Faces of the Distinguished Flying Cross of Central Florida: Portraits of Courage

First person accounts of men who earned the DFC in WW II, Korea, the Cold War and Vietnam; each chapter written by the men who earned that award, documented with their Citations or Orders.These are the experiences of 24 ordinary young men faced with the extreme circumstance of flying into enemy fire, maintaining their focus and finding the courage to do extraordinary things to help their comrades in arms. The accounts cover various aircraft types and four wars. Filled with personal experiences "Faces" presents true accounts of men who endured the worst and the best of human nature. Contained in this book are the stories of individuals, who were tasked with missions to serve greater objectives. Their resourcefulness, deft ability as pilots and aviators, their concern for fellow soldiers, all carried them through countless moments of bravery and terror. "Faces" also tells a little about their life after war.

LTC Joe Finch retired after a distinguished military career. He then worked as an environmental engineer for 15 years during which time he volunteered to help troops in the Middle East and began visiting wounded troops in the hospitals in his off-duty hours. His volunteer work was rewarded in 2009 with the "Spirit of Hope" award. He and his wife Monika are enjoying retirement in The Villages FL.