Customer Reviews

Warpath Across the Pacific: The Illustrated History of the 345th Bombardment Group During WWII

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This is the standard to which all military unit histories should conform. There is a wealth of information here - from training to combat deployment to VJ Day. The text covers the personalities, battles and tactics, and contains many personal accounts. The photos are superb and plentiful, and are complemented by color photos. Even better are the 55 color aircraft profiles, covering markings and camoflage from beginning to end. I wish that all of the unit histories that I own were produced to this standard.

Few books ever achieve the level of excellence that this volume has. The amount of time and effort that made this book happen is very obvious. From the first days of training in the United States through VJ day in 1945, this book reads almost like a day by day diary of the 345TH bomb group. Most of the photos are published here for the first time from private collections, and their overall quality is amazing. The interviews are written almost exactly as they were dictated; nothing is cencored or changed to be "politically correct". Some areas of the text are humerous to read, while others are sad and often very graphic in the details given. It shows a side of the war that is not often dealt with in great detail. I consider it a privilage to own this volume, and would recommend it to anyone who wants to read a true aviation history from crewmen who were there.

Having an Uncle that served with the 345th, I found the detail to be amazing. The accounts and memories of the people interviewed glues you to your seat and gives a fresh perspective of what it was like when war wasn't so cut and dry. Excellent pictures and text. My personal interest made it even more interesting. I found it to be very accurate and concise.

All the accolades are fully deserved - this is simply the best war history of any air unit fighting in any war for any side. Of course the author had some of the most incredible action aerial photography ever taken to base his work on, and the photos alone make the book worth its price. The cameras used to record the action in such detail with such high shutter speeds would not be out of place today, so it can only be imagined how cutting-edge they must have been over 60 years ago.

This work belongs on every aviation enthusiast's bookshelf. I'd add an extra star if I could!

This is probably one of the finest USAAF unit histories ever produced, it chronicles the air operations of the 345th Bomb Group , the " AIR APACHES ", formed in 1942, and who served in the South West Pacific and Philippines up to 1945. Flying the superb B-25 Mitchell twin engine bomber, they fought through the New Guinea campaign, Dutch East Indies, Philippines, & to the end of the war, including raids thru the South China Sea, Chinese Coast & Japan.

................... 1996, 4th revised edition, hard bound in dust jacket, 8 1/2 x 11, glossy page stock, 448 pages, 634 B&W photos, 53 rare color photos, 48 magnificent color aircraft profiles, 5 combat action paintings and 13 highly detailed maps. numerous appendices, bibliog, index..

This book has now become part one of "Eagles Over The Pacific".
It is a brilliant book, 10 out of 10. It has everything to keep you going through it again and again....