Author Description

Covering several hundred pages, utilising hundreds of photos and dozens of colour profiles and paintings, the story about fighter pilots, fighter planes, the ground crews of many trades and the military unit that gave them cohesion making them an outstanding team - the complete story of the 357th is told. As the official historian for the 357th and a dedicated history buff, author Merle Olmsted has been associated with and written about fighter pilots and 'his group' for some 50 years. Included are listings from the official documents tallying the group's accomplishments. Utilising mission reports, monthly statistical and operational reports, the pilot's individual encounter reports, the Missing Aircrew reports, USAAF accident reports and the British police reports on accidents among other information laden personal notes, books, articles plus the original 357th Group records on file at the Air Force Historical Archives, Olmsted weaves together the many stories, comments, incidents and hairy tales of the 357th F.G. To War with the Yoxford Boys is the final, 'super' book on the 357th. As of fall 2001, the 357th Fighter Group Association, a post-war gathering of their members, has 't