Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #68756 in Books
• Published on: 2006-11-01
• Format: Illustrated
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 288 pages

Review
Jimmy Stewart, small town boy from Indiana Pennsylvania son of a hardware store owner, Princeton graduate. Best known as the tall lanky actor from Hollywood who had been in such films as The Philadelphia Story, Mr. Smith goes to Washington and It's a Wonderful Life. Out of the limelight young Stewart had a passion for aviation long before he joined the Army Air Corp. He had logged well over 300 hours of flight time prior to his joining the service and earning his wings. Shortly before Americas entrance into WWII Jimmy Stewart left the glory of Hollywood and entered the Army Air Corp in March of 1941. Through hard work and diligent he was made a 2nd lieutenant, received his wings and sent to Gowen field at Boise Idaho where he became a instructor for B-17 training. The author does bring out that Stewart did not seek and special privileges nor pulled strings but made it known that he sought to fly combat missions in the ETO. We find Stewart assigned to B-24's of the 445th Bomb Group 703rd Sqd. Tibenham England and then promted to Operations officer and sent to the 453rd Bomb Group. You will find personal insights from both fellow officers and NCO's who flew and worked with Jimmy Stewart ranging from stolen kegs of "Officers" beer to a bored Major Stewart taking a B-24 up for a joyride and buzzing another bomb groups control tower. In 1944 Major Stewart lead his wing on missions flown over Brunswick and Berlin, not exactly "Milk runs". By the time that Col. Stewart left the ETO in late August of 1945 he had been a squadron commander, group operations officer, wing executive officer, wing chief of staff and wing commander. Interwoven in the chapters of this book you will find the history of the 8th Air Force and it's leadership during the 1943-1944 time period. "Big Week", Generals Jimmy Doolittle and Fred Anderson direct the men and the machines of the Mighty Eighth that starts turning the tide of the war against the Luftwaffe and Germany. I found the Starr Smiths writing to be good, his historical facts to be sound. The author brought out stories of both Jimmy's personal and military life. For example, I was not aware that General Stewart had flown a B-52 on a mission over Vietnam nor did I know that he had owned a P-51 Mustang along with several other aircraft. The epilogue portion of the book takes a look at his married life to wife Gloria, family, the opening of the Jimmy Stewart Museum and his association with 453rd Bomb Group re-unions. In summary I would recommend this book if you want a closer look at Jimmy Stewart and B-24 operations in the 8th Air Force. Like many of his generation Brigadier General James "Jimmy" Stewart was a quiet American Hero. --Eight Half Pierce

Having watched films and read books on the life of Jimmy Stewart - Jimmoy Stewart Bommer Pilot is a great read that tells so much of the war time life of this outstanding actor. Jummy Stewart should be remember as a great actor but also as a very brave bomber pilot. A super read! --West Midlands Review

The defining era of actor Jimmy Stewart's life was his service in the air force, according to his biographer, Starr Smith, who served with him in the Eighth Air Force during World War II. This biography deals mainly with that period of Stewart's life. The theme of the story is how a man approaching middle age joined the armed forces at the lowest grade possible and in only four years rose to the rank of "bird colonel." This accomplishment was carried out not through favoritism but through hard work, technical competence, and leadership. --Navel War Colleague Review

Synopsis
288

About the Author
Jimmy Stewart, Bomber Pilot chronicles his long journey to become a bomber pilot in combat. Author Starr Smith recounts how Stewart's first battles were with the Air Corps high command, who insisted on keeping the naturally talented pilot out of harm's way as an instructor pilot for B-17 Flying Fortresses and B-24 Liberators. By 1944, however, Stewart managed to get assigned to a Liberator squadron that was deploying to England to join the mighty Eighth Air Force. Once in the thick of it, he rose to command his own squadron and flew twenty combat missions, including one to Berlin. Written by a public relations officer assigned to Stewart, Jimmy Stewart, Bomber Pilot offers a fascinating, firsthand look at the making of a true American

Customer Reviews

Great book about a B-24 pilot!
Jimmy Stewart, small town boy from Indiana Pennsylvania son of a hardware store owner, Princeton graduate. Best known as the tall lanky actor from Hollywood who had been in such films as The Philadelphia Story, Mr. Smith goes to Washington and It's a Wonderful Life. Out of the limelight young Stewart had a passion for aviation long before he joined the Army Air Corp. He had logged well over 300 hours of flight time prior to his joining the service and earning his wings.

Shortly before Americas entrance into WWII Jimmy Stewart left the glory of Hollywood and entered the Army Air Corp in March of 1941. Through hard work and diligent he was made a 2nd lieutenant, received his wings and sent to Gowen field at Boise Idaho where he became a instructor for B-17 training. The author does bring out that Stewart did not seek and special privileges nor pulled strings but made it known that he sought to fly combat missions in the ETO.

We find Stewart assigned to B-24's of the 445th Bomb Group 703rd Sqd. Tibenham England and then promted to Operations officer and sent to the 453rd Bomb Group. You will find personal insights from both fellow officers and NCO's who flew and worked with Jimmy Stewart ranging from stolen kegs of "Officers" beer to a bored Major Stewart taking a B-24 up for a joyride and buzzing another bomb groups control tower.

In 1944 Major Stewart lead his wing on missions flown over Brunswick and Berlin, not exactly "Milk runs". By the time that Col. Stewart left the ETO in late August of 1945 he had been a squadron commander, group operations officer, wing executive officer, wing chief of staff and wing commander.

Interwoven in the chapters of this book you will find the history of the 8th Air Force and it's leadership during the 1943-1944 time period. "Big Week", Generals Jimmy Doolittle and Fred Anderson direct the men and the machines of the Mighty Eighth that starts turning the tide of the war against the Luftwaffe and Germany.

I found the Starr Smiths writing to be good, his historical facts to be sound. The author brought out stories of both Jimmy's personal and military life. For example, I was not aware that General Stewart had flown a B-52 on a mission over Vietnam nor did I know that he had owned a P-51 Mustang along with several other aircraft. The epilogue portion of the book takes a look at his married life to wife Gloria, family, the opening of the Jimmy Stewart Museum and his association with 453rd Bomb Group re-unions. In summary I would recommend this book if you want a closer look at Jimmy Stewart and B-24 operations in the 8th Air Force. Like many of his generation Brigadier General James "Jimmy" Stewart was a quiet American Hero.

What a great guy!
Most of the content of this book I'd never heard or read anywhere else. Following Stewart's career in the Eighth Air Force in World War II, it was a surprise and totally fascinating to discover just how involved he was, and how accomplished he was at his job, and how admired he was by fellow airmen and the "top brass" of Headquarters. Within a few pages you soon learn that Stewart didn't join up as a publicity stunt, he joined up because he truly believed in what needed to be done and felt he could make a difference. And make a difference he certainly did, to the many airmen and aircrews that served under him, and the many war operations he helped to organize for the better good of the overall Allied war plans.

The book gives a nice overview of Stewart's life before acting and the people that were closest to him. Towards the end of the book there are some small chapters on his family; wife and daughters. There are also some interesting excerpts and speeches that were by some of the men closest to Stewart in World War II; about the Eighth Air Force in general and their experiences too.
A lot of different people are featured in the book, mostly those whom had most contact with Stewart; crews that served under him, with some interesting and sometimes amusing anecdotes and stories.

On the whole the writing style is good, a little repetitive at times and not always concise in the telling of various points. I live very near to where James Stewart was based in World War II, and from that point of view of local history, I found this book a bit disappointing in places. Some of the events mentioned in connection with the intergration of the air bases and local people didn't go far enough and at times it was hard to really get into the empathy of how and what these brave US airmen thought and felt about the villages they virtually took over. I for one, know of a few stories about the every day life of Stewart in Old Buckenham and Tibenham, not mentioned in the book, and there have been recent local articles on, for instance, the village woman that used to do his laundry etc.

So while this book is historically accurate and full of information I just feel it's a bit on the surface and alongside the very professional officer's life of James Stewart it would have been nice to read about some of the more normal every day activities and interactions he had. It's a very worthwhile book to read, but it may leave you feeling a bit empty.

Super
Having watched films and read books on the life of Jimmy Stewart - Jimmoy Stewart Bommer Pilot is a great read that tells so much of the war time life of this outstanding actor.

Jummy Stewart should be remember as a great actor but also as a very brave bomber pilot.

A super read!