Brotherhood of the Flying Coffin - Scott Mcgaugh

Brotherhood of the Flying Coffin

the glider pilots of World War II

(Autor)

Buch | Softcover
288 Seiten
2024 | 1. Auflage
Osprey Publishing (Verlag)
978-1-4728-5295-3 (ISBN)
18,65 inkl. MwSt
The first major history of the American glider pilots, the forgotten heroes of World War II, by a New York Times bestselling author. A story of no guns, no engines and no second chances.

This book distills war down to individual young men climbing into defenseless gliders made of plywood, ready to trust the towing aircraft that would pull them into enemy territory by a cable wrapped with telephone wire. Based on their after-action reports, journals, oral histories, and letters home, this book reveals every terrifying minute of their missions.

They were all volunteers, for a specialized duty that their own government projected would have a 50 percent casualty rate. None faltered. In every major European invasion of the war they led the way. They landed their gliders ahead of the troops who stormed Omaha Beach, and sometimes miles ahead of the paratroopers bound for the far side of the Rhine River in Germany itself. From there, they had to hold their positions. They delivered medical teams, supplies and gasoline to troops surrounded in the Battle of the Bulge, ahead even of Patton's famous supply truck convoy. These all-volunteer glider pilots played a pivotal role in liberating the West from tyranny, from the day the Allies invaded Occupied Europe to the day Germany finally surrendered. Yet the story of these anonymous heroes is virtually unknown. Here it is told in full – a story which epitomizes courage and sacrifice.

Scott McGaugh is author of a number of books including New York Times bestseller Surgeon in Blue (Arcade, 2013) and Midway Magic (CDS/Perseus, 2004). Midway Magic became the basis for a History Channel program, Hero Ship: The USS Midway. McGaugh served as the founding marketing director of the USS Midway Museum in San Diego, the most visited floating ship museum in the world. TV appearances have included the History Channel, Travel Network, Discovery Channel, among others. He lives in San Diego.

Preface
Author’s Notes
List of Illustrations
Introduction
1. Guts and Gliders Wanted
2. Crashing is a Lonely Sound
3. “Prepare to Ditch”
4. Pea Patch Savior
5. Popcorn Popping
6. “The Germans Are Coming!”
7. “Our Men Were Lucky”
8. Like Hornets at a Church Cookout
9. They Were Invisible
10. The Hole in the Donut
11. Beyond Commendation
12. World War II’s Orphans
13. Epilogue
Acknowledgments
Glossary
Selected Bibliography
Endnotes
Index

Erscheinungsdatum
Zusatzinfo Illustrationen
Verlagsort [Oxford]
Sprache englisch
Maße 153 x 234 mm
Einbandart kartoniert
Themenwelt Literatur Biografien / Erfahrungsberichte
Natur / Technik Fahrzeuge / Flugzeuge / Schiffe Militärfahrzeuge / -flugzeuge / -schiffe
Geschichte Allgemeine Geschichte 1918 bis 1945
Geschichte Teilgebiete der Geschichte Militärgeschichte
Sozialwissenschaften Politik / Verwaltung
ISBN-10 1-4728-5295-8 / 1472852958
ISBN-13 978-1-4728-5295-3 / 9781472852953
Zustand Neuware
Haben Sie eine Frage zum Produkt?
Mehr entdecken
aus dem Bereich
von der Machtergreifung bis zur Gründung der Vereinten Nationen

von Alexander Swanston; Malcolm Swanston

Buch | Softcover (2023)
Motorbuch Verlag
24,90