Air Apaches

The True Story of the 345th Bomb Group and Its Low, Fast, and Deadly Missions in World War II

By: Jay A. Stout

Narrated by: Robertson Dean

The American 345th Bomb Group - the Air Apaches - was legendary in the war against Japan. The first fully trained and fully equipped group sent to the South Pacific, the 345th racked up a devastating score against the enemy. Armed to the teeth with machine guns and fragmentation bombs, and flying their B-25s at impossibly low altitudes - often below 50 feet - the pilots and air crews strafed and bombed enemy installations and shipping with a fury that helped cripple Japan. One of the sharpest tools in the US arsenal, the 345th performed essential missions during Gen. Douglas MacArthur's campaigns in New Guinea and the Philippines, earning an impressive four Distinguished Unit Citations. This was punishingly dangerous work, and the 345th lost 177 aircraft and 712 men - young men doing their duty in the spirit of the Greatest Generation. Neither was this the more gentlemanly war of Europe, with its more temperate climate, resistance networks aiding downed crews, and POW camps. Airmen shot down in the Pacific theater faced drowning in the ocean, disappearing in the jungle, or torturing and beheading by the Japanese in a war of no quarter expected, no quarter given. A compelling follow-up to Stout's Hell's Angels, Air Apaches reconstructs the missions of the 345th Bomb Group in striking detail, with laser focus on the men who manned the cockpits, navigated the B-25s, dropped the bombs, serviced the planes, and helped win the war. To tell this remarkable story, Stout worked closely with the group's surviving veterans and dug deep into firsthand accounts. The result is a compelling narrative of men at war that will keep listeners on the edge of their seats.

©2019 Jay A. Stout (P)2019 Audible, Inc.

Excellent WWII combat aviation history!

This book traces the progression of men from their initial training in the states through their transport to the Pacific Theater on through their many bases and assorted missions.

Their stories are told in a sober manner that dignifies their combat actions without glamorizing it. Sadly, it hits home just how very many men were killed and injured during operations, often in the mere blink of an eye.

Insightful

A must read for those interested in the history of Word War II, especially in Pacific, I would also recommend the book Last Lieutenant, about Iwo Jima .

engaging and Powerful

a very moving story of young men at War. Beautifully told with many personal insights provided by letters, journals Etc.

Brings Family History to light

I grew up listening to my dad's stories of the Air Apaches, and looking through his worn out album of the group. It brought tears to my eye listening to the story of his plane "Gremlins Holiday" being shot down, and the rescue under fire.

Well done, and great way to honor the men of the 345th, who fought a forgotten war, in a forgotten part of the world. But their actions set up the eventual defeat of the Japanese Empire.

fantastic book

great stories from WWII about the exploits and legend of the 345th Bomb Wing. worth every second!