I'm always interested in reading personal accounts of pilots. I can't comprehend what drives people to choose to go up in the air and risk their lives. I've seen some of the planes they flew during WWII in museums, and I can't imagine trusting my life in one.
Helmut works his way into a Stuka, and then works his way through the ranks. He is present for the Battle of Britain, Africa, Italy, and the Eastern Front. He doesn't always have the most important roles to play (for example, he doesn't bomb London), but he goes through a lot, including being shot down behind enemy lines twice.
The thing that struck me the most was his humanity. Any time one of his crews went down or was injured, he listed their name and what happened to them. He had respect for his fellow soldiers and also the enemy. He mentions thoughts for the enemy in passing a couple of times, and then he moves on. He has to. He's also glad he isn't down on the ground where he can see the carnage. After he's injured, he appreciates how both sides are working together at the hospital "just being human."
I found it interesting how he sprinkled in little bits of information he learned later on. When he was serving, he was told what to do, and news of what was going on in other places was censored. Also, soldiers weren't allowed to vote, and that was something I'd never considered, but it made sense.
The book itself is around 450 pages. The afterword is a brief summary of what happened to Mahlke during the rest of the war, but most of it is dedicated to a history of the Stuka group he was stationed with. The Appendixes are lists of pilots and ground crew (roster, KIA, missing, casualty reports and posted elsewhere). I was a bit disappointed to not learn anything of Mahlke's later life. Just that he had retired and died December 26, 1998. Overall, it was a Good Book!
No comments:
Post a Comment