Bringing the Thunder: The Missions of a World War II B-29 Pilot in the Pacific

by Gordon Bennett Robertson Jr.

By March 1945, when Ben Robertson took to the skies above Japan in his B-29 Superfortress, the end of World War II in the Pacific seemed imminent.

Although American forces were closing in on its home islands, Japan refused to surrender, and American B-29s were tasked with hammering Japan to its knees with devastating bomb runs.That meant flying low-altitude, night-time incendiary raids under threat of flak, enemy fighters, mechanical malfunction, and fatigue.It may have been the beginning of the end, but just how soon the end would come – and whether Robertson and his crew would make it home – was far from certain.

Genres: History, Military Fiction, Nonfiction, Military History, Biography, Aviation, World War II

234 pages, Kindle Edition

First published November 10, 2006

Reviews

[Jeff Dawson · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Thundering 5 Stars!

B-29 perspective.

An absolutely excellent memoir! I have read many from this time era, but nothing with this flavor. Mr. Robertson is going to take you on a travel few have traversed. This is nothing more than a normal American answering the "call to arms" and fulfilling the duty to his country with no whining or complaining.

Many of us have seen the movie or heard of the plane, "Memphis Bell." Why is that important? Because the crew of the Bell were allowed to rotate back to the states after twenty-five missions. Not so with the B-29 crews;thirty-five missions before you go home. That alone is paramount, but what is even more remarkable is that calculates to over 225,000 miles and 350+ hours of fly time over 90% water. For most of us, that would seem unrealistic, but then the men and women who flew the airs of the Pacific during WWII never wavered from their assigned tasks. They just did it.

Mr. Robertson will take you along in his newly minted B-29 on each and every raid. That might seem monotonous, but than, that is the beauty of the book. You will fly with he and his crew and understand what it meant to be a B-29 pilot. Very refreshing.

I'd like to address a couple of side notes. We have been inundated over the past decades of inter department rivalries between branches of the Armed Services. You won't find that in this work. He his very thankful for the Marines who took Guam, Iwo Jima and Okinawa. He was humbled when he was able to walk old battlefields and witness the carnage of the landscape the Marines and Navy dealt their opponents: The Japs. Yep, this isn't politically correct in its language or reference to the enemy, but that's how it was in the 40's. The Japs attached Pearl Harbor and the men and women on the United States were gonna make em pay.

I can not recommend this book enough for the avid or casual reader of WWII.

[Todd Kehoe · Rating 4 out of 5]

One pilot’s personal mission by mission account from his part in the war during the training & his time in the Pacific from his base in Guam. It covers from start of March right to the end of the war where he & his crew flew their final 35th mission on August 15th.

It reads more like journal entries telling the remembrance of what he went through in the final year of the war as his therapeutic way to make sense of Pacific War. A fast, alas harrowing read giving the sense of what a B-29 Superfortress crew went through being glad at the end to make it back home.

[Matthew Dambro · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a truly excellent memoir of the B-29 campaign in the Marianas. The author flew with the 29th BG out of Guam. My father was a radarman in the 468th BG out of Tinian. These teenagers saved the world with an untried weapon system and a fanatical enemy. There is a reason they are called "the greatest generation".

[Mike · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm giving it 3 Stars for a factual, straightforward story of a B-29 pilot and crew in the airwar against Japan. His first mission was the great firebombing raid on Tokyo and his last mission was the last of the war on Aug 14th. I enjoyed the stories of his pilot training and preparation for war. But many may get bored with the lengthy lead up to getting in combat. His style is not fancy or histrionic. Just the facts. Good picture of flying the B-29 in combat.

[James Crawford · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the story of one B-29 bomber pilot in World War II. It covers his training in a lot of planes of different types before he ended up finally flying the B-29 (which happens to be one of my two favorite planes of the world. The P-38 is my other favorite plane.)

There is no doubt that he had to go through a lot of training including a good number of courses in different topics and flying a variety of planes, racking up a lot of air hours. He had to repeat this process with the B-29s.

He also discusses his crew mates, the various missions that they went on and the various problems that they encountered including flak, enemy fighters and problems with the plane itself. They flew bombing missions over Japan using both regular bombs and incendiary devices which basically destroyed square miles of a city at a time.

It's also very obvious that he still holds a lot of anger against the Japanese, noting the terrible atrocities they committed during the war including the massacre at Nanking, experiments on captured men, balloon bombs and mistreatment (to say the least) of prisoners of war.

A really good book.

[Tim · Rating 4 out of 5]

It was an engaging read.
The story overview: a WW2 bomber pilot, told by his own account, from the training, to family effects, to the deployment, to the actual missions. It’s not written as dramatic story telling — there is drama due to the inherent danger — it’s more of a detailing of the aforementioned bomber’s pilot/WW2 life.

Reading of the actual missions from the Mariana islands to Japan was especially captured my attention. The very long and often uneventful flight to Japan(but with great apprehension and the captain’s need to stay on high alert), the short but extremely dangerous and often chaotic time over the intended target, the very long flight back to base. On this last one, the bombers’ range did not provide a lot of spare miles. Engine trouble, an anti aircraft hit, a small nav error — this was wide open ocean they were flying over (yet they’d gamble a bit in favor of getting back instead of getting stuck on the very inhospitable Iwo Jima). I definitely enjoyed the read.

[Leonard · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very good memoir, it is the first I have read about the B-29. What a remarkable airplane. It was developed and put into production in such a short time it is mind boggling to think how fantastic an aircraft it was in the War. It was almost all brand new, just off the sci-fi pages when it went into service. It is an amazing record that so many young pilots and crew were able to fly it to its potential in such a short amount of time. 3,400 miles in 15.5 hours then turn around and do it again the next day. What a grueling test of men and machine.

[jakekellsaol.com · Rating 5 out of 5]

Important Historic Remembrance

A hard to put down book. Enjoyed it very much. Easy writing style. Saddened by the passing of the author. He epitomizes the greatest generation that saved us all from the horrors of loss of this war. His crew was surely blessed to have such a proficient aircraft commander. Japan during the war was more ruthless then today's North Korea. This should be required reading in both Japan and USA.

[Robert M. Roth MD · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good memoir

A well written book about a pilot's story from training to the final air war over Japan while serving as the aircraft commander of a B 29. I would have liked to learn how his life progressed after the war, but the story is limited to his war time service. The epilogue describes his feelings and justification of the fire bombing of Japan and the use of atomic weapons. An interesting and probably a prevailing sentiment of the time.

[Landon Wilkey · Rating 4 out of 5]

This a great matter-of-fact account of B-29 operations in WWII. Robertson discusses training and prior assignments which are interesting, but the bulk of the book details his experience in the Pacific. Despite writing an account of every mission, Robertson avoids repetition and provides detailed accounts of various combat experiences. The author tried to avoid too much analysis of the overall war effort and military structures, making it a very personal account.

[Allan van der Heiden · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great tell.it like it was

So besides the total racist rant in the end of the book, this is a great tell it like it was story for anyone who like hearing hangar talk like stories of the great flying done. These sterling 11-14 hour missions must have been tough and just reading about them gives so much respect to the crews. Again pity he had a racist rant at the end. Would of been a great book just to end at your flying

[Brian · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very good, well written WW2 memoir that offers great insights into B-29 missions from the Marianas.
This memoir will give great insights into the training of B-29 pilots, their missions, what a tour of duty looked like, their operations, and their challenges.
The epilogue is also interesting because it gives insights into the mentality of the generation that fought WW2.

[Dallas · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book spends most of its pages on training and events surrounding being a B-29 pilot. His descriptions of the missions read like a police report of a traffic accident, dry and factual. So if you are looking for suspense or excitement, probably not the best choice. I applaud the history and the effort by the author for that 3 stars.

[Glen Galloway · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good read

Enjoyed the historical reading and the first hand account of being a B 29 pilot during WW II. This is an excellent story of this day and the trials that young men and women had to contend with during the early 40s.

[Cassandra Keitz · Rating 5 out of 5]

Awesome page turner

GR takes you back in time and makes you feel like you were there. Always good to hear from those that fought for our freedom and the real struggles and situations that you don't get in the classroom.

[Richard Gliddon · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great reading

Loved this story.
Very personal & real.
It’s not easy to find books on the B-29 raids to Japan.
His last chapter puts it all in perspective. Why it was important.
This guy is a true humble hero.

[joseph schrage · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not a bad read.

Not a bad read. I've read a lot of books about the ear. This one is kind of in the middle.

[Debbie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting but more a list of facts

[Jack · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a biography of a WWII B-29 pilot who flew 35 missions over Japan. It is a real life, first person account of the career of a pilot, from when he joined the Army and a little of his background on why he wanted to fly planes. It was a very insightful look into one of the members of the Greatest Generation and his thoughts of why he was over there, the risks he took and the missions he flew. If you are interested in WWII biographies, this is a good one. If you are interested in history, again this is a good one.

Yes, we inflicted devastation on Japan during this time and it was horrible. We bombed civilian targets to convince the Japanese government to sue for peace. Yet despite the bombing campaign, where many US airmen were lost, the Japanese wouldn't give up. Yes, the Atom Bombd we dropped caused horrific devastation to the citizens of Japan, yet, many more lives on both sides would have been lost.

Mr. Robertson's targeted 35 missions were over just as the A-bombs were dropped, and he wasn't a part of those two missions, but this is a story of a hero who put his life on the line 35 times to secure peace and freedom.

I really enjoyed this book and learned a great deal about the Army Air Corps during WWII. Well written. Honest. Interesting.

Well worth the read.

[Betsy · Rating 1 out of 5]

I gave up on this book partway through because of the author's attitude. I'm surprised he could write at all since he was continually patting himself on the back. The men who served in the B-29s definitely deserved better than this, and so do its readers.

[Sean · Rating 4 out of 5]

This biography of a B-29 Bomber Pilot's experience before and during World War 2 really helped show me another side of the war that hasn't received as much popular attention. There are plenty of movies and HBO series about the Army and Marine experience during the war, and really not so much attention is paid to the thousands of pilots that provided air cover for those soldiers.

Mr. Robertson flew 35 successful missions from Guam to Japan, concluding with the final US bombing of Japan before their surrender was finally announced. Living in spartan conditions compared to a Navy friend from home stationed across the island, Mr. Robertson and his crew of 10 men had to fly straight and level into each bombing run, no matter how much flak was exploding in the air in front of and around them, and irrespective of the Japanese fighters buzzing around on the periphery of their gunners' sights.

I recommend reading this book to enhance your historical perspective and learn something more about the "Greatest Generation", which truly put everything on the line to keep the world free from tyranny on a global scale.

[Diego Palomino · Rating 3 out of 5]

As a child I became fascinated with aircraft of WWII. I collected and built models of that period, the Japanese, German, British and US. As I as a teen I became interested in the history of the war and when video games became the vogue I had one of the B-29. I would spend hours playing it and never really thought about the human element involved as an adult I started to to wonder about this aspect. When I discovered this book I immediately started reading it. It is a very good read as Robertson puts you in the pilot's seat. It made me realize what it takes to do this kind of job, the difficulty, the skill the stamina, sacrifice and courage. Although war is not what most people wish for, it is sometimes unavoidable and this conflict.
certainly was. For not being a trained author Robertson does a great job. If you are interested in reading about this period in history this is a must. it covers the training, preparation, the missions, their purpose the pressure, the psychological consequences of having to do such a job and the challenge of overcoming the fear to in order to perform and succeed despite the possibility of death.

[Stuart Binnie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent,excellent,excellent read on an under written about topic

This book covers an aspect of WW2 that I have struggled to find anything having been written about, it covers the bomber war against Japan
It is an interesting piece of history from the perspective of a young man who wants to be a fighter pilot and ends up piloting one of the most destructive aircraft of WW2
Thankfully it is written in a way that allows the reader to appreciate that the U.S. Air force was populated by ordinary people who were not above bending rules to get a few bottles of decent booze.
The book details a full tour with all the missions logged some of it in depth but never does it loose the power to keep you reading more and more.
While the losses in the bombing war over Japan were relatively small compared to the losses over Germany there were not the same number of aircraft involved so the losses that did occur were keenly felt
At the end of the book there is some of the authors own thoughts about war, the Japanese, the subsequent generations all of which I concur with none the less it shows that even now there is a debt still to be paid
All in all money very well spent

[Peter · Rating 4 out of 5]

My father was the pilot of a B-29 flying from Tinian on missions over the Japanese mainland. This book helped me to understand what his training and experience was like.

Robertson was a B-29 pilot flying from Saipan (5 miles from Tinian) whose last required mission (the 35th) was on the last day of hostilities (August 14, 19450. Written in an easy every-man style, it could be the story of any of the pilots in the Mariannas. Much of what it has to say parallels my father’s experiences, and the insights it gives into the plane, crew training, crew dynamics, and the power of that conflict should be required reading for modern young people.

I loved the book, in part because it made the air war over Japan up close and personal, but largely because Robertson writes easily and well about his experiences. These experiences are rapidly becoming lost to our social memory, and I think this sort of book serves a valuable goal of reminding us that there once was a massive concerted international effort to achieve common goals, and that it defined a generation.

[Bob · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good book. I've always been a fan of WW2 aviation history, and when I was younger, you one couldn't find much about the Superfort other than the A-bomb stuff.

This was a fairly typical memoir of a pilot, following him through his training first as a fighter pilot, then a B-17 pilot, then his transition to the -29. Robertson flew 35 missions, his last on the last day of hostilities. He relies heavily on his mission logs for the details surrounding each mission, which is a nice touch.

I'll have to admit a little surprise at the detail offered about his homecoming activities. I understand he had been gone at war for months, and he was madly in love with his wife. But I could have done without the level of detail included in that scene.

All in all, a relatively informative read, especially if you don't know much about the Superfortress crews.

[7$MartyQ · Rating 5 out of 5]

Incredible Historical Story

Mr. Robertson's story is an incredible account of what our men in uniform went through on the way to winning the war that the Naps started when they committed their sneak attack on Pearl Harbor. My own father fought them, and received his "million dollar wound" on Guadalcanal in 1942. He steadfastly refused to speak of his experiences in the Pacific, and so I have to read what it was like in books by others who were willing to share their stories. I am always dumbfounded by what the United States DIDN'T do to all these war criminals, many of which went on to hold high government jobs as well as a Prime Minister in the years after the war. I am not at all surprised that many of the Pearl Harbor veterans refused to exchange even a handshake with these monsters.

[Tom Schulte · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really warm and amazing story of a B-29 pilot's WW II experience in the Pacific theatre. The author's real love of flying comes through and his appreciate of his craft (vocation and aircraft!) and appreciation of the views and weather from his high vantage.

After training to be a fighter pilot and ending a bomber pilot the book sets into one bombing mission after another for 30 missions. This could be a recipe for repetition and boredom, but the author manages to make each mission unique and interesting from mysterious "fire balls" to freakish weather to near calamaties. Life in the military and on bases in Guam and Iwo Jima comes to live by this author whoe goes into some length in concluding chapters about the necessity of the bombing campaigns and the atomic weapons used on Japan.

[Eric · Rating 3 out of 5]

An interesting tale, though dry in some instances. Then again it was a documentary. I never realized the extent of the B-29 missions in subduing Japan. The atrocities committed by the Japs against our POWs I had read about in other accounts of WWII.

Robertson never related the logistics of keeping those bombers in the air. Fuel, bombs, parts, etc. That had to be an amazing supply chain problem and solution for the military.

[Thomas Adams]

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. While not the product of a polished writer, it is nonetheless a first-person account of a B-29 pilot who completed 30 bombing missions in Japan during WWII. This was indeed the "Greatest Generation" and his story of just one more example of the bravery that typified our parents generation and the sacrifices they made on our behalf. I highly recommend this read.

[Mark Clements · Rating 4 out of 5]

A pilot's recollwction of his training and service as a B29 pilot in the Pacific in the last years years of WW2. It was an interesting insight on the inner workings of combat action. My only complaint was the descriptions of his "reunion" with his wife at the end of his tour.