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9th Air Force - American tactical aviation, 1942-1945


Johan Willaert
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Johan Willaert

numero_2217_1229947385.jpg

 

Just two weeks after releasing the GICG II, French publisher Histoire & Collections has released a new book about the 9AAF during WW2.

A companion to their 8AAF book, which has been available for about two years now, this book tells the story about that other US Air Force in the ETO during WW2. The 9th was mainly responsible for Tactical Bombing, Troop Carrying, Air Force Engineers etc....

 

The book is written in their well-known style combining WW2 pictures with modern color images of life mannequins and gear...

 

Sale Price in Europe is 41,95Euro and it's available in both French or English version.

 

Available from their website at:

http://livres.histoireetcollections.com/pu...-1942-1945.html

 

 

Johan

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  • 2 weeks later...

I'll have to check this out. My dad was in the 9th AF, 372nd FG, 407th FS. I have not been able to find a lot of info on this unit. Even if the book doesn't have unit breakdowns it'll still be nice to read a bit about the 9th.

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Johan Willaert

I received my copy last Monday and have spent several hours looking at the many previously unpublished pictures in the book.

 

Using items and pictures from the collections of several advanced collectors and veterans, a general overview of the 9th AAF is given, illustrating its mission and units.

Not all units are represented, but rather typical examples of each 'branch' or 'specialty' of the 9th is covered.

There are many WW2 illustrations of both men, gear and planes and in real Militaria Magazine tradition, uniforms and equipment is described with real life 'mannequins' showing exactly how the equipment was used.

 

The book starts out with a chapter explaining the 9th's mission and composition, and the bases in England and the continent...

 

Following men and units are illustrated in the book:

 

*12th Bomb Group (BG)

*Cpl KIELEY, Photographer, 36th Fighter Group (FG)

*Several Pilots and Officers of the 344th BG

*Sgt LACKNER, Pilot, 14th Liaison Squadron

*Lt PLUMMER, Pilot, 362nd FG

*394th BG

*Lt DAVEY, Pilot, 440th Troop Carrier Group

*Several NCO, 386th BG

*Sgt BENEK, Armorer, 425th Night FS

*Several GI's, 405th FG

*Sgt GORDON, 926th Engineer Aviation Regt

*Sgt SICILIANO, 410th BG

 

No, not every single unit of the 9th is described in detail, but the pictures in the book should convince any USAAF collector to add it to his library.

 

Available from Histoire&Collections in both a French and an English version.

 

Price in Europe: 41,95Euro

 

 

JOhan

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I have not seen this yet, but the 8th AAF book is THE book I would bring with me if I was going to interview an 8th airman.

There is just so much stuff in it, that it would certainly jog out a few memories.

 

It is really well done , and I am not even that big of a fan of aviation stuff. So I suspect the 9th is done in the same way.

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  • 2 months later...

Just got the book and the photos of the old planes and crews, and the "repro" photos are great for historians and modelers.

 

I'm just starting to read it, but so far have found nothing in reference to the 372nd FG or 407th FS (my dad's unit). It's almost conspicuous in it's absence, like it never existed. I'm sure it did as I have plenty of old paperwork referring to it.

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  • 1 year later...

Hi,

Your father's unit 372nd Fighter Group was a trainig unit based in SA and was not assigned to the 9th Air Force, that's why you don't find it in my book

Best regards

Greg

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Cobrahistorian

Could you be referring to the 371st or 373rd Fighter Groups? Both served with the 9th AF in WWII.

 

I picked up my copy at the Musee de l'Armee last year and have been very pleased with it. Gregoire's book is a great look at a small section of 9th AF history. My one criticism of it is that there simply isn't enough! Had Gregoire covered all of the 9th AF, the book would have been ten times thicker and would have been ridiculously expensive. He selected several subjects from Fighter, Recon, Bomber, Liaison and Transport units and looked at a nice cross section, sometimes covering units that have received precious little attention over the years (near and dear to my heart, the 36th Fighter Group being one of those units!)

 

Overall a great effort that needs several more volumes to make it complete!

 

Jon

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