About this item
A remarkable collection of accounts of intrepid American aircrew shot down over enemy lines during World War II and how they got away. . To be an airman in the Eighth Air Force flying over the war-torn skies of Europe required skill, tenacity, and luck. Those who were shot down and evaded capture needed all of that and more if they were to make it back to friendly lines. These are their stories. Each is compiled from the original intelligence debrief written by the pilots or aircrew themselves.. Bill Yenne details how a spider web of escape routes sprang up, created by the local Résistance. Downed airmen were clothed, given false papers, and hidden so they could be smuggled back to England. These efforts were then supplemented by Allied intelligence agents.
About the Author
Bill Yenne is the author of more than three dozen books on historical topics, as well as several novels. He has contributed to encyclopedias of both world wars, and has been featured in several documentaries which have aired on the History Channel, the National Geographic Channel, the Smithsonian Channel and ARD German Television. The "Wall Street Journal" notes that Yenne writes "with a cinematic vividness."General Wesley Clark, US Army (Ret) , former Supreme Allied Commander in Europe, called Yenne's recent biography of Alexander the Great, the "best yet." Of his biography of Julius Caesar, Philip Delves Broughton wrote in the "Wall Street Journal" that "Yenne is excellent at describing Caesar in battle, mingling tactics and strategy with the smells and sounds of war." The New Yorker wrote of Sitting Bull, Yenne's biography of the great Lakota leader, that it "excels as a study in leadership." This book was named to the number 14 spot in Amazon's "100 Best Books of the Year" when it was released.Meanwhile, Yenne's dual biography of Dick Bong and Tommy McGuire, Aces High: The Heroic Story of the Two Top-Scoring American Aces of World War II was described by pilot and best-selling author Dan Roam as "the greatest flying story of all time." Yenne has also written extensively about the history of beer and brewing. His "Guinness: The 250 Year Quest for the Perfect Pint," was listed among the top business books of the year by "Condé Nast Portfolio Magazine," while the same publication rated the book as its top pick for "Cocktail Conversation." Yenne's novels have included the "Bladen Cole" Westerns; an alternate history about General George Patton entitled "A Damned Fine War;" and the "Raptor Force" trilogy, an action-adventure series.Bill Yenne lives in San Francisco, California, and on the web at www.BillYenne.com
