From Publishers Weekly
Crosby "did everything wrong" on his first WW II mission as navigator in a B-17 crew, but soon demonstrated a natural talent that elevated him to the position of navigator of a bomb group. This meant he was responsible for assembling as many as 2000 warplanes from various bases in England, leading them to their targets, then guiding the air crews home. The casualty rate was frightful, and Crosby here describes how he accomplished his intricate work despite growing fears of death or maiming. Anecdotes abound in these incident-rich pages, some funny, others cruel, like the tale of how a crew rid itself of an obnoxious member by convincing him that their plane had been hit so seriously that they had to bail out, and he alone did--over Germany. Written from the unusual perspective of a navigator, this is a compelling account of the air war against Germany. Crosby, now retired, is former director of Harvard's Writing Center. Illustrations.
Copyright 1993 Reed Business Information, Inc.
--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
From Library Journal
A navigator with the Eighth Air Force in England during World War II, Crosby served in one of the most badly mauled groups of the theater, the famous "Bloody 100th." He rose through the ranks, by his own admission blundering through his first few missions, then gained skill and a professional reputation to become group navigator. Along the way there were more than 32 missions over German-held territory and the loss of many friends and fellow air crew. Crosby's name has figured in nearly every history of the Eighth; it is valuable to have his lucid and careful descriptions of action in his own words. He re-creates for us the sense of how it was when European skies were filled with noise and danger, when the fate of millions hung in the balance. An evocative and excellent memoir for general and specialized collections.
- Mel D. Lane, Sacramento, Cal.Copyright 1993 Reed Business Information, Inc.
--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
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