The brief but accomplished life of Army Air Forces fighter ace Gerald Johnson (1920-1945) is the subject of John Bruning's latest book. Flying the powerful P-38 and possessing lethal shooting skill, Johnson shot down 24 Japanese aircraft in 265 combat missions during thirty-six months in the Pacific Theater. At the age of 24, he commanded the highest-scoring fighter group in the Pacific, the 49th. With Dick Bong and Tommy McGuire, he formed an early triumvirate of 5th Air Force aces. A fellow pilot later called him "the Luke Skywalker of my genera-tion." Tragically, though Johnson had survived three combat tours, which included a mid-air collision with a Japanese aircraft and being shot down by friendly fire, the new father disappeared without a trace while flying a courier mission in bad weather one month after the war's end and shortly before his planned return home. At the time, he was one of the youngest full colonels in the U.S. Army Air Forces.
- ISBN10 1574883577
- ISBN13 9781574883572
- Publish Date 1 June 2001
- Publish Status Out of Print
- Out of Print 30 June 2010
- Publish Country US
- Publisher Potomac Books Inc
- Imprint Brassey's US
- Format Hardcover
- Pages 320
- Language English