The hourglass sands are sifting. . .
The effects of World War II were incalculable. Countless lives, if not ended, were altered. The character and resolve of nations had been tested. Our world was changed.
Films, documentaries, and interviews chronicled the events, and experts attempted, from every possible perspective, to interpret them. But the truths come most accurately, clearly and insightfully from those who were there, those who saw with their own eyes and heard with their own ears the experience of war. These are the ones who left their mark and upon whom marks were left. They are now history's treasures. The hourglass sands are sifting, but it is still possible to hear some of these stories firsthand.
Joseph Heller, once he was years removed from the war's drama, treated his experiences with humor — albeit of the dark variety — in his creation of Catch-22. Others from his 340th Bomb Group also penned their remembrances. Some are related with humor as well, some with pathos, some from a need to document and preserve, but all with the uniqueness of an eyewitness. They have their own stories to tell, their memories that need to be shared. And their perspective is like no other.
Heller, with his Catch-22, has earned his spot in the sun. Now we can pay close attention to a few of his war mates, for herein lies The True Story.
Since the 340th was momentarily brought to its knees by Mt. Vesuvius, there have been as many versions of those hours as there are men in the group. It was historic and it was personal. Earlier in this book there have been accounts or references to the event, but the following comes from quite a different perspective.