{"product_id":"the-bridgebusters-the-true-story-of-the-catch-22-bomb-wing-paperback","title":"The Bridgebusters: The True Story of the Catch-22 Bomb Wing - Paperback","description":"\u003cp\u003eby \u003cb\u003eThomas McKelvey Cleaver\u003c\/b\u003e (Author)\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eWill resonate with readers of the \u003ci\u003eThe Forgotten 500\u003c\/i\u003e and \u003ci\u003eCode Talker. \u003c\/i\u003eThe exploits, trials, disappointments, and victories of members of the American 57th Bomb Wing in WW II, including one young bombardier who would go on to write legendary WW II novel, \u003ci\u003eCatch-22.\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ci\u003e\"He had decided to live forever, or die in the attempt.\" -- Catch-22\u003c\/i\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e Joseph Heller's classic novel turns on the \"Catch-22\" that trapped the World War II aviators flying bombing missions over Europe: Anyone would be crazy to keep defying enemy guns and deadly flak day after day. But if you asked to be grounded you were obviously sane, and so you had to keep flying. Thus Joseph Heller and his fellow aviators were forced to pile suicide mission on suicide mission--as the number of total required flights was continually upped, and the promised release back home receded perpetually into the future. \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e Veteran aviation historian Thomas McKelvey Cleaver exposes the true story behind the iconic novel, digging into hitherto-unseen primary sources from the unit Joseph Heller flew with. In his fresh research, Cleaver uncovered the gripping stories of young men who daily challenged death in their fragile flying machines--and the missing explanation of how Heller escaped from the nightmare his fellow airmen remained mired in: \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e - How an entire crew that had racked up 70 missions and been awarded the promised orders to return home was forced to fly one last time--to their deaths \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e - The many ways to die in the air: flak hits, fuel fires, faulty parachutes, mangled landing gear \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e - How shot-down aviators managed to survive \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e - Why Joseph Heller was sent home with a total of only 60 missions under his belt, when the required number was 70 \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e Cleaver's electrifying account of the daring exploits of American aircrews--and the moral dilemmas they faced--is not to be missed.\u003ch3\u003eAuthor Biography\u003c\/h3\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eThomas McKelvey Cleaver\u003c\/b\u003e, screenwriter and military historian, is a contributing editor of Flight Journal and the author of \u003ci\u003eAces of the 78th Fighter Group\u003c\/i\u003e, \u003ci\u003eAir Combat Annals\u003c\/i\u003e, and \u003ci\u003eFabled Fifteen: The Pacific War Saga of Carrier Air Group 15\u003c\/i\u003e. He served in the U.S. Navy during the Vietnam War.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eNumber of Pages:\u003c\/strong\u003e 288\u003c\/div\u003e\u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eDimensions:\u003c\/strong\u003e 0.82 x 8.96 x 6.06 IN\u003c\/div\u003e\u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003ePublication Date:\u003c\/strong\u003e November 15, 2022\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Books by splitShops","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":51766122021152,"sku":"9781684513635","price":19.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0974\/9764\/5344\/files\/8fbf5efecfbb90b6ede318d09478aba0.webp?v=1780286082","url":"https:\/\/ebocreations.com\/products\/the-bridgebusters-the-true-story-of-the-catch-22-bomb-wing-paperback","provider":"The E-Book Oasis LLC","version":"1.0","type":"link"}