They Flew Proud (Hardcover)
Review
The National Aviation Hall of Fame announced today that the recipient of its 2007 Combs Gates Award with a $20,000 cash prize is Jane Gardner Birch, for her book “They Flew Proud”, inspired by the WWII experience of her father, Gardner Birch, a flight instructor in the Civilian Pilot Training Program. Judges reveiwed each submission for historical accuracy, creativity, potential for long-term impact, and for value to the NAHF’s mission of honoring America’s outstanding air and space pioneers. The first time writer will formally receive the award tomorrow at the NBAA Annual Meeting and Convention in Atlanta, Ga. — National Aviation Hall of Fame, September 24, 2007
Product Description
They Flew Proud crisply tells the story of the Civilian Pilot Training Program through the Army Air Force Cadets at Grove City College (PA.) and the Grove City Airport where the flight instructors (including Gardner Birch) trained the cadets to solo. Across the U.S., more than 435,000 men and women were taught to fly under the CPTP in pre and post WWII. In Grove City, the 8th Detachment s 486 students received almost 5,000 hours of instruction, and then went forward to serve their nation in WWII.
In Part 2, Gardner Birch, manager/instructor refocused the airport to teach civilians to fly after the CPTP was abruptly cancelled. He created five boards to record the 127 students and their solo dates ( 44- 48). Narratives from these men and women retell of learning basic flying skills through many wonderful and humorous aviation stories. Those lessons learned in aviation s early days prepared them for a smoother flight through life and created friendships and passions for flying and airplanes. Numerous photos and visuals add depth, feeling, and understanding to the expressive text and draw us into the special time when some of the greatest generation learned to fly proud.
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If you are thinking about purchasing this book as an education tool, or as a historical reference to WWII Aviation Cadet training I DO NOT RECOMMEND IT. The subtitle “The small town and the airport training of cadets and civilians during World War II” is a misnomer.
As a serious WWI, and WWII Aviation Historian, I obtained this book in the hopes of learning more about the Civilian Pilot Training Program and CAA WTS. Especially from a small town point of view. However, there is very little reference Civilian Pilot Training Program / CAA-WTS as far as information goes…such as uniforms, protocol, insignia, and badges. And less historical information about the CPTP CAA-WTS from a historical standpoint.
You can learn more information about the Civilian Pilot Training Program, CAA-WTS at Wikipedia, or the USAF historical Archives.
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The book loses focus on the CPTP / CAA-WTS about a fourth of the way through the book, and then becomes somewhat of a personal memoir of the cadets that could be found, and ultimately becomes the history of the Grove City Airport, from prior to WWI, until the present time.
Not to take anything away from this book, as there are several characters in the Book, the main person is Gardner R. Birch, this is partially his story, and from what I read, he was one excellent Flight Instructor, and a man I would truly love to have had the honor to meet.
Also, there are several true success stories of the cadets themselves, and those who learned to fly after the war, and there experiences post WWII.
Overall, the book truly is a history about the Grove City Airport, some of the local business, and Grove City itself…pre-WWII, and post WII.
If you would like to learn more about the CPTP, WCAA-WTS I recommend the follow books.
“United States Army & Navy Directory of Airfields, Continental United States, 1944″, by U. S. Civil Aeronautics Administration
“Two hundred thousand flyers,: The story of the civilian AAF pilot training program”, by Willard Wiener
“To Fill the Skies With Pilots: The Civilian Pilot Training Program, 1939-46″, by Dominick Pisano
“U.S. Naval and Marine Corps Reserve Aviation, Volume I, 1916-1942″, by Wayne H. Heiser - 2006
“THE PUTT-PUTT AIR FORCE: THE STORY OF THE CIVILIAN PILOT TRAINING PROGRAM AND THE WAR TRAINING SERVICE (1939-1944)”, by Patricia Strickland
“The Fayetteville experience: The story of the Fayetteville, Arkansas Civilian Pilot Training Program, War Training Service, and the 305th College Training Detachment (1939-1944)”, by Mike Eckels
CPTP, CAA-WTS historical information is not limited to these above-mentioned books alone.
Excellent reference can be found with the historical books of the Women Air Service Pilots “WASP’s” of WWII, and the Tuskegee Airman.
3.0 out of 5 stars
Leaves something to be desired
They Flew Proud purports to be a history of the Civilian Pilot Training Program, and in a very real sense it is.
5.0 out of 5 stars
From Jane Birch’s editor: Author hits a homerun
Jane Birch’s book ‘They Flew Proud’ is exactly what she intended — a character-driven telling of the great narrative of how our country’s pilots were trained in small-town…
5.0 out of 5 stars
A unique bit of American aviation history
Winner of the National Aviation hall of Fame 2007 ‘Combs Gates’ Award, “They Flew Proud” by Jane Gardner Birch is the story of the national Civilian Pilot Training Program that…
5.0 out of 5 stars
They Flew Proud
As a pilot myself, I was wondering if I’d enjoy this book. I sure did! But I needn’t have worried about being a pilot or not. This book tells a story about a vital WWII era…