The Spray and Pray Squadron: 3rd Bomb Squadron, 1st Bomb Group, Chinese-American Composite Wing in World War II Hardcover – April 28, 2024

This is a high-quality book, in both content and construction. The author has exhaustively researched the material. Most of the time, when a B-25 takes off on a mission, you will know the names of the entire crew and specific bomb loadout. Some interesting things, to me anyway, include how airsick crewmembers got on strafing missions, how even in late 1944 so many U.S. airfields were taken by Japanese forces, the anti-searchlight missions (kind of a precursor to Vietnam’s Wild Weasel missions), and how prescribed pharmaceuticals were used to keep U.S. aircrews sharp. One interesting vignette was when the commander of a U.S. only Wing tried to test the CACW pilots. The book itself is praiseworthy as well, it is one I am proud to own and has earned itself a permanent place in my library. The hardcover is robust. The binding is high quality with thread used in addition to glue. The paper used is very heavy and sturdy. If you plan to do most of your reading in bed, you might want to consider the Kindle edition. This book is literally heavy reading.

Margaret Kincannon shares the untold story of the 3rd Bomb Squadron, 1st Bomb Group Chinese-American Composite Wings combat over China-Burma Theater in World War II. She provides riveting details and photographs of the pilots and support crew that flew the vital missions that helped secure the Allies victory over Japan. My uncle was one of those pilots and I am forever grateful that Kincannon took up this task to preserve an important part of World War II history and keep the memory of those who gave their ultimate sacrifice alive for generations to come. Her extensive research has helped fill in the many gaps we had in the story of our uncle and his death as a pilot and member of the Spray and Pray Squad in 1945. His story will not be forgotten. Grab this well researched book and learn more about a little known and not often told story.

I remember years ago when Margaret started researching for this book. My father was part of this squadron and that was how we got in contact. We kept in touch periodically because I was interested in her topic but also because I was intrigued by her drive to do this book. I ordered it and Gan reading. The book is hefty in weight, information, and interest. The research that went into this book encompasses vast amounts of material: books, articles, first-person accounts, letters, photos, and memories of the children and grandchildren of this unit.I was surprised at how engaging and easy to read this book is. It is a “tome” yet is so interesting and Margaret writes so well that I never felt like quitting.An important and little-known piece of history… as an aside Margaret let me see my father for the person he was as he died when I was very young and had had little contact with him.

It is amazing how much research the author did to write this book. Yes it is heavy but full of the funny, sad and touching times these guys lived through. My father was in this war (his picture is in the book). I'm so proud all these soldiers finally get recognized and remembered for being for being patriots. This part of our history and what it took to keep our America safe should be told again. Thank you, Margaret Kincannon!I meant to add.....this would be a wonderful gift to someone on Memorial Day. It is a treasure especially if you had a relative serving our country during this war.

I really like the content (family!) but this is the absolute heaviest book I have ever had. The paper is very heavy grade glossy - totally unnecessary. Would have been better to use an archival quality non-acidic medium if they wanted to upgrade. The book is a brick!

Books about the Chinese-American Composite Wing (CACW) are precious few—a rarely covered unit in an oft-overlooked corner of World War II. The wing’s importance in the history of American airpower is undeniable, though, representing an early attempt to build an allied air force in combat conditions. Rather than training, advising, and assisting a Chinese unit, the Americans served in the CACW shoulder-to-shoulder with their Chinese comrades, flying and fighting together and mentoring the Chinese airmen to develop their leadership and airmanship in the crucible of combat. The CACW fielded one medium bomb group and two fighter groups and proved so successful that those units persist today in the ROCAF in Taiwan. “The Spray and Pray Squadron” is about one of the four bomber squadrons in the medium bomb group. Margaret Mills Kincannon did an absolutely incredible job collecting every scrap of information on the squadron and collecting tons of photos. Her book is comprehensive and provides intimate detail of a multinational unit at war, detailing combat, but also their day-to-day life and struggles with culture, language barrier, and poor living conditions at the end of the war’s longest supply line. No other squadron in the CACW has received this kind of treatment. If you want to understand the CACW, modern security cooperation, or America’s relationship with the Republic of China, pick up “The Spray and Pray Squadron.”

With “The Spray and Pray Squadron,” author Margaret Mills Kincannon has produced one of the most thoroughly researched and highly detailed unit histories of a single air squadron ever published. It’s all here, from the challenges presented by the complex organization of the Chinese-American Composite Wing and the miserable living conditions on remote airbases in India and China to detailed accounts of every mission flown by the squadron during its 15 months in combat during World War II. Personal stories of many members of the squadron add color to the account, as do the numerous photos that accompany the text. As the daughter of a “Spray and Pray Squadron” veteran, Margaret has done her father’s memory proud by writing this terrific book.