An Airman’s Story
Military Aviation
War Drama
Living History
A pinnacle archive with well of over 300 + video stories of sacrifice, terror, and nobility in character. Thousands of archival images. Salient documents. Epic tales of the deep human resilience. Powerful and authentic. 100% accurate based on actual events in history. True stories. First person accounts by the Pilots and Crews who flew and served in America’s Air Forces. Pearl Harbor Hi. Dec 7th 1941 - 2024 globally. Heart stopping daily challenges they overcame with their own mortality. Duty was their virtue. The people are the story. Their selfless patriotic heroism is evident to all viewers. There is great nobility in the American spirit! Here is their story of those who took to the skies defending Freedom globally.
“Human faces matter most on film.”
- John Ford, Motion Picture Director
“Film gives these people immortality.”
- John Ford
BGen. C. E. “Bud” Anderson, USAF [Ret.] (Above, Right)
RIP Jan. 1922 - May 2024
WWII Triple Ace - Test Pilot - Wing Cmdr.
Blue skies forever “Andy.”
These intrinsic stories are the very Golden Threads that weave the Tapestry of Military Aviation together. From the early days of the Wright Brothers in 1903 to the Dessert sands of the Middle East today. America’s Air Forces have always led the way. Great inspiring stories about Men & Women. Life or death was always just an eye lash away. Herein is their story. America’s Warriors should never take their amazing tales to the grave. The sole purpose of this Living History Mission is to present all of these stories to the American people. Global markets. In all media platforms compatible today.
- Leon J. DeLisle, Founder - Author - Producer.
Your kind generous financial support is greatly appreciated! With your help their heroic stories of valor, service, and courage will be preserved for the future generations of Americans.
*Lt. Robert Titus, USAF Korean War 1951 18th FBW.
Fighter Pilot | Test Pilot | Leader
“Throw a Nickel on the Grass”
12/6/1926 - 9/8/2024
“Danger gleams, like sunshine to a brave man’s eyes.”
- Euripides
“There are pilots and there are pilots; with the good ones, it is inborn. You can’t teach it. If you are a fighter pilot, you have to be willing to take risks.”
- BGen. Robin Olds USAF [Ret.] Fighter Pilot
“History does not entrust the care of freedom to the weak or timid.”
- General Dwight D. Eisenhower USA [Ret.]
*Col. Robin Olds, USAF SEA 1967 8th TFW.
All Videos Filmed and Produced by An Airman’s Story Production Staff.
Compiled and Edited by Nick Provenzano and Leon J. DeLisle
“The first lesson is that you can’t lose a war if you have command of the Air, and you can’t win a war if you haven’t.”
- Lt.Gen. James H. “Jimmy” Doolittle, USAAF [Ret.]
“A day that I will remember and cherish for the rest of my life.”
Leon with General Doolittle at his home in Carmel, California on 1/5/1988
(Photos by Ron Mullins)
USS Hornet - April 18, 1942
“Doolittle’s Tokyo Raiders”
Doolittle Leads the Way - 1st to Go
“Freedom is never more than one Generation away from extinction. We didn't pass it to our Children in the Bloodstream. It must be fought for and Protected, and handed on for them to do the same.”
- James H. “Jimmy” Doolittle, USAF [Ret.]
Heritage Photo Gallery
Heading for Home
The Marauders Always Came Through
Nat Quick - Artist Extraordinaire R.I.P.
Commissioned by Stuart Munson
“The Irish Shillalah Strikes” - Captain Jim Finnegan 9th AF
General Adolph Galland, the Fighter General, was a legend in the German "Luftwaffe." He flew Fighters in the all volunteer German "Condor Sqdn" in the late 30s in the Spanish Civil War. He was one of the leading German Fighter Aces in "The Battle of Britain" 1939-40. He was one of their very best of the Best. At the end in the last months of WWII he was battling the Nazi leadership to turn loose the new German Jets into Fighters vs Fighter Bombers. He was finally allowed to form his own Jet Fighter Group. The new Jets had a big advantage over the prop Fighters such as the P-51s or P-47s in flat out speed. In a dive nothing could outrun a P-47 " Thunderbolt." The Fighter General was soon to find out. On the 26th of April 1945 Galland was leading his Jet outfit against B-26 [MB] Marauders in the vicinity of Munich / Bavaria. In two passes he blew apart two B-26s. If he was not stopped the whole sqdn could have been shot down in flames. Flying Top Cover was the 50th FG 9th AF flying P-47s. Capt. Jim Finnegan saw the mele far below him and dove down on a ME-262 with his speed picking up well over 500 + mph. He raised the nose and let go with a barrage of 8 .50 cal API MGs spraying the Wing route and Jet engine nacelle area. As Jim pulled up and rolled over for another pass, Adolph Galland dove into a cloud bank with his right Jet engine on fire. He soon crashed. Capt. Finnegan marked this up in his report as a "Probable." Many years passed after the air battle. In 1979 a young aviation historian out of Los Angeles. Henry Sakaida tracked the records and later after dedicated research reunited both men at an Air Force Association gathering in San Francisco, CA. Former combatants became the best of friends. Both men made regular visits to the U. S. and to Germany with their families. Jim always said: "Galland was no die hard Nazi. He just loved to fly airplanes and he became a Fighter Pilot." Henry Sakaida was one of the best out there with his work. A finer man hard to find. Henry passed away 10 + years ago.
Jim and Fran Finnegan were friends with my Mother before I was born. They met at USF in San Francisco, CA. Post WWII. Jim was a sterling football player at USF back in the day. He later Coached Pop Warner [me] Football, and later post college days, in our local charity All Star games, that I played in with his sons. Jim Finnegan Sr. was a lifelong friend of mine as are his sons. A few months ago we lost Stewart Munson. Stew headed West. He was a real American Patriot. Stew, commissioned Nat Quick, through my introductions, with all parties for Nat to produce this amazing piece of aviation history. Nat headed West in 2017. We finally got it done for you Stew. Same goes with you Nat... it`s out there now being seen as it should. And so it goes...now you guys are the Top Cover. Godspeed!
- Leon J. Delisle
WWII ETO 8th AF (H)
“Twenty-five Missions doesn’t sound like much... until you start flying them.”
- Capt Robert Morgan, USAAF ETO 8th AF Pilot B-17F “Memphis Belle.”
91st BG 2nd B-17 Crew [H] to survive 25 Combat Missions.
Generals "Tooey" Spaatz - Gen. Ira Eaker - Gen. Jimmy Doolittle
Generals "Tooey" Spaatz - Gen. Jimmy Doolittle
"O-Club" on Base
Generals Spaatz and Doolittle
"Command Decisions"
Bomb Dump
NCO Barracks
Flak Hits
"Mickey" Radar Crews
Into the "Jaws of Steel"
10 Guys Going Down
"The Regular Joe"
"On A Wing and A Prayer"
They Made it Home
VIII Fighter Command
MGen. William E. Kepner
GP Commanders
"Aces Row"
ETO Fighter Group Commanders flew their own Fighters to Air Staff Meeting.
VIII Fighter Command
The Brass Shines Here
Standing L to R
Col. Don Blakeslee 4th FG - Col. Hub Zemke 56th FG - MGen. William E. Kepner VIII Fighter Groups Commander - BGen. Jesse Auton Air Staff.
Sitting
MGen. Jimmy Doolittle 8th AF Commander - Lt.Gen. Carl "Tooey" Spaatz ETO Strategic Air Forces Commander
357th Fighter Group P-51
WWII Airman Shares the History - Waist Gun Position B-24
Hamilton Field, CA - 1st B-17 F Finished a Combat Tour
Pacific Theater Operations War Bond Good Will Tour
![War weary and tired B-17 F "Suzy Q" comes back home to Hamilton Field, San Rafael CA. "Suzy Q" was the 1st B-17 Bomber [H] to complete the designated 25 Combat Missions. SWP Feb.to Oct. 1942. She would then leave Hamilton Field for a War Bond To](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/665a5095e0c38e45ef0f0451/a77e2a9f-025c-41e0-ba57-3ea0f1fc048e/image-2GPX-standard-width-3300px.jpg)
War weary and tired B-17 F "Suzy Q" comes back home to Hamilton Field, San Rafael CA. "Suzy Q" was the 1st B-17 Bomber [H] to complete the designated 25 Combat Missions. SWP Feb.to Oct. 1942. She would then leave Hamilton Field for a War Bond Tour.
![Iconic WWII Photographer Loomis Dean In Front Of B-17 F "HELL'S ANGELS" On War Bond Tour 1944 Wright Field OH. First B-17 To Finish 25 Mission Tour Of Duty ETO 8th AF 303rd BG [H] 358th BS Molesworth AB www.loomisdeanphotography.com](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/665a5095e0c38e45ef0f0451/78037e26-b485-41f5-8ab2-9962e8af28cf/Loomis+Dean+%26+Hells+Angels.png)
Iconic WWII Photographer Loomis Dean In Front Of B-17 F "HELL'S ANGELS" On War Bond Tour 1944 Wright Field OH.
First B-17 To Finish 25 Mission Tour Of Duty ETO 8th AF 303rd BG [H] 358th BS Molesworth AB
www.loomisdeanphotography.com
Day-light Precision Bombing - Heavy Bombardment 1943
At this point in the ETO Air War the [HB] air crews had to complete 25 Combat Mission quota to be relieved of further combat. The USAAF 8th AF Day-Light Precision Bombing Campaign came with a heavy price to pay for the Air Crews who had to fly the Missions. The VLR P-51 “Mustang” had not yet arrived in the ETO. By 1943 only one crew in three were able to survive to achieve their Combat Mission quota. During the War the Air Crews were called “Fly Boys” who were getting all of the perceived glory. That slang term could not be farther from the truth. The [HB] Crews in the ETO took a horrendous beating. To the point of almost canceling the Day-Light Precision Bombing Campaign in the ETO. The German Fighters were deadly and highly experienced Pilots. The German AA Batteries with the superlative German 88mm Gun were highly accurate and with a high rate of fire. The Air crews stated you could literally walk on the “Flak” because it was so thick. They could smell the cordite. It was like a fog. If a crew member was severely wounded many were pushed out of the Bomber with his parachute D ring in hand. There were no Medics or Aid stations up at 30,000 ft. Crews had to make due with what they had. Plus “Frostbite” took a heavy toll also on the crews. They hoped the Germans would find them and give him aid once wounded crewmen landed in their Parachutes on enemy soil. Otherwise it was a slow cold death to endure. So much for being called “Glory boys.” The 8th AF crews endured the worst of the worst in WWII with the atrocious losses.
8th AF ETO was to lose 6, 537 Bombers.
210,000 men served in the 8th AF 10% became P. O. W.s
1,693.000 Combat Missions were flown in ETO.
12.38% of the Air Crews were KIA.
KIA - MIA [HB] Crews 71%.
100,000 Allied Bomber crewmen were KIA over the continent of Europe during WWII.
12,000 Allied [HB] Bombers were shot down in WWII.
The demographics outlined bring clarity to the valiant sacrifices made by the courageous Air crews who tenaciously fought and died in the deadly skies over the continent of Europe during WWII. Very few today know of their bravery. It takes a hell of a man to keep going up in the skies above all alone flying in a machine that can get you killed in a matter of seconds. In Combat or coming back home to Base landing in a shot up crippled Bomber. A bad landing by a freak accident got 10 men KIA.