For LARRY SOUTHWICKE
BOOKS ARE WEAPONS IN THE WAR OF IDEAS
A WARTIME BOOK
THIS COMPLETE EDITION IS PRODUCED IN FULL COMPLIANCE WITH THE GOVERNMENT’S REGULATIONS FOR CONSERVING PAPER AND OTHER ESSENTIAL MATERIALS.
CHAPTER I
RUGGED GOING
The Commanding Colonel stared at the big map with its red ribbons marking air trails to and from targets. He was spotting the exact point where his Third Fighter group would have to turn back and leave the big Fortresses and Liberators to go it alone into the concentrated defenses of Germany.
Weather Officer Miller looked glumly at the map as Colonel Holt placed his finger on a spot.
“6/10 cloud over station six.” Station six was a Luftwaffe fighter field.