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Swiss American Historical Society Review

Swiss American Historical Society Review

Keywords

Switzerland, Swiss history, European history

Abstract

The 95th Bomb Group Memorial Foundation and its Unit History Committee commissioned Rob Morris to research and write the history of this American fighting company, which was the most highly decorated bomb group to participate in the Second World War. With this book being a product of such a request, it is understandable that a reader might worry that the author would pay homage to the group rather than write an unbiased history. The pleasant surprise is that while this book does praise the group's bravery, compassion, and sense of camaraderie, it does not paint over its less endearing moments. The best example of telling the raw truth occurs with the air raid on Miinster on October 10, 1943. The raid posed ethical dilemmas for the American bomber crews. Until Miinster, the air corps had been committed to a concept of daylight precision bombing, limiting targets to military and industrial facilities. Miinster was different: they would hit the center of that city, the homes of the working population of those marshaling yards. The aim was to disrupt their lives so completely that the morale of those affected would be so diminished their will to work and fight will substantially reduce. Morris notes the pilots felt horrible-but they bombed civilians anyway. The Miinster mission was their contribution to the battles of Black Sunday.

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