A Manifest Spirit: The 359th Fighter Group 1943-1945
by Richard Fogg /
2017 / English / Kindle
30.7 MB Download
The three fighter squadrons of the 359th Fighter Group, based
at Station F-133 northeast of London, flew 346 missions over
continental Europe between 13 December 1943 and 25 April 1945.
Flying in broad daylight over enemy-held territory, their
green-nosed Thunderbolts and Mustangs not only protected the
bombers but often embraced an even more dangerous tactical role
engaging targets on the ground. In the deadly dance that ensued
many a brave young pilot lost his life in the skies over
western Europe, but our bombers got through and the GIs landed
at Normandy.Relying not on recollections rendered imprecise by the
passage of time, or secondhand reports which inevitably lose
context, A Manifest Spirit instead presents observations from
the group historian, base chaplain, and the fighter pilots
themselves, recorded as they occurred during the conflict.
The complex operation of a wartime fighter base, the deep
satisfaction of a successful mission, and the heartbreak of
waiting for pilots that never returned, are presented with
the clarity that can only come from contemporaneous reports.A Manifest Spirit is a tribute to the officers that gave the
359th Fighter Group its organization and direction, the
enlisted men who made it work, and above all the pilots, 121 of
whom made the ultimate sacrifice in the pursuit of freedom.