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John R. Bruning
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Jungle Ace: The Story of One of the Usaaf's Great Fighter Leaders, Col. Gerald R. Johnson Hardcover – September 1, 2001

by Jr. Bruning, John R. (Author)
4.7 4.7 out of 5 stars 95 ratings
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 Illuminates the life of a unique warrior, who was both a daredevil fighter ace and a highly effective combat leader

 Contains dozens of previously unpublished photographs and compelling details about life in the Pacific Theater, based on public archives, personal papers, and history interviews

 Examines major aerial combat actions from the Aleutian Islands to the Southwest Pacific Theater

The brief but accomplished life of Army Air Forces fighter ace Gerald Johnson (1920-1945) is the subject of John Bruning's latest book. Flying the powerful P-38 and possessing lethal shooting skill, Johnson shot down 24 Japanese aircraft in 265 combat missions during thirty-six months in the Pacific Theater. At the age of 24, he commanded the highest-scoring fighter group in the Pacific, the 49th. With Dick Bong and Tommy McGuire, he formed an early triumvirate of 5th Air Force aces. A fellow pilot later called him "the Luke Skywalker of my generation." Tragically, though Johnson had survived three combat tours, which included a mid-air collision with a Japanese aircraft and being shot down by friendly fire, the new father disappeared without a trace while flying a courier mission in bad weather one month after war's end and shortly before his planned return home. At the time, he was one of the youngest full colonels in the U.S. Army Air Force.

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  1. Part of series
    The Warriors
  2. Print length
    259 pages
  3. Language
    English
  4. Publisher
    Potomac Books Inc
  5. Publication date
    September 1, 2001
  6. Dimensions
    6.25 x 1.25 x 9 inches
  7. ISBN-10
    1574883577
  8. ISBN-13
    978-1574883572
  9. See all details
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Editorial Reviews

About the Author

John R. Bruning is an aviation historian living in Independence, Oregon, near Portland. He is the author of Crimson Sky: The Air Battle for Korea.

Product details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Potomac Books Inc; 1st edition (September 1, 2001)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Hardcover ‏ : ‎ 259 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1574883577
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1574883572
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 1.21 pounds
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 6.25 x 1.25 x 9 inches
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.7 4.7 out of 5 stars 95 ratings

About the author

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John R. Bruning

John R. Bruning

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John R. Bruning's latest book, "Race of Aces: WWII's Elite Airmen and the Epic Battle to Become the Master of the Sky" will be published by Hachette Book Group this January 14th. It chronicles the extraordinary story of five fighter pilots who competed furiously in the national spotlight to become America's ace of aces during World War II.

John is the collaborating writer or author of twenty-two non-fiction books, including four New York Times best sellers. A graduate of the University of Oregon, John was given a Department of Defense's Thomas Jefferson Award for best article by a photojournalist in 2010 after he wrote about a forced landing in the Hindu Kush region of Afghanistan. He was embedded with 2-162 Infantry, Oregon National Guard during the stability and support operation in New Orleans in the wake of Hurricane Katrina in September 2005.

John lives in Independence, Oregon with his two kids, a couch-eating Jordanian dog and a cat who enjoys swimming, hiking in the Cascades, and bossing everyone around.

John can be found at Instagram at:

https://www.instagram.com/john_r_bruning/

and

https://www.instagram.com/sylvie_the_caninecat/?hl=en

and writes about great Americans here:

https://theamericanwarrior.com/

Customer reviews

4.7 out of 5 stars
4.7 out of 5
95 global ratings

Customers say

Customers find the story riveting and well-told. They also appreciate the author's excellent work in detailing the facts and making the reading enjoyable.

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Writing qualityDetail level
16 customers mention "Writing quality"16 positive0 negative

Customers find the book riveting, well-told, and amazing. They also say the author did meticulous research and produced a book that is realistic and exciting. Readers also mention that the battle scenes are descriptive, rich, and vivid. They say the book is an easy read about a true American heroism.

"...As tense and taughtly written as a best-selling fiction novel, author Bruning has created a story that even non-aviation history buffs will enjoy..." Read more

"...The battle scenes are so descriptive, I feel as if I’m watching them live. Truly a remarkable author, I have read 4 books by him in one month...." Read more

"This is a well told tale of an American hero of the WWII airwar in the Pacific...." Read more

"A very well written book. The author did excellent work in detailing the facts and yet made the reading enjoyable...." Read more

5 customers mention "Detail level"5 positive0 negative

Customers find the book excellent in detailing the facts and making the reading enjoyable. They also say it's well written and educational.

"...researching for this book, and it shows in the incredible level of detail contained in these pages...." Read more

"A very well written book. The author did excellent work in detailing the facts and yet made the reading enjoyable...." Read more

"I enjoyed the book very much. It was well researched in most areas, but in a few places it appears that a certain amount of distracting, and..." Read more

"...The story was riveting and well told. The author did meticulous research and produced a book both realistic and exciting." Read more

Top reviews from the United States

Ian A.
5.0 out of 5 stars Amazingly Detailed Account of Little Known American Hero
Reviewed in the United States on March 2, 2002
Verified Purchase
John's latest, "Jungle Ace," ranks without a doubt as one of the best biographies that I have ever read. John spent several years painstakingly researching for this book, and it shows in the incredible level of detail contained in these pages. Without boring us with this detail, the book highlights John's ability to tell a story with just the right word selection to paint a vivid, movie-like picture in the reader's mind. "Jungle Ace" follows the life of P-38 fighter ace Jerry Johnson from schoolboy to aviation candidate to grisly combat conditions, all in amazing clarity that will immerse you into the story, as if you were standing side by side with Johnson himself. As tense and taughtly written as a best-selling fiction novel, author Bruning has created a story that even non-aviation history buffs will enjoy thoroughly...
For those readers looking to see just how demanding, unforgiving and gruesome air combat in the steaming jungles of the South Pacific islands could be, this is the book for you. "Jungle Ace" is a rich, vivid and thoroughly honest chronicle of a young Oregon man who helped save the world. A rewarding read that goes beyond the military history genre.
11 people found this helpful
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Mickey Nobile
5.0 out of 5 stars Let’s never forget these heroes.
Reviewed in the United States on April 10, 2020
Verified Purchase
The personalization of Bruning characters Is part of what makes his books so exciting and interesting. The battle scenes are so descriptive, I feel as if I’m watching them live. Truly a remarkable author, I have read 4 books by him in one month. Thank you John Bruning for keeping the memories of these heroes alive.
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Clarence E.
4.0 out of 5 stars A tale well told, of an American hero of WWII.
Reviewed in the United States on February 20, 2015
Verified Purchase
This is a well told tale of an American hero of the WWII airwar in the Pacific. Most of the literature is from the European theater, so an account of the Pacific theater is welcome. Also the literature favors pilots of bombers, P-47s and P-51s. The P-38 is dismissed as unable to maneuver with the Japanese fighters. True, but the P-38 pilots who survived learned to use the advantages their plane possessed, and defeat the Japanese pilots. The element lacking in this book is the insight only a pilot can provide. Another failing (and this is universal) is the perspective of the maintenance crews. The pilots are mostly quick to commend them, but how they did their job is a story long overdue. That being said, it is worthwhile to compare living conditions for pilots in the different theaters. Perhaps the cotton living conditions made the pilots more eager to go kill somebody.
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Betsy
5.0 out of 5 stars Pilots are beyond understanding if you are not one
Reviewed in the United States on June 27, 2023
Verified Purchase
For those who have never been in the Far East, Japan, Guam, Korea, Viet-Nam, served in war, this story would seem to exaggerate what goes on.Pappy Gun was an Enlisted Navy pilot who's family was in prison in Manila. In the Army Air Force, as an officer, He would stop at nothing to destroy those who had his family. This book is the real deal. Thank you.
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Dede
5.0 out of 5 stars The last gamble
Reviewed in the United States on June 7, 2022
Verified Purchase
After over 200 missions against the Japanese enemy in the Pacific, it was mother nature in all her fury that brought his extraordinary career to a tragic end.

This book is a real page turner.
One person found this helpful
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delbon
5.0 out of 5 stars .
Reviewed in the United States on April 22, 2020
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A very well written book. The author did excellent work in detailing the facts and yet made the reading enjoyable. I highly recommend this book to anyone.
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Lotte
4.0 out of 5 stars Eggnog
Reviewed in the United States on February 16, 2011
Verified Purchase
I enjoyed the book very much. It was well researched in most areas, but in a few places it appears that a certain amount of distracting, and unnecessary literary license was used. Two examples come immediately to mind. Crewmen bailing out Jerry's doomed B-25 during a typhoon, with no indication of how those who bailed out survived ground contact upon landing with winds meeting the minimal thresold of about 75 mph. 75 mph equates to just over 100 feet per second. It is difficultr to understand how anyone could have survived a parachute landing in those conditions. The same for Jerry's brother flying in the typhoon looking for Jerry. The L-4's (Piper Cub) extremely light wing loading would have made taxiing on the ground impossible in such fierce winds. Please, authors and researchers, think these things through, have the material proof read by qualified persons before publishing.
5 people found this helpful
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Ken
5.0 out of 5 stars A great book
Reviewed in the United States on May 25, 2014
Verified Purchase
A great read about a true American heroism. It was interesting to read about the changes in Gerald's attitude towards some of his friends at home enjoying life while men are dieing in war. Another part of the book that got me bummed out was where they found the trenches dug in the jungle near a captured Jap airfield . How human beings can do that to other human beings is beyond comprehension.
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