About this item
During the air battles that destroyed Nazi Germany's ability to wage war, one bomb group was especially distinguished.The Hell's Angels. At the outbreak of World War II, the United States was in no way prepared to wage war. Although the U.S declared war against Germany in December 1941, the country lacked the manpower, the equipment, and the experience it needed to fight. Even had an invasion force been ready, a successful assault on Nazi-occupied Europe could not happen until Germany's industrial and military might were crippled.Because no invasion could happen without air superiority, the first target was the Luftwaffe - the most powerful and battle-hardened air force in the world. To this end, the United States Army Air Forces joined with Great Britain's already-engaged Royal Air Force to launch a strategic air campaign that ultimately brought the Luftwaffe to its knees.
About the Author
Jay A. Stout can be contacted at: jayastout at usa dot netJay A. Stout is a retired Marine Corps fighter pilot. An Indiana native and graduate of Purdue University, he was commissioned during June 1981 and designated a naval aviator on 13 May 1983. His first fleet assignment was to F-4 Phantoms at MCAS Beaufort, South Carolina. Following a stint as an instructor pilot at NAS Chase Field Texas from 1986 to 1989, he transitioned to the F/A-18 Hornet. He flew the Hornet from bases on both coasts and ultimately retired from MCAS Miramar during 2001. Aside from his flying assignments, he served in a variety of additional billets with different staffs around the world. During his twenty-year career he flew more than 4,500 flight hours, including 37 combat missions during Operation Desert Storm. Following his military career Stout worked for a short time as an airline pilot before being furloughed after the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001. He subsequently flew for the Kuwait Air Force before returning to the States where he now works for as a senior analyst for a leading defense corporation.Lieutenant Colonel Stout's writing has been read on the floor of the U.S. Senate and published in various professional journals and newspapers around the nation. Works published while he was on active duty addressed controversial topics (women in the military, the MV-22 Osprey, effectiveness of the AV-8B Harrier, etc.) and took viewpoints that were often at odds with senior military leadership. Nevertheless, his cogent arguments and forthrightness contributed considerably to his credibility. Indeed, his expertise is widely recognized and he has made many appearances as a combat aviation expert on news networks such as Fox, Al Jazeera and National Public Radio.Read the interview below to learn more about Jay A. Stout and his writing:WHAT IS YOUR BACKGROUND? WHAT CAN YOU TELL US ABOUT YOURSELF? "Well, I was born in Indianapolis, Indiana in 1959. My father worked for the FAA and my mom raised my two sisters and I while working as a book keeper for various businesses. When I was younger we moved around quite a bit, including a stint overseas, but ultimately we settled back in Indiana. I graduated from Danville High School in 1977, and Purdue University in 1981.""For most of my life I wanted to be nothing but a fighter pilot. But while I was at college I was turned down by the Air Force because my major discipline, agronomy, was not considered a technical degree. Still, the Marine Corps didn't care, and one day a Marine Corps recruiter literally grabbed my arm while I was walking through the student union building and asked me what I wanted to do with myself. I pointed at a poster he had of an F-4 Phantom II and said, "I want to fly those!" He indicated that I would have no problem doing just that and had me sign on the dotted line." "The odds against me getting through all the tests and medical screenings,
