From induction into the USAAF, through training and then into combat flying the F-5, the photo reconnaissance version of the Lockheed P-38 Lightning, Follis recounts his many experiences getting and wearing the coveted “silver wings” of a pilot—including being chased over the Alps by two Messerschmitt Me 262 jet fighters. With photos of the author, his fellow pilots and the aircraft they flew. Contents: Prelude | The Big Day Arrives and I’m Off to War—Almost | College Boy Again | An Aviation Cadet—At Last! | Into the Air | Flying the Vultee “Vibrator” and the “Bamboo Bomber” | The B-25—A Real Warbird | The Role of the Lockheed P-38 Lightning in Winning World War II and the Contribution of Aerial Photo Reconnaissance | Across the Atlantic in a Wartime Convoy | Going in Harm’s Way | I’ll Be Home for Christmas | Conclusion | Where Are They Now? | What Has Happened to the Various Military Bases? 38 photos, 1 map. A Merriam Press World War II Memoir.