Great story, thanks Rob. Glad Billy Southworth eventually made the HOF. My dad was a knothole kid at Braves field in late 40s, early 50s. The General Hansell is Heywood "Possum" Hansell, one of the leading proponents of daylight precision bombing. You've likely read it, but I recommend Malcom Gladwell's "Bomber Mafia" book, which describes the philosophical argument in the USAAF between the proponents of daylight precision bombing and those who thought the technology (Norden bombsight) just wouldn't work. It's got some factual errors but it's a very good book. Glad I found your Substack.
Thanks for the kind words, Noam. If I ever get back to the subject I might check out Bomber Mafia, but honestly I'd rather dive into the primary sources. Especially given how sloppy with the facts Gladwell's become (or maybe always has been).
Bomber Mafia is pretty superficial and simplistic, obviously meant for the general population and painted with broad strokes. I'm not sure if it accurately describes the true reasoning behind the strategies that ultimately prevailed in the US and British bombing campaigns...however it does offer a shocking insight into the moral decrepitude and corrupt nature of war making.
Rob, how did you do your research and find out so much? My grandfather was a number pilot in WWII and flew on DDay. I have a bunch of his medals and other things, but nothing about when he flew and where over the year of so after DDay and potentially before. I’d like to get info but have no idea how. I do have his SSN but don’t know where to look. Sounds like you were able to crack that issue for Billy, and I’d love to know how you did it so I could try to do the same for my grandfather.
And if any readers have advice, please feel free to respond, too.
Well, there are so many sources it's hard to guess where to start. If you know which BOMB GROUP he was in - Billy Jr. was in the 303rd, for example - there might well be a Facebook group devoted to its history. There's also an Eighth Air Force Historical Association, which has a wealth of materials. And there are so, so, so many books. I had a massive head start, thanks to Billy Jr.'s diary and the fact that he flew relatively early in the war, when there weren't nearly as many pilots and crew as in '44 and '45.
A great excerpt, thanks for sharing it and the peripheral details. For what it's worth, I think Substack creates an opportunity to share more material from this project, if you ever got back to it, without the limitations you run into with a book, or even the key piece of interaction between father and son you are missing. Hope we see another mission report one day.
Thanks, Paul. I really should put together another Mission Report. I certainly have more than enough material and it would be a great weekend writing project.
Great story, thanks Rob. Glad Billy Southworth eventually made the HOF. My dad was a knothole kid at Braves field in late 40s, early 50s. The General Hansell is Heywood "Possum" Hansell, one of the leading proponents of daylight precision bombing. You've likely read it, but I recommend Malcom Gladwell's "Bomber Mafia" book, which describes the philosophical argument in the USAAF between the proponents of daylight precision bombing and those who thought the technology (Norden bombsight) just wouldn't work. It's got some factual errors but it's a very good book. Glad I found your Substack.
Thanks for the kind words, Noam. If I ever get back to the subject I might check out Bomber Mafia, but honestly I'd rather dive into the primary sources. Especially given how sloppy with the facts Gladwell's become (or maybe always has been).
Bomber Mafia is pretty superficial and simplistic, obviously meant for the general population and painted with broad strokes. I'm not sure if it accurately describes the true reasoning behind the strategies that ultimately prevailed in the US and British bombing campaigns...however it does offer a shocking insight into the moral decrepitude and corrupt nature of war making.
Rob, how did you do your research and find out so much? My grandfather was a number pilot in WWII and flew on DDay. I have a bunch of his medals and other things, but nothing about when he flew and where over the year of so after DDay and potentially before. I’d like to get info but have no idea how. I do have his SSN but don’t know where to look. Sounds like you were able to crack that issue for Billy, and I’d love to know how you did it so I could try to do the same for my grandfather.
And if any readers have advice, please feel free to respond, too.
Thank you all.
Well, there are so many sources it's hard to guess where to start. If you know which BOMB GROUP he was in - Billy Jr. was in the 303rd, for example - there might well be a Facebook group devoted to its history. There's also an Eighth Air Force Historical Association, which has a wealth of materials. And there are so, so, so many books. I had a massive head start, thanks to Billy Jr.'s diary and the fact that he flew relatively early in the war, when there weren't nearly as many pilots and crew as in '44 and '45.
A great excerpt, thanks for sharing it and the peripheral details. For what it's worth, I think Substack creates an opportunity to share more material from this project, if you ever got back to it, without the limitations you run into with a book, or even the key piece of interaction between father and son you are missing. Hope we see another mission report one day.
Thanks, Paul. I really should put together another Mission Report. I certainly have more than enough material and it would be a great weekend writing project.