As one of seventeen night fighter squadrons established during the course of World War II; the 421st Night Fighter Squadron carried the war into the night skies over the battlefields of the Southwest Pacific when most other fighter squadrons remained on the ground. In the squadron's years of service they would be based in a number of places ranging from New Guinea; Leyte; and finally ending up as an "Occupational" squadron in Japan after the war. The 421st NFS would be credited with thirteen kills; three damaged; one probable; and a number they simply never received credit for. On February 2; 1945 the 421st NFS would finally be deactivated and overnight become the 68th Fighter Squadron (All Weather). The history of the 421st however; would by no means end there. The 421st would again rise in later years as the 421st Tactical Fighter Squadron and fight in the skies of Vietnam; and later be one of the first squadrons flying in Operation Desert Storm - true to its tradition the 421st would fly night missions over Iraq.
#147699 in Books 2012-09-04Original language:EnglishPDF # 1 8.90 x 1.20 x 5.90l; 1.20 #File Name: 0762782838392 pages
Review
0 of 0 people found the following review helpful. Good ReadBy Gus BaileyExcellent depiction of the battle. The book came in good time.0 of 0 people found the following review helpful. One of the best Civil War books availableBy Old PonytailI must admit to a certain bias as my great-grandfather served with this unit until his capture on November 30; 1865. It is very well written entirely dependent upon existing documentation with conjecture kept to an extreme minimum. This affords the work an impeccable level of authenticity while positing a very human depiction of the daily lives of both officers and enlisted men; all serving to provide a captivating reading experience; I could not put this book down and have read it multiple times.1 of 1 people found the following review helpful. Truly excellentBy G. JamesThis is an excellent book.I've been tracking my own Civil War ancestors for some time and the one I know best; my GG Grandfather; was in Company I of the 78th. While I had already discovered the outlines of his life; this book brings to light the last year and a half in a way that I am profoundly grateful for. (He died in a Richmond prison after being captured just after the Battle of Chickamauga.) The book is more than "mechanical history". It shows us the lives of members of the regiment in their own words helps the reader appreciate the grim nature of that war.Read it.