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    Infamy: A Pilot's Story of World War Ii and Beyond
    Infamy: A Pilot's Story of World War Ii and Beyond
    Infamy: A Pilot's Story of World War Ii and Beyond
    Ebook91 pages1 hour

    Infamy: A Pilot's Story of World War Ii and Beyond

    By Jack Z. Stettner

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    About this ebook

    A riveting story of one persons passage from college kid to accomplished World War II pilot. Jack Stettner takes us along on his enthralling journey from enlistment in reaction to the infamous attack on Pearl Harbor through primary, basic, advanced and combat pilot training, to flying his first combat missions. Along the way we meet several interesting characters (people and aircraft), share his excitement upon earning his wings, and relive his harrowing experience of bailing out over China. His intimate description of the various stages of pilot training adeptly proves that learning to fly is only part of the requirement to survive 44 combat missions and 400 combat hours in the skies over Japanese-occupied China.

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisheriUniverse
    Release dateJul 19, 2012
    ISBN9781475935363
    Infamy: A Pilot's Story of World War Ii and Beyond
    Author

    Jack Z. Stettner

    JACK Z. STETTNER flew 44 combat missions in WWII as a B-24 pilot with the 373rd Bomb Squadron based in China. A recipient of numerous decorations and medals, Stettner became a featured speaker on the war bond tour. After the war, he started Veterans Airlines, flying relief missions into Europe and Russian occupied territories. He previously published two other books, Memories of the Jing Bao & Beyond and Memories of the Mind, and currently

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      Book preview

      Infamy - Jack Z. Stettner

      Introduction

      A DATE WHICH WILL LIVE IN INFAMY

      They came out of the west delivering death and destruction! That day, December 7th, that moment changed our lives forever. The entire nation reacted. The message was clear. We were without question at war and that was a fact. There was no longer any escape from this reality. The isolationists fell silent, drowned out by the sudden surprise and the attack and the continued havoc that threatened our shores. War was formally declared against the axis powers in what was now appropriately called World War II.

      The country now had to prepare to meet the enemy head on. The nation’s most immediate fear was of an immediate invasion of the west coast and the potential threat of sabotage.

      Reacting virtually in panic, extreme action was taken as Japanese Americans were rounded up to ensure that no spies and saboteurs had been planted in our midst. Plans to mobilize followed, but the enormous damage and destruction we sustained at Pearl Harbor highlighted the immediate need to build anew the giant fighting forces required to meet and defeat the enemy around the world. The Japanese unleashed their terrible reign of terror all over, attacking and overrunning most of China, Indo-China, Burma, Malaysia and the Philippines, East Indies and many Pacific Island bases.

      There were signs everywhere that said, Uncle Sam needs you, buy war bonds, and loose lips sink ships. The news was a mixture of good and bad, mostly bad. There were few facts. Everything was confusing. Rumors were rampant, like Japanese ships sighted off the coast and a submarine in San Francisco Bay. Eight saboteurs were caught. Then there was the rush to enlist; long lines of young men everywhere.

      We weren’t at all ready to take them into the services; but we did and it was a mess, a very patriotic mess. Everybody sang and cheered while waiting on the long lines. Few took the time to think. The enemy caught us by surprise and we had to get them. The whole country got going in circles. The newspapers were no exception. The headline blared about the threatened invasion and its wrath, about the hunt for killer fleets coming towards the West Coast, about amazing victories from out of nowhere, and more.

      The public didn’t know what to believe, but their faith took hold and in time the march towards mobilization began to get organized. It was a horrendous beginning.

      image1.tif

      B-24 Liberator

      Chapter 1

      Into the Service

      I had always been a good student; numbers, facts, and figures always came easy to me. Up until now, college life in upstate New York was pretty insulated and my attention had been filled with studies and girls – and not necessarily in that order. But all that changed in an instant that Sunday morning. We had been attacked! I was numb all week and was not able to concentrate on my studies. On the one hand, my mind focused on preparations for my pilot training. On the other hand, I had a voracious appetite for information about the war and the hunt to track down and destroy the invaders.

      My heart was beating away. I just could not relax and get back to the daily routine. It was very distracting. When I ran into other students, I found that each was experiencing the aftermath in their own personal way. Most talked about the surprise, when and where they heard of the attack. Some expressed their fears. Others, their sense of excitement and the urgency to stand up and fight. Still others, their anger and frustration.

      My friend and fellow engineering student Murray shared my interest in aviation. Together, we wanted to see how we could get into the Army Air Corps training program. I had a great sense of guilt about staying in school while so many signed up with the military or were being drafted into service. I was also scared that I could be drafted into the infantry before I could get into the air corps. We set our goal of getting into the Army Air Corps by the end of the year. Let’s get together with our fathers and meet up at the Crop Dusters.

      The college Crop Duster club was packed with students, all looking for information. The fun of hanger flying was put aside. What was needed was reconnaissance information, who was winning today? How big was their army? How big was ours? How many ships did we lose? We were so naïve. Everyone’s complete preoccupation with the reality of an upcoming world war overrode the individual nervousness that we each felt.

      The seriousness of the situation created a sense of camaraderie as we joked and extended hands, palms down in smooth sweeping motions. It was almost like good old times at the old corral and we were truly enjoying each other’s company. Someone introduced the idea of applying for the Reserve Officers Training Corps (ROTC). ROTC could serve two purposes – increase our chances of getting into the air corps while allowing us to complete the college year.

      Chapter 2

      Joining the Cavalry

      Murray and I decided to apply together. Getting into the Air Corps was most important since it provided the path for us to become pilots. The ROTC Orderly room was close by. It was not large, two desks and a door connecting to the major’s office. A corporal manned one of the desks. He acknowledged our presence and obviously expected one of us to say something. So I broached the subject of our want to join the ROTC

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