I Wanted Wings: A Tail Gunner's Story - Softcover

Hill, Gary R. R.

Softcover

ISBN 10: 1438932553 ISBN 13: 9781438932552

Publisher: AuthorHouse, 2009

Synopsis

As a 10-year-old kid, I thought my Dad’s stories of his adventures in WWII were as good as the tales of Daniel Boone, Davy Crockett, and the Lone Ranger. A tail gunner on a bomber, he bailed from a burning plane, survived life on the run behind enemy lines, was captured by the Nazis (whoever they were) and then, to top it all off, he survived life in a prison camp. All of that was rather heady for a kid with an over-worked imagination. Seven or eight years ago, my Dad asked me if I would be interested in a box of old letters. They were WWII era letters he had received from family and friends. They had survived the cold, molds and mildews of basement life, and now, all these years later, he couldn’t bring himself to throw them away. Of course I accepted them, and as I began to read and then transcribe them, I fell under the spell of their simple eloquence and historical significance. I Wanted Wings is the melding of my father’s exciting stories and a family’s diary-like record of life back home on the farm. It begins in 1942 with my grandparents seeing three sons off to serve in the military. In the letters, my grandmother and aunts beg him to avoid dangerous duty. In his mind, adventure was the very thing he craved. For the next three and a half years, the letters and my father’s experiences entwine into a slice-of-life narrative of a family caught in a world war that comes very close to home.

About this title

About the Author

To say that writing my first book was a challenge, doesn't begin to recognize the work it was to keep exploring my ideas, pushing them through writing and editing, and then, move all of that through the final phase of publication. It was a grind, a slow and sometimes painful walk towards a very distant and undefined goal. However,...on the other side of all those challenges, is the exquisite pleasure of seeing it published. I'm currently basking in pleasure mode and am hoping to stay in this space for a long time. I've had the good fortune of having many interesting career opportunities during my professional working years. I taught elementary school, did some advertising and marketing, and worked for years in Human Resources, to name a few of the things I've done. Now in retirement I have turned to some creative outlets. In addition to writing, I love to paint with watercolors, garden, cook, and entertain while enjoying a wide circle of friends. This book is the result of my personal love of my family history and a strong desire to bring its story to life. For all the reading I have done on WWII, it is my family's personal story that most immediately brings the era alive for me. I hope it will for you as well.

Edition details

• Publisher: AuthorHouse
• Publication date: 2009
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 1438932553
• ISBN 13: 9781438932552
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 456