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Earthquake McGoon: A Memoir of The "Forgotten War" in South East Asia

by W A Cosway

142 pages; quality trade paperback (softcover); catalogue #06-0304; ISBN 1-4120-8548-9; US$17.35, C$19.95, EUR14.25, £9.98

A page-turning tale of a boy-to-man navigator in WWII in the Far East.

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About the Book

About the Author

Accolades

Excerpts

Catalogue Information

About the Book

Earthquake McGoon is the memoir of RCAF airman R214205, later Flying Officer J45098 William A. Cosway from his entry into the service as an 18-year-old on April 9, 1942, until his discharge in February of 1946, to begin a new life.

He volunteered for aircrew, trained as a navigator, flew a B24 Liberator to India where, attached to 355 Squadron and subsequently 159 PFF (Pathfinder) Squadron of the Royal Air Force in Bengal, he and his crew successfully completed 38 missions of all kinds in 'The Forgotten War' in South East Asia, eight more than the mandatory 30.

It gives a taste of what it was like to navigate a four-engine airplane halfway around the world using only dead reckoning and then to live in the unique conditions of an ancient, poorer and much different culture. Described is the special nature and experience of the war against the Japanese on very long, dangerous flights with his nine-man crew to poorly mapped far off places, without any electronic aids - particularly during the Monsoon season.

Forty pictures selected from among those taken throughout his wartime service, half of them taken by his talented navigator friend Wendell W. Watters, two illustrative drawings and a number of interesting anecdotes are included in the narrative.

The Epilogue, in two parts, provides details on fallen comrades now buried in a military cemetery in Rangoon Burma, together with brief synoptic information on the post-war life the author subsequently created.

References, Reproductions of the Squadron Crests and a Map of the South East Asia combat area complete the memoir.

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About the Author

W.A. (Bill) Cosway went to work for the telephone company in Toronto in October 1940 at age 16, volunteered for service with the RCAF on his 18th birthday in April 1942 and trained as a navigator destined for service against the Japanese in South East Asia. In a brand new B24 Liberator he flew his crew from Montreal to India and stationed in Bengal they completed 38 missions throughout Burma, Siam Malaysia and French Indo-China while serving with 355 and 159 (Pathfinder) Royal Air Force (RAF) Squadrons.

Returning unharmed in 1946, over the next five years he completed his high school education and gained a Bachelor of Applied Science (BASc) degree with honors from the University of Toronto in 1951. Returning to Bell Telephone Company of Canada he served in management positions in a number of departments and retired in 1989 after a career that spanned more than 49 years. He then became general manager of The Radio Advisory Board of Canada for four years and finally retired in 1993.

Located in Ottawa, Ontario, the nation's capital, Bill has always loved the world of words!

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Accolades

Got your book, Bill. I laughed. I cried. Thank you, thank you! We'll carry it all forward and make sure that all of you who served, along with your experiences, are not forgotten.

Susan Robertson
Whaletown, Cortes Island
British Columbia

Bill Cosway's book "Earthquake McGoon" is a fascinating account of 'The Forgotten War' in the Far East. Both of us navigators, I was at the same time in Bomber Command over Europe but there was some difference in our jobs - we had electronic aids, some good maps and known landscape for pinpointing while he had mainly dead reckoning and the stars over the jungle and water! It's a great read, and I'm glad I fought on the other side of the world.

T. O. (Ogy) Carss (ex F/L)
426 Squadron - The 'Thunderbirds'
Ottawa, Ontario

A heartwarming, well told, story of a young man, starting to work at 16, volunteering to serve his country at 18 then in doing so as an air force navigator under the harsh conditions found in South East Asia. "Goodonya mate", for a riveting read I just had to finish at a single sitting.

Lawrence R. Waller
St. Ives, New South Wales
Australia

I read the book from cover-to-cover without putting it away. The realism of a life-threatening experience was convincingly expressed; you could sense the camaraderie of the crews as they found themselves in battle for their country and their lives.

G. H. (George) McGill
Ottawa, Ontario

"Bill, book arrived OK and I'm already up to the half-way mark. In a word, 'terrific', a spot-on account and general language and atmosphere no doubt familiar to anyone who served in our WW II forces. What courage you young airmen had, particularly in that theatre of war. Can't tell how much I am enjoying this read!"

Ken Robertson
Retired Newspaper and Magazine Editor, Writer
Windcharm
Victoria Harbor, Ontario, Canada

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Excerpts

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Catalogue Information

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