Disgracefully Easy: A B-24 Pilot's Letters Home

by William Hanchett, Thomas F Hanchett

Overview

In this posthumously published collection of letters and postal cards, William "Bill" Hanchett shares his candid experiences as a flight-school cadet, and later as an Army Air Forces pilot in command of a B-24 Liberator bomber during World War II.

Through Bill's first-hand accounts, we learn that mastering the art of flying during wartime is about more than understanding engine throttle and airspeed. It's about wondering when you'll be called to fight and if you'll be asked to betray your ideals. It's about working hard and documenting the days, dreaming about the future, and longing for home.

An extraordinary primary document, Disgracefully Easy offers us a rare glimpse inside the military in the 1940s, a time when Americans worried about the fate of their great country and looked to the brave and courageous to deliver them from fear. This unique collection will be long remembered as an important addition to the annals of aviation history.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9798885281171
Publisher:	Acorn Publishing, Battle Creek, MI
Publication date:	05/27/2025
Pages:	330
Product dimensions:	5.50(w) x 8.50(h) x 0.74(d)

About the Author

The chapter introductions and notes in Disgracefully Easy were prepared by Bill Hanchett's son, Tom. Now retired from federal civil service, Tom has had a lifelong interest in history, and holds a bachelor's degree in government and two master's degrees, in History and Public Administration. He wrote a master's thesis on a World War II subject and subsequently wrote historical articles for a veteran's association newsletter and published an article in World War II magazine. In the late 1970s, Tom wrote news and feature articles for MAINSTREAM Magazine, a monthly periodical for people with disabilities.A native Californian, Tom resides in North San Diego County. Finding Bill's WWII correspondence was a fortuitous event, and given Tom's extensive military history interest and background, it was a natural undertaking for him to edit and present his father's correspondence.