These are the original, never-before-published notes penned in 1944 and 1945 by B-29 pilot 1st Lt. Philip D. Webster concerning the 35 missions he flew from Saipan to Tokyo during WWII. Two-time recipient of the Distinguished Flying Cross, every mission is described in detail -- the fighters they had to contend with, the hits they took and how many; the planes they shot down; the flak that was encountered and the damage it caused. Lt. Webster wrote about weather conditions and anything he thought the intelligence people would want to know about in a debriefing meeting upon landing. These notes were stored undisturbed in Phil's original, Army-issue briefcase for over 61 years -- from the time they were written until August, 2005, when the briefcase was finally opened. All major incidents are true and can be backed up by documentation.

By March 1945, when Ben Robertson took to the skies above Japan in his B-29 Superfortress, the end of World War II in the Pacific seemed imminent. But although American forces were closing in on its home islands, Japan refused to surrender, and American B-29s were tasked with hammering Japan to its knees with devastating bomb runs. That meant flying low-altitude, night-time incendiary raids under threat of flak, enemy fighters, mechanical malfunction, and fatigue. It may have been the beginning of the end, but just how soon the end would come - and whether Robertson and his crew would make it home - was far from certain.

"A new edition for the sixtieth anniversary of the famous Doolittle Raid"--P. [4] of cover.

In this important and moving true story of reconciliation after war, beautifully illustrated in watercolor, a Japanese pilot bombs the continental U.S. during World War II and comes back 20 years later to apologize. Full color.

Profusely illustrated text documents the decisive part played by bombers in bringing about the ultimate capitulation of Japan in World War II.

Never Will We Forget deals with the most enduring and moving side of World War II, the personal side. These are the stories of some 400 men and women, who, though they experienced the war in wildly different ways, were all profoundly affected by it. Gleaned from interviews and oral histories, the book reflects the experiences of male and female veterans, civilians on the home front, conscientious objectors, survivors of the torpedoing of the USS Indianapolis and of typhoons, participants in the Normandy Invasion, the Battle of the Bulge, Iwo Jima, and Okinawa. Some stories tug at the heart, some foster the shock of surprise, still others reflect the long-held pride in the American war effort at home and abroad. From the first dark stirrings of war through its dusty aftermath, Never Will We Forget captures how Americans lived, felt, and believed during the twentieth century's most brutal conflict.

Until now, no book has covered all of Cold War air combat in the words of the men who waged it. In I Always Wanted to Fly, retired United States Air Force Colonel Wolfgang W. E. Samuel has gathered first-person memories from heroes of the cockpits and airstrips. Battling in dogfights when jets were novelties, saving lives in grueling airlifts, or flying dangerous reconnaissance missions deep into Soviet and Chinese airspace, these flyers waged America's longest and most secretively conducted air war. Many of the pilots Samuel interviewed invoke the same sentiment when asked why they risked their lives in the air—“I always wanted to fly.” While young, they were inspired by barnstormers, by World War I fighter legends, by the legendary Charles Lindbergh, and often just by seeing airplanes flying overhead. With the advent of World War II, many of these dreamers found themselves in cockpits soon after high school. Of those who survived World War II, many chose to continue following their dream, flying the Berlin Airlift, stopping the North Korean army during the “forgotten war” in Korea, and fighting in the Vietnam War. Told in personal narratives and reminiscences, I Always Wanted to Fly renders views from pilots' seats and flight decks during every air combat flashpoint from 1945–1968. Drawn from long exposure to the immense stress of warfare, the stories these warriors share are both heroic and historic. The author, a veteran of many secret reconnaissance missions, evokes individuals and scenes with authority and grace. He provides clear, concise historical context for each airman's memories. In I Always Wanted to Fly he has produced both a thrilling and inspirational acknowledgment of personal heroism and a valuable addition to our documentation of the Cold War.