Recommended Books

389th BG Specific Books

A collection of photos showing many of the officers, crews, and base life at Hethel.  The back of the book contains a directory of about 4,000 veterans names, and wartime addresses.  Its only drawback is its lack of captions for the pictures.

This is a small book that is part of a series.  The book has a some photos, and contains a brief history of the Hethel airbase and the 389th BG.  A nice brief history.

Al Malone's story of his growing up in Missouri through his time with the 389th BG.  Includes 1st hand accounts of many of the late war missions, Fall 1944.  Al Malone was an officer on Lt. Sylvester Bergman's crew of the 566th BS.

Phil Ardery's story of his time in the USAAF from training, through his return to the US.  Includes 1st hand accounts of many of the early 389th BG missions, including the Ploesti mission.  Phil Ardery was the 564th BS commander, and eventual group operations officer.

Paul Burton's story of how he became interested in flying, and his eventual involvement with the 389th BG.  The book then covers his time with the 389th BG, and then his time as a POW.  Paul Burton was the 565th BS commander.

Kenneth Simmons story of the October 19, 1944 mission where he and his crew were shot down.  The rest of the book covers his time spent in Stalag Luft III.  A very detailed account of POW life.  Kenneth Simmons was in Lt. Coletti's crew of the 567th BS.

This book tells Dale's story as he flew with the 448th BG, and then was transferred to the 389th BG.  The book recounts the story of his crew ditching in the North Sea after returning from a mission to Berlin on April 29, 1944.

This book is an autobiography by Richard Britt, detailing his experiences in a POW camp in Romania following his crew's crash landing on Princess Catherine Caradja's estate.  The book gives great insight into the unique POW situation the low-level Ploesti raiders experienced in Romania.

This is the new, and long overdue, unit history of the 389th BG.  Publiched by Schiffer Books the book covers the 389th BG's entire hsitory, is full of photos, and includes appendices in the back for a Roll of Honor, aircraft list, and mission list.

Books with 389th BG Content