The Cruel Sky

A Heavy Bomber Group in World War II

Robert Thompson (Autor)

Buch | Hardcover

248 Seiten

2025
Westholme Publishing, U.S. (Verlag)
978-1-59416-441-5 (ISBN)

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The men who flew American heavy bombers over Europe in World War II were very young—most were either in their late teens or early twenties. Before they deployed overseas, they were military amateurs who knew nothing of the violent, dangerous world of air warfare. Heavy bombers flew over Europe in steady formations at high altitudes. There they faced a gauntlet of razor sharp antiaircraft artillery bursts and fighter aircraft firing cannons that shattered Plexiglas, metal, engines, and bone. It is no wonder that bomber crews suffered some of the highest casualty rates of any service during the war. Yet, their courage and sacrifice would help the Allies secure an overwhelming victory over Hitler’s Germany. That bravery and the extreme dangers these young men faced in combat over Europe are vividly portrayed in The Cruel Sky: A Heavy Bomber Group in World War II. Using the 451st Bombardment Group (Heavy) of the Fifteenth Air Force as the focus for this compelling narrative, author Robert Thompson describes how the bomber group was established and trained, what is took to fly its aircraft—the Consolidated B-24 Liberator—the opposition they faced, and the harrowing stories of the missions for which the group received three Distinguished Unit Citations, one of only two units so honored during World War II. Relying on official reports and firsthand accounts of those who flew with the 451st, the book provides a fresh and personal perspective of the deadly air war over Europe that was critical in defeating the Nazis and liberating millions.

Robert Thompson is a historian and former career military officer, serving on B-52 bombers. He has a BA in history from Texas Tech University and a graduate degree in military studies from American Military University. He is author of a number of books, including Suddenly Soldiers: The 166th Infantry Regiment in World War I and Nine Desperate Days: America’s Rainbow Division in the Aisne-Marne Offensive, both of which were finalists for the Army Historical Foundation Distinguished Writing Award. He lives near St. Louis, Missouri.

Erscheinungsdatum	04.06.2025
Zusatzinfo	60 b-w illustrations
Verlagsort	Yardley
Sprache	englisch
Maße	152 x 229 mm
Gewicht	399 g
Themenwelt	Geschichte ► Allgemeine Geschichte ► 1918 bis 1945
	Geschichte ► Teilgebiete der Geschichte ► Militärgeschichte
	Sozialwissenschaften ► Politik / Verwaltung
ISBN-10	1-59416-441-X / 159416441X
ISBN-13	978-1-59416-441-5 / 9781594164415
Zustand	Neuware