Sub-titled: The World War II Memoir of a Lightning Recon Pilot. From induction into the USAAF, through training and then into combat flying the F-5, the photo reconnaissance version of the Lockheed P-38 Lightning, Follis recounts his many experiences getting and wearing the coveted "silver wings" of a pilot-including being chased over the Alps by two Meesserschmitt Me 262 jet fighters. With photos of the author, his fellow pilots and the aircraft they flew. Contents: Prelude; The Big Day Arrives and I'm Off to War-Almost; College Boy Again; An Aviation Cadet-At Last!; Into the Air; Flying the Vultee "Vibrator" and the "Bamboo Bomber"; The B-25-A Real Warbird; The Role of the Lockheed P-38 Lightning in Winning World War II and the Contribution of Aerial Photo Reconnaissance; Across the Atlantic in a Wartime Convoy; Going in Harm's Way; I'll Be Home for Christmas; Conclusion; Where Are They Now?; What Has Happened to the Various Military Bases? 37 photos, 4 illustrations, 1 map.

A lively social history of popular wartime songs and how they helped America's home front morale.

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This is not a typical "War Story" that begins "There I was at 25,000 feet with two Me 262 German jets on my tail," even though that actually did happen. Many of those stories have been vividly related in some fine books written by real war heroes. Instead, this book begins with an immature 18-year-old boy being inducted into the Army Air Corps in 1942 and follows his day-by-day activities from Private to Aviation Cadet through the various flying schools - Primary, Basic and Advanced. He finally earns the coveted "Silver Wings" of a pilot as an officer. Later, after surviving combat missions in an unarmed F-5 (Lockheed P-38 Lightning) photo reconnaissance aircraft in the bloody skies over the Mediterranean Theater of Operations where more than 15,000 brave young airmen of the Fifteenth Air Force perished, he is swiftly rotated back to the United States in preparation for redeployment for the invasion of Japan. This invasion was mercifully obviated by the atomic bomb. In World War II air superiority made the invasion of Europe possible. Air superiority made the invasion of Japan unnecessary. He details many colorful experiences, covering his induction, pre-flight and various other flying schools. Tom's accounts about his assignments at San Severo, Italy, with the 32nd Photo Recon Squadron, 5th Photo Group, Fifteenth Army Air Force, are accurate and explicit with numerous photographs and illustrations added to the book.