
In the Hands of Fate
The Story of Patrol Wing Ten, 8 December 1941-11 May 1942
Dwight R. Messimer(Author)
Naval Institute Press
Published on 31. May 2012
Book
Paperback/Softback
368 pages
978-1-55750-547-7 (ISBN)
Description
Patrol Wing Ten was the only U.S. Navy aviation unit to fight the Japanese in the early weeks of World War II, and the daring exploits of its PBY scout-plane pilots offer a dramatic tale of heroism, duty, and controversy. Poorly equipped and dead tired from flying back-to-back patrols with no fighter cover, the men lost sixty-six percent of their aircraft in just eight weeks as they took on an enemy that outnumbered them nearly 1,000 to one. This forceful narrative places the reader right in the midst of their courageous battle.
Dwight Messimer's aggressive research on the topic has resulted in a work that provides moving details to their desperate but valiant acts against the seemingly invincible Japanese juggernaut that swept across the southwest Pacific at the opening of the war.
By Christmas Day in 1941, Patrol Wing Ten was forced to split into two groups, one fighting an air and sea campaign in Java, the other fighting as infantry on Bataan and Corregidor. Moving back and forth between the two groups, Messimer skillfully interweaves their experiences with the major events of the overall war. He uses material from the fifty survivors he managed to track down and deftly captures their ability to maintain a sense of humour in the face of overwhelming danger.
The more than one hundred personal and official documents uncovered during years of research reveal new information relating to technical points about the planes, facts verified by the PBY crews that do not agree with popularly accepted ideas. To those who believe the wing accomplished nothing, and this group includes many pilots, Messimer argues that while attempts to bomb the Japanese fleet proved futile because the PBYs were unsuitable for such a task, the wing's rescue and evacuation missions saved many lives. The airdales themselves were not so lucky. When Corregidor fell, nearly half of them were captured and many died in captivity.
Dwight Messimer's aggressive research on the topic has resulted in a work that provides moving details to their desperate but valiant acts against the seemingly invincible Japanese juggernaut that swept across the southwest Pacific at the opening of the war.
By Christmas Day in 1941, Patrol Wing Ten was forced to split into two groups, one fighting an air and sea campaign in Java, the other fighting as infantry on Bataan and Corregidor. Moving back and forth between the two groups, Messimer skillfully interweaves their experiences with the major events of the overall war. He uses material from the fifty survivors he managed to track down and deftly captures their ability to maintain a sense of humour in the face of overwhelming danger.
The more than one hundred personal and official documents uncovered during years of research reveal new information relating to technical points about the planes, facts verified by the PBY crews that do not agree with popularly accepted ideas. To those who believe the wing accomplished nothing, and this group includes many pilots, Messimer argues that while attempts to bomb the Japanese fleet proved futile because the PBYs were unsuitable for such a task, the wing's rescue and evacuation missions saved many lives. The airdales themselves were not so lucky. When Corregidor fell, nearly half of them were captured and many died in captivity.
More details
Language
English
Place of publication
Annopolis
United States
Product notice
Paperback (trade)
Illustrations
Illustrations
Dimensions
Height: 230 mm
Width: 154 mm
Thickness: 21 mm
Weight
558 gr
ISBN-13
978-1-55750-547-7 (9781557505477)
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Schweitzer Classification
Other editions
Additional editions

E-Book
04/2012
1st Edition
Naval Institute Press
€24.49
Available for download
Person
Dwight R. Messimer is a lecturer in military history at San Jose State University in California, where he specializes in World War I and early U.S. aviation. He is the author of six books including The Merchant U-Boat and Escape, the story of World War I Medal of Honor recipient Edouard V. Isaac. Messimer served in the U.S. Army from 1954 to 1962 and was stationed in Berlin from 1957 to 1959. After being discharged, he served with the San Jose Police Department for twenty-two years and completed a graduate degree in history before beginning a career in teaching.