James "Jim" Davis lived what he considered "an impossible 
dream" as he piloted a B-24 as part of the 8th Air Force on more 
than thirty missions in the European Theatre during World War II. 
He flew support missions for Operations Cobra and Market 
Garden and numerous bombing missions over occupied Europe in 
the summer and fall of 1944, attacking enemy airfields, airplane 
factories, railroad marshalling yards, ship yards, oil refineries, and 
chemical plants. While he and his crew survived without serious 
injuries, they witnessed the destruction of many of their friends' 
planes and experienced serious damage to their own plane on 
several occasions.

_________________________________________________________

JAMES M. DAVIS is a retired businessman who lives in Midland, 
Texas, with his wife of over six decades, Jean. He served on active 
duty in the U.S. Army Air Forces during World War II and then in 
the Air Force reserves until 1961. DAVID L. SNEAD, the editor, is 
an associate professor of history at Liberty University in Lynchburg, 
Virginia. He verified Davis's account against military records and 
added explanatory notes for context.


Number Three: North Texas Military Biography and Memoir Series


What people are saying about this book

"[A] gripping firsthand testimony, so visceral as to be the next best 
thing to personally experiencing the wonders of flight and the 
terrors of war."—Midwest Book Review

"A near-perfect example of 'the greatest generation,' Mr. Davis has 
written an enthralling account of his service in World War II."
—Peter Maslowski, University of Nebraska

"The key word was 'survival.' Run the flak gauntlet, escape the 
Luftwaffe, overcome the weather, get the bombs on the target, and 
make it back to base, safe—until the next time. From the rigors of 
training to the demands of combat flying, Jim had one predominant 
goal, survival. This marvelous story will take you there with Jim 
and his crew."—LTC Charles H. Freudenthal, USAF Ret., Historian 
of the 8th Air Force, 489th Bomb Group


Of Related Interest



WITH THE POSSUM AND THE EAGLE

978-1-57441-198-0 PAPER

$29.95