Nnflight of old 666 wwii pacific theater books

Providing a mixture of zeamers story with background on world war ii in the pacific theater, drury and clavin coauthors, the heart of everything that is offer more of a biography of zeamer and a history of bombing from the areas of papua and northern. I will listen to this book again, mostly because its narration of the aerial battles fought in the south pacific is riveting. A wwii pacific tale would you listen to lucky 666 again. To accept cookies from this site, please click the allow cookies button below.

Fortunately, there is no shortage of worthwhile books about the. Feb 4, 2016 explore bogusboggss board books on ww2. These modifications made old 666 the most heavily armed bomber in the pacific theater. A short history of the united states navy in the second world war by samuel eliot morison more times than i can count. Memo from king neptune to us pacific fleet, october 1942 antisubmarine screen formation instructions dated november 1943 ship air raid conditions, february 1944. This is the tale of the most heavily armed b17 of the pacific theatre who took on 17 japanese fighters alone and limped home victorious.

It inspired a fascination with the pacific theater that continues for me to this day. Lucky 666 is highly recommended for wwii and aviation history buffs alike. He served in the 5th special forces group in vietnam from 196970 and subsequently in airborne infantry, longrange patrol, and intelligence assignments until retiring after 26 years. Home browse history military history wars, battles, and military interventions world war ii world war ii pacific theater. Roosevelts address to the nation declaring war on japan begins the pacific theater portion of in harms way on the. Some of the men were so debilitated by malaria they had to be carried on board. The story of the uss houston, fdrs legendary lost cruiser, and the epic saga of her survi. See more ideas about wwii, world war and world war ii. A fast paced, well researched account of a b 17 bomberknown as old 666its crew, and a courageous flight. Drury and clavin skillfully blend old 666s flight into the larger picture of pacific theater warfare and give gripping accounts of combat flights. The story of the uss houston, fdrs legendary lost cruiser, and the epic saga of her survivors hardcover.

They also mounted a gun behind the ball turret near the waist. An excellent unit history that is hard to put down. Feb 27, 2020 its been nearly 75 years since victory in wwii. Drury and clavin skillfully blend old 666 s flight into the larger picture of pacific theater warfare and give. Joseph samoski each a medal of honor, and every other member of the crew a distinguished service cross.

Old 666 b17e 412666 was a world war ii b17 flying fortress bomber which was assigned. Good old 666, the cursed bomber that no one wanted to. Saving the crossroads to marine aviation in the pacific theater december 7, 2016 editor wwii events 3 a vought sb2u vindicator divebomber, still smoldering, shortly after the japanese attack on ewa and pearl harbor. The pacific theater took place on most of the pacific ocean. Its nicknames old 666 and lucy came toward the end of its tour of duty. Sledgehammers wwii doesnt hop around the globe there wont be any levels showcasing the pacific or northern africa or italy or russia. After studying hbos the pacific, and historical research on many of the marines portrayed in this 2010 film, ive become an adherent to this miniseries. Drury and clavin skillfully blend old 666 s flight into the larger picture of pacific theater warfare and give gripping accounts of combat flights. From december 1941 to april 1945, the pacific ocean theater of world war ii saw a bitter confrontation between the allied forces led by the u. This photo showing a group of pilots in the cbi running to their.

Lucky 666 jay zeamers incredible true story art of. Four of the images depict scenes of the japanese surrender at the end of the war, showing demobilized soldiers in tokyo, japanese children in castoff military uniforms, the japanese flag being removed from a. Bob proctor swabs tiie deck ivee of bugs, and finds a pretty powerful pacific. Ww2 menu to world war ii in the pacific, the early years. Learn about wwii by watching these films in historical order. The pacific war by costello is a similar read akin to spectors book. It is notable for being the aircraft piloted by lt. These are some topics of interest and that seem little known or of possible help in understanding the period. Aug 19, 2015 world war ii is sometimes thought of as primarily a fight against nazi germany, with the war in the pacific as an afterthought. Old 666 b17e 412666 was a world war ii b17 flying fortress bomber which was assigned to the united states 19th and 43rd bomb groups in 194243. What are the best books on the pacific theater of wwii. Island hopping aircraft carrier iwo jima pow treatment kamikaze pilots the atomic bomb. My contribution to the 4th ww2aircraft group build will be the b17 old 666 of the 43rd bomb group which was assigned to the pacific theater.

This is an excellent book to help understand what our underfunded and under equipped pacific forces faced during wwii. The result is a story that history aficionados will find irresistible. Information about the air war in the pacific theater. Us army paratrooper in the pacific theater 194345 by gordon. In their own words, world war ii s pacific veterans reveal the heart of combat by patrick k. To see what your friends thought of this book, please sign up. This website requires cookies to provide all of its features. Jay zeamer and his crew piloted their b17 flying fortress nicknamed old 666 on a photo reconnaissance mission on june 16, 1943 zeamer and his men fended. The history of b17e 412666 is, like most of the pacific fortresses, a patchwork. With unprecedented access to the old 666 crews family and letters.

The pacific war, sometimes called the asiapacific war, was the theater of world war ii that was fought in the pacific and asia. But, depending upon your definition, this photograph, a team effort by 9 men, is the most honored picture in u. And though the battle locales that constitute the war in the pacific pearl harbor, midway, tarawa, guadalcanal, iwo jima are common knowledge, locations and statistics alone cant convey what it was like to have fought in those battles. We were in the outer channel of pearl harbor when the japanese attacked. World war ii is sometimes thought of as primarily a fight against nazi germany, with the war in the pacific as an afterthought. Set in the southwest pacific during world war ii lucky 666 is really three stories in one book. Sparked by the japanese attack on pearl harbor on dec. In the months of missions that followed, zeamers crew was so busy that they never had the time to adorn their bomber with the traditional nose art, commonly seen on aircraft of that era. Ww2 b24 books, b24 liberator bomber aircraft books. Nov 20, 2012 us army paratrooper in the pacific theater 194345 ebook written by gordon l. The us 2nd marine regiment and 1st battalion, 8th marine regiment boarded ship to leave guadalcanal. Previously known as lucy, a name the heralded crew would never embrace, the 666 was known as a cursed bomber. Especially in that theater of the war, during that time periodthe early days of the bomber war in the southwest pacific official records are scant.

A fastpaced, wellresearched account of a b17 bomberknown as old 666its crew, and a courageous flight. Bob then shares how jay and his renegade crew took an old. Nov 02, 2009 my contribution to the 4th ww2aircraft group build will be the b17 old 666 of the 43rd bomb group which was assigned to the pacific theater. Odonnell the author of beyond valor offers a new collection of oral histories from veterans of the second world war, this time from the pacific theater. Touchstone to victory ballantines illustrated history of world war ii. Heres your opportunity to let others know your favorite books on the war that led us from pearl harbor to tokyo bay. Britain and france declared war on germany on sept. From 1941 to 1945 he served as a united states naval aviator. Lucky 666 tells story of daring aerial mission in pacific. In world war ii, a lone b17s reconnaissance mission quickly devolved into a desperate. List of books and articles about world war ii pacific theater. Us airborne units in the pacific theater 194245 by gordon l.

Popular world war ii pacific theater books showing 150 of 317 ship of ghosts. A fastpaced, wellresearched account of a b17 bomberknown as old 666 its crew, and a courageous flight. Thats the overlooked world war ii story brought to life in lucky 666. This book is the story of the air war in the pacific through the eyes of the last surviving imperial japanese naval aviators of world war ii, chronicled through never before published firsthand accounts, wartime diaries, and private photographs. Ray geigers world war ii service began in guadalcanal as a brigadier general with command of the 1st marine air wing, fleet marine force headquartered at henderson field. Once again, old 666 would indeed return to base all shot to pieces, but this time it would do so with two new medal of.

Gordon l rottman entered the us army in 1967, volunteered for special forces and completed training as a weapons specialist. Odonnell warns, oral histories are perhaps the best means available to reveal the horrors and. The story behind their dday jump is remarkable history, as well as their push to germany from carentan, operation market garden, and the battle of the bulge. The naval forces went through the pacific ocean and invaded european islands on their way.

Navy ships of the pacific fleet organized by homeport. Wwii aviation in the pacific theater home facebook. World war ii pacific theater press photographsgood group of thirteen world war iiera press photographs, each approx. Books on the pacific war from pearl harbor to hiroshima. America invaded the islands one by one until they got close to japan. Updated sep 26, 2015 start daily headlines 75 years ago. Lucky 666 jay zeamers incredible true story art of manliness. As the developers put it, they, didnt want a greatest hits of world war ii. The crew of old 666 is the subject of this story, particularly pilot jay zeamer jr. Usa today, we think of world war ii aviation as a supremely bureaucratized, controlled effort of. Joseph sarnoski each a medal of honor, and all other members of the crew the distinguished service cross. Instead, itll focus on a war story thats grounded, human, and intimate, while still. Academy 172 b17e old 666 43rd bomb group 1943 aircraft. One of my alltime favorite books though is flags of our fathers by james bradley.

Marine heroes of a bloody world war ii battle were found on an isolated island in the pacific more than 70 years after they died, various news outlets report. These are my memories of the bombing and the days that followed. He could turn old 666 northwest and kill extra time vectoring over the pale. Jul 19, 2019 stories and photos from our book on the 43rd bomb group b17 era. In this book i came to entirely change my view of the pacific theatre, being drawn. Flight commander 2 mission builder the fc2 mission.

For reasons big and small, understandable and unjustified, the war in the pacific during world war ii has largely been overshadowed by the allies war against hitler. These were just the kind of men we needed in the pacific theater during world war ii, when the majority of our resources were being poured into the european theater. Full text of computer gaming world issue 1 internet archive. Most of the islands that were attacked had connections to japan. Mark noah, director of floridabased nonprofit history flight inc. Its a little rough at points, but you get inside the terrors, joys and fears of a marine fighting in the pacific. It was geographically the largest theater of the war, including the vast pacific ocean theater, the south west pacific theater, the southeast asian theater, the second sinojapanese war, and the sovietjapanese war. The first story is a history of the fifth airforce that operated in the bleak, early days of the pacific war when men and equipment left over from other theatres struggled to. For more information on what data is contained in the cookies, please see our cookie policy. A recipient of the distinguished flying cross, he flew 105 combat missions off the uss langley and uss independence in an f6f grumman hellcat, and had more than 250 carrier landings in the pacific theater. Roosevelts address to the nation declaring war on japan begins the pacific theater portion of in harms way on the east side of the museum. Twin mount 5inch, 38caliber gun turret from uss reno cl96.

Lucky 666 is a non fiction story of a wwii bomber squadron based in the pacific theater of war. To build this i will be using and modifying the academy 172 b17e raf coastal command as the base. In his book lucky 666, bob drury shares the incredible story of a group of ragtag wwii airmen in the pacific theater and their ringleader, captain jay zeamer. The impossible mission that changed the war in the. World war ii in the pacific stories of some who were there on the morning of december 7, 1941, i was eleven years old. Elite wwii us cavalry groups european theater osprey books. Old 666 was an early e model vast majority of 17s that saw combat were fs and gs not 100% sure that it didnt have a non retractable tail wheel but its very possible a very talented cgi guy named jason did these animations and he was. Then, may 5th brought zeamer and old 666 closer to the end than ever before, when it seemed like it got picked out of the formation by every japanese antiaircraft gunner in the pacific, who. The story of patrol bombing squadron 104 in the south pacific during world war ii. Discover librarianselected research resources on world war ii pacific theater from the questia online library, including fulltext online books, academic journals, magazines, newspapers and more. Observers noted that they looked like young men grown old with their skins cracked and furrowed and wrinkled. After a stint of washington duty, he returned to the pacific to relieve general vandegrift as commander i amphibious corps. Download for offline reading, highlight, bookmark or take notes while you read us army paratrooper in the pacific theater 194345.