Dave Dawson with the Flying Tigers

"Dave Dawson with the Flying Tigers" by Robert Sidney Bowen is a historical adventure novel written in the early 1940s. The story follows the escapades of two airmen, Dave Dawson and his friend Freddy Farmer, as they navigate through the challenges of World War II and their journey back to the United States. The novel begins with their leave in London and introduces themes of friendship, bravery, and the realities faced by soldiers during the war. At the start of the narrative, Dave and Freddy are enjoying a meal at the Hotel Savoy while discussing their upcoming leave in the United States. Their light-hearted banter is abruptly interrupted when a mysterious Chinese gentleman, Soo Wong Kai, generously offers them a meal using his ration coupons, highlighting the sacrifices made during the war. This seemingly trivial encounter sets the stage for a thrilling sequence of events, as the protagonists later receive a crucial, secretive letter addressed to the U.S. Secretary of State, Cordell Hull. As they embark on their flight to deliver this letter, they find themselves in peril when their aircraft is shot down by a German U-boat, thrusting them into a high-stakes adventure that intertwines with wartime intrigue.