Buy new:

$17.87

List Price: $23.95

Save: $6.08 (25%)

Get Fast, Free Shipping with Amazon Prime FREE Returns

FREE delivery Thursday, February 9 if you spend $25 on items shipped by Amazon

Or fastest delivery Wednesday, February 8. Order within 9 hrs 29 mins

Select delivery location

In Stock.

[{"displayPrice":"$17.87","priceAmount":17.87,"currencySymbol":"$","integerValue":"17","decimalSeparator":".","fractionalValue":"87","symbolPosition":"left","hasSpace":false,"showFractionalPartIfEmpty":true,"offerListingId":"nDfyX4%2FRBT2en63E5YoBb3YN9fIAtUjHCL%2BkAJ09gRXDv3%2BKCR06wP3ReIVHaunN29Xzd1SF%2B2vAXNfqqWRmapa%2FkKk25gUFmb0y9L0gmdQR3RE6K7rmw5v8RGNtUBnK9qZQrxUdjqI%3D","locale":"en-US","buyingOptionType":"NEW"}]

$$17.87 () Includes selected options. Includes initial monthly payment and selected options. Details

Secure transaction

Ships from

Amazon.com

Sold by

Amazon.com

Details

Ships from

Amazon.com

Sold by

Amazon.com

Return policy: Eligible for Return, Refund or Replacement within 30 days of receipt

Add a gift receipt for easy returns

Have one to sell?

Sell on Amazon

Other Sellers on Amazon

Added

Not added

$25.95
& FREE Shipping

Sold by: BookResourceUS

Added

Not added

$29.21
& FREE Shipping

Sold by: Book Depository US

Flip to back Flip to front

Listen Playing... Paused You're listening to a sample of the Audible audio edition.
Learn more

See all 3 images

Follow the Author

Gary R. Hill

I Wanted Wings: A Tail Gunner's Story Paperback – Illustrated, May 7, 2009

by Gary R. Hill (Author)

15 ratings

See all formats and editions

Price

New from

Used from

Hardcover, Illustrated

"Please retry"

$34.99

$39.57

Paperback, Illustrated

"Please retry"

$17.87

—

Enhance your purchase

As a 10-year-old kid, I thought my Dad's stories of his adventures in WWII were as good as the tales of Daniel Boone, Davy Crockett, and the Lone Ranger. A tail gunner on a bomber, he bailed from a burning plane, survived life on the run behind enemy lines, was captured by the Nazis (whoever they were) and then, to top it all off, he survived life in a prison camp. All of that was rather heady for a kid with an over-worked imagination. Seven or eight years ago, my Dad asked me if I would be interested in a box of old letters. They were WWII era letters he had received from family and friends. They had survived the cold, molds and mildews of basement life, and now, all these years later, he couldn't bring himself to throw them away. Of course I accepted them, and as I began to read and then transcribe them, I fell under the spell of their simple eloquence and historical significance. I Wanted Wings is the melding of my father's exciting stories and a family's diary-like record of life back home on the farm. It begins in 1942 with my grandparents seeing three sons off to serve in the military. In the letters, my grandmother and aunts beg him to avoid dangerous duty. In his mind, adventure was the very thing he craved. For the next three and a half years, the letters and my father's experiences entwine into a slice-of-life narrative of a family caught in a world war that comes very close to home.

Print length

456 pages
Language

English
Publisher

AuthorHouse
Publication date

May 7, 2009
Dimensions

6 x 1.15 x 9 inches
ISBN-10

1438932553
ISBN-13

978-1438932552
See all details

Product details

Publisher ‏ : ‎ AuthorHouse; Illustrated edition (May 7, 2009)
Language ‏ : ‎ English
Paperback ‏ : ‎ 456 pages
ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1438932553
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1438932552
Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 1.47 pounds
Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 6 x 1.15 x 9 inches

Best Sellers Rank: #851,708 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #2,714 in German History (Books)
- #20,810 in Military History (Books)
- #28,435 in United States History (Books)

Customer Reviews:
15 ratings

Brief content visible, double tap to read full content.

Full content visible, double tap to read brief content.

Videos

Help others learn more about this product by uploading a video!

Upload your video

About the author

Follow authors to get new release updates, plus improved recommendations.

Gary R. Hill

Brief content visible, double tap to read full content.

Full content visible, double tap to read brief content.

Discover more of the author’s books, see similar authors, read author blogs and more

Customer reviews

4.8 out of 5

15 global ratings

5 star		77%
4 star		23%
3 star 0% (0%)		0%
2 star 0% (0%)		0%
1 star 0% (0%)		0%

How customer reviews and ratings work

Top reviews from the United States

There was a problem filtering reviews right now. Please try again later.

Choosy Shopper

The book is good but I think I will read it several times ...

Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on October 4, 2015

Verified Purchase

The book is good but I think I will read it several times in order to keep all of the characters straight. My mother was referenced in the book so that is why I wanted to read it. She must have been a close neighbor. I am still in the general area but a lot of individuals are already deceased that would have known this family. I found a box of letters when my mother passed away. She used to write to soldiers. A lot of young women did during that time. Maybe my mother's youngest brother will know. This book is interesting to read though just to understand how they lived during that time. Times were hard and they worked several jobs and carpooled to work.

One person found this helpful

Helpful

tommyg

If you are looking for a true life story must read.

Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on December 29, 2020

Verified Purchase

This is such a great story. It's amazing that he kept all those letters for some many years.

One person found this helpful

Helpful

CtownChris

A good story

Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on August 20, 2009

Verified Purchase

I just finished I Wanted Wings: A Tail Gunner's Story.

I enjoyed reading this story of a young mans life in the Michigan farms and his leap to manhood in WWII.

This is a PG read, I am sure much detail was left out concerning actual life in the service and as a POW.

I easily imagined being in his place as the tail unfolded.

I really have a much better appreciation for the toll on the families and service men of that era.

I had 2 Uncles serve in WWII and this helps me understand who those men really were.

3 people found this helpful

Helpful

Sally Walsh

Priceless memories...

Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on July 10, 2013

Verified Purchase

I just finished reading this book last night and thoroughly enjoyed it. It's a great story of the time, the people, families WWII affected. It was one of the first books my dad started reading when he retired, and while he was reading it he just couldn't put it down. He knew the main character, the author's father, and I had the pleasure of meeting Gary Hill at my dad's visitation last summer. Anyone interested in WWII history will definitely find this an enjoyable read. Thanks, Gary, for sharing your dad's story with us.

One person found this helpful

Helpful

Amazon Customer

Thank you for writing this book for all of us to be able to appreciate the sacrifice that was made by the greatest generation. W

Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on February 14, 2016

Verified Purchase

Such an honor to know 1 of these men! What a loving man of integrity. Thank you for writing this book for all of us to be able to appreciate the sacrifice that was made by the greatest generation. We are so blessed to live in this nation.

One person found this helpful

Helpful