|
Specialty Press |
|
Strike and Return: American Air Power and the Fight for Iwo Jima |
|
by Cory Graff |
|
Reviewed By Phil Peterson, #8739 |
|
|
|
MSRP: $29.95 USD 8-1/2 X 11", 160 pgs, 350+ b/w photos & 25 color photos From Specialty Press, 1-800-895-4585 I have read a lot of books about WWII. One thing I have noticed is that the same bunch of photos ends up in many of them. This book caught me off guard. Yes, there were pictures that I have seen, but they were the minority. At least 75% of the illustrations were new to me. Add to that an interesting and detailed read, and you have a great book. The book starts with a brief history of the island and its neighbors, known as the Jimas. It details the initial raids on the islands before the invasion of Saipan, through the invasion of Iwo Jima itself and continues on to cover the use of the island by the US to take the fight to Japan; as well as its’ use as a safe haven for B-29s returning from bombing missions. During the last 6 months of the war, over 2,400 Superfortresses made use of the runways there. There were only 3,965 built during the war, which puts it in perspective. All of the services are represented in the book - naval aircraft used during the invasion of the island as well as USAAF fighters that participated: P-38s, P-47s, P-51s and P-61s. The B-29s that visited Iwo included one out of options that landed while the battle for the island was still going on!. Marine aircraft operated from the island in antisubmarine work. Also based on Iwo were rescue aircraft that went out looking for downed airmen, and even a DUKW used for Air-Sea rescue work. But it isn’t just the aircraft that make this a great book. The author gets the stories from the men who fought there - what they did during their down hours, how they survived so many hours in the cockpit or what it was like being picked up by a rescue sub after bailing out in the middle of the Pacific. To say I enjoyed this book would be an understatement. This has got to be one of the top 5 books about air warfare from WWII that I have ever read. I have not been a big fan of the battles of the Pacific in the past but after reading this book, I will be looking for more. Thanks to Specialty Press for supplying this book. |
|
Information, images, and all
other items placed electronically on this site |
