Into the Inferno: The Story of a B-17 Gunner Over Nazi-occupied Europe

by Bill Ibelle

"Into the Inferno is more than just another war story. It’s an intriguing tale of best friends—one fighting at 25,000 feet above German flak guns and the other in the steaming jungles of the Pacific—and of the unforgettable girl they left behind. A page turner to the very end." — Travis L. Ayres, author of The Bomber Boys

The temperature was 40 degrees below zero when fighter planes screamed out of the clouds, puncturing the fuselage with a spray of machinegun fire and sending the bomber beside them into a death spin. This was followed by intense flak, as a hundred cannons on the ground tried to blow them out of the sky.

When they finally made it back to the base, another enemy awaited homesickness, crushing boredom, relentless cold, and more mud than they could imagine.

Bert Ibelle was a 19-year-old freshman at Dartmouth College when he enlisted in the Army Air Corps to fly dozens of bomber missions over Nazi-occupied Europe and win the Purple Heart. His buddy, Fran Brighenti, served as an infantry marksman on the opposite side of the globe, slogging through the steaming jungles of the Philippine and the fiery hell of Okinawa.

Their wars couldn’t have been more different, nor could their approach to life. While the ever-exuberant Fran was a ladies man, Bert only had eyes for “Red,” the girl back home who was in love with another young man.

This is their story—one that combines terror, humor, friendship, and a son’s search for his elusive father.

192 pages, Hardcover

Published May 15, 2025

Reviews

[Walter · Rating 5 out of 5]

Through the use of his father’s war diaries, and the letters from his friend serving in the Pacific theater, as well as the letters from the girl he pined for, Ibelle beautifully captures what it was like for boys in their late teens, with their entire lives before them, to be suddenly thrust into a war that forced them to rapidly become men, facing the dangers of combat with the knowledge that their hopes and dreams for the future might never come to pass.

Ibelle’s extensive research accurately portrays the harrowing experiences of those engaged in the bombing campaign against the Nazis in Europe, as well as the hand-to-hand combat in the sweltering jungles of the Pacific. More than 80 years have passed since these “swell fellas” (as in the vernacular of their era) put their lives on the line so we could enjoy the freedoms that we so often take for granted. This truly was a generation who stepped up in a time of crisis to put the country before themselves, and with a quiet dignity accepted the duty and responsibility of a nation at war. This is a must-read for young and old alike.

[Betsy · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is unlike any other WW II book I have ever read. Inspired by the author’s search for the man his father really was by doing a deep dive into his dad’s experiences as a fighter pilot, the author both intimately illuminates the humanity of these brave young men and begins to divine the forces that shaped his father’s life and the adult his father became. Like so many WW II vets, Bert Ibelle spoke rarely about his wartime experiences and lived a seemingly placid life that perhaps unintentionally kept his family, whom he clearly loved deeply, at an emotional distance. That psychological armor — all the more surprising given that he became a clinical psychologist — left the author determined to better understand his father. Yet this book is almost primarily a compelling narrative about the skills and bravery required by young men barely out of their teens flying into terrifying enemy territory to drop their bombs as they were being continually strafed by their Axis counterparts. The author’s journalistic acumen, keen attention to detail and superb storytelling skills make this a page-turner of a book. And does Bert get the girl? Read this book to find out!

[Malina Cote · Rating 5 out of 5]

In my completely unbiased opinion, everyone should read this book. Compiled from a mix of my grandfathers wartime journals, his retirement reflections, and outside research it tells the story of WWII through the lens of three perspectives - my grandfather as a B17 gunner in Europe, his best friend fighting on the ground in the Pacific, and my grandmother at home in CT. It’s part war stories, part the love story of my grandparents, and part my dad’s search for insight into his elusive father.

[Mark Reid · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a 5-Star book that I could not put down! Great insight into WWII through the relationships, friendships and family love. Just a great easy read - my favorite book this year!