Hell's Angels: The True Story of the 303rd Bomb Group in World War II

The book holds your interest, and offers great stories on the ground and in the air. Well worth the time.

Jay Stout has written the definitive book about U.S. Army Air Force operations over Europe during World War II. He has done careful research and spoken with many of the men who participated in aerial combat crews as well as in support crews on the ground. He was able to make use of extensive documentation that men of the 303rd had put together over many years, including many personal accounts that he was able to access. These men included a close friend and former Foreign Service colleague who was a radio operator/gunner on a B-17 crew. Stout's foot notes add important nuances and references to the book about the 303rd Bomb Group (heavy). He had to condense so many stories and so much information into the book and has done an excellent job. He traces the fates of several bomber crew members who were wounded, had to bail out over enemy territory, spent time as POWs, and made it back to America. He also recounts the stories of heroic young men who fought for their country and did not return home.There is nothing remote or abstract in Stout's history. Everything he explains is alive with the actions of the time. We learn about men lost because of accidents on take-off or collisions in the air even before the bombers reached the coast of Europe. We learn about heroic actions by men onboard bombers that had been shot up and severely damaged. They worked to save their fellow crew members and help them bail out or crawl out of their aircraft when they ditched at sea or crash landed. We learn about bombardiers who, though mortally wounded, clung to their bomb sites until they could release their bombs on target before dying. It sounds fantastic, but the accounts of surviving crewmen verify these heroic deeds.This is not a history about glorious victory but rather one that recounts the terror that young men faced every time they climbed into their bombers and headed for targets. They had to face German fighter planes and Flak that tore bombers apart and scattered crewmen all over the ground. Some of those who survived bailing out were murdered by people on the ground. Others were more fortunate and were arrested by local Wehrmacht soldiers who frequently had to fend of angry civilians. We read all about it.If I have a quibble about the stories he recounts it concerns a friend of our family George Stallings who is briefly mentioned in the book in a good natured way. However, as the pilot of a badly damaged bomber returning from a mission to Hamburg, George approached the coast of England and ordered his crew to bail out just as they flew over land. His bomber was rapidly losing altitude. His radio operator had been killed during the mission. George turned his sinking bomber out to sea and bailed out over water as it crashed in the waves. A great swimmer in high school, George swam back to shore where he was welcomed by local English residents who had witnessed his heroic effort to save his crew while keeping his aircraft from crashing into their town. A young reporter named Walter Cronkite interviewed him and the crew for a wire service report about the rescue. George Stallings' story is but one of many heroic stories about the men who flew the most harrowing missions of the war in Europe. Readers should enjoy all of those that Stout recounts in his very readable book.Other than this missing story, I found Stout's book very engrossing and a must-read for all who are interested in learning about our country's air war in Europe.

Having read a variety of unit histories over the years, I approached this book with a little hesitation as there was always the chance this would be another of those histories which is long on detail but short on personal anecdotes and recollections by the people who were actually there. Turns out, I shouldn't have hesitated at all.I've read a few other books by Jay A. Stout and loved them all, and now I'm adding this one to that list. Starting with the humble beginnings of the 303rd Bombardment Group through it's final days in the skies over war-torn Europe, this book is a wonderful mixture of detail and personal stories. The 303rd flew over 300 missions against the Third Reich, but not all of them are recounted in the book--it would have been about triple in size if that had been the case! Instead, Stout weaves a tale of the group as seen through the eyes of those who were there: pilots, bombardiers, navigators, gunners, radio operators, crew chiefs, maintenance personnel and administrators. Sprinkled into the mix are anecdotes from English and German civilians, as well as German military personnel who fought against the 303rd. All of these personal stories convey the hardships, danger and moments of sheer terror which the members of the 303rd endured as they played their part in bringing Hitler's Nazi empire to ruin, but there are lighter moments as well which help to balance out some of the grisly details.This book isn't short on detail, it just presents it differently than some other unit histories I've read. Being a former combat pilot himself, the author knows just what bits of information to present in order to inform the reader how things were done. While I've read many books on aerial combat and was familiar with pretty much all of the concepts and weapons discussed in the book, those who are unfamiliar with this aspect of warfare will find it very informative. Items such as anti-aircraft fire (aka flak), the Norden bombsight, gunnery basics and training, standard operations of the B-17 Flying Fortress, combat formations, and prepping a bomber for a mission are just some of the details which help the reader better understand what it took to get a bomber in the air, fly to the target, and hopefully survive. Many times, the latter did not occur and there are plenty of stories about those who either fell in combat or ended up as prisoners of war.Definitely one of the best and most entertaining unit histories I've read, and I definitely have a deeper appreciation of what the brave men of the 303rd went through. Pick this one up--you won't be disappointed!

Focusing on the air & ground crew of the 303rd bomb group, this is an incredibly easy read and is a page turner; just keep reading and next thing you know 100-150 pages in.It starts off strongly, describing the formation and early experiences of the crews, but it does get slightly harder to follow who is who as so many names make fleeting appearances and the dates aren't always clear either. Having read other books of similar formations, it just doesn't quite succeed on drawing you in to the men. That said, the high loss rates, on a par with Bomber Command, are made incredibly clear and doesn't fail to get your respect.Moving on to the other negatives, there is no analysis on the effectiveness of the bombing campaign beyond a few sentences disparaging and dismissive about RAF capabilities (this might be my nationality speaking though) or saying it is difficult to assess the damage the raid did but it must have been severe. Whilst this may not be a criticism shared by all, I feel that even just a few pages on this would have helped the book. Not every book should be Overys Bombing War, but mention should be made.Summing up, this reads like an an airborne version of Band of Brothers and is well worth the read as it shows the horrific experiences and loss rates suffered by one of the longest serving USAAF bomb groups during the war. It just falls short of Millers Eighth Air Force book and so 4 stars only, but I would happily read other books by Stout.

Remarkable book outlining the 8th Air Force, 303Gr BG in the ETO between 1942-45. Plenty of personal accounts; including reflections on the harrowing raids, aircrew losses, base conditions, the live of the ground crews and effects of the dangers of flying in the inclement British climate. Highly recommended.

Of the many US bomb groups that took up home in England from 1942-1945, the 303rd undertook the most missions from their base at Molesworth. Jay Stout's book covers the groups history from formation through to the wars end. It is not just a book recounting the missions, it is about the Group, it's people, the base and everything that goes to make one bomb group. Of course there is mission tales and they are all as vividly described as you would expect with a lot coming straight from the mouths of the veterans who survive. If you have an interest in aviation and WWII, I cannot recommend this book highly enough. Once you have read it go to Molesworth and visit the memorial to the crews just by the main gate. A stunning memorial to a (primarily) lost generation.

Perfect for my son as he is a WW11 enthusiast

very good read