B-24 Liberator and WWII RESOURCES
These are only some of the books and videos that we have used in our research of my Grandad's service in WWII with the Eighth Air Force. We hope this list helps out those who are just getting started in their research.
Note: Information in italics is my general description of the information in the book- it is not part of the title.
EIGHTH AIR FORCE BOOKS
Aces of the Eighth GB Stafford, WN Hess 1973
Airfields of the Eighth Then and Now Roger A Freeman 1978
B-24 Liberator Units of the Eighth Air Force Robert Dorr
Eighth Air Force Bomber Stories McLachlan & Zorn 1992
Eighth Air Force Story Kenn C Rust 1978
Fields of Little America (8th AF division) Martin Bowman 1983
Hell in the Heavens: Ill-fated 8th Air Force Bomb Group Missions William N Hess 2000
One Last Look: A Sentimental Journey to the Eighth Air Force Heavy Bomber Bases of World War II
in England Philip Kaplan & Rex Allen Smith 1983
Second Air Division (general history and veterans roster) Turner Publishing 1994
Tales to Noses Over Berlin: The Eighth Air Force Missions Ray Bowden 1996
Target Germany: The US Army Air Forces’ Official Story of the VIII Bomber Commands’ First Year
Over Europe London: His Majesty’s Stationary Office 1944
The Mighty Eighth Gerald Astor 1997
The Mighty Eighth in Color Roger Freeman 1992
The Mighty Eighth War Diary Roger A. Freeman
The Mighty Eighth: A History of the U.S.8th Army Air Corps Air Force Roger A. Freeman 1970
The Mighty Eighth: Warpaint & Heraldry Roger A. Freeman 1997
Those Brave Crews (Ploesti mission) Ray Ward 1989
1000 Day Battle (448th BG) James Hoseason 1979
B-24 BOOKS
B-24 Liberator 1939-45 Martin Bowman 1989
B-24 Liberator in Action #80 P Manley, D Greer 1987
B-24 Nose Art Directory Wallace Forman 1998
Bomber Command: American Bombers in Original WWII Color Jeffrey L. Ethell 1994
B-24 Liberator Units of the Pacific War Robert Dorr 1999
Bombs Away: The Story of a Bomber Team John Steinbeck 1942
Consolidated B-24 Liberator John M & Donna Campbell 1993
Consolidated B-24 Liberator Martin Bowman 1998
Consolidated B-24 Liberator (Warbird series) Frederick Johnsen 1996
Great American Bombers of WWII William Hess, Frederick A Johnsen, Chester Marshall 1998
Great Bombers of WWII (B17, B24, B29) William N Ness 1998
Liberator Album: B-24s of 2nd Air Division, USAAF Mike Bailey, Tony North 1998
Log of the Liberators Steve Birdsall 1973
Markings and Camouflage 1941-1945 Consolidated B-24 EA Munday 1972
Slacks and Calluses: Our Summer in a Bomber Factory Constance Reid, Claire Marie Allen 1944 1999
The B-24 Liberator in Action Steve Birdsall 1975
The B-24 Liberator: a pictorial history Allan G Blue 1975
The B-24/PB4Y in Combat: The World’s Greatest Bomber Rhodes Arnold 1990 1994
The Gatefold Book of World War II Warplanes Barnes & Noble Books 1995
The Liberator Legend: The Plane and the People (general history and veterans roster) 1990
The Story of the Bomber 1914-1915 Bryan Cooper 1974
Thunder in the Heavens: Classic American Aircraft of WWII Martin Bowman 1994
WWII Noseart in Color Jeffrey L. Ethell 1993
CLOTHING AND EQUIPMENT BOOKS
US Army Air Force: 1 (Elite Series #46) Gordon Rottman & Francis Chin 1993
US Army Air Force: 2 Gordon Rottman & Francis Chin 1993
USAAF Handbook 1939-1945 Martin W. Bowman 1997
PERSONAL STORIES
Looking Back A Tailgunner's View of WWII Dale VanBlair 2003
A Wing and a Prayer Harry Crosby 1993
After the Liberators: A Father’s Last Mission, A Son’s Lifelong Journey William C. McGuire 1999
Bomber Pilot: A Memoir of WWII Philip Ardery 1978
Eighth Air Force Bomber Stories McLachlan & Zorn 1992
Experiences of War: American Airmen in Europe Roger Freeman 1991
Flight to Everywhere (B-24 transports) Ivan Dimitri 1944
Screaming Eagle: Memoirs of a B-17 Commander Dale Smith (384th CO, Colonel)
Slacks and Calluses: Our Summer in a Bomber Factory Constance Reid, Claire Marie Allen 1944 1999
The Forbidden Diary: a B-24 navigator remembers John L Stewart 1998
Wing Ding, Memories of a Tail Gunner Gene Carson 2001
Wings of Morning: Last American Bomber Shot Down Thomas Childers 1995
Note: Information in italics is my general description of the information in the book- it is not part of the title.
EIGHTH AIR FORCE BOOKS
Aces of the Eighth GB Stafford, WN Hess 1973
Airfields of the Eighth Then and Now Roger A Freeman 1978
B-24 Liberator Units of the Eighth Air Force Robert Dorr
Eighth Air Force Bomber Stories McLachlan & Zorn 1992
Eighth Air Force Story Kenn C Rust 1978
Fields of Little America (8th AF division) Martin Bowman 1983
Hell in the Heavens: Ill-fated 8th Air Force Bomb Group Missions William N Hess 2000
One Last Look: A Sentimental Journey to the Eighth Air Force Heavy Bomber Bases of World War II
in England Philip Kaplan & Rex Allen Smith 1983
Second Air Division (general history and veterans roster) Turner Publishing 1994
Tales to Noses Over Berlin: The Eighth Air Force Missions Ray Bowden 1996
Target Germany: The US Army Air Forces’ Official Story of the VIII Bomber Commands’ First Year
Over Europe London: His Majesty’s Stationary Office 1944
The Mighty Eighth Gerald Astor 1997
The Mighty Eighth in Color Roger Freeman 1992
The Mighty Eighth War Diary Roger A. Freeman
The Mighty Eighth: A History of the U.S.8th Army Air Corps Air Force Roger A. Freeman 1970
The Mighty Eighth: Warpaint & Heraldry Roger A. Freeman 1997
Those Brave Crews (Ploesti mission) Ray Ward 1989
1000 Day Battle (448th BG) James Hoseason 1979
B-24 BOOKS
B-24 Liberator 1939-45 Martin Bowman 1989
B-24 Liberator in Action #80 P Manley, D Greer 1987
B-24 Nose Art Directory Wallace Forman 1998
Bomber Command: American Bombers in Original WWII Color Jeffrey L. Ethell 1994
B-24 Liberator Units of the Pacific War Robert Dorr 1999
Bombs Away: The Story of a Bomber Team John Steinbeck 1942
Consolidated B-24 Liberator John M & Donna Campbell 1993
Consolidated B-24 Liberator Martin Bowman 1998
Consolidated B-24 Liberator (Warbird series) Frederick Johnsen 1996
Great American Bombers of WWII William Hess, Frederick A Johnsen, Chester Marshall 1998
Great Bombers of WWII (B17, B24, B29) William N Ness 1998
Liberator Album: B-24s of 2nd Air Division, USAAF Mike Bailey, Tony North 1998
Log of the Liberators Steve Birdsall 1973
Markings and Camouflage 1941-1945 Consolidated B-24 EA Munday 1972
Slacks and Calluses: Our Summer in a Bomber Factory Constance Reid, Claire Marie Allen 1944 1999
The B-24 Liberator in Action Steve Birdsall 1975
The B-24 Liberator: a pictorial history Allan G Blue 1975
The B-24/PB4Y in Combat: The World’s Greatest Bomber Rhodes Arnold 1990 1994
The Gatefold Book of World War II Warplanes Barnes & Noble Books 1995
The Liberator Legend: The Plane and the People (general history and veterans roster) 1990
The Story of the Bomber 1914-1915 Bryan Cooper 1974
Thunder in the Heavens: Classic American Aircraft of WWII Martin Bowman 1994
WWII Noseart in Color Jeffrey L. Ethell 1993
CLOTHING AND EQUIPMENT BOOKS
US Army Air Force: 1 (Elite Series #46) Gordon Rottman & Francis Chin 1993
US Army Air Force: 2 Gordon Rottman & Francis Chin 1993
USAAF Handbook 1939-1945 Martin W. Bowman 1997
PERSONAL STORIES
Looking Back A Tailgunner's View of WWII Dale VanBlair 2003
A Wing and a Prayer Harry Crosby 1993
After the Liberators: A Father’s Last Mission, A Son’s Lifelong Journey William C. McGuire 1999
Bomber Pilot: A Memoir of WWII Philip Ardery 1978
Eighth Air Force Bomber Stories McLachlan & Zorn 1992
Experiences of War: American Airmen in Europe Roger Freeman 1991
Flight to Everywhere (B-24 transports) Ivan Dimitri 1944
Screaming Eagle: Memoirs of a B-17 Commander Dale Smith (384th CO, Colonel)
Slacks and Calluses: Our Summer in a Bomber Factory Constance Reid, Claire Marie Allen 1944 1999
The Forbidden Diary: a B-24 navigator remembers John L Stewart 1998
Wing Ding, Memories of a Tail Gunner Gene Carson 2001
Wings of Morning: Last American Bomber Shot Down Thomas Childers 1995
Air Sea Rescue and PFF References
AIR SEA RESCUE and DITCHING BOOKS
A Drop in the Ocean: dramatic accounts of aircrew saved from the sea Jim Burtt-Smith, John French 1997
A Ship Without a Name (Pacific theater, US Navy PCE(R) )T. Rothrock Miller 1992
Air-Sea Rescue in World War Two: A first hand account of the Royal Navy North Sea Rescue Motor
Launches Alan Rowe, Andy Andrews 1995
Air-sea rescue, 1941-1952 (USAF historical studies, no. 95)Frank E. Ransom 1954
Boat in the Blue: the wartime story of an RAF Air Sea Rescue Crew and their boats W.D. Pereira 1985
Forced to Ditch (video)Gerry Brown, Les Norman, Robert Urquhart, Jack Wattling 1984
Heroes at Sea Don Wall 1991
Rescue Graeme Cook 1978
Royal Air Force Rescue Boats of World War Two Geoffrey D. Pilborough 1997
Royal Navy Little Ships
Shepherd of the Seas: Air/Sea Rescue in 8th Air Force US Air Forces 65th Fighter Wing 1945
The Air Sea Rescue Manual US Search and Rescue Agency 1945
The Design and Construction of British Warships 1939-1945 The Official Record D.K. Brown, ed. 1995
Vol 1: Major Surface Vessels
*Vol 2: Submarines, Escorts and Coastal Forces
Vol 3: Amphibious warfare vessels & auxiliaries
PATHFINDER (PFF) BOOKS
Bennett and the Pathfinders (RAF)John Maynard 1996
Bombs Away by Pathfinders of the Eighth Air Force Marshall J. Thixton, John O’Neill, George E. Moffat
1998
Squadron of Deception.The 36th Bomb Squadron in WWII (a radar countermeasure squadron)Stephen
Hutton 1999
Voices From the Stars (Australian PFF crewman with RAF)Tom and Laurel Scotland 1990
A Drop in the Ocean: dramatic accounts of aircrew saved from the sea Jim Burtt-Smith, John French 1997
A Ship Without a Name (Pacific theater, US Navy PCE(R) )T. Rothrock Miller 1992
Air-Sea Rescue in World War Two: A first hand account of the Royal Navy North Sea Rescue Motor
Launches Alan Rowe, Andy Andrews 1995
Air-sea rescue, 1941-1952 (USAF historical studies, no. 95)Frank E. Ransom 1954
Boat in the Blue: the wartime story of an RAF Air Sea Rescue Crew and their boats W.D. Pereira 1985
Forced to Ditch (video)Gerry Brown, Les Norman, Robert Urquhart, Jack Wattling 1984
Heroes at Sea Don Wall 1991
Rescue Graeme Cook 1978
Royal Air Force Rescue Boats of World War Two Geoffrey D. Pilborough 1997
Royal Navy Little Ships
Shepherd of the Seas: Air/Sea Rescue in 8th Air Force US Air Forces 65th Fighter Wing 1945
The Air Sea Rescue Manual US Search and Rescue Agency 1945
The Design and Construction of British Warships 1939-1945 The Official Record D.K. Brown, ed. 1995
Vol 1: Major Surface Vessels
*Vol 2: Submarines, Escorts and Coastal Forces
Vol 3: Amphibious warfare vessels & auxiliaries
PATHFINDER (PFF) BOOKS
Bennett and the Pathfinders (RAF)John Maynard 1996
Bombs Away by Pathfinders of the Eighth Air Force Marshall J. Thixton, John O’Neill, George E. Moffat
1998
Squadron of Deception.The 36th Bomb Squadron in WWII (a radar countermeasure squadron)Stephen
Hutton 1999
Voices From the Stars (Australian PFF crewman with RAF)Tom and Laurel Scotland 1990
Miscellaneous WWII Air War Books
MISC BOOKS: PICTORIALS, AIR STRATEGY, ETC.
Aerial Gunners: The Unknown Aces of World War IICharles A Watny & Duane L Hall 1986Air Command (includes Bomber Command and Fighter Command)Jeffrey Ethell 1997 America in the Air War Time Life Epic of Flight 1982
Big Week! (paper) Glenn Infield 1975
Bomber Offensive: The Devastation of Europe Noble Frankland 1970
Eagles High (Battle of Britain) Peter North 1990
IMPACT Taking the War to the Foe James Parton, ed 1989
LIFE goes to war David Scherman 1977
Mission Failure and Survival Charles C McBride 1989
Over Here: The Americans in Norfolk during WWII Steve Snelling 1996
Overpaid, Oversexed, and Over Here: The American GI in WWII Britain Juliet Gardiner 1992
Raiding the Reich: The Allied Strategic Bombing Offensive in Europe Roger A. Freeman 1997
The Air War in Europe Time Life Epic of Flight 1982
The Rand McNally Encyclopedia of Military Aircraft 1914-1980 Enzo Angelucci 1983
The War in the Air: A Pictorial History of World War II Air Forces in Combat Gene Gurney 1962
There Once Was a War: the collected color photography of World War II Jeffrey L. Ethell, (ed.) 1995
US Strategic Air Power Europe 1942-45 Roger A. Freeman 1989
Winged Victory: The Army Air Forces in WWII Geoffrey Perret 1993
FIGHTERS
Aces of the Eighth GB Stafford, WN Hess 1973
Classic Aircraft Fighters Profiles of Major Combat Aircraft in Aviation History Bill Gunston 1978
Fighter Bryan Cooper, John Batchelor 1973
Fighter Command: American Fighters in Original WWII Color Jeffrey L. Ethell, Robert T. Sands 1991 1993
Aerial Gunners: The Unknown Aces of World War IICharles A Watny & Duane L Hall 1986Air Command (includes Bomber Command and Fighter Command)Jeffrey Ethell 1997 America in the Air War Time Life Epic of Flight 1982
Big Week! (paper) Glenn Infield 1975
Bomber Offensive: The Devastation of Europe Noble Frankland 1970
Eagles High (Battle of Britain) Peter North 1990
IMPACT Taking the War to the Foe James Parton, ed 1989
LIFE goes to war David Scherman 1977
Mission Failure and Survival Charles C McBride 1989
Over Here: The Americans in Norfolk during WWII Steve Snelling 1996
Overpaid, Oversexed, and Over Here: The American GI in WWII Britain Juliet Gardiner 1992
Raiding the Reich: The Allied Strategic Bombing Offensive in Europe Roger A. Freeman 1997
The Air War in Europe Time Life Epic of Flight 1982
The Rand McNally Encyclopedia of Military Aircraft 1914-1980 Enzo Angelucci 1983
The War in the Air: A Pictorial History of World War II Air Forces in Combat Gene Gurney 1962
There Once Was a War: the collected color photography of World War II Jeffrey L. Ethell, (ed.) 1995
US Strategic Air Power Europe 1942-45 Roger A. Freeman 1989
Winged Victory: The Army Air Forces in WWII Geoffrey Perret 1993
FIGHTERS
Aces of the Eighth GB Stafford, WN Hess 1973
Classic Aircraft Fighters Profiles of Major Combat Aircraft in Aviation History Bill Gunston 1978
Fighter Bryan Cooper, John Batchelor 1973
Fighter Command: American Fighters in Original WWII Color Jeffrey L. Ethell, Robert T. Sands 1991 1993
WWII/B-24 Videos
VIDEOS
Air War over Europe (WWII with Walter Cronkite) CBS News 1983
All American Last of a Legend: The story of the Last Fully-Renovated B-24 Liberator Collings Foundation
B-24 Liberator. View from the Cockpit (History Air Combat) National Syndications 1997
B-24 Story. Willow Run, Ploesti Yankee Air Force
Fight For The Sky: Air War over Germany (History Air Combat) National Syndications 1997
Fighting Liberator
Memphis Belle Warner Bros 1990
The Price of Peace PBS Home Video 1997
Twelve O-Clock High 1948
Air War over Europe (WWII with Walter Cronkite) CBS News 1983
All American Last of a Legend: The story of the Last Fully-Renovated B-24 Liberator Collings Foundation
B-24 Liberator. View from the Cockpit (History Air Combat) National Syndications 1997
B-24 Story. Willow Run, Ploesti Yankee Air Force
Fight For The Sky: Air War over Germany (History Air Combat) National Syndications 1997
Fighting Liberator
Memphis Belle Warner Bros 1990
The Price of Peace PBS Home Video 1997
Twelve O-Clock High 1948