United States Military Aviation - General & Miscellaneous, Aerial Operations - World War II, Historical Biography - United States - 20th Century, World War II - War Narratives, United States - World War II Armed Forces, World War II - Personal Narratives,

To Soar with the Eagles

Name: To Soar with the Eagles
Author: Sidney R. Bolick
ISBN: 9781553692249

by Sidney R. Bolick

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Overview

To Soar With The Eagles is the sequel to the author's first book, Mama's Boarding House, picking up where Mama's Boarding House leaves off. His new book follows his training as a pilot in the Royal canadian Air Force in 1941, and his World war II service in Europe with both the Royal Air Force and the United States Army Eighth Air Force from 1942 through 1944. Returning to the United States in November of 1944, after having been shot down on a bombing mission over Germany, being interned in Switzerland and escaping from there, he ends the war in the Air Transport Command, flying four-engine transport planes on the run from California to Hawaii and the Central Pacific Islands.
This book is not about heroes, although there are certainly some heroes in it. Rather, it is about ordinary young men like the author, who, when thrust into the maelstrom of war, somehow found the courage and fortitude to face and overcome the dangers and challengess that confronted them.
Students of World war II, and those simply curious about it, will find that it was not all fighting and bloodshed. For every minute spent in actual combat, there were hours and days of training and preparation. Some of the most interesting parts of this book are the author's descriptions of his training, from learning to march in step, to preparing for his first solo flight in a little Tigermoth biplane.
Reading almost like a diary, To Soar With The Eagles, follows the author's footsteps from the afteerneoon in June of 1941 when he steps down from the Greyhound Bus in Ottawa, Canada, until he is discharged from thre United States Air Force in nineteen forty-six - an old veteran at the age oftwenty-two.

Synopsis

The true story of a young man's experiences as a pilot in the Royal Canadian Air Force and the US Army Eighth Air Force in World War II.

About the Author, Sidney R. Bolick

Born on a farm in Georgia in 1924, moved to a cotton mill town in North Carolina in 1930. Grew up there and graduated from High School in June, 1941. Left three days later for Canada and joined the Royal Canadian Air Force. Went through flight training and graduated as a Sergeant Pilot in March, 1942. Was sent overseas to England, where he was attached to the Royal Air Force.

Spent two and a half years in Europe, first with the RAF and then with the U. S. Eighth Air Force. Was shot down on a bombing mission over Friedrichshaffen, Germany on March 18, 1944. Parachuted into Switzerland and was interned there. Escaped into France in October, 1944, made his way back to England and was returned home to the United States.

When the war ended he was flying C-54 Transport planes from California to the Central Pacific in the Air Transport Command. Went on inactive duty in March, 1946, and began a forty-three-year civilian career in Sales and Sales Management. Retired in 1989 as Vice-President of a Cleveland, Ohio consumer products company.

Sidney Bolick now lives in Milan, Tennessee, where he is a member of Post 4780 of the Veterans of Foreign Wars, on the Board of Trustees of the Mildred G. Fields Memorial Library, and President of The Friends of the Library. When he isn't writing he spends his time reading, walking, playing golf, and surfing the Internet.