Customer Reviews

The best in the Southwest: The 380th bombardment group (H) in World War II, Southwest Pacific Area

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Assigned to George Kenney's 5th AF in April 1943, the 380th Bomb Group compiled a combat record second to none. Equipped with B-24 Liberators, the 'Flying Circus' ranged far across the Pacific, striking targets in New Guinea, the East Indies, Formosa, China and Indo-China. The history of the 380th BG is related in this well-researched, engagingly-written and wonderfully illustrated book by author Glenn Horton and Mosie Publications. I have no reservations in stating that THE BEST IN THE SOUTHWEST will stand as THE definitive history of this famous bomb group.

The 380th was doubly unique; being tasked to provide strategic bombardment coverage of the entire western half of the Southwest Pacific Area AND coming under the operational control of the Royal Australian Air Force from May 1943 to February 1945. The Group's main mission was to hold the left flank of the Allied SWPA campaign. The 380th also joined other 5th AF units in strikes in New Guinea, etc. Amongst its most famous missions were the strikes on the Balikpapan oil refineries - the longest USAAF bombing missions of WWII - and strikes on Surabaja, Java. After February 1945, the Group relocated to the P.I. as a part of the 5th AF. The 380th also trained RAAF aircrews in B-24 operations. By war's end, the 380th had lost 90 Libs to flak, fighters, weather, equipment failure and other causes. The Group received two Presidential Unit Citations.

Horton does an excellent job of relating and illustrating the 380th's history. Each chapter starts out with a 'Strategic Overview' after which he relates that period's combat missions and other Group activities. The Group had a checkered combat history and Horton, whose father was a pilot in the 380th, does not shrink from taking Group personnel to task for poor tactics, lack of Group cohesion and so on. THE BEST IN THE SOUTHWEST is definitely a warts-and-all history, something rare in my experience.

The book is incredibly well-illustrated with almost 900 b&w and color photographs, maps and air combat scenes. John Valo, a talented artist who has never gotten the recognition he deserves, contributed 48 color profiles of 380th B-24s. Valo's artwork is superb, showing examples of the Group's Ds, Js, Ls and Ms in all their configurations and colors. The illustrations alone are worth the cover price.

In short, THE BEST OF THE SOUTHWEST is a wonderfully done tribute to the 380th BG and a great read to boot. It is everything you'd hope for in a Group history book and more, much more. Military aviation history doesn't get much better than this, folks! Highly recommended.

Few books now been published can match the quality and production of this book. The 500 pages are packed with photographs, maps, well edited text and a superb colour section that has nearly 15 pages of profiles, plus colour photos. While currently this book is out of print,(2009) it stands head and shoulders above many of the Group Histories on offer from mainstream publishers. If you have seen or own a copy of "Warpath Across the Pacific: The Illustrated History of the 345th Bombardment Group During WWII (Hardcover)~ Lawrence J. Hickey", it is very much similar in design and quality. Warpath Across the Pacific: The Illustrated History of the 345th Bombardment Group During WWII.

I've been looking for this book with over three years now, and having finally received a copy, it certainly has lived up to my expectations.
If you have "Warpath Across The Pacific" then this is a carbon copy of the "style" of same,and I love this kind of book, which has everything for the aviation historian that one one could wish for......