Book excerpt: During 1943 and 1944 I experienced the fear and trauma of war as a young man from Illinois in the 15th Army Air Force, 454th Bombardment Group. I was a photographer who flew 37 bombing missions over Europe during WWII. Everyone wanted to get their 50 missions in so they could go home. I was shot flying over Linz, Astria. In this book I describe to the best of my recollection, how I lived, played, and survived when the odds of survival were against me. I narrowly escaped death so many times. It just wasn't my time.