The Innocent Cadet: Becoming a World War II Bombardier - Couverture souple

Stevens, Charles N.

 
9781434388285: The Innocent Cadet: Becoming a World War II Bombardier
Couverture souple
ISBN 10 : 143438828X ISBN 13 : 9781434388285
Editeur : AuthorHouse, 2008

Synopsis

Earning his bombardier's wings was much more difficult than he imagined. Physical training was brutal, academics rigorous and flying exhausting, but he had a passion for succeeding. At times reaching his goal seemed very much in doubt. Entering the Army Air Corps at 18 in 1943 after leaving his loving and religious family, Charles "Norm" Stevens was suddenly among men of many backgrounds, some differing markedly from his. The contrast served to emphasize his innocence. He decided to try to understand and accept others who had different values without losing his own set of principles. Appearing boyish, he endured ribbing from others who were older and more mature, more manly. As training progressed he found he could compete both physically and mentally with most of them. Homesickness was constantly with him, but was softened by his desire for new adventures and experiences. His quest to become a bombardier drove him to excel in his classes, physical training, gunnery school and the rigors of the bombardier school at Midland, Texas. He finally graduated, earning his silver bombardier's wings and a commission as a second lieutenant. As a bombardier on a B-17 crew, he sharpened his skills in bombing and navigation in the high altitude skies over Louisiana and the South. He began the grim task of preparing for combat missions, rising early in the morning and flying at over 20,000 feet on oxygen for long hours. He made out his will and power of attorney with the rest of the men, then boarded a troop train bound for Nebraska where his crew would pick up a new B-17 to fly to England and combat, a bloody business he knew very little about. His combat experiences appear in his previous book, An Innocent at Polebrook: A Memoir of an 8th Air Force Bombardier, published in 2004.

Les informations fournies dans la section « Synopsis » peuvent faire référence à une autre édition de ce titre.

Présentation de l'éditeur

Earning his bombardier's wings was much more difficult than he imagined. Physical training was brutal, academics rigorous and flying exhausting, but he had a passion for succeeding. At times reaching his goal seemed very much in doubt. Entering the Army Air Corps at 18 in 1943 after leaving his loving and religious family, Charles "Norm" Stevens was suddenly among men of many backgrounds, some differing markedly from his. The contrast served to emphasize his innocence. He decided to try to understand and accept others who had different values without losing his own set of principles. Appearing boyish, he endured ribbing from others who were older and more mature, more manly. As training progressed he found he could compete both physically and mentally with most of them. Homesickness was constantly with him, but was softened by his desire for new adventures and experiences. His quest to become a bombardier drove him to excel in his classes, physical training, gunnery school and the rigors of the bombardier school at Midland, Texas. He finally graduated, earning his silver bombardier's wings and a commission as a second lieutenant. As a bombardier on a B-17 crew, he sharpened his skills in bombing and navigation in the high altitude skies over Louisiana and the South. He began the grim task of preparing for combat missions, rising early in the morning and flying at over 20,000 feet on oxygen for long hours. He made out his will and power of attorney with the rest of the men, then boarded a troop train bound for Nebraska where his crew would pick up a new B-17 to fly to England and combat, a bloody business he knew very little about. His combat experiences appear in his previous book, An Innocent at Polebrook: A Memoir of an 8th Air Force Bombardier, published in 2004.

Biographie de l'auteur

Charles N. Stevens, or Norm as his friends call him, grew up in Inglewood, California. At 18 he joined the Army Air Corps. He entered in 1943 and was discharged after the war in October 1945. He served as a bombardier on a B-17 in the 8th Air Force, 351st Bomb Group, at Polebrook, England during the summer and early fall of 1944. He finished his tour of duty, completing 34 bombing missions over Germany and occupied France, Belgium and Holland He wrote extensively about his combat experiences in his previous book, An Innocent at Polebrook: A Memoir of an 8th Air Force Bombardier, published in 2004. After returning from overseas he trained as a radar bombardier at Langley Field, Virginia and Williams Field, Arizona. He was to be assigned to a B-29 crew for duty in the Pacific when the war ended. Following the war he enrolled at the University of California at Los Angeles, graduating with a BA in psychology. After a series of graduate courses he earned his teaching credential. Over a span of 32 years he taught science and mathematics in junior high schools and English and American Literature in high school. While teaching he earned a master's degree in English at California State College at Los Angeles. He has two sons by a previous marriage, Jeffry L. Stevens and Greg E. Stevens. He has five grandchildren, Brenda Stevens Sherry, Eric, Sharon, Michael and Beth Stevens. He retired in 1984 and has lived a life of reading, writing, traveling and being a grandfather. He lives with his wife, Dolores Seidman, in Monterey Park, California where they have resided for 36 years.

Les informations fournies dans la section « A propos du livre » peuvent faire référence à une autre édition de ce titre.

Éditeur
AuthorHouse
Date d'édition
2008
Langue
anglais
ISBN 10 
143438828X
ISBN 13 
9781434388285
Reliure
Broché
Nombre de pages
412
Coordonnées du fabricant
non disponible
Personne responsable
KreGa Onlinehandel GmbH
4950000000000
info@krega-onlinehandel.de

Birkenweg 31
Brakel
33034
Allemagne