Includes bibliographical references (pages 240-245) and index.
Contents:
221. Remembered by Deeds Alone 16 -- Chapter 2 Poor and Proud 20 -- Chapter 3 Self-Discovery 29 -- Chapter 4 Dance of Destiny 34 -- Chapter 5 Brothers in Arms 40 -- Chapter 6 Roughing It in Miami 49 -- Chapter 7 Reach for the Sky 61 -- Chapter 8 A Sheep in Wolf's Clothing 73 -- Chapter 9 Leap of Faith 81 -- Chapter 10 One of Patton's Boys 92 -- Chapter 11 Sharpening the Sword 110 -- Chapter 12 Strangers in a Strange Land 119 -- Chapter 13 Leading the Charge 131 -- Chapter 14 Fistful of Rockets 140 -- Chapter 15 Death Is My Copilot 153 -- Chapter 16 Rain, Mud, and Misery 161 -- Chapter 17 Nothing to Cheer About 171 -- Chapter 18 A New Enemy 187 -- Chapter 19 A Teacher's Wisdom 204 -- Chapter 20 Remembered by Deeds Alone 221.
Summary:
"Major Charles Carpenter made headlines during the Second World War when he affixed six bazookas to his tiny Piper L-4 observation plane and began attacking German tanks. "Bazooka Charlie" and his plane "Rosie the Rocketer" were profiled in a variety of military and civilian publications, including the iconic Stars & Stripes. The major was a high school educator in the civilian world, teaching history and coaching football. Carpenter was talented, highly intelligent, and athletically gifted, but the war truly tested him. In 1945, the dashing pilot was forced out of the cockpit and into a hospital bed by Hodgkin's lymphoma, which was discovered in his neck. In addition to the enemy and terminal cancer, Carpenter also battled cynicism and guilt, particularly in regard to the state of his marriage, which was on the brink of failure by the time he returned home from Europe. Charles Carpenter died in 1966, having resumed his career, salvaged his marriage, and long outlived the timeline afforded him by his doctors in the initial prognosis. This revealing biography of the famous pilot was made possible through the collaboration of noted aviation author and magazine editor Jim Busha, and Carpenter's daughter, Carol Apacki. Along with memories of her father in his postwar years, Carol provided a treasure trove of wartime correspondence between Charles and his wife, Elda Carpenter." -- book jacket.
This resource is supported by the Institute of Museum and Library Services under the provisions of the Library Services and Technology Act as administered by State Library of Iowa.