Customer Reviews

Echoes of England: The 8th Air Force in the Second World War

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Dozens of books have been written describing the 8th Air Force and its combat exploits over WWII Europe. ECHOES OF ENGLAND takes a different tack, utilizing the words of actual 8th AF veterans to capture those long ago times.

Although Martin Bowman is listed as author, the true authors of this book are Ben Smith, Abe Dolim, John McClane, James Goodson, Ray Shields, Curtis LeMay, Myron Keilman, Forrest Clark, Robert Tays and dozens of other 8th AF vets. In various chapters entitled "The Tour," "Big B," "Flak," "London," "MIA," "Liberty Run," "Discipline," "Ditching," "Little Friends" and "Humor," they share impressionistic memories of those long-ago times. The reminiscences run from a few brief sentences to entries several pages in length. By turn, they are exciting, sad, whimsical, terrifying, funny and poignant in nature. Bowman supplements the entries with over 140 black and white photographs along with wartime cartoons, drawings, poems and songs.

For those interested in "how it was over there" in World War II, ECHOES OF ENGLAND will fill the bill nicely. It gives the reader a rare, insider's look into the life and times of some very young and very brave young men who waged war against history's most evil empire.

Echoes of England has two faults. The first id a number of typos,all strangely substituting the letter L for F and F for R. The other fault,it's not nearly as long as I wish. 42 Chapters cover the full spectrum of the War, from liberty,battles,flight,the girls,the missions,every aspect. Many of the names who contributed are well known among the USAAF history buffs; Ben Smith,Howard Hernan,Abe Dolim and Bill Carleton to name a few. Before reading the book, I feared that it was nothing more then excerpts from all the other Martin Bowman books I've read,but I was wrong. 99% of this stuff is new to me. If you honor those who flew and want to learn what it must have been like, I highly recommend this book!!!