Being there . . . . to meet and greet three splendidly republished World War II air-war titled
books as Christmas gifts certain to excite and please ALL air battle fans, especially aviation
buffs, enthusiasts, and aficionados of just about anything that can heave itself into the air and
drop a bomb or two. Today, it seems the literature on America’s air wars in the Pacific and
Europe hasn’t undiminished in the least by the passage of time since 1945. One reason,
apparently, was the opening, during the 1970s, of several previously sealed government
archives serving as stimuli for new insights of appreciation, how they helped win WWII, and are
still triggering fresh writings and debates. Three well researched oversized hardcovers as
presents on Yuletide, one individually, or as a pair, or even as a three-book collection, of which
all elements are nonpareil, will the certain-targeted reader be enormously thrilled and proud
you could be so sensitive in selection.
All three reviewed and highly recommended by Don DeNevi
‘HAPPY JACK’S GO BUGGY – – A Fighter Pilot’s Story”, by Jack Ilfrey with Mark Copeland. A
Schiffer Military History Book, MILITARY/AVIATION HISTORY, Atglen, PA: 124 pages, hardcover,
18 ¾” x 11 ¼”, 1998, $35. Visit, www.schifferbooks.com.
“ATTACK & CONQUER – – The 8 th Fighter Group in World War II”, by John C. Stanaway &
Lawrence J. Hickey. A Schiffer Military History Book, MILITARY/AVIATION HISTORY, Atglen, PA:
320 pages, hardcover, 8 ¾” x 11 ¼”, 1995, $45. Visit, www.schifferbooks.com.
“THE SKULL & CROSS BONES SQUADRON – – VF – 17 in World War II”, by Lee Cook. A Schiffer
Military History Book, MILITARY/AVIATION HISTORY, Atglen, PA: 239 pages, hardcover, 8 ¾” X
11 ¼”, 1998, $45. Visit, www.schifferbooks.com.
So beautifully written is Jack Ilfrey’s emotionally gripping “Happy Jack’s Go Buggy – – A
Fighter’s Pilot’s Story”, that this reviewer has now recommended, nay, highly, highly
recommended, it twice, once this summer and now today. I can’t remember when I did that
before in my half a century of reviewing. Simply put, it is one of the finest memoirs written for
the layman-novice on aerial combat exploits by a fighter pilot in the Second World War. Buffs
and aficionados already know the story of the legendary Gabby Gabreski. This book, packed
with personal photos, hundreds of them, is a WWII classic. A witness to the Japanese attack on
Pearl Harbor, Gabby joined the 56 th Fighter Group of the U.S. 8 th Air Force. His extraordinary
bravery was soon recognized. Air force “brass” was referred to it as, “beyond rare”. In 17
months, he single-handily shot down 28 German planes. By 1944, most American readers of city
newspapers knew all about him, his heritage, daring and courage as well as his name.
“ATTACK & CONQUER – The 8 th Fighter Group in World War II” by John C. Stanaway &
Lawrence J. Hickey was created by perusing, assembling, organizing, then writing about aerial
activities and battles over and off New Guinea, Rabaul, Hollandia, and the Philippines via
intelligent prose – – easy to read, free-flowing prose, supplemented with 500+ black and white
and color photographs, plus color profiles of select 8 th FG aircraft. The full history of the epoch-
making 8 th has been pieced together to be presented for the first time. Yes, it was the 8 th that
took the first P-39s into combat, then challenged, and took on the best Zero pilots the Japanese
Navy had to offer.
“The Skull & Cross Bones Squadron VF -17 in World War II”, by Lee Cook is the true story of
one of the most successful of all the U.S. Navy Fighting Squadrons in the Pacific war. Author Lee
Cook claims they were the “top guns” of their day and came to be feared by the Japanese
fighter pilots who described them as “attacks on us by wolves”. Their victories: 152 Japanese
planes destroyed in the air, two on the ground, in only 76 days of combat; five small enemy
cargo ships and 17 barges carrying troops and supplies. “Skull and Crossbones” is a mission-by-
mission chronicle of all the squadron’s air battles. 350 personal and official photos and detailed
appendices list squadron aces, every confirmed victory PLUS the VF-17’s war diary!
