THE WORLD WAR TWO GROUP discussion

The final theme read for 2019 is any biography of your choice that covers a WW2 figure.

German Fighter Ace Hans-Joachim Marseille: The Life Story of The Star of Africa by Franz Kurowski



This biography is a tribute to one of the top fighter aces of World War II.

Marseille's wartime exploits are legendary, having scored 158 aerial victories, including 17 in one day. He was, and still is, considered by many of the Luftwaffe aces to be the premier fighter pilot of the Luftwaffe -- a distinction Marseille achieved before his death in September 1942, age 22.

Also chronicled in this biography is the combat life of JG 27 (the 27th Fighter Wing), Marseille's unit, and its various personalities throughout the North African campaign.

Perfect book for the theme Komet!

.... Marine! The Life of Chesty Puller by Burke Davis....Just finished this. A little older but tells the tail of one of the greatest Marines in history. This write up follows Puller from the Banana Wars, through WW2 Pacific right up to frozen Chosin in Korea. Puller lead from the front whether through jungles over beaches or in the frozen wastes. He was loved by his men. I really enjoyed reading this fine book.





How about the recent biography about Marshall? I've read it back in Oktober and was really impressed:

Hear, hear! I echo Tom's sentiment. My Early Life by Winston Churchill -- yes it precedes the war but tells us so much about this future leader and spinner of words. I attended a lecture some months ago by a professor of literature and specialist on Churchill and he said, "I command you to read My Early Life." And I am.
Sheds light on the way war was conducted long before either WWI or WWII. Mesmerizing.

I’m going to start with a classic American figure: To Hell and Back by Audie Murphy

And later perhaps Churchill, Rommel or Patton

KOMET wrote: "German Fighter Ace Hans-Joachim Marseille: The Life Story of The Star of Africa by Franz Kurowski

[bookcover:German Fighter Ace Hans-Joachim Marseille: The Life Stor..."

Kurowski's was good, but many think my book "The Star of Africa" was better. We are in film negotiations now.

Many people liked my book better than Kurowski, but I did like his work and cited him.

I'm going to start the second volume of John Edwards book on John Curtin, Australia's wartime Prime Minister.

John Curtin's War Volume II Triumph and Decline by John Edwards

In case anyone is interested, the book I wrote about my father should qualify for this theme.

'Escape, Evasion and Revenge' is the biography of the only German Jew known to have piloted Royal Air Force bombers against his homeland. As a refugee living in London, he stole the identity of a dead high school classmate in order to enlist on 3 Sept '39. After 22 combat operations, his Hampden was hit by flak over Berlin, and he made a safe landing (out of fuel) near Amsterdam on 8 Sept '41. Captured by the Nazis 12-15 hours later, he spent 3 years and 8 months as a POW in his own country, with no protection whatsoever under the Geneva Convention. An inveterate POW escaper (and member of the "X" Organization executive at Stalag Luft 3) he made 9 escape attempts and got outside the wire on 3 separate occasions.

Growing up, I knew nothing of my father's true ethnicity, or that his own widowed mother had committed suicide in Germany 6 weeks before the outbreak of hostilities, in order to avoid the inevitable (which took the lives of some 10-15 family members).

My father died in 1979, and it took me 18 years of research to piece together this story. Today, he is mentioned in more than 20 books about POW escapes.

I would be happy to answer any questions about my father's unique story.

Here is a link to a review by Professor Jonathan Vance (author of two books about The Great Escape):

http://www.journal.forces.gc.ca/vol12...

Well, CODE NAME: LISE is a WWII biography ... and it did just make the Choice Awards semifinals ... so there's my submission! :)

Monty: The Making of a General: 1887-1942 by Nigel Hamilton

Joseph wrote: " Monty: The Making of a General: 1887-1942 by Nigel Hamilton"

Nice choice Joseph!

Joseph wrote: " Monty: The Making of a General: 1887-1942 by Nigel Hamilton"

Nice! James Holland's quick overview of him in
Normandy ‘44: D-Day and the Battle for France
was interesting, so I'll be curious to see how this one comes out.

Im trying to decide between...

Otto Skorzeny: The Devil's Disciple by Stuart Smith

and

Faith, Hope and Rice: Private Fred Cox's Account of Captivity and the Death Railway by Ellie Taylor

Hard choice Leigh. I have an unread copy of the Otto Skorzeny book so if you decide on that title I'll be keen to hear your thoughts.

Double tapping this month's theme, with Andrew Borowiec's
Warsaw Boy: A Memoir of a Wartime Childhood
and Kristen Alexander's
Clive Caldwell Air Ace
I'm fully aware that Caldwell is a controversial figure; Mrs Alexander has this to say early on about Caldwell's unfortunate nickname:

"There are a number of versions of how Caldwell’s nickname originated. According to Bob Whittle, who flew with Caldwell in 250 Squadron, RAF, he and Caldwell had intercepted a group of German Junkers Ju 87 Sturzkampfflugzeug (Stuka) dive-bombers returning from a raid. Caldwell flew alongside an aircraft he had set on fire and called out, ‘Burn, you bastard’. This was heard over the radio and Caldwell’s nom de guerre was born. Archie Wilson, also a 250 Squadron pilot, recalls that the nickname became well and truly entrenched as a result of Caldwell’s diligent ground strafing.5 Caldwell, however, had a different version of the origin of his nickname. In 1958, he claimed that he acquired his nickname:

because I advocated shooting [them] in the parachutes and ground strafing . . . Yes, I did a lot of strafing. It was war. Our job was to win and we had to do as much damage to the enemy as possible. I considered it necessary to shoot them in the parachutes, but there was no blood lust or anything about it like that. It was just a matter of not wanting them back to have another go at us. I never shot any who landed where they could be taken prisoners.

Although Caldwell used his nickname to describe himself when he took his turn as the 250 Squadron diarist, he eventually considered it with antipathy—he disliked the name and its implication that he was not just someone who was doing his duty, but a killer. It was reported as early as August 1942 that Caldwell did not like being called a killer but the nickname was media property by that stage and the press would not relinquish it."

I refer to the publication of 'RELUCTANT HERO' - a true story about my father who served as a Lancaster bomber pilot with the RAF in WWII.
A Hidden Gem from the past…Bill would be turning over in his grave as most of those war heroes would...

An incredible true story about John's Dad, Bill, who left school at 14 and became a Lancaster Bomber PILOT in WW2. He wanted to be part of the 'establishment' but rebelled when he realised how expendable he was. Victim of their class concious attitudes, he was unwilling to toe their line. An exciting, thrill-filled war story and a window into history.

John tells the true story about his Dad, Bill's involvement in the Second World War. Bill grew up in the slums of Notting Hill, London and left school at fourteen. Despite his insecurities and self-doubt, while still in his late teens, and against all odds, he qualified as a skilled fighter pilot. Due to his lack of family connections he was assigned to the 'Bomber Boys' where thrust from boyhood to air combat veteran in just two years.

He desperately wanted to belong to the 'establishment' but rebelled against the powers-that-be when he realised how expendable they thought he was. Victim of their class conscious attitudes, he was unwilling to toe their line and so they punished him!
For this and his outspoken anti-establishment views he was penalised, but continued to cheat death many times. Needless to say he was held in high regard by his crew.

Loss of life and planes was horrendous and to Bill’s mind largely unnecessary. His attitude towards death in combat changed dramatically after he met and married John's mother to be, Alice.

After the raid over Dresden in February 1945, he became angry at the cover-ups, corruption and myriad of lies. Authorities disputed claims that British planes carried out machine-gun attacks on the civilian population but Bill knew otherwise!

Against all odds he survived the war, physically but was dreadfully scarred emotionally.

After serving his country he was finally dismissed without a commission or a job. Even told he was unfit to fly!

Angry and bitter at the age of 23, with a wife and child to support he needed to move on.

Disillusioned, he decided to become wealthy and sell diamonds to Americans but that is another story.

'RELUCTANT HERO' is the true story of how his combat experiences, especially the bombing of Dresden, changed the course of his, his family's life - and history.

A no holds barred book that's honest about the role of Lancaster Bombers in the Second World War, one that challenges most preconceptions. A book not afraid to be honest about war. Banned from the shelves of the Beenleigh RSL in SE Queensland, Australia.

Read ‘RELUCTANT HERO’ True WW2 story
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YZzG9...
YouTube DC: https://youtu.be/LyONBQFCu4A

Smashwords: http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/...

John wrote: ".... Marine! The Life of Chesty Puller by Burke Davis....Just finished this. A little older but tells the tail of one of the greatest Marines in history. This write up follows Puller from the Banan..."

I have Chesty: The Story of Lieutenant General Lewis B. Puller, USMC by Jon T. Hoffman sitting on my table as the next to read. I'll be interested in how it compares to your recent read:

Marine! The Life of Chesty Puller by Burke Davis

Colin wrote: "KOMET wrote: "German Fighter Ace Hans-Joachim Marseille: The Life Story of The Star of Africa by Franz Kurowski

[bookcover:German Fighter Ace Hans-Joachim Marseille:..."

I've read a few of Kurowski's books--he's hit or miss for me as I think his style of writing is pretty dry.

I'm heading out on a nice vacation starting on Wednesday, and I've packed these two to read for the theme read:

The Golden Horseshoe: The Wartime Career of Otto Kretschmer, U-Boat Ace

Japanese Destroyer Captain: Pearl Harbor, Guadalcanal, Midway - The Great Naval Battles As Seen Through Japanese Eyes

The second one has been sitting in my TBR pile for about 30 years, so I'll feel good about finally reading it!

The first ‘adult’ book I bought was Japanese Destroyer Captain, and I won’t tell you all how many decades ago. Loved the book and it lead me into the fascinating world of history. Enjoy!!!

Some excellent books being read for this theme.

Caldwell waxes poetic on the desert:

"The desert is a funny place: it gets a hold of you. During the heat of the day it’s just barren and featureless, absolutely miles and miles of nothing—just little patches of shrubs about knee-high. But in the dawn and at sunset the lighting effects are amazing. In the evening, just after the sun finally disappears, a wonderful green light shows all around the western horizon. It lasts for about two minutes, while all the brilliant colours given off by the dust in the atmosphere, gold and brown and purple and so on, come out vividly and then fade away. And then the green light fades away, and the stars come out. I’ve never seen that green light anywhere else. You don’t get it in the Sahara or the Gobi Desert. Apparently it’s unique to the Western Desert. You get the same sort of thing at dawn. There’s a gold and red glow, and all of a sudden the sun jumps up above the horizon. If you’re flying over the Mediterranean at dawn the sea changes in colour as you watch it, from emerald green to azure blue and deep blue. It’s really beautiful. And then there’s the background of the desert along the coastline, looking so golden and fresh and clean in the dawn. Even the dirty tents below you look clean."

And sarcastic on the question of logistics:

"Ten aircraft left during the morning . . . to refuel and from there to carry out patrols of the ships, finally landing at Sidi B for the night. Certainly the progress we make as a result of experience is a wonderful thing. What I mean is the progress of our refuelling organisation. There, if you like, is something wonderful. Any lover of efficiency who looks on our achievements in this sphere must feel his heart glow and his right ventricle expand with the pericardiac stimulus of permissible pride. Just think of it—one shagged out bowser to fill and service four squadrons."

Clive Caldwell Air Ace

Black Sheep One: The Life of Gregory "Pappy" Boyington by Bruce Gamble



I've been fascinated with the U.S. Marine Corps WWII fighter ace, Gregory "Pappy" Boyington since 1977, when I avidly read his combat memoir 'Baa Baa Black Sheep'.

So, when Black Sheep One: The Life of Gregory "Pappy" Boyington' became available in paperback, I eagerly snatched it up, keen to learn more about Boyington and the Marine fighter squadron he commanded in the South Pacific during 1943 and early 1944.

Jonny wrote: "Caldwell waxes poetic on the desert:

"The desert is a funny place: it gets a hold of you. During the heat of the day it’s just barren and featureless, absolutely miles and miles of nothing—just li..."

Great post Jonny and very funny commentary on the logistics :)

KOMET wrote: "Black Sheep One: The Life of Gregory "Pappy" Boyington by Bruce Gamble



I've been fascinated..."

A fascinating subject for sure!

Things are looking grim for the Australian Prime Minister, John Curtin and the country:

"By mid-March, 1942, the succession of Pacific War calamities was stupendous. Former prime minister Robert Menzies' political leadership had been destroyed partly by the military disaster of the Greece and Crete battles in 1941. In that campaign 600 Australians had been killed, 1000 wounded, and 5000 taken prisoner.

In the hundred days since the Pacific War began, Australian losses had been far greater than in the two years of fighting in the Middle East and the Mediterranean. In late January 1942 Curtin had been told that nearly a thousand Australian troops and airmen defending Rabaul and nearby New Ireland had probably been lost, either killed or taken prisoner. A few weeks later he learned that the entire 8th Division of the Australian Imperial Force (AIF), nearly 19000 men, had been lost in the fighting in Malaya and in the surrender of Singapore. Most were now prisoners. Three thousand men from the 7th Division were landed in Java in late February, as the Japanese invaded the island. The survivors surrendered on 12 March. On the nearby islands of Ambon and Timor, Australian troops were forced to surrender. In the battles of the Java Sea and the Sunda Strait at the end of February, Australia lost the light cruiser HMAS Perth. In a separate action nearby, the sloop HMAS Yarra was sunk. All the crew were either killed or taken prisoner."

John Curtin's War Volume II Triumph and Decline by John Edwards

The Australian Prime Minister, John Curtin, was responsible for Australia's shift from the 'mother country' of England to the United States. This occurred for a number of reasons, and incidents like this probably made that decision easier:

"Transported on the fast liner SS Orcades, 2920 troops from the 7th Division had been landed in Java. That had been part of an earlier plan, since overtaken by Japan's rapid advance. On 19 February Curtin had instructed the senior Australian in Wavell's command, Colonel John Lavarack, that the Australian troops in Java should be evacuated, copying the request to Wavell, Page and Churchill. Wavell closed down his command on 25 February and flew out to India. War Cabinet was now told the British command in Java had overruled the Australian unit commander, Brigadier Arthur Blackburn. Orders had been given that the troops would fight to the end. There would be no withdrawal. Facing impossible odds, the Dutch and British commanders surrendered in the second week of March, passing the order along to Blackburn. The opportunity to evacuate had long passed."

Java 1942:
https://vwma.org.au/research/home-pag...

'Aussie Rick' wrote: "Things are looking grim for the Australian Prime Minister, John Curtin and the country:

"By mid-March, 1942, the succession of Pacific War calamities was stupendous. Former prime minister Robert M..."

Those are some stunning losses AR!

They were for such a small nation as Australia.

I'll be starting this soon:

Beetle: The Life of General Walter Bedell Smith

Eric wrote: "I'll be starting this soon:

Beetle: The Life of General Walter Bedell Smith"

I have a copy Smith's bio too, Eric. Still unread.

A quick read but oh so good:

To Hell and Back by Audie Murphy

America's First Black General: Benjamin O. Davis, Sr., 1880-1970 by Marvin E. Fletcher



Benjamin O. Davis. Sr. was a career Army officer who began his service in the U.S. Army at the turn of the 20th century. He was promoted to the rank of Brigadier General in October 1940.

"From 1941 to 1944, Davis conducted inspection tours of bases where African-American soldiers in the United States Army were stationed throughout the United States. From September to November 1942 and again from July to November 1944, Davis made inspection tours of bases where African-American soldiers were stationed overseas.

"On November 10, 1944, Davis was reassigned to work under Lieutenant General John C. H. Lee as special assistant to the commanding general, Communications Zone, European Theater of Operations. He served with the General Inspectorate Section, European Theater of Operation (later the Office of the Inspector General on Europe) from January through May 1945. While serving in the European Theater of Operations, Davis was influential in the proposed policy of integration using replacement units."

Mike wrote: "A quick read but oh so good:

To Hell and Back by Audie Murphy"

And still a good movie as well :)

KOMET wrote: "America's First Black General: Benjamin O. Davis, Sr., 1880-1970 by Marvin E. Fletcher

[bookcover:America's First Black General: Benjamin O. Davis, Sr., 1880-1970|530..."

Sounds like an interesting book Komet, I hope you enjoy it.

Decided to go with this one for my second book in the monthly theme.

Lemay: The Life and Wars of General Curtis Lemay by Warren Kozak

Excellent choice Mike, I hope its a good account.

Borowiec has been describing the deportation of the Jewish population of Makow in August 1942; in this case he provides insight into the mindset of the spectators as their neighbours are inhumanly carted off to Belzec:

"What we did know was that these men, women and children living alongside us had, with sullen acquiescence, assembled to start a foul journey towards an uncertain fate without a word of protest from themselves or anybody else. It was as if we all somehow accepted that the Germans had some unchallengeable right to do this. We were no more expected to object than we would have been able to interfere in the fate of sheep being herded into an abattoir. I would dearly have liked to shout some words of defiance to Mulrad before he left, but I didn't have the nerve. I felt ashamed. "

Warsaw Boy: A Memoir of a Wartime Childhood

Jonny wrote: "Borowiec has been describing the deportation of the Jewish population of Makow in August 1942; in this case he provides insight into the mindset of the spectators as their neighbours are inhumanly ..."

I know we have both read a few books on this subject now. Do you agree that it is always a recurring theme that mindset? I think sometimes I read about the subject to try and understand that thinking. I am yet to.

As part of the December read I'm going to start The Naked Island by Russell Brandon this weekend.

Mike wrote: "Decided to go with this one for my second book in the monthly theme.

[book:Lemay: The Life and Wars of General Curtis Lemay|644..."

I am writing a new book (first in a new series), using the same format as the German Aces Speak books. These are American airmen interviews. Lemay will be in the second volume later. I met with him a couple of times, what guy to say the least. If Arthur Harris had a true kindred spirit/counterpart, it was Lemay.

fourtriplezed wrote: "I know we have both read a few books on this subject now. Do you agree that it is always a recurring theme that mindset? ..."

It's the first time that I can recall that I've actually read anything on the witnessing in the first person... but yes, the impression of being cowed by oppressive German occupation is an important factor - one that it's near impossible to comprehend without experience, I'd have to say - but the oppressive nature of the occupation is writ large throughout the book. A constant background theme over the previous few chapters is the escalating numbers being caught up in reprisals for acts of resistance.

Tragedy of a distinctly culinary short for 250 Squadron at Christmas:

"Caldwell landed after one hour and forty minutes in the air, full of anticipation for a Christmas pork lunch, but it still had not arrived. There had been a report that the pork had actually landed at Msus, which was to be the next landing ground as they advanced westward and the enemy retreated further. Pilot Officer John Waddy volunteered to retrieve it but he returned empty-handed. He was then told that it was at another location so he set off again to find it.Again, he returned empty-handed. While he was gone, the Squadron had received word that the pork was now definitely at Msus, so Waddy took off yet again. He returned after an hour or so to announce to those eagerly awaiting their increasingly delayed Christmas lunch the sad news that the pork had arrived, but it had turned green.Waddy and some of the skeleton crew at Msus buried the pork with due ceremony, erecting a cross on the spot to the effect,‘Here lies 250 RAF Squadron’s Christmas Dinner 1941’."

And, post desert tour, some scathing comments on a home grown airframe:

"The initial test report was particularly scathing. In all, thirty-five modifications were suggested to the airframe, cockpit controls and instruments, electrical works, engine and armament. The report concluded that ‘the Boomerang, as an operational fighter aircraft, has no feature to recommend it’ but that it could be used for training, as a ‘cat’s-eye’ night fighter, for fighter protection of rear areas that could be attacked only by unescorted bombers, and ‘in the event of an invasion or other major disaster, when all aircraft would be used’.47 Caldwell’s disdain for the Boomerang as an effective fighter got the better of him and he included a final paragraph to the effect that ‘the most significant thing about the Boomerang was its name, because of the complete unlikelihood of it ever returning should it meet any enemy aircraft’. This comment drew the ire of Air Vice-Marshal George Jones, who declared that ‘cheap attempts at humour at the expense of the Australian war effort, by recently returned pilots from overseas theatres of war was not, repeat not, appreciated’. Jones demanded that the offending paragraph be deleted and the report re-submitted. It was."

And finally, a bit of succinct PR;

"Shortly after his appointment as Chief Instructor, Flight Lieutenant Peter Isaacson brought Q for Queenie, the first Lancaster bomber to fly to Australia, to Mildura to help encourage subscriptions to the Fourth Liberty Loan Appeal. These intense publicity exercises were designed to raise public funds for the national defence and they became a significant means for those on the home front to contribute to the war effort. Caldwell had already experienced these appeals during his trips to the United States and had participated extensively in RAAF publicity exercises during leave periods, but he had little patience when they conflicted with his duties. Members of the public were encouraged to view Q for Queenie and the War Loan Committee organised a rally to raise funds. Caldwell was requested to speak at this rally. The function was held in the Mildura picture theatre and Caldwell climbed the stage to address the crowd. Ross Williams recalled that on this occasion Caldwell was annoyed at having been taken away from his duties and was impatient with the hoopla of the exercise. Rather than passionately persuading the audience to subscribe to the appeal, he bluntly announced:‘If you’re going to give, then for Christ’s sake, give!’ He then stalked off the stage, to the embarrassment of the organisers."

I can't help but like the fella.

Clive Caldwell Air Ace

Jonny wrote: "Tragedy of a distinctly culinary short for 250 Squadron at Christmas:

"Caldwell landed after one hour and forty minutes in the air, full of anticipation for a Christmas pork lunch, but it still ha..."

A Sierra Hotel fighter pilot! My kind of guy...

The General Who Wore Six Stars: The Inside Story of John C. H. Lee by Hank H. Cox



"Lt. Gen. John C. H. Lee [U.S. Army - West Point Class of 1909]wore six stars on his helmet, three in front and three in back — an unusual affectation. He was a stickler for discipline and a legendary military figure whom servicemen and historians loved to hate. Yet Lee was an intensely religious person and an advocate of opportunity for African Americans [soldiers] in the era of Jim Crow, setting him apart from the conservative officer corps at this time. Lee was also responsible for supplying the Allied armies in Europe during World War II from D-Day through Germany’s surrender. In this long-overdue biography of the brilliant and eccentric commander, Hank H. Cox paints a vivid picture of this enormous logistical task and the man who made it all happen.

" 'The General Who Wore Six Stars' delves into the perplexing details of how Lee let his idiosyncrasies get the better of him. This “pompous little son-of-a-bitch,” as some historians have called him, who was “only interested in self-advertisement,” famously moved his headquarters to Paris, where during the height of the American Army supply crisis, twenty-nine thousand of his Service of Supply troops shacked up in the finest hotels and, due to sheer numbers, created an enormous black market. Yet, Cox argues, Lee’s strategical genius throughout the war has been underappreciated not only by his contemporaries but also by World War II historians. 'The General Who Wore Six Stars' provides a timely reassessment of this intriguing individual."

Jonny wrote: "Tragedy of a distinctly culinary short for 250 Squadron at Christmas:

"Caldwell landed after one hour and forty minutes in the air, full of anticipation for a Christmas pork lunch, but it still ha..."

Great stories Jonny, I really enjoyed those accounts.

'Aussie Rick' wrote: "Great stories Jonny, I really enjoyed those accounts..."

Pleased to hear that Rick, I've finished the book, and really enjoyed it. My thoughts on it are here:

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

While my Kindle notes are here:

https://www.goodreads.com/notes/21392...

Clive Caldwell Air Ace