A hell-bent-for-leather fighter pilot, Elwyn G. Righetti remains one of the most unknown, yet compelling, colorful and controversial commanders of World War II.Arriving late to the war, he led the England-based 55th Fighter Group against the Nazis during the closing months of the fight with a no-holds-barred aggressiveness that transformed the group from a middling organization into a headline-grabbing team that had to make excuses to no one. Indeed, Righetti''s boldness paid off as he quickly achieved ace status and additionally scored more strafing victories--27--than any other Eighth Air Force pilot.However, success came at a high cost in men and machines. Some of Righetti''s pilots resented him as a Johnny-come-lately intent on winning a sack of medals at their expense. But most lauded their spirited new commander and his sledgehammer audacity. Indeed, he made his men most famous for "loco busting," as they put more than six hundred enemy locomotives out of commission--170 in just two days! Ultimately, Righetti''s calculated recklessness ran full speed into the odds. His aircraft was hit while strafing an enemy airfield only four days before the 55th flew its last mission. Almost farcically aggressive to the end, he coaxed his crippled fighter through one more firing pass before making a successful crash landing. Immediately, he radioed his men that he was fine and asked that they reassure his family. Righetti was never heard from again.Vanished Hero tells the story of this remarkable man and the air war that he and his comrades fought, while examining his possible fate.REVIEWS "Honoring a commitment to a dying researcher, aviation historian Jay Stout picked up all the loose ends regarding the mysterious disappearance of the hard-driving Lieutenant Colonel Elwyn Righetti and fashioned a superb, edge-of-the-seat account of Righetti''s stellar combat career during the final months of the air war against Germany. This book is filled with the kind of attention to detail that we''ve come to expect from Jay Stout." --Eric Hammel, Military History Author Former fighter pilot Jay A. Stout continues to prove why he is one of the leading military aviation historians with his latest effort, Vanished Hero. He blends his storytelling talents with meticulous research of both family and military archives to reconstruct the moving true story of one of America''s lesser remembered fighter aces. The saga of aggressive fighter commander Elwyn Righetti is presented with a superb blend of details of both the big picture in Europe during the closing stages of World War II and insightful facts on the aircraft, tactics, and strategies employed by both Germany and America.--Stephen L. Moore, author of As Good as Dead: The True WWII Story of Eleven American POWs Who Escaped from Palawan IslandAs a fellow historian and author on World War II aviation subjects, who has conducted hundreds of interviews with combat pilots, I was quite pleased with Jay Stout''s latest release. His attention to detail regarding aircraft, missions, historical accuracy, background and human interaction does not hinder the flow or the quality of this excellent, well proportioned and well-balanced biography of a remarkable yet almost unknown American fighter pilot, P-51 Mustang ace Lt Col Elwyn Guido Righetti. Add this to your collection of great books, and provide it a prominent place in your library. --Colin Heaton, Co-Author of The Star of Africa: The Story of Hans Marseille, the Rogue Luftwaffe Ace who Dominated the WW II Military historian Jay Stout has given us a rare gift: a look inside the heart and mind of a lost warrior from the Greatest Generation. In intimate detail, Vanished Hero explores the life and legacy of Col. Elwyn Righetti, who blazed a brief and valorous trail through the skies of wartime Europe. Vanished Hero is a welcome addition to the pantheon of America''s WWII literature. --Robert Gandt, author of The Twilight Warriors, Intrepid, and Angels in the Sky