Wolfpack Warriors

Roger A. Freeman

• Publisher: Stackpole Books
• Year: 2009
• Topic: History
• eBook ISBN:
  9781461752134
• Subtopic: World War II
• Index: History

Vividly recounts the combat history of the legendary U.S. 56th Fighter Group

Focuses on the pilots, their friendships and rivalries, and their battles
"Beware the Thunderbolt!" With that motto, the pilots of the U.S. Eighth Air Force's 56th Fighter Group--also known as Zemke's Wolfpack--took to the skies above Europe in their P-47 Thunderbolt fighters, escorting bombers into Germany, dogfighting with the Luftwaffe, and conducting ground-attack missions. The first group to receive the P-47, the 56th pioneered aerial tactics and compiled a staggering record: 665.5 aerial kills, 311 ground kills, thirty-nine fighter aces with five or more kills, two Distinguished Unit Citations, eighteen Distinguished Service Crosses, and twenty-eight Silver Stars.

Table of contents

• Author’s note
• Introduction
• 1 Born and Weaned
• 2 First with Thunderbolts
• 3 Hub takes Command
• 4 The Move Overseas
• 5 Introduction to England
• 6 Operations Commence
• 7 The First Victory
• 8 Norwich Neighbours
• 9 Hard Times
• 10 Winning Ways
• 11 Work and Play
• 12 Combat Ascendancy Continues
• 13 On and Off the Base
• 14 Winter Battles
• 15 George Goldstein’s Story
• 16 Hub Returns
• 17 Keeping ’em Flying
• 18 The Happy Hunting Ground
• 19 Lead up to D-Day
• 20 Summer at Boxted
• 21 Schilling in Command
• 22 Young Men’s Fancies
• 23 From Dearth to Plenty
• 24 Winter Blues with the P-47M
• 25 Final Weeks of Combat
• 26 Waiting to go Home
• Epilogue