HELLER, Joseph.

Inquire · Offered by Peter Harrington

Typescript commission. The commission appointing Heller a temporary second lieutenant in the United States Army Air Forces: a striking memento of the novelist's wartime service, which directly inspired Catch-22.Heller enlisted in 1942, aged 19. After two years training as a bombardier, he was shipped off to Corsica in May 1944. From there, he flew bombing missions over France and Italy aboard a B-25, the same aircraft flown by Catch-22's protagonist John Yossarian. Heller later admitted he was initially naive about the reality of war. "I was so brainwashed by Hollywood's image of heroism that I was disappointed when nobody shot back at us." Then, on his 37th mission, his plane was hit by flak, wounding a gunner, and he saw planes flown by his friends destroyed. "People go to fight wars because they don't understand the seriousness of what they're doing. When I finally did, I wanted out." Heller flew 60 missions before he was discharged in 1945.This commission, signed by Lt.-Col. J. E. McCord, has been taped together by Heller with copies of four personnel orders, and a blank sheet inscribed by him on his last day of service: "Finally, after 18 months and 11 days".

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