The Few: The American "Knights of the Air" Who Risked Everything to Fight in the Battle of Britain Kindle Edition

Great story of the few US citizens who went to England in early WW2 to serve in their air force before the United States entered the war.

The same as when in The Envoy: Last Jews of Europe in the Desperate Closing Months of World War II, I learned something new in reading about the American pilots who fought for England during WWII, before America joined the Allies. This is a great story following several pilots who decide, for personal reasons, that they have to engage in the battle against fascism and Nazis that Hitler is unleashing against Britain and their Allies.From the beginning, "A few days later, they pledged their allegiance to Britain's sovereign, King George VI, no easy thing for any patriotic American to do given that Americans had won their independence from King George III.” (Mr. Kershaw is British by birth.)I’ve noted in other reviews that an aspect of Mr. Kershaw’s books that I appreciate is that although there is usually a broad group of featured individuals, he describes them so vividly that the reader has no problem keeping track of them. The men of this book, and their unique narratives will keep you reading with bated breath—do they get to battle? Do they survive those battles? Do they get to go home again?The research done to create such complete stories must take years! Not only do we learn about the Allies pilots, but also of some German ones. Again, a perspective I never had before—the pilots fought with honor. Although, of course, I hated every time they shot down an Allied plane.Don't miss reading this thrilling, page-turner about a segment of American history that will make you smile, cry, and feel pride in our veterans.

I was almost put off buying this book because of some of the reviewers' comments about misrepresentation. I think the book title is appropriate. The eight people whose progress is followed in the book were the first American pilots who joined the RAF at the outset of the WWII. The American Eagle squadron which followed is also mentioned but not in great detail. The author offers a day-by-day account of the Battle of Britain and the involvement of this small group of American heroes. He also described the overall progress of the battle and even matches the events with those of the key German pilots and their hierarchy. This makes the book even more interesting and does not detract from its original purpose.As author Len Deighton pointed out, in the Battle of Britain, pilots from the British Commonwealth, Poland, France and America were more successful that native British flyers. Many of them were from pioneering stock, more adventurous and less likely to stick with the formal engagement rules and the European's had invariable developed a strong hatred of the enemy . Kershaw suggests that the British public was and is generally not appreciative of the brave efforts made by the foreign volunteers. I do not agree; at the time the American volunteers were idolised but with the passage of time, it is possible that the efforts of eight in one thousand can be overlooked. Few Brits will deny the considerable material assistance which America offered Britain early in WWII and that the eventual intervention of American forces enabled the war to be won.I thoroughly enjoyed the book. I have read many Battle of Britain books and this was one of the best. The author vividly describes the neat formations of German bombers flying along the Thames towards central London on a perfect summer day, each awaiting the attacks by The Few which will reduce their numbers by one quarter every day they fly across the Channel. Most of the American pilots described in this book were attracted to the RAF because they wanted to fly fast aeroplanes. Nevertheless, when they were given the opportunity to fight, they did so with great determination and bravery.Buy the book, you will not regret it.

The word "inspiring" is overused and even abused when touting various biographies and bits of history, but in the case of "The Few" the characterization is more than appropriate. "The Few" is an account of the eight Americans--nine if an American killed in the service of the RAF before the Battle of Britain is counted--who volunteered to fly for Britain against the Nazis when doing so risked their U.S. citizenship by violating American neutrality laws. (The Eagle Squadrons were formed after the Battle of Britain and when neutrality laws were relaxed.) Details of all nine Americans' lives are given, showing what a diverse lot they were. Billy Fiske was an American Olympic gold medal bobsled racer who married an aristocratic Englishwoman. "Shorty" Keough was a former barnstormer who needed a booster seat arrangement in his cockpit to reach all of the fighter plane's controls. Donahue was an experienced Irish-American pilot. All but one of the original nine died in combat before the war ended. They were men who risked more than their lives to stand and fight against tyranny and villainy before it became fashionable in America. The book concludes with a touching tribute by grateful Englishmen who lived through the Battle of Britain and war to these Americans.

So much I did not know of the Battle of Britain revealed in the book.

Just an entertaining book describing how the eight American citizens fought in the Battle of Britain and then whose surviving members formed the nucleus of the Eagle Squadron. Alex Kershaw's books are never disappointing as this book proves once again.

ドキュメンタリー戦史のカーショーさんがThe Battle of Britain,1940に参戦した7人の米人パイロットを追跡する。４人ほどが詳しい。当初の米国の中立政策のため米人がヨーロッパ戦線に志願することが困難で、まずカナダに行き、そこからフランス空軍に入隊したものの、すぐに敗戦、それから混乱の中、英国へという件りが読ませる。一方でドイツ空軍の記述は有名なメールダ、ガランドらのエースらの活躍が中心で、双方の戦闘が活写されている。ガランドの乗機は高高度特別仕様で僚機より速く獲物に到達できた！！とかの証言が紹介されて興味深い。星減は、実際は事故死が多く、実戦ではそれほど活躍してはいないようだ。それでも他国の為に命をかけたその想いが泣かせる。タイトルの「少数」は7名という数であるが、チャーチルの有名な演説「こんな僅かな人々のおかげで云々」でも、また、英国人なら知っているシェイクスピア「ヘンリー五世」の名セリフ:Happy few, band of brothers(戦友達）が頭に浮かび、感動に打たれた。

An excellent book that documents the contribution of overseas pilots to victory in the “Battle of Britain. Well written and absorbing.

Tout a été tel que proposé. Excellente livraison !

Another book to add to my collection. I am the grandchild of one of The Few who was shot down and killed.