Hump Drivers: An American Pilot's Account of Flying over the Himalayas during WWII

Arthur La Vove was a transport pilot in the WWII Burma theater. He was born in 1909 and flew commercial airliners for Century Airways and United in the 1930s. He volunteered for the Army Air Force and was a "Hump Pilot" ferrying men and material over the Himalayan Mountains. His account of the war is articulate in its prose and dark in tone, and he clearly felt the sacrifices were made in vain. Each chapter begins with an original sketch by the author.

Format: Hardback
Length: 192 pages
Publication date: 28 May 2021
Publisher: Schiffer Publishing Ltd

Arthur La Vove, born in 1909 in Manhattan, was the son of a French military attaché. He began his career as a commercial airline pilot for Century Airways and United in the 1930s. When Pearl Harbor was attacked in 1941, he volunteered for the Army Air Force and served in the China-Burma-India theater of operations with Air Transport Command. La Vove was a "Hump Pilot," responsible for transporting men and material over the Himalayan Mountains, supporting American, Commonwealth, and Chinese Nationalist forces against the Japanese in South Asia. The aircraft of the day were not well-suited to the extreme environment, and many aircraft and their crews failed to make it over the Hump.

Despite the dangers, La Vove survived the war and went on to study journalism at Columbia University. He lived a long and prosperous life, excelling in various pursuits, including writing, flying, and car racing. Arthur's account of the Second World War is exceptionally articulate in its prose, with a dark tone that ranges from visceral descriptions of violence to biting irony and bitter humor. Like most WWII combat veterans, Arthur and his friends suffered numerous depredations during their time in theater, and some never returned home.

What sets Arthur's writing apart, particularly for an American, is his clear belief that these sacrifices were made in vain. Each chapter begins with an original sketch by the author, drawn in-theater, which adds an eloquence and authenticity to the narrative. La Vove's writing is a powerful testament to the bravery and resilience of those who served in the Second World War, and his unique perspective as an American who witnessed the horrors of war firsthand is invaluable.

Weight: 630g
Dimension: 163 x 238 x 27 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9780764361661