Bazooka Charlie : The Unbelievable Story of Major Charles Carpenter and Rosie the Rocketer

By James P. Busha and Carol (Carpenter) Apacki

Now Available

In the annals of the Second World War, a resounding figure emerged, etching his legacy through audacious feats and indomitable spirit. Major Charles Carpenter, a name forever intertwined with valor and innovation, garnered international attention for his ingenious adaptation of six bazookas onto his modest Piper L-4 observation aircraft. The exploits of this remarkable figure, affectionately dubbed "Bazooka Charlie," and his airborne companion "Rosie the Rocketer," resonated across military and civilian spheres, securing their place in history's annals, notably enshrined within the pages of the venerable Stars & Stripes publication.

The major was a high school educator in the civilian world, teaching history and coaching football. Carpenter was talented, highly intelligent, and athletically gifted, but the war truly tested him. In 1945, the dashing pilot was forced out of the cockpit and into a hospital bed by Hodgkin’s lymphoma, which was discovered in his neck. In addition to the enemy and terminal cancer, Carpenter also battled cynicism and guilt, particularly in regard to the state of his marriage, which was on the brink of failure by the time he returned home from Europe. Charles Carpenter died in 1966, having resumed his career, salvaged his marriage, and long outlived the timeline afforded him by his doctors in the initial prognosis.

This revealing biography of the famous pilot was made possible through the collaboration of noted aviation author and magazine editor Jim Busha, and Carpenter’s daughter, Carol Apacki. Along with memories of her father in his postwar years, Carol provided a treasure trove of wartime correspondence between Charles and his wife, Elda Carpenter.

Size: 6.0in x 9.0in | Pages: 288 | 55 b/w photos

Binding: Hardback

ISBN: 9780764366369

PRICE: $29.99

Quantity:

guaranteed checkout

Jim Busha has been writing historical aviation stories and books for over 20 years. A pilot for over 33 years, Jim currently flies a 1943 Stinson L-5 liaison aircraft. Jim is also the editor in chief of EAA Sport Aviation, Warbirds, and Vintage magazines.

Carol Apacki is the only child of Charles and Elda Carpenter. Through her own childhood memories, as well as the boxes of letters, newspaper clippings, and photographs that her mom saved through the years, Carol provided the author, Jim Busha, with a rich stash of stories and resources about her father’s war exploits and her parent’s relationship during World War II. She and her husband, Ken, now retired, are also proud parents of five children and 13 grandchildren and reside in Granville, Ohio.