Philip D. Caine

One of the remarkable chapters in the history of aviation concerns the 244 American airmen who fought against the Luftwaffe during the early days of World War II in Number 71, 121, and 133 Squadrons of the Royal Air Force Fighter Command, the Eagle Squadrons. Although several books have already been written about these famous units, those volumes have focused primarily on the combat adventures of the group. I have taken a different direction, my primary purpose being to write a history of the three units that will analyze their deeds, motivations, and contributions to the history of air power. More than 80 members of these units are still alive and active in the Eagle Squadron Association. It is their experiences, as related to me during countless hours of interviews and in the documents that they have so graciously given me, that formed the foundation for my writing.
Orginally published in 1991. From the foreword: "Although the United States did not enter World War II until the end of 1941, US citizens fought and died in the war long before the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor. Among them were the pilots of the Eagle Squadrons, three fighter squadrons of Britain's Royal Air Force manned by young US flyers risking their lives in another nation's war. In this book, Colonel Philip D. Caine, US Air Force, tells how the Eagle Squadrons were formed, describes their RAF experiences, and evaluates their contribution to Britain's defense. Unlike other accounts, Eagles of the RAF is not simply a paean to the pilots as special heroes and "aces," though many performed heroically and some sacrificed their lives. Drawing almost exclusively on interviews with more than thirty-five surviving Eagles, on their letters and memoirs, and on official records of the squadrons, Caine shows who these men were and what drove them to endure the burdens of joining a foreign air force. We see them adjusting to life in a new country as they train, fly patrol and escort missions, and sit on alert in dispersal huts or in airplane cockpits. We see their routine suddenly shattered by the momentary chaos and exhilaration of aerial combat. The Eagles' story is a unique chapter in American military history; it deserves to be told as it really happened-not as romanticized by Hollywood or nostalgic recollection. Beyond reliably telling the story, Colonel Caine reveals much about why people enter the military, how military life satisfies or disappoints their preconceptions, and how at least some of them reacted to the realities of combat."… (plus d'informations)