[303rd-Talk] Re: The Mighty Eighth

[Bill Twomey]

Great  information.   Very  interesting.
I've  watched  the  chain  on  this  question  closely.
 
Bill Twomey
 



> Subject: RE: [303rd-Talk] Re: The Mighty Eighth> Date: Fri, 5 Jan 2007 15:17:08 -0600> From: Dave.Tooley at allstate.com> To: 303rd-talk at 303rdBG.com> > Scotty,> I have just finished John Steinbeck's (yes THE John S.) book Bombs Away.> It was a book written in 1942 to inform potential flyboys and their> families what to expect as a bomber crew member. Included cadet> selection, training, etc. > > No one was drafted or enlisted to the Air Corps. You were drafted or> enlisted in the Army. Then you could take the tests to see if you> qualified for some position. You did not have to take the tests. > > Of course, some guys wanted to go join the Air Corps, so they> 'volunteered'. All that meant was that they asked to take the tests to> see where or if they fit in. But again they were first drafted or> enlisted in the Army. > > Anyone not qualified for pilot, nav, bombardier, radio, engineer or> gunner, generally was 'returned' to the Army.> > Hope I made sense. > > __________________________________________________> Dave > > -----Original Message-----> From: 303rd-talk-bounces at 303rdBG.com> [mailto:303rd-talk-bounces at 303rdBG.com] On Behalf Of Gordon Walker> Sent: Friday, January 05, 2007 12:05 AM> To: 303rd-talk at 303rdBG.com> Subject: [303rd-Talk] Re: The Mighty Eighth> > Hello All,> > I just helped my wife unload the groceries from the car and on the front> seat, I noticed several packages for me, namely two books that I had> ordered re: WW2. One is "Time Out for War" by Ed C. Cury and the other,> "The Mighty Eighth" by Gerald Astor. Both of the books deal with the> 8th Air Force and although I have not yet had time to read either, I did> manage to read the Preface of The Mighty Eighth and one of the very> first things that struck me was that it said all of those who flew> combat were volunteers. Can someone clarify that for me? Does this> mean just the pilots or did every member of the bomber crews volunteer?> Also, would I be correct in assuming that many were drafted into the> service and then volunteered for combat ?> > Scotty> _______________________________________________> 303rd-Talk mailing list> 303rd-Talk at 303rdBG.com> http://lists.303rdbg.com/mailman/listinfo/303rd-talk> _______________________________________________> 303rd-Talk mailing list> 303rd-Talk at 303rdBG.com> http://lists.303rdbg.com/mailman/listinfo/303rd-talk