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The Fall of Fortresses
‘A SHINING ACCOMPLISHMENT. A CLASSIC' NEW YORK TIMES ‘RANKS AMONG THE OUTSTANDING AIR MEMOIRS OF THE WAR' MAX HASTINGS On an August morning in England in 1943, a group of American airmen were told that before the day was out they would deliver the blow that would win the war. Flying the legendary B-17 Flying Fortress, their mission was to destroy the industrial facilities that kept the Nazi war machine in business – Schweinfurt’s ball-bearing factories. But a determined and ferocious defense awaited the bomber crews of the USAAF’s Mighty 8 th . Somehow, Navigator Elmer Bendiner and his crew survived, their faithful B-17, Tondelayo, carrying them home. Hundreds of their young compatriots did not. Vivid, powerful and often viscerally engaging, THE FALL OF FORTRESSES is a stunning testament to the skill, courage and sacrifice of the men who fought in WWII’s deadliest campaign. ‘An enduring classic’ Daily Beast ‘Without doubt the finest book written on the US Army Air Force’s war in the skies of Europe, ever reminding us of the incalculable debt owed to those thousands of American boys who gave their tomorrows’ John Templeton Smith ‘Exceptional. It’ll stay with you long after you’ve turned the last page’ Rowland White ‘Masterly and moving’ Sunday Telegraph * * *
Elmer Bendiner was born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania in 1916. Following the death of his father his family moved to New York City, where he spent much of his adolescence. He worked as a reporter, married in October, 1941, and, one week after the attack on Pearl Harbor, enlisted in the Army Air Corps. He served as navigator on Tondelayo, a B-17 ‘Flying Fortress’ and was awarded the Purple Heart, the Distinguished Flying Cross and the Air Medal with three oak-leaf clusters. After the war he worked as a journalist and author. Published books include A Time for Angels : The Tragicomic History of the League of Nations , The Virgin Diplomats , a chronicle of diplomacy during the American Revolution, The Rise and Fall of Paradise : When Arabs and Jews Built a Kingdom in Spain and The Fall of Fortresses. Elmer and Esther were married for sixty years. They had two daughters, Winifred and Jessica. He died on September 16, 2001.
Elmer Bendiner was born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania in 1916. Following the death of his father his family moved to New York City, where he spent much of his adolescence. He worked as a reporter, married in October, 1941, and, one week after the attack on Pearl Harbor, enlisted in the Army Air Corps. He served as navigator on Tondelayo, a B-17 ‘Flying Fortress’ and was awarded the Purple Heart, the Distinguished Flying Cross and the Air Medal with three oak-leaf clusters. After the war he worked as a journalist and author. Published books include A Time for Angels : The Tragicomic History of the League of Nations , The Virgin Diplomats , a chronicle of diplomacy during the American Revolution, The Rise and Fall of Paradise : When Arabs and Jews Built a Kingdom in Spain and The Fall of Fortresses. Elmer and Esther were married for sixty years. They had two daughters, Winifred and Jessica. He died on September 16, 2001.
258 pages, Hardcover
First published April 1, 1980
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 39 reviews
October 6, 2018
This is one of the better WWII memoirs that I’ve read. The author was one of many airmen who survived the war. We are fortunate that he became a professional writer who, 35 years after the war, decided to investigate why the U.S. Army and the 8th Air Force sent so many of his comrades to their deaths in “strategic bombing” against the industrial heartland of Germany. He mixes his research with his personal story of a B-17 navigator who survived 25 missions. I was captivated by his prose. I could hardly put the book down.
August 29, 2023
This is a book I found hard to read. Not because of the topic but his writing style did not agree with me. The content is interesting once I ignored his way of writing. 2 Stars but others may have a higher rating. Some passages were worth noting:
This navigator doesn’t pull punches. He has a way with words. Some fliers were there at breakfast and flight briefing and gone at debriefing:
In thirteen days the thirty men our group lost at St.Nazaire had been buried in some deep grave within us and no longer gave us trouble. It became clear that death in the air was not a heroic fall but swift and total oblivion like the action of an eraser on a blackboard. After all these years I cannot be certain of what I felt then. I remember fear, but I remember more vividly a kind of exultation. I recall the excitement of that inner battle along with the seductions of England and the glory of riding in the sky.
He is callous, as you probably had to be to carry out these missions:
Next on the program were the target blowups. There was a photo of a gray and smoky city. A river which turned out to be the Weser snaked in from the North Sea. Then we saw the secondary’ target Wilhelmshaven. It seemed that such naval bases were surrounded by walls of artillery. We were to circle up from the south and plaster Wilhelmshaven if Bremen proved to be invisible. Bremen or Wilhelmshaven—it was all the same to us. For those cities the verdict would depend on the variable winds. If the clouds blew one way Bremen would burn. If they went the other way Bremen would have its lunch hour as usual and Wilhelmshaven would go up in smoke. We—the bombers—were as indifferent as the rain. That is perhaps as close as men may come to gods—totally irresponsible.
I completely agree with his crew chief characterization, so true:
Then we climbed into the plane. Our crew chief, Marsden, took a final fond look at Tondelayo and turned her over to us like a father entrusting his daughter to a crew of rowdies who had no delicacy at all when it came to handling the anatomy of so sensitive a creature.
Precision daylight bombing:
Our losses, including those of the main and diversionary forces, amounted to twenty planes, two hundred men, roughly ten percent. Nevertheless, our superiors were pleased with us because we had dropped 422 tons of bombs and, according to the reconnaissance photos, only 333.4 tons had been wasted on homes, streets, public parks, zoos, department stores and air-raid shelters. This passed for precision.
This navigator doesn’t pull punches. He has a way with words. Some fliers were there at breakfast and flight briefing and gone at debriefing:
In thirteen days the thirty men our group lost at St.Nazaire had been buried in some deep grave within us and no longer gave us trouble. It became clear that death in the air was not a heroic fall but swift and total oblivion like the action of an eraser on a blackboard. After all these years I cannot be certain of what I felt then. I remember fear, but I remember more vividly a kind of exultation. I recall the excitement of that inner battle along with the seductions of England and the glory of riding in the sky.
He is callous, as you probably had to be to carry out these missions:
Next on the program were the target blowups. There was a photo of a gray and smoky city. A river which turned out to be the Weser snaked in from the North Sea. Then we saw the secondary’ target Wilhelmshaven. It seemed that such naval bases were surrounded by walls of artillery. We were to circle up from the south and plaster Wilhelmshaven if Bremen proved to be invisible. Bremen or Wilhelmshaven—it was all the same to us. For those cities the verdict would depend on the variable winds. If the clouds blew one way Bremen would burn. If they went the other way Bremen would have its lunch hour as usual and Wilhelmshaven would go up in smoke. We—the bombers—were as indifferent as the rain. That is perhaps as close as men may come to gods—totally irresponsible.
I completely agree with his crew chief characterization, so true:
Then we climbed into the plane. Our crew chief, Marsden, took a final fond look at Tondelayo and turned her over to us like a father entrusting his daughter to a crew of rowdies who had no delicacy at all when it came to handling the anatomy of so sensitive a creature.
Precision daylight bombing:
Our losses, including those of the main and diversionary forces, amounted to twenty planes, two hundred men, roughly ten percent. Nevertheless, our superiors were pleased with us because we had dropped 422 tons of bombs and, according to the reconnaissance photos, only 333.4 tons had been wasted on homes, streets, public parks, zoos, department stores and air-raid shelters. This passed for precision.
July 23, 2015
Parts were really excellent and having said that,obviously, parts were not. The missions were interesting and his style of writing really accentuated that aspect of his story. Not really appreciative of the cavalier handling of the affairs he had while overseas while proclaiming his love for his wife and daughter. The first half of the book really deserves 4 stars, the last half 2 stars hence the 3 star rating.
January 31, 2021
I read this before in 1981, shortly after its initial publication.
Bendiner was a B17 crew member (navigator) on both Schweinfurt raids; he completed his 25 combat missions shortly after the second Schweinfurt mission.
He had been a reporter before WW2; given that and his job as navigator, he could take useful notes during and immediately after raids. By the time that The Fall of Fortresses was published in 1980, he was established as a writer of popular history.
It is a very readable book with a mixed format. There is his memoir of his wartime service as a young man, with some very vivid descriptions of what it was like to be a crewman on some extremely hazardous bombing missions. It is staggering to me that he could keep his head enough to take any kind of notes during a bombing mission. Somehow, he managed to complete 25 missions at a time when, due to the lack of fighter cover, making it to 25 missions was a notable feat.
This is intermingled with his third-person account of how the Schweinfurt missions came to be proposed, in the context of the U.S.A.A.F establishment. It is a good short summary of the issues surrounding WW2 air power strategy; it gives some context to what he experienced as aircrew.
Bendiner was a B17 crew member (navigator) on both Schweinfurt raids; he completed his 25 combat missions shortly after the second Schweinfurt mission.
He had been a reporter before WW2; given that and his job as navigator, he could take useful notes during and immediately after raids. By the time that The Fall of Fortresses was published in 1980, he was established as a writer of popular history.
It is a very readable book with a mixed format. There is his memoir of his wartime service as a young man, with some very vivid descriptions of what it was like to be a crewman on some extremely hazardous bombing missions. It is staggering to me that he could keep his head enough to take any kind of notes during a bombing mission. Somehow, he managed to complete 25 missions at a time when, due to the lack of fighter cover, making it to 25 missions was a notable feat.
This is intermingled with his third-person account of how the Schweinfurt missions came to be proposed, in the context of the U.S.A.A.F establishment. It is a good short summary of the issues surrounding WW2 air power strategy; it gives some context to what he experienced as aircrew.
August 1, 2023
I did like the parts of this book where the author details his military experience and the missions of the bomber crew, as well as the different men he worked with. I could have really done without the flippant mentions of the affairs the author had while overseas knowing he was married and had a daughter at home. I always wonder why they put that in, but maybe his wife died or they divorced although that was not mentioned. Anyway, cheating gets stars off from me.
June 13, 2024
Elmer sure came a long way from being a boy who didn't ever ride in a car, to being a tough B15 tail gunner. Not sure why the ending anecdote about sleeping with a superior's wife was necessary though.
October 9, 2025
Interesting book on the life of a fighter pilot. However the last chapter describing moral failure in detail was unnecessary. Yes, it happened over and over with soldiers, however to relive it and write in detail does not add quality to a book.
March 2, 2021
The Fate of a Fortress
The author gives us one of the best accounts of the rationale behind the daylight bombing tactics employed by the 8th Air Force during WWII. His journalist writing ability clearly shows the depth and quality of his narration of these events during the air war. In particular, his description and analysis behind the planning for the daring daylight raid on Schweinfurt in 1943.
Elmer Bendiner displays his compassion and sense of loss for his fallen comrades. These stunning losses endured by the bomber crews punctuates every page of his bombing mission descriptions.
My only negative comment for what would obviously be a 5-Star review is the author’s lack of feeling or guilt for his wife and newborn daughter in the aftermath of his “flings” with women while off duty between these missions. Perhaps, we can give him a “pass” on this one since only these men knew what it was to stare death in the face every day.
The author gives us one of the best accounts of the rationale behind the daylight bombing tactics employed by the 8th Air Force during WWII. His journalist writing ability clearly shows the depth and quality of his narration of these events during the air war. In particular, his description and analysis behind the planning for the daring daylight raid on Schweinfurt in 1943.
Elmer Bendiner displays his compassion and sense of loss for his fallen comrades. These stunning losses endured by the bomber crews punctuates every page of his bombing mission descriptions.
My only negative comment for what would obviously be a 5-Star review is the author’s lack of feeling or guilt for his wife and newborn daughter in the aftermath of his “flings” with women while off duty between these missions. Perhaps, we can give him a “pass” on this one since only these men knew what it was to stare death in the face every day.
November 30, 2022
I thought the story a generic pastor intro story about the dud 20mm rounds in a B-17 till I read this book. I would have loved to see him and A Wing and a Prayer: The Bloody 100th Bomb Group of the U.S. Eighth Air Force in Action Over Europe in World War IIHarry Crosby discuss since both men were navigators on B-17s 1 went Schwinefurt the faithful day the other Regensberg. The navigator in this book barely survived one of the most infamous debacles involving a man who was in the same family Tree as William Barret Travis. The Book is dark brutal and blunt.
June 2, 2025
This for me is a difficult book to review it's not great but it's not bad either. I did enjoy parts of this book how ever it was not just the authors own personal story but is also mixed in with historical context of the air campaign of the second world war and especially the disastrous Schweinfurt mission in 1943. Other aspects of the book I found disappointing was the lack of detail on his flight training especially on what a navigators training course and the aircraft he flew during this phase. Finally another let down was how the book concluded I personally would of liked to learn more of what his post war life was like for example what did he do for a job after leaving the army air force. This for me would of made a far rounded book. If you are interested in World War two aviation I can recommend this book how ever it is not the best of writing styles.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 22, 2025
Not Classic at all
What an absolute 'murica-centric pile of unmentionable. Whilst it DOES have some value as a survivors account of the debacle that was the Schweinfurt raid, a raid that unnecessarily cost far too many brave young American lives, this is offset somewhat by the twisted view that WW2 started at the beginning of 1942. It appears to the author that none of the sacrifices of the previous 2.5yrs had any value.
What this does clearly show, however, is the prevailing view at the time. Even writing, as he claims some 35yrs later, he can't help but mirror the leadership of the 8th and 9th air forces who ended up paying the most horrific price in blood.The
I cannot, in all conscience, recommend this book to any but the advanced students of the air war in WW2 and that ONLY as a survivors account of the horror of that raid.
What an absolute 'murica-centric pile of unmentionable. Whilst it DOES have some value as a survivors account of the debacle that was the Schweinfurt raid, a raid that unnecessarily cost far too many brave young American lives, this is offset somewhat by the twisted view that WW2 started at the beginning of 1942. It appears to the author that none of the sacrifices of the previous 2.5yrs had any value.
What this does clearly show, however, is the prevailing view at the time. Even writing, as he claims some 35yrs later, he can't help but mirror the leadership of the 8th and 9th air forces who ended up paying the most horrific price in blood.The
I cannot, in all conscience, recommend this book to any but the advanced students of the air war in WW2 and that ONLY as a survivors account of the horror of that raid.
November 6, 2021
Bought on Kindle for AUD3.99 and worth more than every cent. Elmer (or Benny as is his nickname) in this true life account of his 25 mission tour in 1943 as one of the first B17 US Army squadrons in the European theatre is a poetic and yet rollicking read of a very dangerous time for bomber crews. Mission casualty rates ranged from 3pc to 30pc depending on the mission.
Elmer describes his fears, his feelings and the sheer sensation of aliveness when death is literally riding in the plane. The most dangerous missions to Schweinfurt are described in detail. It remains amazing how these crews would keep on going knowing that each mission had up to a 30pc casualty rate.
5 stars as an amazing read
Elmer describes his fears, his feelings and the sheer sensation of aliveness when death is literally riding in the plane. The most dangerous missions to Schweinfurt are described in detail. It remains amazing how these crews would keep on going knowing that each mission had up to a 30pc casualty rate.
5 stars as an amazing read
July 26, 2022
Perhaps 3.5 Stars
This is a bit of a different book than the usual WW II aviator memoirs. Written by a B 17 navigator who served during the worst period of the bomber war, it adequately captures the horror of combat in the skies over Europe. There weren’t long range escorts and they flew without “little friends “.
However, the book trends toward the philosophical and the prose is a bit eloquent for such a grim topic. The author also touches on what it was like to be a Jewish member of the Army Air Corps in the early 1940s. Overall, I am glad I read the book. My quibble is more about style than substance.
This is a bit of a different book than the usual WW II aviator memoirs. Written by a B 17 navigator who served during the worst period of the bomber war, it adequately captures the horror of combat in the skies over Europe. There weren’t long range escorts and they flew without “little friends “.
However, the book trends toward the philosophical and the prose is a bit eloquent for such a grim topic. The author also touches on what it was like to be a Jewish member of the Army Air Corps in the early 1940s. Overall, I am glad I read the book. My quibble is more about style than substance.
March 28, 2021
Excellent:
Superbly written, an excellent testimonial by a B-17 navigator about the lunacy of war, the disregard of many generals for the lives of the pawns on the board, the terror that no book or movie can duplicate of experiencing shrapnel and cannon shells making a sieve of your chariot while watching others fall to their deaths. I can't even imagine the courage it must have taken to get into the aircraft day after day knowing the chance of surviving the required 25 missions was so slim
Superbly written, an excellent testimonial by a B-17 navigator about the lunacy of war, the disregard of many generals for the lives of the pawns on the board, the terror that no book or movie can duplicate of experiencing shrapnel and cannon shells making a sieve of your chariot while watching others fall to their deaths. I can't even imagine the courage it must have taken to get into the aircraft day after day knowing the chance of surviving the required 25 missions was so slim
December 13, 2020
Very personal account of a Flying Fortress crew member through his 25 missions
This was a good book to read to get some context of what it was like to be a crew member on a B17 that took part in 25 harrowing missions. The initial raid on Schweinfurt was one of those 25. Very well written and easy to read to its conclusion. A bit melancholy at times, I can't imagine what it was like to live through those trying times and the effect they had on the men that were there.
This was a good book to read to get some context of what it was like to be a crew member on a B17 that took part in 25 harrowing missions. The initial raid on Schweinfurt was one of those 25. Very well written and easy to read to its conclusion. A bit melancholy at times, I can't imagine what it was like to live through those trying times and the effect they had on the men that were there.
April 7, 2025
Personal Account of the Air War in Europe
Excellent read by an author who experienced air combat in a B17 flying fortress during World War II. The fear, excitement, and relief of completing twenty-five missions is something you cannot appreciate unless you experienced it firsthand. This book provides a good glimpse into what was good, as well as bad during the air war in Europe.
Excellent read by an author who experienced air combat in a B17 flying fortress during World War II. The fear, excitement, and relief of completing twenty-five missions is something you cannot appreciate unless you experienced it firsthand. This book provides a good glimpse into what was good, as well as bad during the air war in Europe.
November 1, 2023
Surprisingly good. I say surprisingly because I had never heard of this book and I read a lot of WW2 works. My dad was a navigator on a B17 in the 8th Airforce, so I was anxious to see what the author had to say. I found this book a good review of what went on with a crew of a B17 during missions over Germany.
January 5, 2021
Excellent war novel
Author gives a first hand account of combat over Europe. Twenty five missions were required to go home with every mission the losses were ten to twenty percent. He describes the building pressure as the 25th gets near.
Author gives a first hand account of combat over Europe. Twenty five missions were required to go home with every mission the losses were ten to twenty percent. He describes the building pressure as the 25th gets near.
January 6, 2021
Superb book!
The author made you feel as if you were part of his crew. His writing style is the best I've read in years. I wish I had read this book before writing my own paper on the strategic bombing campaign at the Air War College. His perspective is both unique and refreshing.
The author made you feel as if you were part of his crew. His writing style is the best I've read in years. I wish I had read this book before writing my own paper on the strategic bombing campaign at the Air War College. His perspective is both unique and refreshing.
May 14, 2021
A real sense of WW2 air warfare
The author*s style makes him most sympathetic to the reader. I think he achieves this by sharing both the aerial battles over Germany and life back on the ground. He touched on the issue of ‘strategic bombing’, but without taking a position.
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The author*s style makes him most sympathetic to the reader. I think he achieves this by sharing both the aerial battles over Germany and life back on the ground. He touched on the issue of ‘strategic bombing’, but without taking a position.
.
October 12, 2021
Good insight but too many analogies
I enjoyed the bpok but too many personal and complicated opinions and not enough facts for me. Analogies seemed to be every other sentence sometimes. "like the/a" was too much. Worth the read though.
I enjoyed the bpok but too many personal and complicated opinions and not enough facts for me. Analogies seemed to be every other sentence sometimes. "like the/a" was too much. Worth the read though.
March 28, 2024
I'm a tough rater to give a five...but this book was nearly there. Bendiner (RIP) was a colorful and passionate writer. His book reflects that passion and is well worth reading. He does not spare the big AF brass.
November 16, 2024
one of the best books I ever read!
Mr. Bendiner is a phenomenal writer with the rare gift of putting his reader inside his story. I felt I was there in Tondelayo witnessing in person the terrible tension of the war in the air. I hated the book to end. Stunningly good!
Mr. Bendiner is a phenomenal writer with the rare gift of putting his reader inside his story. I felt I was there in Tondelayo witnessing in person the terrible tension of the war in the air. I hated the book to end. Stunningly good!
November 17, 2024
A survivors excellent account of the air men who participated in the air wars over Germany in WW II
The story reveals the way he is effected by his survival when so many other's are taken while he is left wondering. Why me?
The story reveals the way he is effected by his survival when so many other's are taken while he is left wondering. Why me?
January 12, 2021
Felt like I was there
I was a teenager during the war and always wanted to be a fighter pilot, but with glasses would have probably been crew on a bomber. Felt like I was there.
I was a teenager during the war and always wanted to be a fighter pilot, but with glasses would have probably been crew on a bomber. Felt like I was there.
January 29, 2021
Interesting but slow reading
February 12, 2021
Magnificent
So well written, no boasting, the facts but but so well written.
Action that you could not put the book down
So well written, no boasting, the facts but but so well written.
Action that you could not put the book down
April 20, 2021
Competent narrative of a B-17 crew member in World War 2 England. I liked this book.
July 8, 2021
Introspective from a bomber crewman
I enjoy memoirs since they contain introspections of those who actually experienced historical events. I felt some of his explanations of strategic views became tiresome though interesting at first. The end of the book seemed to be written about another character to increase sales. Worthwhile as a low cost book if you want to experience what a crewman thought and went through.
I enjoy memoirs since they contain introspections of those who actually experienced historical events. I felt some of his explanations of strategic views became tiresome though interesting at first. The end of the book seemed to be written about another character to increase sales. Worthwhile as a low cost book if you want to experience what a crewman thought and went through.
November 12, 2021
Amazing true story of Elmer Bendiner who was a navigator onboard Tondelyo a B17 Flying Fortress before it was forced to ditch in the English Channel.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 39 reviews