way, and by god does he not skip details. from the missions he flew to days off in London, his descriptions made me feel like i was actually there. the way he talked about the people he met and the men he served with at Thorpe Abbots had my heart wrenching and i could feel the respect and love radiating from the page.
normally i don’t cry over books, i’ve been pretty good at keeping it together. but with A Wing and a Prayer, i have cried countless times and had to put the book down so times to step away and process what i had read. especially with the ending of the epilogue.
one of my favorite details and parts of Crosby’s writing is his use of repetition throughout to create and help the audience understand the disbelief and numbness of the loss and devastation through the war. i’m a sucker for repetition as a symbol, i will admit, but when he spoke about planes and crews going down and could only describe them as “gone,” it really puts it into perspective. things happen so quickly in the clouds, you don’t have time to process- just do your job and make sure to hit the target.
A Wing and a Prayer is an incredible book. the story of the 100th is immortalized through history, but Crosby’s account is a truly special insight into how it was in reality. may he and the members of the 100th we have lost rest in peace, and may the families of those who served prosper!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 30, 2024
Well written and flowing with amazing stories of Crosby’s World War II years as a young navigator on bombers attacking Nazi Germany. Harry comes across as a reasonable man in unreasonable circumstances. His unit, the 100th Bomb Group was called the Bloody 100th because of its high losses on big name missions. Harry seems to find himself on both sides of the road. As a successful navigator, Harry wasn’t fully accepted in the pilot run Air Force. As a young married serviceman far from home, he enjoyed flings with available women but came back to his loyal wife. As a thoughtful liberal arts graduate student, Harry questioned the violence perpetrated on him and his fellow flyers and the violence they rained on the cities below but stayed with the 100th Bomb Group to the end of the war. After the War, Harry left the Air Force and pursued and fulfilled a successful academic career in some of the nation’s best universities. He became an anti-war organizer and supported liberal political candidates, yet he also agreed to help establish the US Air Force Academy and the Pakistan Air Force Academy. He lived the balance of his life as a politically liberal anti-war organizer but his life’s memoir isn’t about anti-war causes. It’s about his time as a warrior who bombed Nazi Germany to submission.
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