Search results for ""Author James P. Busha""

By the time the war clouds of Europe and Asia spilled onto the shores of the United States, the allied military found itself outmanned, outgunned and out flown. The United States, still reeling from the Great Depression, was in a technological disadvantage in all branches of the military. This included, of course, a viable air force. There have been volumes of books written about the development of US airpower and the technological specifications of each American or Allied aircraft. This is not one of them. This book focuses on the young men who answered the call to duty and were literally transformed from “farm boys to fighter pilots.” It offers a rare glimpse of what it was like to fly a variety of frontline fighters in World War II. From Army Air Force P-39 Aircobras, P-40 Warhawk’s, P-38 Lightning’s, P-47 Thunderbolts and P-51 Mustang’s to US Navy F4F Wildcats, F4U Corsairs and F6F Hellcats. Each story is told in descriptive detail, with the inclusion of actual combat reports contained in many of the stories. Many of the pilots depicted also achieved the status of ace with five or more aerial victories.

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In the annals of the Second World War, a resounding figure emerged, etching his legacy through audacious feats and indomitable spirit. Major Charles Carpenter, a name forever intertwined with valor and innovation, garnered international attention for his ingenious adaptation of six bazookas onto his modest Piper L-4 observation aircraft. The exploits of this remarkable figure, affectionately dubbed "Bazooka Charlie," and his airborne companion "Rosie the Rocketer," resonated across military and civilian spheres, securing their place in history's annals, notably enshrined within the pages of the venerable Stars & Stripes publication. The major was a high school educator in the civilian world, teaching history and coaching football. Carpenter was talented, highly intelligent, and athletically gifted, but the war truly tested him. In 1945, the dashing pilot was forced out of the cockpit and into a hospital bed by Hodgkin’s lymphoma, which was discovered in his neck. In addition to the enemy and terminal cancer, Carpenter also battled cynicism and guilt, particularly in regard to the state of his marriage, which was on the brink of failure by the time he returned home from Europe. Charles Carpenter died in 1966, having resumed his career, salvaged his marriage, and long outlived the timeline afforded him by his doctors in the initial prognosis. This revealing biography of the famous pilot was made possible through the collaboration of noted aviation author and magazine editor Jim Busha, and Carpenter’s daughter, Carol Apacki. Along with memories of her father in his postwar years, Carol provided a treasure trove of wartime correspondence between Charles and his wife, Elda Carpenter.

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