Synopses & Reviews
Stephen E. Ambrose is the acknowledged dean of the historians of World War II in Europe. The very young men who flew the B-24s over Germany in World War II against terrible odds were an exceptional band of brothers, and, in andlt;Iandgt;The Wild Blue,andlt;/Iandgt; Ambrose recounts their unique brand of heroism, skill, daring, and comradeship with vivid detail and affection. andlt;BRandgt; Ambrose describes how the Army Air Forces recruited, trained, and then chose those few who would undertake the most de-manding and dangerous jobs in the war. These are the boys -- turned pilots, bombardiers, navigators, and gunners of the B-24s -- who suffered over 50 percent casualties. andlt;BRandgt; With his remarkable gift for bringing alive the action and tension of combat, Ambrose carries us along in the crowded, uncomfortable, and dangerous B-24s as their crews fought to the death through thick black smoke and deadly flak to reach their targets and destroy the German war machine. Many went down in flames.
Review
Wall Street Journal Mr Ambrose's storytelling ability is unparalleled
Review
USA Today A brilliant new book
Review
New York Times Book Review Ambrose is a superb historian
Synopsis
Stephen E. Ambrose, acclaimed author of Band of Brothers and Undaunted Courage, carries us along in the crowded and dangerous B-24s as their crews fought to destroy the German war machine during World War II. The young men who flew the B-24s over Germany in World War II fought against horrific odds, and, in The Wild Blue, Ambrose recounts their extraordinary heroism, skill, daring, and comradeship with vivid detail and affection.
Ambrose describes how the Army Air Forces recruited, trained, and selected the elite few who would undertake the most demanding and dangerous jobs in the war. These are the boys--turned pilots, bombardiers, navigators, and gunners of the B-24s--who suffered over fifty percent casualties.
With his remarkable gift for bringing alive the action and tension of combat, Ambrose carries us along in the crowded, uncomfortable, and dangerous B-24s as their crews fought to the death through thick black smoke and deadly flak to reach their targets and destroy the German war machine. Twenty-two-year-old George McGovern, who was to become a United States senator and a presidential candidate, flew thirty-five combat missions (all the Army would allow) and won the Distinguished Flying Cross. We meet him and his mates, his co-pilot killed in action, and crews of other planes. Many went down in flames.
As Band of Brothers and Citizen Soldiers portrayed the bravery and ultimate victory of the American soldiers from Normandy on to Germany, The Wild Blue illustrates the enormous contribution that these young men of the Army Air Forces made to the Allied victory.
About the Author
Dr. Stephen Ambrose was a renowned historian and acclaimed author of more than 30 books. Among his
New York Times best-sellers are:
Nothing Like It in the World, Citizen Soldiers, Band of Brothers, D-Day - June 6, 1944, and
Undaunted Courage.
He was not only a great author, but also a captivating speaker, with the unique ability to provide insight into the future by employing his profound knowledge of the past. His stories demonstrate how leaders use trust, friendship and shared experiences to work together and thrive during conflict and change. His philosophy about keeping an audience engaged is put best in his own words:
As I sit at my computer, or stand at the podium, I think of myself as sitting around the campfire after a day on the trail, telling stories that I hope will have the members of the audience, or the readers, leaning forward just a bit, wanting to know what happens next.
Dr. Ambrose was a retired Boyd Professor of History at the University of New Orleans. He was the Director Emeritus of the Eisenhower Center in New Orleans, and the founder of the National D-Day Museum. He was also a contributing editor for the Quarterly Journal of Military History, a member of the board of directors for American Rivers, and a member of the Lewis and Clark Bicentennial Council Board.
His talents have not gone unnoticed by the film industry. Dr. Ambrose was the historical consultant for Steven Spielberg's movie Saving Private Ryan. Steven Spielberg and Tom Hanks purchased the film rights to his books Citizen Soldiers and Band of Brothers to make the 13-hour HBO mini-series Band of Brothers.
He has also participated in numerous national television programs, including ones for the History Channel and National Geographic.
Table of Contents
andlt;Bandgt;Contentsandlt;/Bandgt;andlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;andlt;Iandgt;Acknowledgmentsandlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;Author's Noteandlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;Prologueandlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;Cast of Charactersandlt;/Iandgt;andlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;CHAPTER ONE Where They Came Fromandlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;CHAPTER TWO Trainingandlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;CHAPTER THREE Learning to Fly the B-24andlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;CHAPTER FOUR The Fifteenth Air Forceandlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;CHAPTER FIVE Cerignola, Italyandlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;CHAPTER SIX Learning to Fly in Combatandlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;CHAPTER SEVEN December 1944andlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;CHAPTER EIGHT The Isle of Capriandlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;CHAPTER NINE The Tuskegee Airmen Fly Cover: February 1945andlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;CHAPTER TEN Missions over Austria: March 1945andlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;CHAPTER ELEVEN Linz: The Last Mission: April 1945andlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;andlt;Iandgt;Epilogueandlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;Notesandlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;Bibliographyandlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;Indexandlt;/Iandgt;