Air Apaches

Air Apaches: The True Story of the 345th Bomb Group and Its Low, Fast, and Deadly Missions in World War II by Jay A. Stout tells the gripping history of one of the most legendary air groups of the Pacific theater. The 345th Bomb Group—the first fully trained and equipped B-25 unit deployed to the South Pacific—struck fear into the enemy with low-level bombing and strafing runs that devastated Japanese forces.

Flying at altitudes often below fifty feet, these daring crews attacked shipping lanes, enemy bases, and vital supply lines. Their relentless missions earned them four Distinguished Unit Citations, but at a heavy cost: 177 aircraft and 712 men lost. Unlike the European theater, where downed airmen had a chance of survival, the Pacific offered brutal fates—shark-infested waters, unforgiving jungles, or capture by Japanese forces who showed no mercy.

Drawing on interviews with surviving veterans and firsthand accounts, Stout vividly reconstructs the missions, dangers, and heroism of the “Air Apaches.” More than a military history, this book is a tribute to the courage and sacrifice of the young men of the 345th Bomb Group.

Key Features:

• Author: Jay A. Stout
• Detailed history of the 345th Bomb Group (Air Apaches) in WWII
• Focus on B-25 missions in the South Pacific, New Guinea, and the Philippines
• Includes firsthand accounts from surviving veterans
• Explores the challenges of the Pacific theater’s unforgiving conditions
• Format: Paperback
• Length: 432 pages
• Dimensions: 6 x 1.08 x 9 inches
• ISBN-10: 0811772683
• ISBN-13: 9780811772686
• Publisher: Stackpole Books

Air Apaches delivers an unforgettable account of low-level bombing missions and the extraordinary men who carried them out, cementing their place in aviation history.