It’s here! In honor of my late father’s 100th birthday, the long-awaited collection of his letters home from World War II is now in print. I know he would have been proud to share these stories with the world.
George David Geib served as a pilot in the US Army Air Force during World War II. His letters home chronicled his training and travels, including sailing across the Atlantic on the luxury-liner-turned-troop-transport, the Queen Mary. He wrote with wit and youthful enthusiasm.
Stationed first in England and later in France, he piloted troops, prisoners, and supplies across the European Theater of Operations. He dropped glider planes across enemy lines, and he experienced the terror of being fired upon by anti-aircraft weapons. After the war, he flew VIPs and Allied troops all across Europe, and he had the opportunity to observe the Nuremberg Trials.
From his humorous anecdote about passing the induction physical, to colorful descriptions of the bases where he was stationed, to his impressions of Europe, the people he met, and the places he visited, the letters are authentic and rich in detail. The collection offers an inside look at military life during wartime through the eyes of a young pilot. It delves into the nitty gritty of army living, from stateside training camps to British military bases to tent cities in France. Seasoned with the musical hits and popular films of the day and contrasted against a backdrop of family back home during times of sacrifice, rationing, and worry, it will draw readers in and immerse them in history. This is a well-crafted account of, as George phrased it, “. . . the life and times of one United States Army Air Force cadet who became a pilot in the Troop Carrier Command in World War II.”
For some great reading, order here or click on the button at the top right of the main blog page.
#WWII #letters #usarmyairforce #militarylife
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