British Armed Forces - Biography, Aerial Operations - World War II, Historical Biography - United States - 20th Century, World War II - Personal Narratives, 20th Century British History - World War II, Aviation - Biography, World War II Narratives, Britis
A Yank in Bomber Command
by Michael Moynihan, Robert S. Raymond, Eric M. Hammel
Originally published in the United Kingdom 20 years ago in a much less extensive edition, A Yank in Bomber Command is the most uncommon story of an American who served as a crew leader in the Royal Air Force Bomber Command.
Taken from the diaries and letters of Robert Raymond, a Kansas City native who flew 30 missions in a RAF Avro Lancaster during late 1942 and early 1943, this authentic and primary document gives the reader a firsthand account of what it was like to feel the wings of a Lancaster; to manage a crew of Englishmen, Irishmen, and Canadians; to see one's bombs pour into the cauldron of war; and to pass on leave through the English countryside and the streets of London at a time when Britain was headline news.
Though Raymond eventually offered his services to the U.S. Army Air Force, for a brief period he was one of World War II's truly remarkable airmen. This selection of his writings from the period offer a full and rich account of his special place in the War's history.
Kansas City businessman Raymond's service in the RAF, begun after the Dunkirk retreat, prompted this remarkable entry in World War II memoirs. The author tells of the evolution of a careful and exacting pilot whose crew would risk legal action rather than fly with anyone else, so dedicated were they to his methods and skill. First published in an abbreviated version in 1977, this volume includes commentary from the editor and excerpts from various letters that widen the scope of the story, adding the romance of a girl back home, the changing climate of the effort, and Raymond's growing fondness for the English. Casualty figures give a sense that RAF night raids were usually fatal, but Raymond's view here is that superior flying ability and constant attention to detail made the difference between life and death. Vivid and intimate, this worthwhile book provides a valuable picture of one facet of the European war. For public libraries and special military and history collections.--Mel D. Lane, Sacramento, CA
