PILOT'S FLIGHT LOG BOOK.
No place, (1945). Item #68132
36p, 5 1/4" x 7 1/2" oblong, cloth (imitation leather), very good in custom-made protective case. Gatti (1920-1974) served in WWII from 1942-45, enlisting in Queens, NY. He was a 2nd Lieutenant and co-pilot in the 95th Bomb Group, Eighth Air Force. The log is a manuscript record of over 400 flights from his student practice flights and landings at Harris Field, MO, to "1st solo ride" to acrobatics and solo cross country, formation and instrument flying, to Boeing Fortress training at Sioux City. The log continues with B-17 flights to Labrador, Iceland, Scotland and practice in England and then records 35 raids into Germany (Oct. 1944-Mar. 1945) on Cologne, Berlin, Chemnitz, Bremen, etc. and names specific targets: synthetic oil plant, Folke Wolfe Plant, marshalling yards, bridges and railroads. From the dates and places Gatti would have been participating in both operations "Thunderclap and Clarion" which were designed to paralyze German troop and supply movement near the end of the war. Unfortunately these operations were carried out in heavy civilian areas and let to German accusations of "Terror" bombing. After his combat tour ends, he records flights moving B-17's & crews near Paris, Brussels, and London. Laid in is a Catholic prayer card (in Italian) which we assume he carried with him on flights.
Price: $1,250.00