Kirjahaku

The East of England, particularly Suffolk, became a new home for thousands of American airmen during the Second World War. After starting to arrive in 1942, there were over 10,000 in the country by 1943. The largest concentration was in Suffolk, which had more USA airfields than any other English county. Their arrival was called the 'Friendly Invasion' as they suddenly found themselves in the middle of the East Anglian countryside. The Americans brought with them chewing gum, coke and peanut butter, and introduced the big band sounds and jitterbugging dancing. In return the British taught the GI's the gentle art of darts and dominos, when the newcomers ventured into the sacred English public houses. This book examines the meeting of two cultures, while stories are related of the aircraft victories and losses, plus accidents which sometimes shook the countryside. Missions by the bombers and fighters of the USAAF are included to show what desperate times these were for airmen and country folk of Suffolk.

Station 115-Shipdham is the unique story of 600 acres of Norfolk countryside in the centre of the agricultural heartland of East Anglia. It was turned into a major Second World War airfield in ultra-quick order shortly after the start of hostilities in the early 1940s. Built on prime arable and dairy farmland, it is a mere 10 minutes flying time from the city of Norwich, between the Mid-Norfolk Market towns of Dereham and Watton. Station 115-Shipdham covers the gestation of the airfield from open arable farmland through the construction phase to its commissioning as a USAAF Heavy Bomber base in the front line of the greatest conflict that the world has ever seen. It then tracks the activities of the 44th Bomb Group (The Flying Eightballs) at the airfield during the latter stages of the War in some detail. It covers this period of the involvement of the USAAF 8the Air Force from a more personal and human view than many of the excellent books written on the more technical aspect of the war. It then moves on to describe the airfield's reversion to farmland in the 50s, 60's and 70. Following this quieter period of its life it then traces the re-emergence of the airfield into an operating base for an air-taxi service and then to its activation as a crop spraying operation for the local intensive cereal growing industry. In the mid nineteen-eighties it became home to Arrow Air Centre, a very successful flight training school and a busy light aircraft maintenance base. Finally it evolved into a modern day General Aviation airfield providing a home for light aircraft used for recreation by keen amateur from the Norfolk area. It also became the centre of attention for the visits from the Veterans of the 44th Bomb Group Veterans Association. It houses a sizable three room museum, memorial garden and engraved granite memorial that honours the men who served at the station during the war. Several chapters of the book contain the personal reminiscences of the people involved with the airfield during its various stages of evolution.