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No Need to Die is a fascinating book and the first to be written about a group of remarkable men who left the wealth and comfort of America before the Second World War to volunteer for the most dangerous trade in the world. Whilst there have been many books and films on the air war fought over Europe, few people know there were any Americans flying with RAF Bomber Command. No Need to Die follows the life stories and flying careers of the Americans who fought with the RAF's two premier Bomber Command squadrons - 9 and 617. Of the 21 American men of free will, 15 were killed in action. One of the survivors - Nick Knilans has written the foreword to this book.
Gordon Thorburn investigates why these young American men volunteered to fight in the Second World War, when, at the time, their own country was not involved. Some sought adventure. Some thought it the proper thing to do. Some were moved to action by Nazi atrocities. Some sought the ultimate test and couldn't wait.
So who were they? A 36-year-old advertising man from Connecticut lasted two months of early 1940 before being shot down, thus becoming the first American airman of the Second World War so to be and the first to be taken prisoner. A Coney Island lifeguard flew a full tour of ops as a Lancaster pilot, joined mystery Squadron X, brought his aircraft home from the dam busters raid and went on to become a squadron leader, DSO, DFC and Bar.
The son of an old Boston family, sent down from Harvard, was killed with all his crew over Berlin on his 30th operation, the last of his scheduled tour as a bomber captain. One from New Jersey trained as a gunner and was killed on his first op, another from California on his eighth. Two pilots arrived on a squadron together; one from Pennsylvania lasted three weeks; the other, from Colorado, finished his 30 ops six months later and had his Distinguished Flying Cross presented to him by King George VI. They were very different people but they all knew the risks. They all knew they didn't have to do it. There was No Need to Die.
Author Gordon Thorburn has followed a career in advertising/PR and journalism, and is the author of 14 books. His most recent books include Cassius: The True Story of a Courageous Police Dog (2009), Animal Spy: Animal Welfare Behind Enemy Lines (with Terry Spamer, 2007), Bombers, First and Last (2006), and Men and Sheds (2002). He lives in Suffolk.
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