The stories of the World War II Army members who were stationed on the ground in England For every bomber with 10 crew members, it took 30 more people on the ground to get it into and keep it in the air, and that was just engineering and ground crew. A multitude of other support staff were required to run every base, meaning around 70% of U.S. Army Air Force service personnel were based on the ground. Where combat crews would finish missions and return home quickly, ground crews were there for the long haul. Malcolm Holland has compiled interviews with as many of them as possible, and this book reveals both their stories as well as an insight into a working bomber base. As their stories show, it was these workers who formed the strongest links with the British people. They talk about their work, ranging from recording the weather, servicing the transport, guarding the base, cooking the meals, administering to the spiritual needs of the men, and even dealing with colleagues' remains after unsuccessful missions.