Backwards into Battle: A Tail Gunner's Journey in World War II

by Andrew M. Doty

Book Overview

This gem of a book traces the transformation of a small-town boy who hated fist-fights into a seasoned B-29 tail gunner in World War II. Step-by-step, the author takes the reader into the Air Corps,... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 096462530X
• ISBN13: 9780964625303
• Release Date: January 1995
• Publisher: Tall Tree Press
• Length: 156 Pages
• Weight: 0.60 lbs.

Customer Reviews

Looking forward to reading this

I have just recently inquired with Mr. Doty about ordering this book directly from him as I hear he will sign them. I have a rather unique perspective as my Grandfather was captain (master) of the Cape Greig, the Merchant Marine cargo ship which picked the author out of the sea when his plane was forced to ditch when it ran out of fuel. I have a letter from the commander of the 19th bombardment group (you can see the text of it here at the bottom of the page: http://www.usmm.org/rescue.html ) , thanking his ship for the rescue and listing the four airmen who were rescued including Mr. Doty. I have read a little about the book and Mr. Doty online and it seems that up to eight of the crew were saved so I'll be interested to read his account and see if another ship was involved in the rescue.

Good stuff

I can remember very few personal accounts of B-29 air crews. This is one if not the only book I have read concerning the B-29 air war. It is a short yet comprehensive account of a B-29 tail gunner over Japan. I enjoy the authors simple and to the point writing. I wish he would have gone more into the technical aspects of the tail position. I never learn what type of guns were in the tail position. All in all a very well written book. Certainly worth the time.