Pathfinder Pioneer

The Memoir of a Lead Bomber Pilot in World War II

By: Raymond E. Brim

Narrated by: John Pruden

In this engaging audiobook, we see how an 18-year-old miner shoveling ore from deep in the ground in Utah suddenly found himself, only two years later, 30,000 feet in the air over Nazi Germany, piloting a Flying Fortress in the first wave of America's air counteroffensive in Europe.

Like thousands of other young Americans, Ray Brim was plucked by the US Army to be a combat flyer and was quickly pitted against the hardened veterans of the Luftwaffe. Brim turned out to have a natural knack for flying, however, and was assigned to the select squadron developing lead Pathfinder techniques while experimenting with radar. He was among the first to test the teeth of the Luftwaffe's defenses, and once those techniques had been honed, thousands of other bomber crews would follow into the maelstrom, from which 80,000 never returned.

Pathfinder Pioneer gives us vivid insights into the genesis of the American air campaign, told with the humor, attention to detail, and humility that captures the heart and soul of our Greatest Generation.

©2016 Raymond E. Brim (P)2017 Tantor

Very Interesting.

Very interesting. Not your typical memoir! Descriptive and we'll paced recount of a great life.

A Good Recounting of WW2 Bomber Missions

A good recounting of a B17 captain's time on missions and a life story. I would recommend as a good recounting of a bomber tour in the 8th Airforce in Europe and the training before and a life afterwards. A bit spoiled by sloppy editing and a lot wrong facts which a good editor should have picked up.

Success can be hand

Inspirational story of triumph, facing all odds succeeding. He should be commended for his service to his country and it aspiration to his family.

Recommend reading for understanding some of the internal actions of the air war and into the Cold War. Well done.

With details described in this audio book you feel like you are right there all the way.

Autobiography Of An Airman

Half of this book is the training for and missions flown in WW2 ETO of one airman. The other half of the book is the pre and post war life story of said airman. Found the training and missions half interesting and insightful. Found the life story less so and more detailed than needed...reading like timeline snippets as excerpts from an LDS family history.