Customer Reviews

An Iowa Pilot named Hap: Hartley A. "Hap" Westbrook

5 star:		(2)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

This was a gift for my grown son who enjoys all kinds of flying stories that are true.

This is a fasinating story about a man I personally knew while training at his flight school in Ames, Iowa. A well written account of his life, especially his time of service during WW2. Flying B-24's over Germany, his plane was brought down and he was captured. A riveting tale of life as a POW and eventual liberation at the end of the war. The book then goes on to talk about his post-war service flying B-36s and the successful founding of his flight school. A well written piece that will have you wanting more. A great book about a great pilot. Rest in peace, Hap.

I have not read the book, but the author spoke to our rotary club yesterday. He is a retired architect who lives in Ames, Iowa and started writing about WWII veterans he met and interviewed. He shared some amazing stories about men who survived 32 degree water after crashing in the North Atlantic, one who refused to surrender in the Phillipines and lived in the jungle with Phillipino resistance fighters for over 2 years, a man who survived 4 wounds from machine gun fire and a man who missed a mission during which his plane exploded in mid air from a direct hit in their fuel tanks. Mr. Rudi is a great story teller and the message is loud and clear. War is Hell.