Crosses in the Sky chronicles the life of the late Charles William Henry Witcomb, a not-so-typical American B-17 pilot during World War II. Told in a series of flashbacks, this book takes a candid look at Witcomb’s entire life – his childhood, his adolescence and his adult years before, during and after the war. It is also the story of the metamorphosis of America from a pastoral, peaceful, neutral society into a complex and sophisticated military-industrial and technological one, evolving in the wake of World War II. More than a simple biography of nine men who served in the United States Army Air Force during World War II, Crosses in the Sky is the true story of a spiritual vision during the din of battle, a near-mutiny by a crew that was thwarted in an unlikely way, and an analytical glimpse at some of the root causes and effects of mental illness among combat veterans in our pluralistic society. It is a testament to virtues of preparedness through discipline and training. Paul D. Bagley is a retired emergency telecommunicator and police officer. He has spent 10 years researching and crafting Witcomb’s story. Paul resides in New Hampshire and is currently working on his fourth book.
