Solo into the Rising Sun: The Dangerous Missions of a U.S. Navy Bomber Squadron in World War II

A master story teller does justice to these forgotten heroes — on the frontlines and at home — of the war in the Pacific.The officers and enlisted crews of U.S. Navy B-24s (PB4Y) flew a thousand miles out and back as single aircraft to engage Japanese forces at sea, on land, and in the air. Their "mast height" attacks were often below 100 feet above the sea or ground level. They also set the record for the number of pilot “aces” officially credited shooting down five or more Japanese planes.Readers will discover a gifted writer whose presence disappears leaving us to feel as if we’re sitting next to and listening to these men their families, wives, and girlfriends before, during, and after the war.An extraordinary book in every respect. A unique contribution to military aviation history — accurately capturing the extraordinary lives and sacrifices of this cross-section of “ordinary” Americans.Full disclosure — this reviewer is the son of the one the pilots in the book.

Thoroughly enjoyed reading Ed Kittrell's historical capture of the lives and legends of the men who made up the Blue Raiders - Squadron VPB-117. Kittrell's knack for storytelling kept me captivated as he 'connected the dots' between the 18 crews - over 250 individuals - telling their personal stories, then weaving in and out intermingling with tales of their airborne missions. I learned alot of technical information related to flying, planes, ranks, and other terminologies - Kittrell was good to explain many of these nuances. My personal connection was that my father was one of the pilots of Crew 8. Through Kittrell's book, I was able to make sense of my father's flight logs and enjoyed reading that my father had similar attitudes and perspectives of others portrayed in the book. I truly feel that anyone seeking to gain a glimpse into the heroics of the brave and committed Navy fliers of World War II would find 'Solo into the Rising Sun' an accurate historical account.

Loved everything about these stories as they remind you that America is the land of the free because of these heroes and that we need to continue their legacy.

What a satisfying experience. Exhaustively researched, superbly written. These young airmen come to feel like guys you’ve known, even family members. Some make it, some don’t. Some you’d be proud to call brother, reckless others risk crewmen's lives for personal aggrandizement. Plenty of vintage photos, too, arranged so that, as you learn of their broadly differing backgrounds, their quirks, their love lives and what peacetime futures await them, you get to put faces to the men you’re reading about. The everyday guts and resourcefulness they display on their hair-raising missions is almost unbelievable, but Kittrell documents every single event. His knowledge -- of aircraft, tactics, the vast topography of war in the Pacific, etc. – is formidable. But he wears it lightly, never allowing events to upstage the men who are living through them. Oh, and there’s a riveting court-martial scene worthy of The Caine Mutiny. A satisfying experience, indeed.

This is a beautifullly written book about the young men who flew the big, bulky B24 Liberators alone during WWII in the Pacific to target enemy ships below. Alone--meaning no fighter planes to protect and support them. A glimpse into their childhood, their wives and families and you're off soaring over the Pacific at incredibly low altitudes flying under the radar. When not touching your heart with the home and family stories, it has exciting play-by-play aerial scenes that becomes a real pager turner! The author traveled miles to meet these fellows and their familes and spent hours on the phone interviewing and gathering their stories since their time here was growing short. This book is a great read and will be a great gift for anyone. It's a must read!

There are many books and pictures of large formations of bombers in WW2. Few if any books have dealt with the Navy's use of their long range aircraft for bombing missions. Flying solo for hours to attack a Japanese base and then return must have take great teamwork and commitment.

Added this book to a collection of books of an aviation museum. Book was in pristine condition and came as I was told.

The author spent way too much time on the backgrounds and post war lives of the crewmen. Not nearly enough on missions and experiences.