Customer Reviews

A MIGHTY FORTRESS: Lead Bomber Over Europe

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Charles Alling has provided us with a unique and totally human view of strength, courage, discipline and compassion. From the first pages we see the depth of character and leadership that so many young men and women were forced to develop in the opening chapters of WWII. I was moved to tears by the poignancy of the delivery, and was fascinated by the extraordinary will, skill and good luck that the crew of the Miss Prudy experienced, while calmly following orders and putting themselves in great peril. A strong sense of spirituality permeates Mr. Alling's prose, as well as devotion to country and to his loved ones. The successful completion of 27 missions over enemy territory, most of which are chronicled, was in itself a huge achievement, and the reader is put directly into the cockpit of a B-17. If you have read Tom Brokaw's "The Greatest Generation," you will see in Alling, his crew and colleagues other examples of sheer greatness. The book is easily read, very hard to put down. (I read it in about four hours) The descriptions put "living color" into impressions which had been, for me, black and white. These guys had, to borrow a phrase, "True Grit."

Candidly written by Charles Alling (a pilot of the 8th Air Force and recipient of the Distinguished Flying Cross and the Air Medal with four Oak Leaf Clusters during World War II), A Mighty Fortress: Lead Bomber Over Europe is a personal memoir of the final months of World War II when Alling was flying B-17s in combat over Germany. Harrowing danger, the heroic and strenuous efforts of a coordinated flight crew, the horrors of war, and the ultimate triumph of "the greatest generation" fill this captivating autobiography from beginning to end. A Mighty Fortress is highly recommended reading and a welcome addition to the growing Military History library of World War II eye-witness memoirs and autobiographies.

Captain Chuck Alling masterfully recounts his experiences as pilot of the 34th Bomb Group's lead B17G bomber during the last two years of WW2. "A Mighty Fortress" should be required reading for every military officer and is a "must read" for anyone interested in the Mighty Eighth Army Air Force's operations against the Third Reich. As a retired officer and military historian myself, I believe "A Mighty Fortress" is most probably the most inspirational book about WW2 ever written.

A quick--because it's so engrossing--and arresting read. Any airman who has flown in combat since will find Alling's honest and homespun thoughts, feelings and experience about what he and his crew were about similar to his own. Although human nature doesn't change, technology surely does. As a veteran of the air war over Vietnam, my experience dodging SAMs in an F-4, as harrowing as it was, seems almost trivial compared with the German air defenses Alling and his crew encountered day after day on their bombing runs. It made me appreciate him and indeed, "the greatest generation," more than ever. With this book, Alling continues to make valuable contributions to his country.

A couple of days ago while I was in the middle of this book I mentioned I was reading it to a fellow across the table from me. He said: 'I flew in B-17's during the war.' He went on to say that he had been the radioman/dorsal gunner. I said something about the guys in this book flying 27 missions. He said that he had only flown seven.

I couldn't help but think that this was kind of puny compared to what these guys did. But then he went on.

On his seventh mission, somewhere over occupied France they were attacked and he was hit. Back in England he was hospitalized and told that it would be unlikely that he would ever walk again. He was still in the hospital when the plane went out on its 9th mission and didn't return.

I said that this sounded pretty rough.

'Everybody had it pretty rough in those days.'

This kind of 'aw shucks' attitude, from my lunch mate to the author of this book is why they are called 'The Greatest Generation.' Even though they would never admit it.

This is the story of one plane, one crew. It's told in a matter of fact way. Perhaps this is the only way that such a story can be told. Mr. Alling waited a lot of years to tell the story. Perhaps that too is the only way. Perhaps the time and the distance are necessary to get a realistic view. Thank you Mr. Alling for sharing the story.

It has been my privilege to have personally known for the last 25 years, the bombardier on this plane, Bill Wright. It was a joy and a thrill to read of the previously unknown heroics of Bill and his crew. The world has been blessed that these men were spared the plight of so many of their comrades. Bill, and I am sure others mentioned in this book, have lived exemplary lives and have positively influenced so many young men and women. Their miraculous survival, so vividly described in this masterpiece, is only surpassed with what God has allowed these men to do with their spared lives. Knowing this should only add to your enjoyment of this book.

Very much worth reading - Charles Alling's A Mighty Fortress gives us unique insights about leadership and bravery during the latter half of World War 2, and how a young lad was thrust into the epicenter of some of the toughest and most dangerous bombing missions flown over Germany. Thoughtul, sensitive, poignant, and very real history.

Having served as a Lead B-17 Radar Navigator/Bombardier (Pathfinder) in the same outfit as Captain Alling, it brought back many memories of my tour in the 34th Bomb Group. I too served in the 4th Squadron on the Knockout Dropper, piloted by Jim Sain who was mentioned in this book. Many of the experiences of the author were similar to mine and I participated in several of the same missions. I would recommend this book to anyone interested in getting an exciting description of serving in a lead plane on many missions.

A matter of fact account of U.S. airraids over Germany in WWII. Not told with bravado or hyperbole, but just plain gripping accounts of hair-raising, almost suicidal bombing runs. You get a feel for conditions in the B-17, and the fear and trepidation the pilot (book's author) and his crew experienced, with the flight back to the States at the end of the European theatre one of the most nerve-wracking. I highly recommend this account, which is just one of several devoted to this part of the war.

Having been reading various WWII books this fall and winter, I rate this as one of the best. If you have any interest in what it was like to fight (and luckily survive) the US air war bombing offensive, grab this book today. You will not be disappointed.