WE Came to Fight a War: The Story of a B-17 Radio Gunner and his Pilot - Paperback

by Alvin E. Kotler (Author), Jack Flynn (Author)

WE CAME TO FIGHT A WAR emanates from the heart, mind and memory of 85 year old Al Kotler, who was barely twenty when he climbed onto a fully armed B-17 in the dense, fog filled morning, in Foggia, Italy, having no idea whether he or his fellow crew members would still be alive by afternoon. Yes this is a war story-a war story that takes the reader viscerally through heart pounding moments of aerial combat and the reactions, feelings and reflections that go with it. But as it unfolds, a larger story emerges-the story of an unconscionable wrong inflicted upon one of the Army Air Corps best-a young patriot who had neither the means nor connections to fight back. In the end, this war story evolves to issues beyond forbearance and courage in battle, to larger issues of loyalty, integrity, justice, injustice and a friend and brother's attempt to right a grievous wrong.

Author Biography

JACK FLYNN: Origin: North of Fenway Park. Writer, actor, taxi, bus and truck driver, factory and restaurant worker, softball playing Irish American. One of God's favorite semi-wayward pupils-spent ten years on the road, hitching East Coast, West Coast, 60s in the Haight/Ashbury, Golden Gate Park, North Beach, etc.-pendulum days, from profound joy to hopeless despair, until he finally learned that locomotion never solves nuttin'. These days, lookin' at it all from centerfield, he thinks life is pretty damned good. ALVIN E. KOTLER: For years and years, Al Kotler could not articulate his story. It was all much too private and painful to recount and/or reveal in any public way, until he ran into Flynn and they put this book together. Al finally let it out and he is glad he did. Today, people stop him at the doctor's office, the bank and the supermarket and thank him for what he did back then. Today, he is duly proud of what he and his buddies accomplished for America (especially the ones who didn't make it) and to have the opportunity to find justice for his fellow warrior, brother and Pilot, Bill Flynn.