Has anyone seen or read the book "ONE

Has anyone seen or read the book "ONE DAMNED ISLAND AFTER ANOTHER"?
 
I would like to know more about it in order to search for one and then attempt purchase one.
 
Many thanks, 

Sincerely yours,
PA.Dutchman

Son of T/Sgt. Ray A. Heilman, JR.
11 TH Field Artillery 1937-1940
Schofield Barracks
7 TH AAC 11 BGH 42 Sq.1940-45
Hickam Survivor 12/7/1941
AAC Armorer (P) 911
P.U.Citation1942

PA.Dutchman,
 
It sounds like a good book but at $75.00 I will have to think it over.
 
http://www.amazon.com/One-Damned-Island-After-Another/dp/0892010495
 
Mike

Yes I agree they don't give them away for sure. Thank you for your thoughts on the book and the link.

Sincerely yours,
PA.Dutchman

Son of T/Sgt. Ray A. Heilman, JR.
11 TH Field Artillery 1937-1940
Schofield Barracks
7 TH AAC 11 BGH 42 Sq.1940-45
Hickam Survivor 12/7/1941
AAC Armorer (P) 911
P.U.Citation1942

Look at abebooks.com     They have 11 copies ranging from $30 to $150.

Thank you Al, I will check that site out, again thank you.

Sincerely yours,
PA.Dutchman

Son of T/Sgt. Ray A. Heilman, JR.
11 TH Field Artillery 1937-1940
Schofield Barracks
7 TH AAC 11 BGH 42 Sq.1940-45
Hickam Survivor 12/7/1941
AAC Armorer (P) 911
P.U.Citation1942

Gregg,      In surfing around tonight, I went to Wikipedia.org, search word: B-24, and found, in the "Popular Culture" section, this reference to the book, One Damned Island After Another, (1946).    "It describes the B-24 operations in the Central Pacific.  B-24's from 7th AAF were the first to bomb the Japanese Home Islands."   Although we know that the Libs were really the only A/C available for the missions prior to exclusive use of the B-29's, we certainly cannot forget the early 1942 B-25  "Doolittle Raid" on Tokyo!  That could be the actual "first raid."  I'm interested in the book, and, in fact, am having my AA Sleuth doing some investigating for me in the myriad of book stores here carrying old, used, unusual books.  I sometimes have some luck with this rather than the Websites when I don't want to pay top $$$.  Best Regards!  Steven

Best Regards!
Steven P. Puhl
Willow Run Historian  (RET.)  
Home of 8685 Ford B-24 Liberators
Life Member: Yankee Air Museum

Greetings,

The 42 Squadron of the 11 BG H was the first Air Corp Unit into the Pacific in 1942 under the command of the Navy. They used B-17s and were the first to bomb the Japanese Islands and ships with B-17s. February 1 of 1943 they had lost all but four of their B-17 bombers and they sent them out. Only one returned. Hal Hall brother of Major Earl Hall Commander of the 42 had put together a wonderful report on this mission and the 42 Squadron.

My father was a Armorer 911 and finally ordered not to go up as a gunner any longer because they needed him to keep the B-17s flying and fighting. This I got from a Lt. Krey who told me of the order.

Last fall I met men of the later 42 Squadron from 1943 who replaced the original Squadron who were lost in the earliest days of the Pacific War.

But since meeting Hal Hall I have made contact with several other family members of the 42 Squadron my father served with in 1940 to 1943 when most of them were lost. They were all at Hickam on 12/7/1941.

After they were sent back the 11 BG H went back with B-24s. The first 42 Squadron used B-17s and lost nearly all their crews and planes in the campaigns of Midway, Guadalcanal, Solomon Islands and Santos and many of the other battles of the Pacific.

This earlier 42 Squadron was recommended and received the Presidential Unit Citation from their Commander who was in the Navy. It was the only time in the history of the US Military that one service recommended another for the award.
(This is a quote from Hal Halls report he was given permission to print it from the book "Fortress Against the Sun" This will be found on Page 31 of Hal Halls Report)

Go to this link and download Hal Halls report. It is a PDF file and great reading with detail and compassion for a lost brother.

http://txspace.tamu.edu/handle/1969.1/6421






http://txspace.tamu.edu/handle/1969.1/6421

Sincerely yours,
PA.Dutchman

Son of T/Sgt. Ray A. Heilman, JR.
11 TH Field Artillery 1937-1940
Schofield Barracks
7 TH AAC 11 BGH 42 Sq.1940-45
Hickam Survivor 12/7/1941
AAC Armorer (P) 911
P.U.Citation1942

Seventh Air Force Combined Air Component Command (CACC)

[As one of the four Numbered Air Forces in Pacific Air Forces (PACAF), Seventh Air Force (7 AF) has a distinguished heritage that is deeply rooted in the Pacific. Initially, 7 AF activated on 1 November 1940 as the Hawaiian Air Force. 
 
The fledgling 7 AF's involvement in World War II was best summed up by its air and ground views as "Just one damned island after another!" 7 AF fought the Japanese imperial might from Hawaii 2,000 miles southwest to the Gilberts, then 600 miles northwest to the Marshalls, 900 miles west to the Carolines, 600 miles northwest to the Marianas, 600 miles north to Iwo Jima, 1,000 miles west to Okinawa, always edging closer towards the center of Japanese power. A map story of the 42 Squadron of the 7 AF would cover 3,000 miles north and south of Midway to Fiji, and 5,000 miles east and west from Pearl Harbor to the Ryukus.
 
The saga of the 42 Squadron of the 7 AF's aerial exploits across the Central Pacific has the "rags-to-riches" qualities of a Horatio Alger story. First the almost complete decimation of the Hawaiian Air Force (predecessor of the 7 AF) at Pearl Harbor, then its gradual build-up and vast oceanic search missions to keep the enemy at bay. Later, long-range heavy bomber attacks softened up strategic islands for amphibious invasions, with greater weight brought against the enemy perimeter defense by the advance of fighter and medium bombers. Finally, after constant consolidation of gains, 7 AF smashed at Japan directly from both Iwo Jima, as escort to the long-range strategic B-29s, and from Okinawa with the Far East Air Forces in the rocky Ryukus, right up to the surrender of Japan.
 
The Seventh was the first air force to feel the enemy's weight and the first to take toll of the enemy. It flew longer to battle, used wider range of aircraft, and covered more territory than any land-based Air Force. It fought and bombed by day and night, flew distant reconnaissance missions, dropped every type of bomb and incendiary, sunk enemy shipping, mined enemy waters, and performed countless routine and special jobs. Its personnel served on isolated coral atolls, received scant recognition, and endured months of dreary monotony.
 
By necessity, 42 Squadron of the 7 AF was a precision-bombing unit. Its commander, Major General Willis Hale, summed up 7 AF's contribution by saying: "The target had to be directly hit. The difference of 40 feet one way or the other meant that bombs would either land on the lagoon on one side of the island or the ocean on the other. And we didn't fly 2,000 miles to kill fish."
 

Sincerely yours,
PA.Dutchman

Son of T/Sgt. Ray A. Heilman, JR.
11 TH Field Artillery 1937-1940
Schofield Barracks
7 TH AAC 11 BGH 42 Sq.1940-45
Hickam Survivor 12/7/1941
AAC Armorer (P) 911
P.U.Citation1942

Tomorrow is my last day at work after 35 years. Our company is cutting its' work force. The gang gave me a card with enough money to purchase a copy of the book "One Damned Island after Another"
 
On page 132 it states, this was in 1943 16 months after Hickam was attacked.
 
"The men of the Seventh accepted the change (from B-17s to B-24s) simply as further proof that they were a bastard outfit-foredoomed to fly airplanes that no body else wanted. The feeling against the B-24s persisted so strongly that General Hale found it necessary to relieve the Group Commander and one squadron commander of the 90 TH. group; the disparaging statements made by members of the group about the B-24 had reached even General Arnold in Washington.
 
The bitterness lessened but did not altogether die when on December 22 1943 Colonel William A Matheeny lead a flight of 26 Liberators to Wake Island."

Sincerely yours,
PA.Dutchman

Son of T/Sgt. Ray A. Heilman, JR.
11 TH Field Artillery 1937-1940
Schofield Barracks
7 TH AAC 11 BGH 42 Sq.1940-45
Hickam Survivor 12/7/1941
AAC Armorer (P) 911
P.U.Citation1942

ORIGINAL: PA.Dutchman

Tomorrow is my last day at work after 35 years. Our company is cutting its' work force. The gang gave me a card with enough money to purchase a copy of the book "One Damned Island after Another"

 
PA Dutchman,
A little off topic, but congratulations on your retirement!  I predict that in 3 months you will have so much to do you will wonder how you had time for "work".  I retired from a major aerospace company 17 years ago, and at times miss the action, but I have too much to do to work.   

Bob Gilbert
Ball Turret Gunner, Goldin crew
381st Bomb Gp., 533rd Bomb Sq.
US 8th Air Force

My mother is 85 and she still has a routine daily. It keeps her going and I know I have to put something together as well.
 
She volunteered at a half a dozen places, but she had to back off that now because of cancer.
 
But even with that she works the desk at the Senior Apartments were she lives now.
 
I know I have to get busy or go nuts which I have a head start on already. 

Sincerely yours,
PA.Dutchman

Son of T/Sgt. Ray A. Heilman, JR.
11 TH Field Artillery 1937-1940
Schofield Barracks
7 TH AAC 11 BGH 42 Sq.1940-45
Hickam Survivor 12/7/1941
AAC Armorer (P) 911
P.U.Citation1942