Sketches of a Black Cat: Story of a Night Flying WWII Pilot and Artist

Miner uses the diary, drawings, and WWII memorabilia of his late father, Howard, to piece together an account of his father’s experiences as a WWII pilot in the Pacific Theater. He combines Howard’s writings with interviews with WWII veterans, crafting a loving tribute to the young men who fought in WWII. He begins with the Sunday brunch date when Howard heard President Roosevelt announce the attack on Pearl Harbor, moving through the hardships, terror, and tedium of fighting a war. Howard, a college student at the outbreak of war, enlisted with the Navy and became a pilot with the Black Cats squadron. The squadron primarily flew at night, scouting for Japanese ships and enemy positions or doing rescue missions. Miner mixes training and flight stories with observations on the importance to enlisted men of cigarettes, alcohol, movies, and mail from home. Reports of friends’ deaths and needless losses throughout the war are jarring for their regularity, but lighthearted moments arise in Howard’s confessed awe at his friends’ successes with women and his own ineptitude. Despite some awkward writing and a need for more extensive notes and definitions, Miner does his father and other WWII veterans proud. (BookLife)