Jungle Ace: Col. Gerald R. Johnson, the USAAF's Top Fighter Leader of the Pacific War

by John R. Bruning

Book Overview

Flying P-38s, Jerry Johnson shot down 24 aircraft in 265 combat missions in the Pacific theater. At the age of only twenty-four, he commanded the highest-scoring fighter group in the Pacific. Tragically, though Johnson had survived three combat tours, which included a mid-air collision with a Japanese aircraft and being shot down by friendly fire, the new father disappeared without a trace while flying a courier mission one month after the war's end...

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1574886940
• ISBN13: 9781574886948
• Release Date: November 2003
• Publisher: Potomac Books
• Length: 259 Pages
• Weight: 0.76 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.7" x 5.1" x 7.9"

Customer Reviews

Jungle Ace is a must for pilots, especially fighter pilots!

Col Johnson was probably the best pilot of WWII. He was a P-38 pilot in the South Pacific and became a full Colonel and had 24 victories by the time he was 24 years old. It is a compelling true story with a tragic ending. I am very pleased this book was written because so few people have ever heard of this great leader,

You almost meet the man

What Bruning has done in "Jungle Ace" is remarkable: he manages figuratively to bring to full flesh-and-blood life a man who has been dead for nearly 60 years. When I finished reading this biography, I felt I knew and understood Gerry Johnson: felt the weight of the command burden he carried, the exhilaration of victory in combat, the self-doubt when losses occurred, the grinding boredom of life in the SWPA, and the never-ending homesickness. I also got a sense of what he would be like in different situations: as a friend, as a commander, as a classmate. This is exceedingly hard to do, but Bruning has done it: he somehow got long-ago memories jumpstarted, got people talking. While I accept that some of the quoted conversations probably did not take place word for word as presented, I feel the approach helps the book make the man more real. Charles Martin, in his bio of Tom McGuire, did the same thing, and it worked for both authors. Thanks, Mr. Bruning for bringing a too-little known hero to light. You can be sure that my children will read about Gerry Johnson. When will you write another aviation biography? How about Charles H. MacDonald of the 475th FG?

Amazingly Detailed Account of Little Known American Hero

John's latest, "Jungle Ace," ranks without a doubt as one of the best biographies that I have ever read. John spent several years painstakingly researching for this book, and it shows in the incredible level of detail contained in these pages. Without boring us with this detail, the book highlights John's ability to tell a story with just the right word selection to paint a vivid, movie-like picture in the reader's mind. "Jungle Ace" follows the life of P-38 fighter ace Jerry Johnson from schoolboy to aviation candidate to grisly combat conditions, all in amazing clarity that will immerse you into the story, as if you were standing side by side with Johnson himself. As tense and taughtly written as a best-selling fiction novel, author Bruning has created a story that even non-aviation history buffs will enjoy thoroughly... For those readers looking to see just how demanding, unforgiving and gruesome air combat in the steaming jungles of the South Pacific islands could be, this is the book for you. "Jungle Ace" is a rich, vivid and thoroughly honest chronicle of a young Oregon man who helped save the world. A rewarding read that goes beyond the military history genre.

An excellent read.

I enjoyed this book totally. This is a very personal account of Col. Johnson's career and life. This is not just a history of the missions or battles in which he fought but a chance to really know the man and to understand what it was like to be a fighter pilot in the Pacific. The photos were not just "stock" photos but photos from his personal album. It is clear that an immense amount of research went into this book. This is not a rehash of already known history but a new and fresh look at Colonel Johnson, the man. I highly recommend this title.

Excellent read!

This is an excellent book. Having been a fan of Johnson for several years, I was extremely excited to pick up this book. It is very well written and a very easy read. Bruning has done his homework and touched on both the man and the warrior. I look forward to future works from Mr. Bruning.