Alone & Unarmed: An Army Pilot Sharing the Skies with Artillery Fire in WWII

Description: ALONE AND UNARMED is the story of a lone pilot, Staff Sergeant Ernest Kowalik, flying the military's version of the 65-hp Piper "Cub," during the Italian Campaign in WWII. Flying without an Observer, because he was the "spare" pilot for the 88th Division Artillery HQ Battalion, Kowalik actually flew more than twice the average number of sorties and hours than the typical division Liaison Pilot, often at dangerously low altitiudes. Artillery spotting and scouting for the 88th Infantry "Blue Devil" Division, he saw a wide variety of action, from destroying large enemy guns and rescuing supply caravans from ambush, to making possible several significant breakthroughs of enemy lines. Join Staff Sergeant (later Lieutenant) Kowalik as he relives significant episodes of the world's struggle for freedom in that time. "Directing artillery fire from an unarmed, unarmored light aircraft was surely one of thw most dangerous tasks performed on a daily basis during World War II. Flying from rough, unimproved airstrips, often within range of enemy shellfire, added to the perils faced by Field Artillery pilots, as did the ever present threat of bad weather. Such operations are covered in graphic detail by Ernest Kowalik, whose "Alone and Unarmed" is a welcome addition to the small number of books on a little known aspect of WWII." So said KEN WAKEFIELD, author of Lightplanes at War, The Flying Grasshoppers, and Luftwaffe Encore. About the Editor/Continuation. After Ernest's death, John Bayer was given permission by Ernest's children to reprint it yet again. Before being recalled to active duty in 2002, he taught and volunteered in multiple aviation programs in Seattle, where he built 8 aircraft with his students in 5 years. He has an extensive background in history and freelance writing, and received an MA in Liberal Studies with an emphasis in screenwriting from the State University of New York in 2016, and currently works for the Navy Department as an Analyst.

Price: 24.01 USD

Location: East Hanover, New Jersey

End Time: 2024-11-19T02:26:49.000Z

Shipping Cost: 0 USD