The Cloudbuster Nine

Anne Keene's THE CLOUDBUSTER NINE is a fascinating and engaging story. Keene tells the tale of the naval aviation training program that took place in Chapel Hill, North Carolina (and four other sites) during World War II. On one level, the book provides a powerful and revealing look at some of the men of the Greatest Generation as they prepared to fight for America's freedom--men like George H. W. Bush and John Glenn. But the book is also a delightful and impressively researched story about some of the major league baseball players--Ted Williams and Johnny Pesky, for example--who trained as pilots and played ball for a team called the Cloudbuster Nine, a squad that played several exhibitions against other major leaguers (Babe Ruth appears in the book as another individual who contributed to the war effort in his own way). Finally, the book is a touching and emotional memoir that relates the experiences of Keene's father, the team's bat boy and later an aspiring minor league pitcher. The book is filled with memorable anecdotes and photographs. I would recommend it to any reader who enjoys World War II history or little-known facts about some of America's great heroes.

good book

this was an interesting book about WWII era naval pilot training and its interaction with college and professional sports. Will be very interesting to baseball buffs.

As a retired Marine Aviator, I thoroughly enjoyed and deeply appreciated “The Cloudbuster Nine". Ms Keene’s personal connections with many of that era and her thorough research opened insights into the Navy’s WWII V5 program I had never known. She bravely shares her family’s challenges while simultaneously and meticulously explaining the creation of the V5 program; the two are tightly woven together in this tale of citizens gearing up for war, military as well as home front families. Her description of the intenseness of the cadets' physical training is eye-opening. On top of the daily challenges and competitions as V5 Cadets, they played intense ballgames to raise funds for War Bonds and other charities; and, of course, they played to win against the other teams. This book is not a usual “inside baseball” account. Rather it gives a detailed story of young men who were determined to become Navy and Marine pilots: Naval Aviators. The memories of Ted Williams are particularly noteworthy, be they news clippings or anecdotal remembrances. Red Sox fans and Marines have a predisposed fondness for stories about him and his peers. This book contains a valuable history that was nearly lost forever. Ms Keene has blessed us with a treasure. I wholeheartedly recommend it.

My brother in law loves this book so far.