Hello to all surfers interested in World War II and aviation. That's my portrait below, taken in 1944. I may sometimes fancy that I still resemble that young man, but I'm now into my ninth decade. When I look in the mirror I see a bearded, thinner face, roughed by time, but the story I tell is his. --Gordon W. Weir

An updated site with additional photos is now at www.arizonahandbook.com/8thAF.htm

The Navigator posing as Intrepid Airman.

This portrait, taken by the Group photographer in our B-17 days, was featured on a page of a history of the 493rd Bomb Group, but alas...it bears someone else's name. Thus is Clio, the muse of History, amused.

NAVIGATING THROUGH WORLD WAR II

A MEMOIR OF THE WAR YEARS

"Old men forget: yet all shall be forgot, But he'll remember with advantages What feats he did ...." Shakespeare, Henry V

"I am publishing my own memoirs, not theirs, and we all know that no three honest witnesses of a simple brawl can agree on the details." General William Tecumseh Sherman's reply to his critics in the preface to the second edition of his Memoirs

Preface

Part I: American Adventures

"'Tis the star-spangled banner; oh long may it wave oe'r the land of the free and the home of the brave!" Francis Scott Key, The Star-Spangled Banner

The Years Before

The War Comes to Us

Enlisting in the Army Air Force

Months of Training

Part II: Combat Europe

"The view of any combat crewman is necessarily more personal than strategic." General H. H. Arnold, 1946, Global Mission., p. 485

To the European Theatre of Operations

The Eighth Air Force

Liberating Europe with a "Liberator"

Into German Skies in a "Flying Fortress"--the B-17

Off-Base Recreations

October Onward

Reflections

Part III: Stateside Again

"He that outlives this day and comes safe home ...." Shakespeare, Henry V

Homecoming

Air Force Training Again

The Last Months

Last Thoughts

A Brief History of the 493rd Heavy Bombardment Group

Mission List

Booklist

Two of the finest books describing air battles of the Eighth Air Force were written by navigators. Bendiner tells of the early days of the Eighth when "things were really rough", including the difficult attacks on the ball-bearing factories at Schweinfurt, Germany. Crosby, besides recounting flying through clouds of flak and fighters, describes the pressures on lead navigators and offers insights into styles of command.

Bendiner, Elmer, 1980, The Fall of Fortresses, Putnam' s Sons, New York, 258 p.

Crosby, Harry H., 1993, A Wing and a Prayer, Harper Paperbacks, New York, 398 p.

We owe thanks to the English historian, Freeman, for the most readable descriptions of the Eighth Air Force in action. His books describe not only the battles of the Eighth but give a marvelous description of the complex organization. The two I most admire are:

Freeman, Roger A., 1970, The Mighty Eighth: A History of the U. S. 8th Army Air Force, Doubleday, New York, 311 p.

Freeman, Roger A., 1984, The Mighty Eighth War Manual, Motorbooks International (first published in 1984 by Jane's Publishing Co. Ltd.), 320 p.

And I'd like to recommend an anthology, which supports Aristotle's contention that poetry is more significant than history.

Stokesbury, Leon, ed., 1990, Articles of War: A Collection of Poetry about World War II, University of Arkansas, Fayetteville. 

More WWII Aviation Sites

487th Bombardment Group Home Page (many good links, too)

A Navigator's Diary (Another account of 8th Air Force combat; written by Norman Andrew at the time of the battles. We flew on some of the same dates but not to the same target.)

Internet B-24 Veterans (Photos, data, and chat concerning the B-24, "Liberator"

Send me e-mail at: gordonwweir@hotmail.com

This page last updated December 2003