Description
A Year in the Life of a COWBOY with the BLOODY 100th
The Personal Memoirs of Owen D Roane - Pilot, United States Army Air Corps
Owen D. Roane (Author)
Paperback: 148 pages with photos
Dimensions: 9.1 x 6.1 x 0.5 inches
Pack a parachute and buckle up! This small book packs a big punch: "A Year in the Life of a Cowboy With the Bloody 100th" is just that, and the "Cowboy" author is legendary 349th Squadron Pilot, Owen "Cowboy" Roane. The "year" recounted was the first year of air combat operations of the 100th BG, when aircrew survival rates were dismal. Roane was there for all of it and writes a detailed account. He flew most missions including the Regensburg Shuttle Mission to North Africa, Bremen, Schweinfurt, and Rjukan - just to name a few of his 27 combat missions - and served as Squadron Operations Officer, too. This book is required reading for anyone interested in the 100th BG or 8th AF air war, a pivotal year in Roane's young life related in equal doses of competence, intelligence and humor, complete with a "frozen ass" from North Africa named "Mo". While USAAF bureaucracy struggled to promote Flight Officer Roane in the early months of operations, he quickly earned the respect of all who knew him, especially those who flew combat with him, and this book takes you along for the ride. The promotions eventually caught up with him, but to "Cowboy" they were the least important part of his remarkable journey.
