Young James Daniels is eager to join the army after Japan bombs Pearl Harbor in December 1941. He wants to do his part, save the world – and look sharp in that Army Air Corps uniform! Slight of build, he has to eat 10 pounds of bananas on weigh-in day to qualify for service
James ends up in Lecce, Italy, with the 15th Air Force, and endures 45 harrowing missions as a nose gunner in the B-24 Liberator, rudely forcing him to come of age. His experiences, especially one great tragedy, profoundly change him emotionally, mentally, and spiritually, leaving him with a crucial question that haunts him for decades. When he is once again engaged in a battle for his life, the answer becomes clear.
Coulter's heart-rending account of her father's trials, tribulations, and triumphs is based on stories he's told her, and on his wartime diary entries and letters home. Long Story is a testament to the human spirit and will leave you full of admiration for one man's bravery, humor, resilience, and grace.