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Formed with the best available fighter pilots in the Southwest Pacific, the 475th Fighter Group was the pet project of Fifth Air Force chief, General George C Kenney. From the time the group entered combat in August 1943 until the end of the war it was the fastest scoring group in the Pacific and remained one of the crack fighter units in the entire US Army Air Forces with a final total of some 550 credited aerial victories. Amongst its pilots were the leading American aces of all time, Dick Bong and Tom McGuire, with high-scoring pilots Danny Roberts and John Loisel also serving with the 475th. Among the campaigns and battles detailed in this volume are such famous names as Dobodura, the Huon Gulf, Oro Bay, Rabaul, Hollandia, the Philippines and Luzon.
Book Synopsis 475th Fighter Group by : John Stanaway
Download or read book 475th Fighter Group written by John Stanaway and published by Osprey Publishing. This book was released on 2007-02-27 with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Formed with the best available fighter pilots in the Southwest Pacific, the 475th Fighter Group was the pet project of Fifth Air Force chief, General George C Kenney. From the time the group entered combat in August 1943 until the end of the war it was the fastest scoring group in the Pacific and remained one of the crack fighter units in the entire US Army Air Forces with a final total of some 550 credited aerial victories. Amongst its pilots were the leading American aces of all time, Dick Bong and Tom McGuire, with high-scoring pilots Danny Roberts and John Loisel also serving with the 475th. Among the campaigns and battles detailed in this volume are such famous names as Dobodura, the Huon Gulf, Oro Bay, Rabaul, Hollandia, the Philippines and Luzon.
The epic story of one of the highest scoring fighter units in the southwest Pacific. Aces included McGuire, Loisel, MacDonald, Roberts and Bong.
Book Synopsis Possum, Clover & Hades by : John Stanaway
Download or read book Possum, Clover & Hades written by John Stanaway and published by Schiffer Military History. This book was released on 1993 with total page 334 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The epic story of one of the highest scoring fighter units in the southwest Pacific. Aces included McGuire, Loisel, MacDonald, Roberts and Bong.
The 49th FG was sent to Australia in early 1942 to help stem the tide of Japanese conquest in Java. Too late to save the island, the group went into action in the defence of Darwin, Australia, where the Forty-Niners' handful of P-40E Warhawks were thrown into combat alongside survivors from the defeated forces that had fled from the Philippines and Java. This book assesses the outstanding performance of the 49th FG, pitted against superior Japanese forces. By VJ-Day the group had scored 668 aerial victories and won three Distinguished Unit Citations and ten campaign stars for its outstanding efforts.
Book Synopsis 49th Fighter Group by : William N Hess
Download or read book 49th Fighter Group written by William N Hess and published by Bloomsbury Publishing. This book was released on 2013-02-20 with total page 265 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The 49th FG was sent to Australia in early 1942 to help stem the tide of Japanese conquest in Java. Too late to save the island, the group went into action in the defence of Darwin, Australia, where the Forty-Niners' handful of P-40E Warhawks were thrown into combat alongside survivors from the defeated forces that had fled from the Philippines and Java. This book assesses the outstanding performance of the 49th FG, pitted against superior Japanese forces. By VJ-Day the group had scored 668 aerial victories and won three Distinguished Unit Citations and ten campaign stars for its outstanding efforts.
The astonishing untold story of the WWII airmen who risked it all in the deadly race to become the greatest American fighter pilot. In 1942, America's deadliest fighter pilot, or "ace of aces" -- the legendary Eddie Rickenbacker -- offered a bottle of bourbon to the first U.S. fighter pilot to break his record of twenty-six enemy planes shot down. Seizing on the challenge to motivate his men, General George Kenney promoted what they would come to call the "race of aces" as a way of boosting the spirits of his war-weary command. What developed was a wild three-year sprint for fame and glory, and the chance to be called America's greatest fighter pilot. The story has never been told until now. Based on new research and full of revelations, John Bruning's brilliant, original book tells the story of how five American pilots contended for personal glory in the Pacific while leading Kenney's resurgent air force against the most formidable enemy America ever faced. The pilots -- Richard Bong, Tommy McGuire, Neel Kearby, Charles MacDonald and Gerald Johnson -- riveted the nation as they contended for Rickenbacker's crown. As their scores mounted, they transformed themselves from farm boys and aspiring dentists into artists of the modern dogfight. But as the race reached its climax, some of the pilots began to see how the spotlight warped their sense of duty. They emerged as leaders, beloved by their men as they chose selfless devotion over national accolades. Teeming with action all across the vast Pacific theater, Race of Aces is a fascinating exploration of the boundary between honorable duty, personal glory, and the complex landscape of the human heart. "Brings you into the cockpit of the lethal, fast-paced world of fighter pilots . . . Fascinating." -- Sara Vladic"Extraordinary . . . a must-read." -- US Navy Captain Dan Pedersen"A heart-pounding narrative of the courage, sacrifice, and tragedy of America's elite fighter pilots." -- James M. Scott"Vivid and gripping . . . Confirms Bruning's status as the premier war historian of the air." -- Saul David
Book Synopsis Race of Aces by : John R Bruning
Download or read book Race of Aces written by John R Bruning and published by Hachette Books. This book was released on 2020-01-14 with total page 534 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The astonishing untold story of the WWII airmen who risked it all in the deadly race to become the greatest American fighter pilot. In 1942, America's deadliest fighter pilot, or "ace of aces" -- the legendary Eddie Rickenbacker -- offered a bottle of bourbon to the first U.S. fighter pilot to break his record of twenty-six enemy planes shot down. Seizing on the challenge to motivate his men, General George Kenney promoted what they would come to call the "race of aces" as a way of boosting the spirits of his war-weary command. What developed was a wild three-year sprint for fame and glory, and the chance to be called America's greatest fighter pilot. The story has never been told until now. Based on new research and full of revelations, John Bruning's brilliant, original book tells the story of how five American pilots contended for personal glory in the Pacific while leading Kenney's resurgent air force against the most formidable enemy America ever faced. The pilots -- Richard Bong, Tommy McGuire, Neel Kearby, Charles MacDonald and Gerald Johnson -- riveted the nation as they contended for Rickenbacker's crown. As their scores mounted, they transformed themselves from farm boys and aspiring dentists into artists of the modern dogfight. But as the race reached its climax, some of the pilots began to see how the spotlight warped their sense of duty. They emerged as leaders, beloved by their men as they chose selfless devotion over national accolades. Teeming with action all across the vast Pacific theater, Race of Aces is a fascinating exploration of the boundary between honorable duty, personal glory, and the complex landscape of the human heart. "Brings you into the cockpit of the lethal, fast-paced world of fighter pilots . . . Fascinating." -- Sara Vladic"Extraordinary . . . a must-read." -- US Navy Captain Dan Pedersen"A heart-pounding narrative of the courage, sacrifice, and tragedy of America's elite fighter pilots." -- James M. Scott"Vivid and gripping . . . Confirms Bruning's status as the premier war historian of the air." -- Saul David
Book Synopsis Air Force Combat Units of World War II by : Maurer Maurer
Download or read book Air Force Combat Units of World War II written by Maurer Maurer and published by DIANE Publishing. This book was released on 1961 with total page 520 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:
These pilots called themselves the 'Tokyo Club'. It was a simple task to become a member. All you had to do was strap yourself into a heavily loaded P-51 Mustang, take off from Iwo Jima, fly 650 miles north over the sea – often through monsoon storms – in your single-engined aircraft to Japan, attack a heavily defended target and then turn around and fly home despite a shrinking fuel supply and perhaps battle damage as well. Do it once and you earned membership in the club. Do it 15 times and you earned a trip home. But make one mistake or have one touch of bad luck, and you had a very good chance of ending up dead. This book tells the little-known story of these brave men and their efforts to defeat the aerial forces defending Japan.
Book Synopsis Very Long Range P-51 Mustang Units of the Pacific War by : Carl Molesworth
Download or read book Very Long Range P-51 Mustang Units of the Pacific War written by Carl Molesworth and published by Bloomsbury Publishing. This book was released on 2012-10-20 with total page 198 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: These pilots called themselves the 'Tokyo Club'. It was a simple task to become a member. All you had to do was strap yourself into a heavily loaded P-51 Mustang, take off from Iwo Jima, fly 650 miles north over the sea – often through monsoon storms – in your single-engined aircraft to Japan, attack a heavily defended target and then turn around and fly home despite a shrinking fuel supply and perhaps battle damage as well. Do it once and you earned membership in the club. Do it 15 times and you earned a trip home. But make one mistake or have one touch of bad luck, and you had a very good chance of ending up dead. This book tells the little-known story of these brave men and their efforts to defeat the aerial forces defending Japan.
Deep in a green pine forest, some 38 kilometers from Moscow is the Russian Federation Air Force Museum at Monino - a truly unique collection. The museum is founded on a rich collection of full-scale aircraft exhibits, as well as helicopters, aircraft engines, armament and search-and-rescue equipment, and reflects the history of Russian and Soviet aviation development from 1909 to the present. Included in this guide: Aviation of the Late 19th and the Early 20th Century; "Letatlin", "Mozhaisky Flying Aircraft", Wright Brothers Airplane, Blerior Aircraft, Utimtsev Engine. "Grizodubov-1" Aircraft, "Ilya Muromets", "Voisin", "Sopwith", Farman-IV": Aircraft of the 1920s & 1930s; ANT-2, ANT-4 (TB-1), ANT-6 (TB-3), ANT-25 (RD), ANT-40 (SB), DB-3 (Il-4), U-2 (Po-2), P-5, I-16: Aircraft of World War II and Post-war Rotary Aircraft; MiG-3, Yak-9u, La-7, La-11, Il-2, Il-10m, Pe-2, Tu-2, Tu-4, Il-12, Il-14, AN-2, AN-14: Subsonic and Transonic Jet Aircraft; Bi-1, MiG-15, MiG-15UTI, MiG-27, La-15, Su-25, Yak-17, Yak-23, Yak-25, Yak-25RV, Yak-36, Yak-38, Tu-16, Tu-104, Tu-95, Tu-114, Il-28, Il-18, Il-62, 3M, M-17, Yak-40, Yak-42, An-8, An-10A, An-12, An-24, Be-12, Be-32; Supersonic Jet Aircraft; MiG-19, MiG-21, MiG-21 I ("Analogue"), MiG-23, MiG-25, MiG-29, "Buran" analogue. Su-7, Su-9, Su-7b, Su-7L, Su-7Bkl, Su-11, Su-15, Su-17, M, Su-100, Su-24, Su-27, La-250, Yak-27r, Yak-28L, Tu-22, Tu-22M, Tu-128, Tu-144, M-50: Helicopters: Mi-1, Mi-4, Mi-6, Mi-10, Mi-8, Mi-2, Mi-12, Mi-24A, Ka-15, and KA-18. KA-25, KA-26. Yak-24: Lightweight Aircraft and Trainers: "Burevestnik", UT-2, Yak-12R, Yak-11, Yak-18, Yak-18U, Yak-18PM. Yak-18T, Yak-30, Tak-50, Yak-52B, L-29 "Dolphin", Stock-2, and many other examples of aircraft ordnance, and armament. Colonel-General B. Korolkov is head of the Gagarin Air Force Academy. V. Kazashvili is the chief curator of the Russian Federation Air Museum of Monino.
Book Synopsis A Guide to the Russian Federation Air Force Museum at Monino by : B. Korolkov
Download or read book A Guide to the Russian Federation Air Force Museum at Monino written by B. Korolkov and published by Schiffer Military History. This book was released on 1996 with total page 184 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Deep in a green pine forest, some 38 kilometers from Moscow is the Russian Federation Air Force Museum at Monino - a truly unique collection. The museum is founded on a rich collection of full-scale aircraft exhibits, as well as helicopters, aircraft engines, armament and search-and-rescue equipment, and reflects the history of Russian and Soviet aviation development from 1909 to the present. Included in this guide: Aviation of the Late 19th and the Early 20th Century; "Letatlin", "Mozhaisky Flying Aircraft", Wright Brothers Airplane, Blerior Aircraft, Utimtsev Engine. "Grizodubov-1" Aircraft, "Ilya Muromets", "Voisin", "Sopwith", Farman-IV": Aircraft of the 1920s & 1930s; ANT-2, ANT-4 (TB-1), ANT-6 (TB-3), ANT-25 (RD), ANT-40 (SB), DB-3 (Il-4), U-2 (Po-2), P-5, I-16: Aircraft of World War II and Post-war Rotary Aircraft; MiG-3, Yak-9u, La-7, La-11, Il-2, Il-10m, Pe-2, Tu-2, Tu-4, Il-12, Il-14, AN-2, AN-14: Subsonic and Transonic Jet Aircraft; Bi-1, MiG-15, MiG-15UTI, MiG-27, La-15, Su-25, Yak-17, Yak-23, Yak-25, Yak-25RV, Yak-36, Yak-38, Tu-16, Tu-104, Tu-95, Tu-114, Il-28, Il-18, Il-62, 3M, M-17, Yak-40, Yak-42, An-8, An-10A, An-12, An-24, Be-12, Be-32; Supersonic Jet Aircraft; MiG-19, MiG-21, MiG-21 I ("Analogue"), MiG-23, MiG-25, MiG-29, "Buran" analogue. Su-7, Su-9, Su-7b, Su-7L, Su-7Bkl, Su-11, Su-15, Su-17, M, Su-100, Su-24, Su-27, La-250, Yak-27r, Yak-28L, Tu-22, Tu-22M, Tu-128, Tu-144, M-50: Helicopters: Mi-1, Mi-4, Mi-6, Mi-10, Mi-8, Mi-2, Mi-12, Mi-24A, Ka-15, and KA-18. KA-25, KA-26. Yak-24: Lightweight Aircraft and Trainers: "Burevestnik", UT-2, Yak-12R, Yak-11, Yak-18, Yak-18U, Yak-18PM. Yak-18T, Yak-30, Tak-50, Yak-52B, L-29 "Dolphin", Stock-2, and many other examples of aircraft ordnance, and armament. Colonel-General B. Korolkov is head of the Gagarin Air Force Academy. V. Kazashvili is the chief curator of the Russian Federation Air Museum of Monino.
Merriam Press Military Monograph 400. Ninth Edition (February 2012). The text in this monograph is from a booklet prepared during the war by the Fifth Air Force. It was written by the combat pilots of the Southwest Pacific area who managed to fight-and survive-the best aircraft and pilots that the Japanese Army and Navy Air Forces could throw at them. Their comments were intended to aid the newer pilots just arriving on the scene, so that they would not have to learn from experience-and perhaps save their lives. Twenty-five fighter pilots, including William Giroux, Edwin Doss, Leroy Grosshuesch, Gerald Johnson, Richard Bong, Robert De Haven, Edward Roddy, Charles MacDonald, and Thomas McGuire, provide their rules for dealing with the Japanese in the air and on the ground. Contents: Colonel Earl H. Dunham, Commanding Officer, 8th Fighter Group (P-38); Captain William K. Giroux, 36th Fighter Squadron, 8th Fighter Group (P-38); Captain William A. Gardner, Operations Officer, 8th Fighter Group (P-38); Major Cyril F. Homer, 80th Fighter Squadron, 8th Fighter Group (P-38); Captain Allen E. Hill, 36th Fighter Squadron, 8th Fighter Group (P-38); Colonel Edwin A. Doss, Commanding Officer, 35th Fighter Group (P-47); Major John R. Young, Operations Officer, 35th Fighter Group (P-47); Captain Leroy V. Grosshuesch, 39th Fighter Squadron, 35th Fighter Group (P-47); Captain William H. Strand, 40th Fighter Squadron, 35th Fighter Group (P-47); Major Douglas V. N. Parsons, Deputy Commander, 35th Fighter Group (P-47); Lieutenant Colonel Gerald R. Johnson, Commanding Officer, 49th Fighter Group (P-38); Colonel George A. Walker, former Commanding Officer, 49th Fighter Group (P-38); Major Richard I. Bong, 49th Fighter Group (P-38); Captain Robert M. De Haven, 7th Fighter Squadron, 49th Fighter Group (P-40, P-38); Major Wallace R. Jordan, 9th Fighter Squadron, 49th Fighter Group (P-38); Colonel Gwen G. Atkinson, Commanding Officer, 58th Fighter Group (P-47); Major Edward F. Roddy, Operations Officer, 58th Fighter Group (P-47); Colonel Robert R. Rowland, Commanding Officer, 348th Fighter Group (P-47); Lieutenant Colonel William M. Banks. Deputy Commander, 348th Fighter Group (P-47); Captain Marvin E. Grant, 342nd Fighter Squadron, 348th Fighter Group (P-47); Major William D. Dunham, 460th Fighter Squadron, 348th Fighter Group (P-47); Major Walter G. Benz, Jr., 342nd Fighter Squadron, 348th Fighter Group (P-47); Colonel Charles H. MacDonald, Commanding Officer, 475th Fighter Group (P-38); Major John S. Loisel, Operations Officer, 475th Fighter Group (P-38); Major Thomas B. McGuire, 431st Fighter Squadron, 475th Fighter Group (P-38); Captain Elliot Summer, 432nd Fighter Squadron, 475th Fighter Group (P-38); 17 photos; 9 illustrations.
Book Synopsis Fighter Combat Tactics in the Southwest Pacific Area by : Ray Merriam
Download or read book Fighter Combat Tactics in the Southwest Pacific Area written by Ray Merriam and published by CreateSpace. This book was released on 2012-02-11 with total page 120 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Merriam Press Military Monograph 400. Ninth Edition (February 2012). The text in this monograph is from a booklet prepared during the war by the Fifth Air Force. It was written by the combat pilots of the Southwest Pacific area who managed to fight-and survive-the best aircraft and pilots that the Japanese Army and Navy Air Forces could throw at them. Their comments were intended to aid the newer pilots just arriving on the scene, so that they would not have to learn from experience-and perhaps save their lives. Twenty-five fighter pilots, including William Giroux, Edwin Doss, Leroy Grosshuesch, Gerald Johnson, Richard Bong, Robert De Haven, Edward Roddy, Charles MacDonald, and Thomas McGuire, provide their rules for dealing with the Japanese in the air and on the ground. Contents: Colonel Earl H. Dunham, Commanding Officer, 8th Fighter Group (P-38); Captain William K. Giroux, 36th Fighter Squadron, 8th Fighter Group (P-38); Captain William A. Gardner, Operations Officer, 8th Fighter Group (P-38); Major Cyril F. Homer, 80th Fighter Squadron, 8th Fighter Group (P-38); Captain Allen E. Hill, 36th Fighter Squadron, 8th Fighter Group (P-38); Colonel Edwin A. Doss, Commanding Officer, 35th Fighter Group (P-47); Major John R. Young, Operations Officer, 35th Fighter Group (P-47); Captain Leroy V. Grosshuesch, 39th Fighter Squadron, 35th Fighter Group (P-47); Captain William H. Strand, 40th Fighter Squadron, 35th Fighter Group (P-47); Major Douglas V. N. Parsons, Deputy Commander, 35th Fighter Group (P-47); Lieutenant Colonel Gerald R. Johnson, Commanding Officer, 49th Fighter Group (P-38); Colonel George A. Walker, former Commanding Officer, 49th Fighter Group (P-38); Major Richard I. Bong, 49th Fighter Group (P-38); Captain Robert M. De Haven, 7th Fighter Squadron, 49th Fighter Group (P-40, P-38); Major Wallace R. Jordan, 9th Fighter Squadron, 49th Fighter Group (P-38); Colonel Gwen G. Atkinson, Commanding Officer, 58th Fighter Group (P-47); Major Edward F. Roddy, Operations Officer, 58th Fighter Group (P-47); Colonel Robert R. Rowland, Commanding Officer, 348th Fighter Group (P-47); Lieutenant Colonel William M. Banks. Deputy Commander, 348th Fighter Group (P-47); Captain Marvin E. Grant, 342nd Fighter Squadron, 348th Fighter Group (P-47); Major William D. Dunham, 460th Fighter Squadron, 348th Fighter Group (P-47); Major Walter G. Benz, Jr., 342nd Fighter Squadron, 348th Fighter Group (P-47); Colonel Charles H. MacDonald, Commanding Officer, 475th Fighter Group (P-38); Major John S. Loisel, Operations Officer, 475th Fighter Group (P-38); Major Thomas B. McGuire, 431st Fighter Squadron, 475th Fighter Group (P-38); Captain Elliot Summer, 432nd Fighter Squadron, 475th Fighter Group (P-38); 17 photos; 9 illustrations.
The 348th Fighter Group was the most successful P-47 Thunderbolt unit in the Pacific. Medal of Honor recipient Colonel Neel Kearby took an aircraft that was generally despised in the southwest Pacific and made it into the terror of the skies over such formidable targets as Wewak on New Guinea, and Cape Gloucester on New Britain. Besides the redoubtable Kearby, the 348th aces included William "Dinghy" Dunham, Bob Rowland, Bill Banks, John Moore, Sam Blair, and George Davis, the Texas ace who would later receive the Medal of Honor in Korea. Ending the war in P-51 Mustangs, the 348th ranged over the Japanese homeland - completing their impressive record and honor, and the drive begun by the illustrious Kearby. John Stanaway is also the author of Attack and Conquer: The 8th Fighter Group in World War II: Possum, Clover & Hades: The 475th Fighter Group in World War II; The Operational Story of Lockheed's Lucky Star (all three titles are available from Schiffer Publishing Ltd.).
Book Synopsis Kearby's Thunderbolts by : John C. Stanaway
Download or read book Kearby's Thunderbolts written by John C. Stanaway and published by Schiffer Military History. This book was released on 1997 with total page 232 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The 348th Fighter Group was the most successful P-47 Thunderbolt unit in the Pacific. Medal of Honor recipient Colonel Neel Kearby took an aircraft that was generally despised in the southwest Pacific and made it into the terror of the skies over such formidable targets as Wewak on New Guinea, and Cape Gloucester on New Britain. Besides the redoubtable Kearby, the 348th aces included William "Dinghy" Dunham, Bob Rowland, Bill Banks, John Moore, Sam Blair, and George Davis, the Texas ace who would later receive the Medal of Honor in Korea. Ending the war in P-51 Mustangs, the 348th ranged over the Japanese homeland - completing their impressive record and honor, and the drive begun by the illustrious Kearby. John Stanaway is also the author of Attack and Conquer: The 8th Fighter Group in World War II: Possum, Clover & Hades: The 475th Fighter Group in World War II; The Operational Story of Lockheed's Lucky Star (all three titles are available from Schiffer Publishing Ltd.).
When the 82nd Fighter Group was organized in March 1942, most of its initial pilot cadre was comprised of newly graduated staff sergeant pilots of Class 42-C – enlisted men! They learned to fly the P-38 at Muroc, in California's Mojave Desert, and then moved to the Los Angeles area to continue their training and to serve as part of its air defence. In September 1942 the group was transported to the East Coast, from where it shipped out to Ireland on the Queen Mary. By this time all its remaining sergeant pilots had been commissioned. As of VE-Day the 82nd Fighter Group's score of confirmed aerial victories stood at 548 aircraft shot down, plus a huge amount of enemy materiel – including aircraft – destroyed on the ground and the sea. It had been awarded three Distinguished Unit Citations. The cost of this success was high, however, for around 250 of the group's pilots had either been killed in action or captured.
Book Synopsis P-38 Lightning Aces of the 82nd Fighter Group by : Steve Blake
Download or read book P-38 Lightning Aces of the 82nd Fighter Group written by Steve Blake and published by Bloomsbury Publishing. This book was released on 2012-07-20 with total page 228 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: When the 82nd Fighter Group was organized in March 1942, most of its initial pilot cadre was comprised of newly graduated staff sergeant pilots of Class 42-C – enlisted men! They learned to fly the P-38 at Muroc, in California's Mojave Desert, and then moved to the Los Angeles area to continue their training and to serve as part of its air defence. In September 1942 the group was transported to the East Coast, from where it shipped out to Ireland on the Queen Mary. By this time all its remaining sergeant pilots had been commissioned. As of VE-Day the 82nd Fighter Group's score of confirmed aerial victories stood at 548 aircraft shot down, plus a huge amount of enemy materiel – including aircraft – destroyed on the ground and the sea. It had been awarded three Distinguished Unit Citations. The cost of this success was high, however, for around 250 of the group's pilots had either been killed in action or captured.
