The True Story of Catch-22 : The Real Men and Missions of Joseph Heller's 340th Bomb Group in World War II

The real-life companion to the literary classic—written and illustrated by the daughter of the 340th Bomb Group’s commander, Catch-22’s Col. Cathcart. After the publication of his bestselling novel Catch-22, Joseph Heller usually chose to deny that any of his richly drawn characters were based on his actual war mates. However, to those who served with Heller in the 340th Bomb Group, the novel’s characters were indeed recognizable—the hard-drinking, vengeful, and disillusioned Chief White Halfoat; young, sliced-in-half Kid Sampson; shrieking, frenzied Hungry Joe; Col. Cathcart; Gen. Dreedle; Yossarian; and that capitalist supreme, Milo Minderbinder. In this book, written and colorfully illustrated by the daughter of the 340th Bomb Group’s commander, Col. Willis Chapman, we finally encounter the real men and combat missions on which the novel was based. While Heller’s fully developed characters stand solely, solidly, and uniquely on their own merits, The True Story of Catch-22 proves that any resemblance to persons living or dead is, in fact, actual. This three-part book blends fact, fancy, and history with full-blown original illustrations and rare, previously unpublished photos of these daring USAAF flyers and their Corsica-based B-25 Mitchell. Along with descriptions of the 340th’s real wartime experiences, the work includes twelve men of the Bomb Group relating richly told tales of their own. “In these pages it is a great pleasure to finally see the real story behind the fictionalized account, and to be even more impressed.” —Scott Carpenter, NASA astronaut “Heller’s satiric caricatures are here shown to have stemmed from patriotic, courageous, highly decorated airmen who daily performed heroic wartime feats against overwhelming obstacles.” —Library Journal After the publication of his bestselling novel Catch-22, Joseph Heller usually chose to deny that any of his richly drawn characters were based on his actual war mates. However, to those who served with Heller in the 340th Bomb Group the novel's characters were indeed recognizable - the hard-drinking, vengeful, and disillusioned Chief White Half Oat, young, sliced-in-half Kid Sampson, shrieking, frenzied Hungry Joe, Colonel Cathcart, General Dreedle, Yossarian and that capitalist supreme, Milo Minderbinder. In this book, written and colorfully illustrated by the daughter of the 340th Bomb Group's commander, Colonel Willis Chapman, we finally encounter the real men and combat missions on which the novel was based. While Heller's fully developed characters stand solely, solidly and uniquely on their own merits, 'The True Story of Catch-22' proves that any resemblance to persons living or dead is, in fact, actual. This three-part book blends fact, fancy, and history with full-blown original illustrations and rare, previously unpublished photos of these daring USAAF flyers and their Corsican-based B-25 Mitchell medium bombers. Along with descriptions of the 340th's real wartime events, the work includes twelve men of the Bomb Group relating twelve richly told tales of their own. Now all of the men upon whom Heller based his characters are gone. However, the last survivor, George L. Wells, was an extraordinary combat pilot who tied the record for the number of bombing missions flown in WWII with 102. George, the model for Catch-22's Capt. Wren, is the common thread who weaves through this book, allowing the reader to truly feel the war and even thumb through George's well-worn mission book describing attacks on Axis ports, ships, bridges, and the notorious Brenner Pass. In this book the reader will discover that truth is indeed as fascinating as fiction! Author Patricia Chapman Meder has been a professional artist in both fine and commercial art for the past 35 years, 13 of them in Europe. When Catch-22 was published it was quickly apparent that this book was based on the Bomb Group her father commanded in World War II. This true-life parallel book thus begged to be written. Pat Meder has also written a full-color companion work to "The True Story of Catch-22," containing her delightful original artwork and caricatures of the individuals, "The True Story of Catch-22 Illustrated." REVIEWS --- Heller's satiric caricatures are here shown to have stemmed from patriotic, courageous, highly decorated airmen who daily performed heroic wartime feats against overwhelming obstacles. The log of George Wells (Captain Wren in Catch-22), who flew a record 102 missions in his B-25, is included in an appendix. Library Journal..".uses rare and unpublished photos to bring our actual heroes to life through use of first person narrative...Fans of Catch-22 will enjoy the book. It makes good use of diaries, logs, and photos to bring the people to life." "For those unfamiliar with Catch-22 the book will make you curious enough to pickup Heller's book..." Irish Defence Forces Veterans Association Intro -- Title Page -- Copyright -- Contents -- Dedication -- Foreword -- INTRODUCTION -- "IF YOU WERE TO ASK ME . . ." -- PART I: GEORGE, JOSEPH HELLER , AND "THE BEST DAMNED BOMB GROUP THERE IS" -- CHAPTER 1: GEORGE : UNWITTING ANCESTOR OF CAPTAIN WREN -- AFTER THE WAR -- CHAPTER 2: JOE : WHo SHARES THE SAME DNA AS YOSSARIAN -- AFTER THE WAR -- CHAPTER 3: THE MISSION : THE COMMON DENOMINATOR -- CHAPTER 4: BILL SOLID COLONEL CATHCART SPLINTERED -- NOVEMBER 13, 1944 -- CYCLONE STRIKES TWICE -- LUCK CHANGES AT LAST -- SELECTED TEXT FROM GEORGE'S SPEECH -- AFTER THE WAR CHAPTER 5: BOB : FROM NEIGHBORS ORVILLE AND WILBUR, To CATCH-22 's GENERAL DREEDLE -- AFTER THE WAR -- CHAPTER 6: GEORGE , AGAIN -- PART II: MEET THE HEROES -- WATCH HOW LIFE SEEDS ART -- PART III: THE 340TH BOMB GROUP SPEAKS: TWELVE TRUE TALES -- CHAPTER 7: TALE #1 PAUL GALE SPEAKS: 489TH NAVIGATOR VESUVIUS SPEAKS -- WE LISTEN -- CHAPTER 8: TALE #2 WARD LAITEN SPEAKS: 487TH CREW CHIEF I AM 7-K THE EARLY BIRD -- CHAPTER 9: TALE #3 HERB BARCLAY SPEAKS: 488TH RADIO GUNNER CHAFF OVER THE TARGET -- CHAPTER 10: TALE #4 FRANK B. DEAN SPEAKS: 380TH GROUND CREW WE LOSE THE QUESTION MARK -- TARGET SARDINIA ESCORT P-38S -- ACCURATE FLAK -- CHAPTER 11: TALE #5 R.M. JOHNSTON SPEAKS: 488TH PILOT SHORT SNORTER -- CHAPTER 12: TALE #6 BERYL GRAUBAUGH SPEAKS: 340TH PILOT DOC FIGURES IN ONE OF MY FAVORITE WAR STORIES -- CHAPTER 13: TALE #7 BEN KANOWSKY SPEAKS: 488TH PILOT AND MESS OFFICER CHARLIE -- CHAPTER 14: TALE #8 HAL LYNCH SPEAKS: 489TH BOMBARDIER THE BRIDGE AT PARMA -- CHAPTER 15: TALE #9 JOHN RAPP SPEAKS: 488TH & 487TH NAVIGATOR PETRIFIED WITH FEAR -- CHAPTER 16: TALE #10 DAVID MERSHON SPEAKS: 487TH THE SAGA OF 7-F WILLIE CHAPTER 17: TALE #11 FRANK B. DEAN SPEAKS: 380TH GROUND CREW A LADY LEAVES THE 310TH -- CHAPTER 18: TALE #12 OLEN BERRY SPEAKS: 489TH GROUND CREW BRIEFING TIME (9-D) -- INTERESTING FACTS SOME COLORFUL MEMBERS OF THE 57TH BOMB WING -- DONALD K. (DEKE) SLAYTON: WORLD WAR II PILOT -- AFTER THE WAR: DEKE SLAYTON, NASA ASTRONAUT -- DITA BEARD: WORLD WAR II RED CROSS GIRL -- AFTER THE WAR: DITA DAVIS BEARD, ITT LOBBYIST -- LIEUTENANT JACK JOSEPH VALENTI: WORLD WAR II PILOT WITH THE 321ST -- AFTER THE WAR: JACK VALENTI, LONGTIME PRESIDENT OF THE MOTION PICTURE ASSOCIATION OF AMERICA NICHOLAS KATZENBACH: NAVIGATOR WITH 486TH BOMB SQUADRON OF THE 340TH IN NORTH AFRICA AND ITALY. -- AFTER THE WAR: NICHOLAS KATZENBACH, ATTORNEY GENERAL UNDER PRESIDENT LYNDON B. JOHNSON -- LIEUTENANT JOSEPH HELLER: WORLD WAR II WING BOMBARDIER -- AFTER THE WAR: JOSEPH HELLER, SATIRICAL NOVELIST, SHORT STORY WRITER AND PLAYWRIGHT -- DALE ARDEN: 488TH SQUADRON INSIGNIA -- AFTER THE WAR: THIS DALE ARDEN SQUADRON INSIGNIA RESIDES IN GEORGE'S CLOSET. -- AFTERWORD AUTHOR -- APPENDIX A: GEORGE's MISSION BOOK -- DISTINGUISHED FLYING CROSS -- DISTINGUISHED FLYING CROSS The real-life companion to the literary classic—written and illustrated by the daughter of the 340th Bomb Group’s commander, Catch-22 ’s Col. Cathcart. After the publication of his bestselling novel Catch-22 , Joseph Heller usually chose to deny that any of his richly drawn characters were based on his actual war mates. However, to those who served with Heller in the 340th Bomb Group, the novel’s characters were indeed recognizable—the hard-drinking, vengeful, and disillusioned Chief White Halfoat; young, sliced-in-half Kid Sampson; shrieking, frenzied Hungry Joe; Col. Cathcart; Gen. Dreedle; Yossarian; and that capitalist supreme, Milo Minderbinder. In this book, written and colorfully illustrated by the daughter of the 340th Bomb Group’s commander, Col. Willis Chapman, we finally encounter the real men and combat missions on which the novel was based. While Heller’s fully developed characters stand solely, solidly, and uniquely on their own merits, The True Story of Catch-22 proves that any resemblance to persons living or dead is, in fact, actual. This three-part book blends fact, fancy, and history with full-blown original illustrations and rare, previously unpublished photos of these daring USAAF flyers and their Corsica-based B-25 Mitchell. Along with descriptions of the 340th’s real wartime experiences, the work includes twelve men of the Bomb Group relating richly told tales of their own. “In these pages it is a great pleasure to finally see the real story behind the fictionalized account, and to be even more impressed.” —Scott Carpenter, NASA astronaut “Heller’s satiric caricatures are here shown to have stemmed from patriotic, courageous, highly decorated airmen who daily performed heroic wartime feats against overwhelming obstacles.” — Library Journal The story of the real men and combat missions that formed the basis for Joseph Heller's bestselling novel Catch-22.;Intro -- Title Page -- Copyright -- Contents -- Dedication -- Foreword -- INTRODUCTION -- "IF YOU WERE TO ASK ME . . ." -- PART I: GEORGE, JOSEPH HELLER , AND "THE BEST DAMNED BOMB GROUP THERE IS" -- CHAPTER 1: GEORGE : UNWITTING ANCESTOR OF CAPTAIN WREN -- AFTER THE WAR -- CHAPTER 2: JOE : WHo SHARES THE SAME DNA AS YOSSARIAN -- AFTER THE WAR -- CHAPTER 3: THE MISSION : THE COMMON DENOMINATOR -- CHAPTER 4: BILL SOLID COLONEL CATHCART SPLINTERED -- NOVEMBER 13, 1944 -- CYCLONE STRIKES TWICE -- LUCK CHANGES AT LAST -- SELECTED TEXT FROM GEORGE'S SPEECH -- AFTER THE WAR The Story Of The Real Men And Combat Missions That Formed The Basis For Joseph Heller's Bestselling Novel Catch-22. Foreword / By Scott Carpenter -- Introduction -- George, Joseph Heller, And The Best Damned Bomb Group There Is -- Meet The Heroes -- The 340th Bomb Group Speaks: Twelve True Tales. Patricia Chapman Meder. Includes Bibliographical References (p. 237-239).