Charles Hautau
As many great authors have chronicled, 1943 was a pivotal year for the Allies in their efforts to defeat the Axis powers. The Battles of the Coral Sea and Midway had given the arsenal of democracy some breathing room in 1942 and for the US Navy, the commissioning of the USS ESSEX, the introduction of new aircraft (of note, the Hellcat) and other technologies along with a steady stream of pilots and maintainers began to flow in an ever-growing torrent that would eventually overwhelm Imperial Japan. VF-20’s establishment in October 1943, its integration into Air Group Twenty and eventual involvement while embarked in USS ENTERPRISE (CV-6) and USS LEXINGTON (CV-16) in operations off Formosa, Peleliu, the Battle of Leyte Gulf, South China Sea, Indochina and Hong Kong were historic. Jokers Coming Through is an exciting book that chronicles to the reader the evolution of the material and men that comprised a renowned Hellcat squadron, their time under fire and their life’s aftermath. Integrating a swath of pilots with varying levels of experience, the 'Jokers' rapidly earned the respect throughout the Fleet by ruthlessly executing their missions, whether it be strike-escort, fighter combat air patrol, night combat, bombing and strafing, rescue escort or search and destroy. Through extensive research, it tells the story of a group of young men who daily displayed astounding courage under fire. Their exploits were key to the relentless conquest of Japan’s inner barrier island chain, teeing up the eventual air assault on the Imperial Japanese home islands leading to the Empire’s capitulation later in 1945.
