Greatest Stories of World War II on Land, edited by Robin Cross

Greatest Stories of World War II on Land, edited by Robin Cross
Castle Books, 1994
244 pages, no index, no photos
Originally published in England as True Stories of WWII.
Library: 940.53 GRE

Description
In World War II, mighty political and technical forces were harnessed but, at the end of the day, victory was secured and defeat suffered by the soldiers on the ground. Gathered here are their own stories in their own words-eyewitness accounts of the experience of battle.

These stories bear testimony to the many faces of soldiering in the greatest conflict in human history. The reality of war with its strange combination of tedium, tension and terror is vividly evoked from sniping duels in the ruins of Stalingrad to the bitter battles fought for specks in the Pacific Ocean and the clash of armor in Normandy.

The sights and sounds of war are described by those who fought on Crete, in the Western Desert, in the Pacific and at Arnhem. There is heroism under fire, the grim humor of endurance, the exhilaration of victory and the despair of defeat.

From generals to GIs, these are the true voices of men at war.

True sea stories and true air stories of World War II will be published in 1995.

Table of Contents
Introduction
1. Dunkirk to Wake Island
2. From Dieppe to Prokhorovvka
3. The Struggle for Italy
4. War in the Pacific
5. A Foothold in Europe
6. The Road to Victory

Aircraft Down, by Philip D. Caine

Aircraft Down!: Evading Capture in WWII Europe, by Philip D. Caine
Brassey's, 1997
274 pages, plus A Note on Sources, and Index. B&W photos scattered throughout book.
Library:

Description
Aircraft Down! recounts six extraordinary evasion adventures that took place in Holland, Belgium, France, Spain, Italy, Albania and Greece during WWII. In 1944 alone, nearly 30,000 American airmen survived bailing out or of crash landing their aircraft in Europe. The great majority were captured immediately. A few lucky ones beat tremendous odds and managed to evade their Fascist pursuers.

These thrilling stories are told by an authority on pilot survival, escape and evasion. Noted aviator author and retired Air Force pilot Philip D. Caine based his work on official USAAF after-action reports and on extensive interviews with the airmen and some of the courageous Europeans who helped them at the risk of their own lives. In several cases, he retraced the actual evasion routes himself, and he has provided maps and photos that enable the reader [to] follow the downed airmen's actual footsteps.

These suspenseful, personal accounts of heroism, resourcefulness and sacrifice will appeal to everyone with a taste for true stories of courage in the face of grave danger.

Table of Contents
Preface
1. The Situation
2. "The Drinks Are on Me"
3. "My God, I Thought You Were Dead"
4. "Find the Amerikanische Flieger!"
5. "Please, God, Help Me Get out of this!"
6. "All Present and Accounted For"
7. "I Was So Close"
8. The Art of Evasion and Survival
A Note on Sources
Index

Maps
Map of Europe with routes of Smith, Willis, Doorly and Coen
British Army spearhead - Irish Guards Sep 3, 1944
Sonny Fassoulis' route through Italy

Photos
--Oscar Coen, RAF Intelligence officer Roland Robertson, American Eagle squadron pilot Michael G. McPharlin
--Squadron 133, RAF Fighter Command: Eric Doorly, Dick Godmundsen, Gilbert Omens, Bill Slade, Colburn KingDon ambert, Don Gentile
--Bob Smith, Ben DeHaven and Dennis Smith, Biggin Hill RAF base spring 1942
--Eric Doorly, Don Ross, Edwin Taylor, fall 1944
--D. K. Willis' P-38 crash-landed near Od-Gastel, Holland
--Kuppens family: Sjef, Jan, Bert, Marinus
--DK Willis with British Spitfire
--Yvonne "Monique" Bienfait and GEorge Vogel
--Robert Priser atop P-47 at Debden in 1943
--Jules Rousseau
--Jane Rousseau
--Priser's false papers
--Priser in disguise as Belgian technician Robert Wosswinkel
--Maurice DeVroom and Priser in Rode St Genese in 1944
--Albert Abrassard
--B-17 crew, taken in Nebraska: Lt Walker, Dick Flournoy, Jim Wagner, Ernie Skorheim, Bob Steel, Sgt Troy, Tom Reich, Russ Leonard, Fred Glor, Jim Farley
--1996 photo of Greeks who helped B-17 crew escape: Bobbies Koulouris, Ioanis Kouluris, Nikos Koulouris, Alexis Monastiriotis, Ageliki Monastiriotis
Alex and Harry Pappas
--Fred Glor, Eddie Novak, Dick Flournoy, Philip Nind, Ian Anderson, Ken Smith, Bob Steel, Ernie Skorheim, Russ Leonard, Jack Farley, Joe Cotton, Jim Wagner, Tom Reich,
Ken Smith
--Joe Cotton and 3 unidentified Greek messengers
--Sonny Fassoulis in 1942
--Nazarene Franchescino during WWII
--Sonny Fassoulis in 1996
--John Hall
--Fernando Franchescino and Fassoulis in September 1996