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The Airmen and the Headhunters: A True Story of Lost Soldiers, Heroic Tribesmen and the Unlikeliest Rescue of World War II by Judith M. Heimann
November 1944: Army airmen set out in a B-24 bomber on what should have been an easy mission off the Borneo coast. Instead they found themselves unexpectedly facing a Japanese fleet--and were shot down. When they cut themselves loose from their parachutes, they were scattered across the island's mountainous interior. Then a group of loincloth-wearing natives silently materialized out of the jungle. Would these Dayak tribesmen turn the starving airmen over to the hostile Japanese occupiers? Or would the Dayaks risk vicious reprisals to get the airmen safely home? The tribal leaders' unprecedented decision led to a desperate game of hide-and-seek and, ultimately, the return of a long-renounced head-hunting. A cinematic survival story that features a bamboo airstrip built on a rice paddy, a mad British major, and a blowpipe-wielding army that helped destroy one of the last Japanese strongholds, The Airmen and the Headhunters is a gripping, you-are-there journey into the remote world and forgotten heroism of the Dayaks.
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First published October 8, 2007
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 125 reviews
February 3, 2010
I am writing this as a biased reader because my grandfather is one of the lead figures in this book (Phillip Corrin). I hold this book very dear to my heart because it acted as a window into a huge part of his life that I have always been curious about.
I do think that most readers will also find this book interesting and a very quick read!
I do think that most readers will also find this book interesting and a very quick read!
August 5, 2019
The title of the book is somewhat misleading as the book covers way more than it suggests. The book focuses on 2 different aircrews, one air corps and one navy, that gets shot down over the interior of Borneo where the infamous head-hunters, the Dayak, lives. The book follow these men in their epic struggle to survive and how they are assisted by these tribesmen where they almost become part of the tribe and how their landings in Borneo indirectly led to the resistance by these tribesmen and other locals against the Japanese occupation. It also features some exciting reading about the exploits of Major Harrison and the Z Special Unit operations in Borneo and the subsequent rescue of these flyers after almost 9 months surviving in the jungle. A good read, but moves along a bit slowly.
October 25, 2017
This is a marvelous and uplifting narrative of downed American airmen (November 1944) who were saved by Dayak tribesmen in the wilds of the Borneo jungle.
Page 71 (my book) John Nelson
“The first part, when you leave the plane, is like stepping off of a porch. Next you hit the slipstream and then you realize what it is like being in a 150-mile-per-hour windstorm.’...Once he [John Nelson] recovered from the shock of his chute opening, he experienced “a moment of silence and loneliness such as I have never had before or since.”
The airmen were fed and protected by the Dayak. There were still many Japanese troops on the island of Borneo – and they were known to torture and kill any American airmen. Without the generosity of the Dayak these American airmen would not have survived the jungle – an environment where they were totally helpless. The airmen came to admire, respect and love the Dayak.
But there is also the gruesomeness of war. The Dayak became ruthless to their Japanese occupiers (the title of “Headhunters” is not there for nothing).
This is a touching story of an inter-cultural meeting between two vastly different peoples. The Dayak thought nothing of aiding these downed airmen who had little to offer in return. The author brings out well the humanism of both of these two groups.
The entire world of the U.S. airmen was turned upside down when they parachuted into Borneo. The experience was something they would never forget and always carry with them.
Page 255
Dan Illerich was asked to speak at the Presbyterian church of Sacramento, which had sponsored the Boy Scout activities he had taken part in as a child. “They wanted to know if my Eagle Scout training had helped, and I said we hadn’t known what to do. The food wasn’t easy to find and it was not what we knew to eat. Finally, I said that if it had not been for the Dayaks we would not have survived. I think they were disappointed to hear that, but it’s true.” Dan, like Jim and all the others I spoke to, had come home with an enormous respect and liking for the Dayaks and a more questioning approach to Americans’ implicit assumptions that everything we did was best.
Page 71 (my book) John Nelson
“The first part, when you leave the plane, is like stepping off of a porch. Next you hit the slipstream and then you realize what it is like being in a 150-mile-per-hour windstorm.’...Once he [John Nelson] recovered from the shock of his chute opening, he experienced “a moment of silence and loneliness such as I have never had before or since.”
The airmen were fed and protected by the Dayak. There were still many Japanese troops on the island of Borneo – and they were known to torture and kill any American airmen. Without the generosity of the Dayak these American airmen would not have survived the jungle – an environment where they were totally helpless. The airmen came to admire, respect and love the Dayak.
But there is also the gruesomeness of war. The Dayak became ruthless to their Japanese occupiers (the title of “Headhunters” is not there for nothing).
This is a touching story of an inter-cultural meeting between two vastly different peoples. The Dayak thought nothing of aiding these downed airmen who had little to offer in return. The author brings out well the humanism of both of these two groups.
The entire world of the U.S. airmen was turned upside down when they parachuted into Borneo. The experience was something they would never forget and always carry with them.
Page 255
Dan Illerich was asked to speak at the Presbyterian church of Sacramento, which had sponsored the Boy Scout activities he had taken part in as a child. “They wanted to know if my Eagle Scout training had helped, and I said we hadn’t known what to do. The food wasn’t easy to find and it was not what we knew to eat. Finally, I said that if it had not been for the Dayaks we would not have survived. I think they were disappointed to hear that, but it’s true.” Dan, like Jim and all the others I spoke to, had come home with an enormous respect and liking for the Dayaks and a more questioning approach to Americans’ implicit assumptions that everything we did was best.
September 27, 2020
What makes Judith Heiman’s The Airmen and the Headhunter worth the read is the depth of her research, including interviews with survivors and their descendants and her tendency to under dramatize what was for the participant very dramatic. By letting the history carry the weight of her account, she acknowledges that the privations and the risk are best understood with less embellishment.
It could be argued that the airmen of World War II were operating at the top of the technological achievements of pre nuclear age. A similar case could be made warship crews of the same period, but this is a book about the survivors of a badly lead bombing mission. The airmen who survived the loss of their aircraft, were scattered in the jungle highlands of Borneo. What little survival training they had, had been mostly ignored and was not designed for this kind of jungle. Each quickly learned that staying alive was not something they were going to be able to do without help. Enter the local tribes of headhunters, the Dayaks.
Motivated by the extremely violent and ignorant actions of the Japanese occupiers, the white men were granted protection and sustenance as guests. Given that normal Dayak existence was only marginally better than basic survival, the cost to them in food and the risk from the Japanese could have been enough to make the case that the smartest thing to do would be to kill these men or at least trade them to the Japanese for such rewards as might be given.
Thanks to the dedication of a few non-whites who placed larger values over the risk to themselves, the airmen were collected, protected and cared for. Some of the air crews learned what they could from the locals and all came to respect what natives could do to survive their inhospitable jungle homes and how readily they could out fight the Japanese invaders.
The denouement comes after the airmen are returned to their airbases and the war ended. Some of the same people who kept the headhunters focused on the safety of their charges faced the same colonial racism that held to the lie that non-whites are inferior.
It could be argued that the airmen of World War II were operating at the top of the technological achievements of pre nuclear age. A similar case could be made warship crews of the same period, but this is a book about the survivors of a badly lead bombing mission. The airmen who survived the loss of their aircraft, were scattered in the jungle highlands of Borneo. What little survival training they had, had been mostly ignored and was not designed for this kind of jungle. Each quickly learned that staying alive was not something they were going to be able to do without help. Enter the local tribes of headhunters, the Dayaks.
Motivated by the extremely violent and ignorant actions of the Japanese occupiers, the white men were granted protection and sustenance as guests. Given that normal Dayak existence was only marginally better than basic survival, the cost to them in food and the risk from the Japanese could have been enough to make the case that the smartest thing to do would be to kill these men or at least trade them to the Japanese for such rewards as might be given.
Thanks to the dedication of a few non-whites who placed larger values over the risk to themselves, the airmen were collected, protected and cared for. Some of the air crews learned what they could from the locals and all came to respect what natives could do to survive their inhospitable jungle homes and how readily they could out fight the Japanese invaders.
The denouement comes after the airmen are returned to their airbases and the war ended. Some of the same people who kept the headhunters focused on the safety of their charges faced the same colonial racism that held to the lie that non-whites are inferior.
October 3, 2020
World War II. Borneo. Downed Plane. Headhunters.
Yes, I think this is a story for me!
The war in the Pacific was raging as the Yanks were doing the island-by-island conquering when a plane of Army airmen was shot down by the Japanese while flying over the third largest island in the world. Would the men make it out safely? Would the enemy find them? Page-turner.
The first part of the book looks at the soldiers, describing each member of the crew, their role on the plane, and how they fared when the plane crashed (not all good news). These were young men, even the officers, so young that some of them didn't even shave on a daily basis. They grew up quickly. Their parachute rides landed them in different spots and they had to look for safety. But they knew they were in the high mountains of Borneo, where the infamous headhunters lived. Would the natives be friendly to the lost men or turn them over to the Japanese?
The Dutch and British colonial overseers had not treated the islanders well, which resulted in the Muslim communities turning to the Japanese invaders as 'liberators' while they helped the enemy hunt down innocent civilians. The description of the various tortures and atrocities committed by the Japanese as a way to keep tight control over their lengthening empire made me a bit queasy. This is where the second section of the book shines, as it shows us the local hero who walked a fine line between helping the Americans while deceiving the Japanese. Once the enemy realized what was happening, the bloodshed started.
The third part centers on the Australian (yea! Aussies!) rescue mission under their charismatic British leader. The action really gets rolling here and it's almost impossible to put the book down. Oh, and there's another plane that gets shot down, this one containing American Navy men. What will happen to all of them?
When I started the book, I didn't turn the pages very quickly, as the author had to explain the background leading to the adventures. But the last third turned out to be enthralling, lending an extra "star-rise" to my final rating. Judith Heimann is very careful to relate the facts and one of them is that the Japanese troops in that area continued to fight even after the war had ended. What those young men went through, what those un-selfish natives endured, and what the rescuers had to achieve makes for splendid storytelling.
Book Season = Summer (stay out of the jungle at night)
Yes, I think this is a story for me!
The war in the Pacific was raging as the Yanks were doing the island-by-island conquering when a plane of Army airmen was shot down by the Japanese while flying over the third largest island in the world. Would the men make it out safely? Would the enemy find them? Page-turner.
The first part of the book looks at the soldiers, describing each member of the crew, their role on the plane, and how they fared when the plane crashed (not all good news). These were young men, even the officers, so young that some of them didn't even shave on a daily basis. They grew up quickly. Their parachute rides landed them in different spots and they had to look for safety. But they knew they were in the high mountains of Borneo, where the infamous headhunters lived. Would the natives be friendly to the lost men or turn them over to the Japanese?
The Dutch and British colonial overseers had not treated the islanders well, which resulted in the Muslim communities turning to the Japanese invaders as 'liberators' while they helped the enemy hunt down innocent civilians. The description of the various tortures and atrocities committed by the Japanese as a way to keep tight control over their lengthening empire made me a bit queasy. This is where the second section of the book shines, as it shows us the local hero who walked a fine line between helping the Americans while deceiving the Japanese. Once the enemy realized what was happening, the bloodshed started.
The third part centers on the Australian (yea! Aussies!) rescue mission under their charismatic British leader. The action really gets rolling here and it's almost impossible to put the book down. Oh, and there's another plane that gets shot down, this one containing American Navy men. What will happen to all of them?
When I started the book, I didn't turn the pages very quickly, as the author had to explain the background leading to the adventures. But the last third turned out to be enthralling, lending an extra "star-rise" to my final rating. Judith Heimann is very careful to relate the facts and one of them is that the Japanese troops in that area continued to fight even after the war had ended. What those young men went through, what those un-selfish natives endured, and what the rescuers had to achieve makes for splendid storytelling.
Book Season = Summer (stay out of the jungle at night)
May 19, 2011
Judith Heimann tells an incredible story of American airmen stranded in Borneo's headhunter country during WWII!
The story of these men is also the subject of an PBS documentary series Secrets of the Deadepisode titled The Airmen and the Headhunters . You can watch the whole epsiode on pbs.org . PBS Episode Description:
This spectacular long-lost story of heroism, perseverance, and ingenuity follows the tale of lost WWII soldiers, their unlikely rescue and companionship with the Dayak tribe in Borneo, and their eventual rescue conceived by an eccentric British Major — an airway built out of bamboo in the middle of the jungle.
I haven't watched it yet, but you can bet I will now that I've finished the book!
I for one am glad Mrs. Heimann took the time to research and tell this incredible story.
Judith Heimann, historian and author -PBS
A career diplomat, Judith spent seven years living Indonesia, Malaysia and the Philippines including two years in Borneo where she learned to speak Malay/Indonesian. She traveled to three continents and interviewed all the surviving Dayaks and airmen in her research for this book.
She conducts over thirty oral histories many requiring multiple interviews, and does a ton of research both on the ground, in libraries, and with personal papers of those involved.
Her thoroughness amazingly does not result in a dry or academic history. Her story is alive with the people, intersection of cultures and outsized events and accomplishments that characterize many WWII stories yet she modestly says in her preface:
"We like to think of war stories from the twentieth century and earlier as straightforward accounts of derring-do, with a familiar cast of heroes and villains. There is even a subcategory of stories about how our brave soldiers managed -or died trying- to make their way home from behind enemy lines. But the circumstances of war can be more complicated. This story happened during World War II -which was truly a world war, drawing into its orbit even such normally isolated people as the headhunting Dayaks . . .. This morsel of Borneo's World War II history has never before been told in its entirety. No single person knew more than a fragment or two if it."
Note to future readers: The glossary and notes on sources toward the end of the book are very well done -read that glossary first before you start and you'll be glad you did !
The story of these men is also the subject of an PBS documentary series Secrets of the Deadepisode titled The Airmen and the Headhunters . You can watch the whole epsiode on pbs.org . PBS Episode Description:
This spectacular long-lost story of heroism, perseverance, and ingenuity follows the tale of lost WWII soldiers, their unlikely rescue and companionship with the Dayak tribe in Borneo, and their eventual rescue conceived by an eccentric British Major — an airway built out of bamboo in the middle of the jungle.
I haven't watched it yet, but you can bet I will now that I've finished the book!
I for one am glad Mrs. Heimann took the time to research and tell this incredible story.
Judith Heimann, historian and author -PBS
A career diplomat, Judith spent seven years living Indonesia, Malaysia and the Philippines including two years in Borneo where she learned to speak Malay/Indonesian. She traveled to three continents and interviewed all the surviving Dayaks and airmen in her research for this book.
She conducts over thirty oral histories many requiring multiple interviews, and does a ton of research both on the ground, in libraries, and with personal papers of those involved.
Her thoroughness amazingly does not result in a dry or academic history. Her story is alive with the people, intersection of cultures and outsized events and accomplishments that characterize many WWII stories yet she modestly says in her preface:
"We like to think of war stories from the twentieth century and earlier as straightforward accounts of derring-do, with a familiar cast of heroes and villains. There is even a subcategory of stories about how our brave soldiers managed -or died trying- to make their way home from behind enemy lines. But the circumstances of war can be more complicated. This story happened during World War II -which was truly a world war, drawing into its orbit even such normally isolated people as the headhunting Dayaks . . .. This morsel of Borneo's World War II history has never before been told in its entirety. No single person knew more than a fragment or two if it."
Note to future readers: The glossary and notes on sources toward the end of the book are very well done -read that glossary first before you start and you'll be glad you did !
July 29, 2008
I read all WWII stories and documentaries I can. My older brother, who has the same obsession, loaned this one to me, given him by his daughter. It is the recently researched and written story of several men who survived a forced parachute jump from their plummeting B-24 bomber. They landed in the center of Borneo, then the uncharted domain of headhunters. The story documents their salvation by the headhunters and the insights gained by living with this highly moral and civilized society. I recommend it highly.
June 26, 2014
I gave this book a high rating because the story is so great, not so much for the writing. I'm surprised this has not been made into a full length movie. The characters are remarkable, the airman who survive the wilds of Borneo in the 1940's during WW II, and the wonderful natives who took care of them and joined the war. It really is a great, true story.
December 15, 2024
This book tells an extraordinary story of survival and humanity during World War II, offering a rare glimpse into a lesser-known chapter of history.
As someone native to Borneo (North), I am always drawn to tales of WWII on this side of the world, and this book truly gave me goosebumps. The courage and selflessness of the Dayaks in Sarawak is nothing short of inspiring, what an incredible and admirable tribe!!
The story captures the bravery of stranded American airmen and the deep bond they forged with the Dayak people, who risked everything to protect them. The narrative is both gripping and deeply moving, offering a rare and vivid insight into a lesser-known chapter of history. A must-read for anyone who values stories of resilience, cultural connection, and the enduring strength of humanity.
As someone native to Borneo (North), I am always drawn to tales of WWII on this side of the world, and this book truly gave me goosebumps. The courage and selflessness of the Dayaks in Sarawak is nothing short of inspiring, what an incredible and admirable tribe!!
The story captures the bravery of stranded American airmen and the deep bond they forged with the Dayak people, who risked everything to protect them. The narrative is both gripping and deeply moving, offering a rare and vivid insight into a lesser-known chapter of history. A must-read for anyone who values stories of resilience, cultural connection, and the enduring strength of humanity.
February 27, 2014
Superbly written; full of interesting information, cultural detail and solid reference, this story tells not only the tale of lost airmen but also paints a clear picture of life in the remote highlands and the struggles and sacrifices all make to go toward helping fellow man in the truly troubled times of Japanese Army domination in the region.
Ten years of research and learning are rounded nicely into a fantastic tale of collaboration and survival, by an author that graciously thanks her editors and helpers - I admire. Fantastic maps too by Helen Phillips - greatly appreciated when following the story. My thanks as a reader to Mrs. Heimann for knowing the value of a good map and a great story.
Ten years of research and learning are rounded nicely into a fantastic tale of collaboration and survival, by an author that graciously thanks her editors and helpers - I admire. Fantastic maps too by Helen Phillips - greatly appreciated when following the story. My thanks as a reader to Mrs. Heimann for knowing the value of a good map and a great story.
March 9, 2024
When a plane full of American airmen crashes in Borneo during WWII, they have to do whatever they can to survive. Not only is the jungle merciless, but the Japanese become aware of their presence and will stop at nothing to find them and kill them. Luckily, the natives and an enterprising District Officer realize that it would be foolish not to assist Allied Forces, who are successfully pushing back against the Japanese in the Pacific. The D.O. puts the word out among the scattered villages that they should shelter and protect the Americans, and eventually they wage a guerilla war against the Japanese hunting the airmen.
The Americans certainly wouldn’t have survived without the assistance of the “headhunters.” They would have starved or been executed by their enemies. During the months they spent in the jungle with their native hosts, they learned to navigate the harsh terrain and developed friendships with the locals. And the ambitious rescue mission in the final chapters demonstrated how the natives worked with the allies to rescue the Americans, which is a testament of goodwill and cooperation.
The Americans certainly wouldn’t have survived without the assistance of the “headhunters.” They would have starved or been executed by their enemies. During the months they spent in the jungle with their native hosts, they learned to navigate the harsh terrain and developed friendships with the locals. And the ambitious rescue mission in the final chapters demonstrated how the natives worked with the allies to rescue the Americans, which is a testament of goodwill and cooperation.
December 21, 2025
fantastic story
I highly recommend reading this book. It reads like a novel very suspenseful. I think it is very well written. You also learn a lot about the primitive peoples that lived in Borneo and rescued and saved the airman. It’s quite fascinating really. I highly recommend it.
I highly recommend reading this book. It reads like a novel very suspenseful. I think it is very well written. You also learn a lot about the primitive peoples that lived in Borneo and rescued and saved the airman. It’s quite fascinating really. I highly recommend it.
September 13, 2018
Outstanding!
There is no way to describe this story. It is incredible. A must read especially if you are a WWII fan.
There is no way to describe this story. It is incredible. A must read especially if you are a WWII fan.
June 17, 2008
Gleaned from countless interviews from surviving airmen, headhunters, and their family members, this is the story of stranded American soldiers who survived in hostile territory during World War II thanks to the help of Dayak tribesmen. The title is not pejorative: the Dayaks were indeed headhunters, though their humanity and compassion was evident in the way that the separated airmen were all taken in, fed, and protected by different tribes. The Dayaks went so far as to hunt Japanese soldiers to defend the airmen, and actually formed a force to help the Allies following their ill treatment by the Japanese. All in all, an uplifting story about how people from completely different worlds can support each other in times of crisis.
March 18, 2010
Received this as a bday present and i thought the title sounded hokey, but it is a good read.
The story of a B-24 crew shot down over Borneo while it was occupied by the Japanese and how they hid out in the jungle for several months with the help of the natives who were indeed headhunters.
For various reasons, and at great risk, the natives decided to help the flyers. When you read a tale like this you can't help but think about being in their place, what would you do, how would you handle the jungle?
The descriptions of when the headhunters are in action could easily be used in a Stephan King horror story.
May 14, 2011
This is one of the best books on WW2 I've read.It's a pleasure to read about an unknown story of
survivial and a daring rescue.How the tribes of Borneo,though primitive,were quite courageous.
Of I can't forget the bravery of our airmen either.
survivial and a daring rescue.How the tribes of Borneo,though primitive,were quite courageous.
Of I can't forget the bravery of our airmen either.
December 1, 2018
The first part about the American airmen was kind of meh, but the second part about the native-led guerilla resistance against the Japanese?? Riveting! It was equal parts an exciting spy thriller and an interesting glimpse into a culture I knew nothing about.
September 24, 2020
Entertaining and easy read. My only wish is that there could have been more information about life in the long house...perhaps that's for another book.
November 29, 2025
I like stories of survival under exceptional difficulties (e.g., Into Thin Air, Unbroken) because I wonder how I’d do when I had to depend on my own courage to survive. This book tells about the extraordinary survival experience of U.S. airmen whose plane was hit in combat in 1944 and crashed into the unmapped highlands of Borneo. The airmen parachuted out, but didn’t land near each other. The seven men who survived were found separately by Dayak tribesmen, who had only recently given up headhunting.
The Dayaks communicated with their counterparts in other high-country communities and, through them, the airmen eventually were joined together. With the help of the district officer in the largest town in the area, who was operating delicately under the Japanese occupation, the tribesmen conspired to hide them and thwart every Japanese attempt to find and kill the Americans. In five months, the airmen suffered malnourishment, leeches, skin ulcers, dysentery and malaria—and yet they got out of Borneo. And afterward they all had admiration for the courtesy and generosity of the Dayaks.
Author Heimann lived seven years in Indonesia, Malaysia and the Philippines. Twenty years after the events in the book, she lived two years in Borneo as a diplomatic wife. She spoke Indonesian/Malay and made many friends in northern Borneo. During the 10 years of writing this book, she interviewed every living participant, or the relatives of those who had died after the events, including native Dayak participants. She writes about jungle hiking, dugout-canoe travel, and Dayak cultural practices with specificity, but respectfully, and without western-view judgment. It’s a complicated and frightening series of events, but she moves the story along briskly in 262 pages. I’m in awe of what those guys did.
A burnished 4 stars
The Dayaks communicated with their counterparts in other high-country communities and, through them, the airmen eventually were joined together. With the help of the district officer in the largest town in the area, who was operating delicately under the Japanese occupation, the tribesmen conspired to hide them and thwart every Japanese attempt to find and kill the Americans. In five months, the airmen suffered malnourishment, leeches, skin ulcers, dysentery and malaria—and yet they got out of Borneo. And afterward they all had admiration for the courtesy and generosity of the Dayaks.
Author Heimann lived seven years in Indonesia, Malaysia and the Philippines. Twenty years after the events in the book, she lived two years in Borneo as a diplomatic wife. She spoke Indonesian/Malay and made many friends in northern Borneo. During the 10 years of writing this book, she interviewed every living participant, or the relatives of those who had died after the events, including native Dayak participants. She writes about jungle hiking, dugout-canoe travel, and Dayak cultural practices with specificity, but respectfully, and without western-view judgment. It’s a complicated and frightening series of events, but she moves the story along briskly in 262 pages. I’m in awe of what those guys did.
A burnished 4 stars
October 22, 2018
This was an incredible story of World War II. When an American plane was shot down over Borneo by the Japanese, the stranded soldiers were taken in by a group of headhunters. While the Japanese were searching for the men, they were being sheltered, fed and tended to by 'savages'. In reality, the tribesmen were anything but savage. They were fine people who risked their lives trying to help the airmen. Language barriers and cultural differences aside, these soldiers soon realized that without these headhunters, they didn't have a chance to survive in the unfamiliar jungle. The problem with this book was that the author often went off into tangents, discussing things that had little to do with the story itself. The distractions took away from the real story, which was remarkable in and of itself.
September 3, 2019
The first beginning of this book was great. I was captivated and couldn't put it down; every chapter brought a new adventure and the narrative was well-formed. Then something happened about 2/3 of the way through and I found myself skimming lines here and there. The story slowed down and became tedious and I found myself skimming whole chapters just to find out how the rescue went down.
As a whole, it is a worthwhile read. It tells a unique story, though there are similar WWII-downed-airmen-saved-by-primitive-tribes stories out there. I found this one unique in the degree to which the natives went to help the airmen. If only the end had been tightened up a bit, it would be a great book.
As a whole, it is a worthwhile read. It tells a unique story, though there are similar WWII-downed-airmen-saved-by-primitive-tribes stories out there. I found this one unique in the degree to which the natives went to help the airmen. If only the end had been tightened up a bit, it would be a great book.
August 27, 2022
What an incredible book, and many who lived through it found others thought it was impossible to believe. I don’t think you need to be a WWII buff to enjoy this story. The author indicated she was presenting the story without embellishment. Such a rich tale of courage, daring and fortitude stands on its own. The author based her writing on thorough research, as well as interviews with the participants and their families.
November 1944, and U. S. Army airmen set out in a B-24 bomber on what should have been an easy mission off the Borneo coast. Instead, they find themselves unexpectedly facing a Japanese fleet, and were shot down. Most parachuted to safety, but their landings were scattered across the island’s mountainous interior. Alone in a jungle, the airmen are discovered by Dayak tribesmen, known headhunters, wielding blowpipes.
As the Dayaks were influenced by Dutch Christian missionaries, they had given up headhunting, well more or less given it up, for the last decade. There will be some of that later in the story, so beware. The Dayak’s Christian belief is also why they didn’t turn the airmen over to the Japanese. The Dayaks risked their lives, indeed the lives of their whole villages, to keep the airmen’s presence secret until their rescue six months later. In the meantime, another plane is shot down, and the Dayaks lend refuge to those airmen also.
The story is exciting in the telling, and touching. Both diverse cultures without a common language came to admire, respect and love each other. Excellent read from beginning to end!
https://candysplanet.wordpress.com/
November 1944, and U. S. Army airmen set out in a B-24 bomber on what should have been an easy mission off the Borneo coast. Instead, they find themselves unexpectedly facing a Japanese fleet, and were shot down. Most parachuted to safety, but their landings were scattered across the island’s mountainous interior. Alone in a jungle, the airmen are discovered by Dayak tribesmen, known headhunters, wielding blowpipes.
As the Dayaks were influenced by Dutch Christian missionaries, they had given up headhunting, well more or less given it up, for the last decade. There will be some of that later in the story, so beware. The Dayak’s Christian belief is also why they didn’t turn the airmen over to the Japanese. The Dayaks risked their lives, indeed the lives of their whole villages, to keep the airmen’s presence secret until their rescue six months later. In the meantime, another plane is shot down, and the Dayaks lend refuge to those airmen also.
The story is exciting in the telling, and touching. Both diverse cultures without a common language came to admire, respect and love each other. Excellent read from beginning to end!
https://candysplanet.wordpress.com/
April 20, 2024
This is a really enjoyable book. The lost soldiers went through a real ordeal when their plane crashed on the island of Borneo. They were understandably worried about the natives, some of them reputed to be headhunters. They did meet up with headhunters, but ones that hadn't followed that practice for quite a while. The experiences they had illustrate the principle we've probably all heard, but might be skeptical of: people are people, all children of God. Not all of them are good, of course, but different skin colors, customs and environment are on the surface. People throughout the world are not all that different inside
June 26, 2019
Well-written and well-researched and certainly an unusual and fascinating story. But a third person account, no matter how well done, just does not have the same immediacy as a first-person memoir. I missed conversations, for instance, though I understand why Ms. Heimann avoided that kind of speculative writing. I wish somewhere that had been a list of names of the downed pilots, including those who died and those who survived. Would have been a little easier to follow. I especially appreciated the followup at the end--where are they now, what happened after they got home.
May 16, 2021
A most unlikely true story. You couldn't make up fictional characters as colorful as the main characters in this book. The book tells the story of airmen who bale out over Borneo when their B24 is shot down and the story of the natives who saved them and helped fight the Japanese. A bit long winded and challenging to keep up with the many new characters introduced throughout the book, I would still highly recommend. Am also going to check out the 2012 PBS episode of Secrets of the Dead also called The Airmen and the Headhunters.
May 31, 2022
This was a fascinating true story about American airmen during WWII and the natives who helped them survive for 7 months after their plane crashed on Borneo. I was struck by the generosity, bravery, and humanity that these people showed these strangers who literally fell out of the sky into their land. I'm also amazed at how they were able to communicate so successfully with one another in order to keep not only the airmen safe, but also the native people who were working against the Japanese at every turn.
April 28, 2025
A well-researched and fascinating read that follows not one, but two different air crews who get stranded in Borneo, along with the lives of those who came to their aid. The airmen struggled to survive and adapt and with the help of the Dyaks, missionaries, sympathetic district officers, and allied forces were able to get out of the jungle alive. The cultural differences between the "civilized" world and the headhunters was painted in vivid detail, but ultimately showed how both came to understand, respect, and rely on each other.
October 20, 2019
This was a great read about a group of American airmen who crashed into WWII Borneo and had to depend on the local residents to survive and stay safe from the occupying Japanese. The local tribesmen were so helpful and giving that this story became a wonderful & timeless symbol of cooperation between two very different groups of people. The author did painstaking research and provided maps. photos and even a glossary, Highly recommend
January 10, 2021
Quite the amazing story! For those old enough to remember the saying “wild man of Borneo” read this book and you’ll understand much more where that comes from. Once again I am saddened and sickened at the horrors inflicted by the Japanese Army before and during WW2. But luckily this book doesn’t spend much time focusing on that, instead the actual events focused around the airmen. This is a good, well researched book and worth an afternoon.
October 15, 2021
An incredible tale of modern and old world collision, but ultimately one of human endurance and an innate compassion.
Well written and extensively researched, this true tale is vividly brought to life by the author in an amazing story - so rich in description I could easily imagine myself in the rainforest, but thankfully not experiencing the awful hardships they endured.
A superb story, excellently told.
Well written and extensively researched, this true tale is vividly brought to life by the author in an amazing story - so rich in description I could easily imagine myself in the rainforest, but thankfully not experiencing the awful hardships they endured.
A superb story, excellently told.
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