Met an ol’ timer in Hendersonville, NC assisted living facility. He really enjoys the Big Band music that I play to entertain the residents. On the way out he gave me his business card which read:
World War II B-17 Pilot…15th AF, 5th Wing, 483rd BG(H)
817 BS-MTO/ETO Italy, 1944-1945
Author: “Jump, Damn It, Jump”. Email: lslogan@suddenlink.net.
Quite an interesting guy…anyone know anyone that might know him or his credentials?
His book is available on Amazon. I haven’t read it yet, but I’m pretty sure this guy could walk away from a water landing.
From the preface:
“On several occasions since the war I have been asked to write the story of my thirty- fourth mission. Doing so was impossible immediately after the war ended because sufficient unclassified material was not available; nor was I able to use the few notes I had written about the experience during and soon after it had transpired. A busy flying career further postponed writing the story for thirty-eight years (although I continually made additional notes and outlined recollections of people, places, events and chronology). Finally, in retirement, I now have the time and resources to tell this fascinating tale”.
From the intro:
“We returned nine times with one of our four engines inoperative and three times with two engines inoperative. One of the two-engine returns was with two engines shot out on the same side of the airplane! Flying an airplane in that condition is a real feat”
“…We always returned—that is, with the exception of our 34th mission, from which we could not return to our base with our airplane. This is the mission on which my story is based.”
Thanks, when I see him next month, I will ask if he has a few copies just hanging around…looks fascinating…joe