{"product_id":"the-true-story-of-catch-22-the-real-men-and-missions-of-joseph-hellers-340th-bomb-group-in-world-war-ii","title":"The True Story of Catch 22: The Real Men and Missions of Joseph Heller's 340th Bomb Group in World War II","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eAuthor:\u003c\/b\u003e Chapman Meder, Patricia\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eBrand:\u003c\/b\u003e Casemate\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eEdition:\u003c\/b\u003e Illustrated\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eFormat:\u003c\/b\u003e Illustrated\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eNumber Of Pages:\u003c\/b\u003e 240\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eRelease Date:\u003c\/b\u003e 21-08-2012\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eDetails:\u003c\/b\u003e After the publication of his bestselling novel Catch-22, Joseph Heller usually chose to deny that any of his richly drawn characters were based on his actual war mates. However, to those who served with Heller in the 340th Bomb Group the novel’s characters were indeed recognizable—the hard-drinking, vengeful, and disillusioned Chief White Half Oat, young, sliced-in-half Kid Sampson, shrieking, frenzied Hungry Joe, Colonel Cathcart, General Dreedle, Yossarian and that capitalist supreme, Milo Minderbinder.\n\nIn this book, written and colorfully illustrated by the daughter of the 340th Bomb Group’s commander, Colonel Willis Chapman, we finally encounter the real men and combat missions on which the novel was based. While Heller’s fully developed characters stand solely, solidly and uniquely on their own merits, The True Story of Catch-22 proves that any resemblance to persons living or dead is, in fact, actual.\n\nThis three-part book blends fact, fancy, and history with full-blown original illustrations and rare, previously unpublished photos of these daring USAAF flyers and their Corsican-based B-25 Mitchell. Along with descriptions of the 340th’s real wartime events, the work includes twelve men of the Bomb Group relating twelve richly told tales of their own.\n\nNow all of the men upon whom Heller based his characters are gone. However, the last survivor, George L. Wells, was an extraordinary combat pilot who tied the record for the number of bombing missions flown in WWII with 102. George, the model for Catch-22s Capt. Wren, is the common thread who weaves through this book, allowing the reader to truly feel the war and even thumb through George's well-worn mission book describing attacks on Axis ports, ships, bridges, and the notorious Brenner Pass. In this book the reader will discover that truth is indeed as fascinating as fiction!\n\nAuthor Patricia Chapman Meder has been a professional artist in both fine and commercial art for the past 35 years, 13 of them in Europe. When Catch-22 was published it was quickly apparent that this book was based on the Bomb Group her father commanded in World War II. This true-life parallel book thus begged to be written. Pat Meder has also written a full-color companion work to \"The True Story of Catch-22,\" containing her delightful original artwork and caricatures of the individuals, \"The True Story of Catch-22 Illustrated\".\n\nTable of Contents\n\nForeword by Scott Carpenter\nIntroduction\n\nPART I — GEORGE, JOSEPH HELLER, AND “THE BEST DAMNED BOMB GROUP THERE IS”\n1: George: Unwitting Ancestor Of Captain Wren\n2: Joe: Who Shares The Same DNA As Yossarian\n3: The Mission: The Common Denominator\n4: Bill, Solid; Colonel Cathcart, Splintered\n5: Bob: From Neighbors Orville And Wilbur, To Catch-22’s General Dreedle\n6: George, Again\n\nPART II — MEET THE HEROES\n\nPART III — THE 340TH BOMB GROUP SPEAKS: TWELVE TRUE TALES\n\n7: Paul Gale Speaks: Vesuvius Speaks — We Listen\n8: Ward Laiten Speaks: I Am 7-K\n9: Herb Barclay Speaks: Chaff Over The Target\n10: Frank B. Dean Speaks: We Lose The Question Mark\n11: R.M. Johnston Speaks: Short Snorter\n12: Beryl Graubaugh Speaks: Doc Figures In One Of My Favorite War Stories\n13: Ben Kanowsky Speaks: Charlie\n14: Hal Lynch Speaks: The Bridge At Parma\n15: John Rapp Speaks: Petrified With Fear\n16: David Mershon Speaks: The Saga Of 7-F, Willie\n17: Frank B. Dean Speaks: A Lady Leaves The 310th\n18: Olen Berry Speaks: Briefing Time\n\nInteresting Facts\nAfterword\nAppendix A: George’s Mission Book\nAppendix B: Training During Combat\nEndnotes\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eEAN:\u003c\/b\u003e 9781612001036\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eLanguages:\u003c\/b\u003e English\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eBinding:\u003c\/b\u003e hardcover\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eItem Condition:\u003c\/b\u003e New\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Casemate","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":51757506396461,"sku":"FBA_N_AM_7602","price":20.47,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0753\/5853\/5981\/files\/61VaXxzGo1L.jpg?v=1768491027","url":"https:\/\/silkroadstore.us\/products\/the-true-story-of-catch-22-the-real-men-and-missions-of-joseph-hellers-340th-bomb-group-in-world-war-ii","provider":"Silk Road Store","version":"1.0","type":"link"}