This book provides a comprehensive look at the air war over Europe during the climactic year of World War II, combining firsthand experience with expert analysis. The centerpiece of the work is a mission-by-mission diary of 1st Lieutenant Richard R. Ayesh, bombadier on a B-17 Flying Fortress, who flew with the 100th Bombardment Group, 13th Combat Wing of the 8th Air Force—the legendary “Bloody 100th. ” He was a recipient of the Distinguished Flying Cross, Croix de Guerre, Air Medal with Four Oak Leaf Clusters, and numerous other medals. This book follows Ayeth’s progress from his youth during the Great Depression in Wichita, Kansas, a city which at the time was rapidly becoming the air capital of the nation, to his arrival in England as a Lieutenant in a bomber crew assigned to assault the Third Reich. Once in Europe, the author provides a comprehensive look at the principles of American daylight strategic bombing, while relaying to the reader the overall military situation on the ground and in the air over Europe just after D-Day. This work is uniquely self-contained and covers all aspects of the Air War in a clear, concise, yet non-technical manner. Topics include photo-reconnaisance, munitions and bomb types, combatant aircraft characteristics, fighter tactics, bomber tactics, bomber formations, strategic target selection, combatant and defensive radars, counter-measures (and counter-counter measures), logistics, ground crews, and air scouts. The author, interweaving his analysis with the urgent firsthand diary of a participant in the Bloody 100th, describes the air war in full fashion, in the process revealing a number of insights. Throughout 35 combat missions, the unaltered combat diary of Lt. Ayesh is presented mission-by-mission, punctuated by tragedy and unbelievable heroism, with explanations and commentary on the significance of the events and actions described en route. The result is one of the most frank and exciting works on the air war over Europe to date.There is no varnishing of words in this book, either through the diary or the analysis that accompanies it. Instead, after the gallant Lt. Ayesh is followed on his perilous return home in U-boat infested waters, the book assesses the effectiveness of US strategic daylight bombing in crippling and ultimately paralyzing the Nazi war machine. Finally, the complex moral issues raised by area bombing, city bombing and the controversies surrounding them are explored, all with 21st century implications.EDWARD M. SION, Ph.D., a native of Kansas, is currently Professor of Astronomy and Astrophysics at Villanova University. He has held visiting positions at Arizona State, the University of Toulouse and the Hubble Space Telescope Science Institute. A recipient of numerous grants from the National Science Foundation and NASA, he has authored or co-authored 185 peer-reviewed publications, primarily on the end stages of stellar evolution. He currently resides with his wife and two children in Radnor, PA.

Diving vertically at the target, in the same direction the bombs will take, was an incredible bombing technique developed by the British and put into action in World War II. Bombers would dive and release the bombs very close to the target at high speed, with high risk, to accurately bomb relatively small and/or moving targets with ease.This riveting and highly detailed account of high speed aerial combat is the result of 40 years of intensive research and provides a complete history of the formidable dive bombers from World War 2. Containing an unparalled collection of data on infamous aircraft like the German Stuka, the American Dauntless, the Japanese Aichi D3A1 “Val,” the Soviet PE-2, and numerous others, Dive Bomber is the ultimate guide to this daring machine, enhanced by numerous maps, photographs, tables and diagrams, providing he most accurate and comprehensive guide ever written on this subject.

This book recalls the story of 135 Americans grouped together in a company of paratroopers of the 82nd American Airborne from their enlistment to the end of the Battle of Normandy. Throughout this book, you will discover what stirred them to enlist in this new force, yet unknown even in America : the paratroopers. After the psychological shock provoked by Pearl Harbour on 7th December 1941, this unit, like many others, was created from nothing. You will share with these men their daily life during their military training in the United States through their own accounts, most of them published here for the first time, as well as their life in England in early 1944 whilst awaiting operation 'Overlord'; a plan which was kept secret to the very last minute, even from the paratroopers. Through original accounts, you will take part in the final preparations on the airfield tarmac at Folkingham, in England just before they boarded the C47 aircraft. You will board with them onto the nine C47's assigned to their company, from lift-off to the great night jump onto drop zone 'N'; somewhere in the middle of Normandy among German flak fire. You will take this jump with them, which was the first for almost all of the paratroopers, and alas, the last for many. You will take an active part in the regroupment attempts on the 'high spot' of &'Hill 30';. You will stay with them until the 12th of July 1944, date marking the end of the Battle of Normandy, at a cost of many deaths and casualties. You will understand the organisation of a parachute regiment, a battalion command company and an air transport group during the Battle of Normandy. This book is far from a trivial official report. It is the human testimony of simple soldiers, many of whom have awaited their old-age before telling their tale, for they simply didn't have the strength to tell it earlier. Certain veterans mentioned in this book have deceased before its publication, but the account of their achievements will live on in history.

In Normandy, over 100 000 combatants from 14 different nations lie in 28 War-cemeteries on land given by France in perpetuity. These are incomparable enclaves of remembrance. They symbolise both presence and absence : the ever present cost in human lives, the absence of all those for whom so many still grieve. An all-inclusive guide, GARDENS OF REMEMBRANCE describes the origin of each War Cemetery, its surroundings, characteristics and geographical situation. The reader will find in this guide the story of those whose lives were taken from them, often before the age of twenty. An indispensible work for those who seek to find, remember or ponder where feelings rather than words, pass on the message forever present among the Fallen.

In french and english Gold was a D-day landing beach that stretched across seven kilometres of sand and dunes, which at low tide spanned almost a kilometre towards the waterline. By June 6th 1944, the German defence troops of Fortress Europe had transformed it into a series of walls and anti-tank trenches flanked by concrete fortifications protecting formidable guns. The coastal area was flooded and dotted with mines and booby-traps. The beach area extended between the cliff at Saint Côme de Fresné to the west, and the battery at Mont-Fleury to the east. The invasion beach sectors of Item, Jig, King, and Love were located between these two points, through the hamlet of Asnelles to Ver sur Mer (La Rivière). One hour after H-hour (7:30 am), British troops proceeded inland after a show of force at Mont Fleury and the Commandos’ feat of arms at Port en Bessin, two shining moments for the British Army and Navy. Gold beach was stormed on June 6th 1944 by British soldiers who had fought victoriously in 1942 in the North African desert, and General Montgomery would later hail Gold Beach as the most successful of Normandy’s five D-Day beaches.

From the decision to land in Normandy up to the closing of the "Falaise Gap" this work describes the different phases of the Battle : strategy, diversion, the multiple operations undertaken, the sectors chosen for landing, the Armed Forces and their mission in each case. Maps trace the Army Corps and Units and their advance in the course of the Battle. A concentrated and instructive work on the main stages of the Battle of Normandy.

On the 6th of June 1944, after aerial and naval bombings of unparalleled violence, the allied troops boarded the barges that took them to their respective beaches where the Germans troops, entrenched behind the "Atlantic Wall", were laying in wait…Throughout the preparation of the D-day landings, and during the terrible land, sea and aerial combat that was to bathe Normandy in blood and fire, troops of all nationalities demonstrated the most outstanding courage and determination and abnegation..

This book, composed of three parts, first of all recalls the design and the manufacture of the gliders, the creation of the flying schools as well as the setting-up of the program of pilot training. The second part is interested in the use of the American gliders on June 6, 1944 in Cotentin by detailing all the missions in which they took part. The last part, as for it, is focused on the ignored role held by these same apparatuses at the time of the landing of Provence. This book does not forget to mention the parachutists combined at the sides of which the gliders took share with the engagements. You will find many photographs and new documents as well as testimonies of German, French and American veterans.

A superb, highly illustrated book! From their bridgeheads in Normandy, established after three months of intense fighting, the Allies finally broke out and began a spectacular advance, pushing the Germans back at an unprecedented rate. Here’s the complete story of what became known as Montgomery’s Blitzkrieg.

When the author was inducted into the US Army in 1942 he had no idea that typists and draftsmen were in short supply and that he would be quickly snatched up by the G-3 (Operations) Section of the 82nd Airborne. The author thus gained a ringside seat for some of the greatest campaigns of World War II.The 82nd fought from the invasions of North Africa, Sicily and France, to the Battle of the Bulge and the drive on Berlin. And throughout the campaigns sat Lebenson at the division’s nerve centre, typing orders, drafting battle maps and acting as liaison. A rare enlisted man with ‘bigoted’ (top secret) status, he was privy to the 82nd’s actions as they were being devised. In the process, he was able to meet Ridgeway, Gavin, Patton, Montgomery and other army luminaries who came through the headquarters. Along with the divisional staff, the author arrived in battle in many different ways – by ship, plane, glider, parachute and jeep. With the rest of the All American Division he shared the blistering heat of Africa and the bone-chilling cold of the Ardennes.Rising from private to master sergeant, Lebenson thought that he had ‘the best job in the army’. In this revealing memoir, however, he never fails to give full credit to the men on the firing line who suffered the greatest hardships and casualties. The author has provided a rare behind-the-scenes view of the 82nd Airborne in World War II, yet he is the first to acknowledge that his greatest honour was to be ‘surrounded by heroes’.

“The mission to clear up the last strongholds of resistance in Falaise fell to the Mont-Royal Fusiliers ans the task was far from easy. About 60 diehards from the Hitler Youth were entrenched in the Ecole Superieure (a primary school), in the town centre. The building was surrounded by a thick wall and overhung the main street which crossed the southern side of Falaise from east to west. Resistance ceased at 2 a.m. on 18th August while the riflemen were lauching an attack under a German air raid which pounded enemies and allies alike. The school was sent on fire. Four Germans were reported to have escaped, the others "fought to the death", non surrendered”. This was how the official Canadian history, written by Colonel Stacey, reported the last stage of the fighting in Falaise. The author of this book, Jean-Luc Leleu, shows that this account of the battle is a myth : the Germans did not intend to fight to the death, but fled during the air raid, saving their lives.

This book is the first in a new series devoted to German armored formations of World War II.Packed with full color images and a large amount of previously unpublished material, it is custom designed to appeal to modelers, AFV enthusiasts, and readers interested in Second World War technical history.The book traces the battle of Kursk and the involvement of the German Panzer Units, through first hand records. Many hitherto unpublished photos, plus recently discovered memoirs from veterans combined with color profiles of AFVs, contribute to make this book a real reference bible for the enthusiast. Didier Lodieu is a dedicated specialist on the German Army of World War II. In more than thirty years of research. he has learned how to find the most interesting photos and historical sources.

‘In a fascinating way, Chuck Alling recalls his days as a pilot flying B-17’s over Germany. He is truly a member of ‘The Greatest Generation’ and from his book, written from the heart, people can learn a lot about the laughs and the tears of World War II.’ – Former President George H. W. Bush• A unique insight into the lives of a lead-bomber crew in WWII• An extraordinary tale of everyday braveryA Mighty Fortress is the personal account of the captain and crew of a lead bomber in the enormous formation raids made by the 8th Airforce during the last few months of the Second World War.It is an extraordinary tale of heroism and bravery on the part of the entire crew of just one B17 amongst hundreds – but the one B17 that meant most to them.Flying a total of 27 missions before the war came to an end in May 1945, Alling tells, with great restraint, the story of what it was like to be there, over the skies of enemy territory, constantly on the look out for German fighters; of the enormity of some of the raids they were part of and the consequences for those on the ground; of the planes around them that fell out of the sky under enemy attack, the horror and the determination to succeed. The book gives a unique insight into the lives of one crew of one plane as the War neared its end.About the AuthorCharles B. Alling received the Distinguished Flying Cross and the Air Medal with four Oak Leaf Clusters during the Second World War. He graduated from Yale University in 1947. In 1988, he retired and studied Ethics at Oxford University Graduate School in England. He lives in Kennebunk, Maine.

Too little has been written to date on Germany's "Schnellboote" in the Second World War. Known by the Allies as E-Boats (Enemy Boats) the S Boote played havoc on Allied naval operations in the English channel and elsewhere. Many of their captains were amongst the most decorated of any branch of the Kriegsmarine. Jean-Philippe Dallies-Labourdette is a noted expert on the Kriegsmarine in World War Two and was the author of the best selling (and now sadly out of print) U-Boote, published in 1996 by Histoire & Collections.This highly detailed book examines all aspects of the S-Boote, from design to deployment and notes all the major engagements for which they are famous. As with all Histoire & Collections books, you are guaranteed a visual feast of excellent descriptive graphics and previously unseen photographs.

The Soviet aircraft industry of the 1940-1950 period has been incredibly productive, while Russian manufacturers, stimulated by the huge needs stressed by World War Two, competed with each other in design and creativeness. This book offers an exhaustive coverage, by chronological order which is one of its original features every single Soviet fighter of the period, from obscure projects which did no go off the drawing table, to the best known mass-produced models.

This collection of reminiscences and poems of American veterans residing in France brings alive the realities of World War II, particularly in France but also in North Africa, the South Pacific, England, Belgium, Holland, Italy and Germany.Many compelling images emerge from these seventeen stories: a secret agent launching kayaks in cold Algerian waters, a six-foot-two sergeant wading ashore at Utah Beach, an American medic treating a German soldier in a Norman church, a young Frenchman hiding an American airman in a shepherd's hut, a commander crawling over to a burning tank to save on of his "boys", a WAC dancing in the streets of Paris on V-E Day.