The German Aces Speak

committed, the folly and evil of which so many of them came to recognize before it was will find merits aplenty in these old soldiers of the sky." Brig. Gen. Robin Olds, United States Air Force, retired. As a fighter pilot in two wars, I suppose I have the unique distinction in the minds of many of being one of the first combat pilots to fly fighters from the piston engine to the jet age. However, this would be untrue. It was the German pilots of the Luftwaffe who broke that barrier. I have had the pleasure of knowing a few German pilots from World War II, most notably the late Adolf Galland, a man I respected and admired for many reasons. Galland and a handful of selected young Germans took to the skies to serve their nation, not a political agenda. Most of these men were never involved in politics, and none that I knew even supported the political ideology of their nation or its leadership. That being said, I think that the time has come to place these men, as one must place all warriors, into the proper perspective. They were men serving their nation and doing their job. Nothing less. What I did experience firsthand was the caliber of these pilots. You had to be sharp and on your game, or you would be killed. Colin Heaton's expert interviewing methods have brought these stories and these men back to life. The hardships they endured as pilots I can readily comprehend, as those are universal. However, what is beyond my experience, thank God, was their struggle against their own leadership at the same time they were fighting a war of national survival. Colin has become great friends with many of us over the years, and his focus upon even the smallest detail comes through. However, what is perhaps the most important factor is that his works, in particular this book, illustrate the humanity and chivalry felt by my enemies toward their opponents, something that sometimes gets lost in the post-war rhetoric. This book is truly a testament to good men doing a tough job. Even though they were my enemies, I can still call them my brothers. I hold no ill will against the Germans I fought, just the opposite. I admired their skill and feared their effectiveness, and after the war, I enjoyed their company. I hope that the rest of the world can also allow these pilots, these men, to be accepted as national heroes in their own country. They should be proud of their dedication to Germany. I am proud to have fought against such worthy adversaries who were good men. Oberleutnant Kurt Schulze 3rd Fliegerkorps XI 1st Gruppe Kampfgeschwader II 3rd Gruppe Jagdgeschwader The German Aces Speak is again one of Colin Heaton's factual and revealing books. It brings me back to my time in service with the Luftwaffe from 1939 to 1945, and then to the many hours of pleasurable discussion I often had with the late Generalleutnant Adolf Galland after the war. Galland was an outstanding officer and gentleman, and a friend. Galland and the others mentioned in Colin's new book served their country with everything they had, and in very hard times, and often with very little assistance or understanding from Reichsmarschall Hermann Wilhelm Göring, who commanded the Luftwaffe and was second in command only to Adolf Hitler. In World War I, Göring was the last commander of the legendary Richthofen squadron, and he received the highest decoration, the Pour le Merite. However, in World War II, he made many mistakes, costing many German lives. Colin Heaton gives the listeners a chance to look behind the still prevailing opinions in Germany against the German soldiers, honorable men who served their nation during World War II, even though our fortunes had changed. They were men of conscience, feeling, courage, morals, and honor. After Stalingrad, we fought a losing battle.