Homeward Lieutenant: World War II Letters

Early in 1943, the 20-year-old author of these letters was inducted into the US Army just as the war in Europe was heating up. Classified as a pilot, he spent the remaining months of that year in flight training in Alabama, Georgia and Florida.

The following year, this farmer's son from Bedford County, Pennsylvania found himself "somewhere in England." During three-and-a-half hectic months of 1944 he co-piloted a B-17 Flying Fortress on 35 long bombing missions over heavily defended enemy cities.

After his tour with the 385th Bombardment Group, he returned state-side to instruct other pilots-in-training on the B-17 in Tampa, Florida. When the war ended, until his discharge he flew many types of aircraft: the A-6, AT-6, C-47 and L-5, in Texas and Kansas.

The letters in this book offer personal glimpses into military life and American life during 3 pivotal years of world history.