Marauder: Memoir of a B-26 Pilot in Europe in World War II

by Louis S. Rehr

Under the leadership of a dedicated pilot, the B-26 Marauder was a formidable weapon in the campaign to defeat Hitler's armies, and, in the words of his first copilot, "Lou was the best there was. He created a spirit among the crew that made us really want to fly the mission and be disappointed if we had to abort." This memoir begins with Captain Rehr's arrival in pre-invasion England in May 1944 and ends with the completion of Major Rehr's aircraft disarmament duties in postwar Germany in July 1945. Rehr, a squadron commander with the 323rd Bombardment Group, earned 12 air medals, five battle stars, two Distinguished Flying Crosses, and the Croix de Guerre with Silver Star. He describes his experiences, including five night-bombing missions he volunteered to fly in 1944 and accounts of attacks by Me-262 jets in late April of 1945. The narrative also recollects two summers in 1936 and 1938, when, as a teenager touring Germany, he observed the influence of Nazism.

This memoir is the result of forty years of research on the combat history of the B-26, contributions from comrades, an extensive collection of rare photographs, artifacts including newspaper articles and letters, and all military records and documents relating to Rehr's part in World War II. One appendix describes where readers can find images and restorations of the B-26. A second gives brief follow-ups on the men described in the narrative, often with their remembrances of the events outlined.

About the Author

Louis S. Rehr served with the Air Force reserves until 1958, when he was discharged with the rank of lieutenant colonel. He now lives with his wife Carleton in Makaha, Hawaii.

353 pages, Paperback

First published November 1, 2003

Reviews

[Malcolm · Rating 5 out of 5]

I should start this review with a confession. I am biaised. I say that because I live on the former airfield where Louis Rehr was based in the War.
Nonetheless, this is a really good account of a top pilot, airman, and leader who gives his first hand account of what it was like to live through those dark days. Louis Rehr is a hero, like many many others from those days, and his story will live on in nthis excellent book.
East Anglia is literally peppered with former airfields from WWII , although most of them are unrecognisable as such today. If those fields could all talk, what stories they could tell.
I recommend this to everyone interested in WWII actual accounts.

[Andrew · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed reading this book and learning about the aircraft and its types of missions. I had previously fell for the myth of it being a bad aircraft that killed a lot of its crews but this books covers a lot of those topics and stories.

[Keith Olsen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Solid story of the WWII life of B26 pilot