Take a look at these brave and bold fighter pilots who earned the accolade and joined the ranks of flying aces during World War II aviation combat. A celebration of these astounding pilots, this illustrated history includes black-and-white photos from their time as well as images of the aircraft now.
American David McCampbell, who scored all of his 34 kills within six months...
Germany's Erich "Bubi" Hartmann, possibly the most dangerous man in aviation history with 352 victories...
Britain's James Edgar "Johnny" Johnson, who would finish the war with 38 wins with only a single bullet ever hitting his aircraft...
These, and many other brave fighter pilots, were given the title of "ace." Among aviation warfare, this mark sets some above the rest. While it technically marks the pilots as having five enemy kills in aerial combat, it means a lot more than that in military circles. On the battlefield, they were enemies, diametrically opposed, but when they were firmly planted on the ground, they were respected colleagues.
During World War II, tens of thousands of aircraft engaged in deadly dog-fights in the skies over Europe, North Africa, and the Pacific. Fighter pilots have always been described as the knights of the air. Since World War I, they have been seen as a breed apart, fighting their battles high above the mud and muck of the battlefields. In this hellish battle for survival, hundreds of pilots claimed five or more victories to become aces. These are their stories. Learn all about the daring men of valor from:
The United States army, marines, and navy
The United Kingdom
Germany
The Soviet Union
Poland
Italy
France
Finland
And everywhere in between
This fascinating account of the greatest pilots of World War II is a great gift for the history buff in your life and an excellent way to fall into history.
George Mergenthaler, the grandson of the inventor of the Linotpye, was an only child and at the time of his birth in 1920, became the sole male heir the family fortune. Tall, handsome, Ivy League educated, speaking fluent German and French, "MERG" as he was know to his friends, did what many in his generation did following the surprise attack on Pearl Harbor: he enlisted in the Army.
Insisting on serving as a buck-private, George was assigned to a Recon Troop that would see action after the D-Day invasion in France, Belgium and Luxembourg. Following the horrific fighting in the Huertgen forest, the 28th Cavalry Recon Troop was sent west for R&R, to a small farming village in Luxembourg called Eschweiler.
For the next month the Recon Troop soldiers lived amonst the townspeople, sharing their homes, meals, hopes and dreams. A devout Catholic, George spent much of his free time in the town's small church, St. Mauritius, chatting and getting to know the local priest. Quickly the two bonded, sharing a friendship not unlike long-lost brothers.
In mid December however, their bucolic stay in Eschweiler was shattered by the Battle of the Bulge. Nearly surrounded by the enemy, the Recon Troop soldiers were forced to retreat from the town. Dodging enemy fire, their convoy drove down a winding road, towards the cover of nearby woods. Rounding a corner they were ambushed by the spearhead of the German advance in that sector. Pinned down with capture or death seeming their only options, George jumped into the command jeep and manned a .50-cal machine gun, proving how exceptional he truly was.
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