Jump, Damn it, Jump!: Memoir of a Downed B-17 Pilot in World War II

"This gripping memoir's main focus is the author's 34th combat mission, which took place in March 1945. Forced to bail out, and aided by Slovenian partisans, he evaded German troops and managed to return to his base"--Provided by publisher.

Soon after the United States entered World War II, American ground and air forces were on their way to the European theatre of operations. Among the latter was the 15th Air Force, consisting of four-engine heavy bombers including the B-17, twin-engine medium bombers, and several types of single-engine fighters. Arriving in England in September 1944, this combat unit was stationed first in North Africa and then in southern Italy. From here pilots could strike at any military target with a 700 mile radius. A member of the Fifth Wing's 817th Bomb Squadron, Edward Logan and the other members of his unit were assigned to use American air power to destroy the German military's manufacturing and petroleum complexes as well as its intricate transportation system. This gripping memoir gives a detailed account of Logan's experiences throughout his Army Air Corps career. It outlines the progression of a determined would-be pilot through two years of training, his 1944 journey to the war's theatre and advent into actual combat. While other missions are summarized, the work's main focus is the author's thirty-fourth combat mission, which took place in March 1945. During this operation, his B-17 bomber sustained damage so severe that he and nine crewmen were forced to bail out over enemy territory. Aided by Slovenian partisans, Logan and his crew evaded the German troops who were searching for them and returned safely to their base. This first-hand account includes insider details, technical specifications of the B-17 bomber and previously classified information. An epilogue provides additional information on the partisans and the composition of the 15th Air Force.

Acknowledgments		vii
Preface		1	(4)
Introduction		5	(72)
1. The Training Story		7	(19)
2. Our "Ferry Flight" to England and Its Preparation		26	(9)
3. Our First Taste of England		35	(4)
4. A Journey to a New Air Force		39	(4)
5. Our New Home Away from Home		43	(7)
6. Our War—A Flying Start		50	(11)
7. The Tuskegee Airmen—A Bond of Friendship		61	(4)
8. A Salute to My Crew		65	(9)
9. Missions		74	(3)
10. The Thirty-Fourth Mission		77	(17)
11. Dressing for the Occasion		94	(3)
12. Armed and Ready for the Day Ahead		97	(3)
13. The First Wave (Red Force)		100	(3)
14. The Takeoff		103	(10)
15. The Bomb Run		113	(13)
16. Day Number 1—Friday, March 9, 1945		126	(32)
17. Day Number 2—Saturday, March 10, 1945		158	(18)
18. Day Number 3—Sunday, March 11, 1945		176	(7)
19. Day Number 4—Monday, March 12, 1945		183	(14)
20. Day Number 5—Tuesday, March 13, 1945		197	(4)
21. The Return		201	(13)
Epilogue		214	(5)
Appendix A: Citations Received by Edward F. Logan, Jr.		219	(1)
Appendix B: Ferry Crews		220	(3)
Appendix C: About the Fifteenth Air Force		223	(8)
Index		231