Wolfpack Warriors

by Roger A. Freeman

- Vividly recounts the combat history of the legendary U.S. 56th Fighter Group - Focuses on the pilots, their friendships and rivalries, and their battles "Beware the Thunderbolt!" With that motto, the pilots of the U.S. Eighth Air Force's 56th Fighter Group--also known as Zemke's Wolfpack--took to the skies above Europe in their P-47 Thunderbolt fighters, escorting bombers into Germany, dogfighting with the Luftwaffe, and conducting ground-attack missions. The first group to receive the P-47, the 56th pioneered aerial tactics and compiled a staggering record: 665.5 aerial kills, 311 ground kills, thirty-nine fighter aces with five or more kills, two Distinguished Unit Citations, eighteen Distinguished Service Crosses, and twenty-eight Silver Stars.

288 pages, Paperback

First published September 1, 2004

Reviews

[Marc · Rating 4 out of 5]

When it comes to books on the Eighth Air Force in World War II, Roger Freeman is definitely one of the best authorities. Starting with the group's activation and going through the end of World War II, the book gives a good history of operations and combat. There's also a fair amount of insight into some of the group's aces and colorful personalities like Zemke, Gabreski, Schilling and Johnson, along with lots of stories from other pilots and groundcrew. The combat descriptions are not as detailed as I would have liked, and given the amount of aerial combat the group engaged in there was certainly plenty of information to choose from. There are personal memoirs available from Zemke, Gabreski and Johnson and this book makes a fine supplement to any or all of them. Also, if you're a fan of the P-47 Thunderbolt, this book will give you further appreciation of the rugged plane affectionately known as the "Jug."