Doomed at the Start: American Pursuit Pilots in the Philippines, 1941-1942 (Williams-Ford Texas A&M University Military History Series) [Paperback]

William H. Bartsch (Author), Herbert Ellis (Foreword)

Book Description

Series: Williams-Ford Texas A&M University Military History Series | Publication Date: April 1, 1995

During the first three days of the Japanese assault on American Pacific bases in December of 1941, the 24th Pursuit Group, the only unit of interceptor aircraft in the Philippine Islands, was almost destroyed as an effective force. Yet the group's pilot, doomed from the start by their limited training, an inadequate air warning system, and lack of familiarity with the few flyable pursuit aircraft they had left, fought on against immensely superior numbers of Japanese army and navy fighters.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Bartsch, an economist historian of WW II in the Pacific, offers an admirably-detailed history of the five fighter squadrons deployed in the Philippine Islands on Dec. 7, 1941. With most of their planes destroyed or damaged in the inital Japanese attacks, the survivors fought on against overwhelming odds. From archives and extensive interviews, Bartsch pieces together the story of an effort "doomed at the start." Noting that a high percentage of the men who stood in the front lines of the Philippines' defense were barely out of flight school, he cites their inexperience to help explain the pilot's difficulty adjusting their tactics to match those of their skillful opponents. Avoiding questions of strategy and policy, Bartsch also ignores the role of U.S. bombers in the Philippine campaign. Within these limits, however, the work will interest to both aviation buffs and students of WW II. Photos not seen by PW.
Copyright 1992 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From Library Journal

Fifty years ago the American-Philippine Army was destroyed on Bataan and Corregidor. The land campaign lasted five desperate months, but the air battle took three short days: by December 10th, the U.S. Army Air Corps in the Philippines was wiped out. The Americans flew obsolete aircraft, were inadequately trained, lacked anti-aircraft guns and radar. In addition, the senior officer corps was inept and understood neither the enemy nor the use of air power. The 24th Pursuit Group, along with the only modern group of B-17 heavy bombers, was destroyed on the ground on the second day of the war; the few remaining aircraft flew until the fall of Bataan, but accomplished little. Bartsch's scholarship, the amount and quality of his research, the brilliance of his writing, are all impressive. This work breaks new ground; there is nothing similar in print. For all comprehensive World War II collections.
- Stanley Itkin, Hillside P.L., New Hyde Park, N.Y.
Copyright 1992 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 528 pages
• Publisher: TAMU Press (April 1, 1995)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0890966796
• ISBN-13: 978-0890966792
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 6.2 x 1.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.7 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #925,360 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Captivating Factual Account of a Disaster, December 11, 1998

By 

[e-mail] (Austin, Texas) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Doomed at the Start: American Pursuit Pilots in the Philippines, 1941-1942 (Williams-Ford Texas A&M University Military History Series) (Paperback)

This book is one you will not want to put down. The situation faced by the pursuit pilots, their equipment, and ground crews points out dramatically how the U.S. was unprepared for WWII. Incredible reported incidences of P-40 pilots bailing out of their aircraft prior to combat so they would not have to go against the Zero and training tables for the pilots so they could eat horded food to have enough energy to fly are included. This book describes in detail the everyday occurrence of heroism in the worst of circumstances. Many of the descriptions come from interviewing people who were there. While digesting these amazing stories, you are constantly aware that, for most of the participants, the best they can hope for is surviving the rest of the war in a Japanese prison camp. The contrast between the situation in the Phillipines and P-40 tactics in China are analyzed at the end. I am reading this book again and including the footnotes at the back in the next reading. Steven Spielberg, this is your next movie!

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Brave pilots fighting at terrible odds., October 15, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Doomed at the Start: American Pursuit Pilots in the Philippines, 1941-1942 (Williams-Ford Texas A&M University Military History Series) (Paperback)

For those that study the early months of America's entry into WWII, the disaster at Clark field resonates like Pearl Harbor. The story of the fighter pilots based in the Philippines is one of bravery and honor, but against a relentless enemy, their doom was sealed.

Bartsch has written an excellent history covering the not so popular topics of disaster and defeat. However, it is the individual human story that shines through the flames and smoke that choked America in the early days of 1942.

9 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Amazing, November 3, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Doomed at the Start: American Pursuit Pilots in the Philippines, 1941-1942 (Williams-Ford Texas A&M University Military History Series) (Paperback)

This book really touched me and it answered a lot of question running in my mind ever since I was a small boy. The booked mesmerized me so much that I picked up an old P-40B model in my model stacks and started making a replica of Joe Moore's No. 41 P-40B, then later named "P-40 Something". It is my mission to revisit the airfields at Clark, Iba, the Bataan fields, Lahug, and the rest. When I was reading this work of art by Bartsch, I can feel as if I was there to witness it on hand because of my familiarity with the places mentioned.

Mr. Bartsch, if you happen to read this review, I would appreciate if you can get in touch with me in my e-mail. I would like to congratulate you (eventhough through an electronic handshake via e-mail) for making the world aware that there were a bunch of heroes fighting and doing their darn best with only little of what they had for my country during the early days of the war.