Untold Valor: Forgotten Stories of American Bomber Crews over Europe in World War II

by Rob Morris

For the men of the Army Air Corps in early World War II, the chance of surviving the obligatory twenty-five missions without death, injury, or imprisonment was one in three. In this groundbreaking book, Rob Morris has sought out remarkable but little-known stories of the air war from the men who lived and fought it.Based on hundreds of interviews with American veterans and their families, Untold Valor illuminates the courage of airmen whose exploits have until now remained untold. Read about Jewish aviators’ experiences as POWs in German camps. Learn about American airmen who were imprisoned, even killed, by the neutral Swiss and about two Air Corps enlisted men who changed U.S. policy toward liberated concentration camp survivors. Also discover the unusual story of Luftwaffe commander Herman Goering’s nephew, who flew B-17 missions against Germany. While some of the stories cover major events, most are about incidents and individuals misrepresented or overlooked by history books. Yet their efforts were vital, their lives forever changed.Detailed and moving, Untold Valor is certain to interest the serious air historian and the casual reader alike. With a foreword by the editor of B–17s Over Berlin.

Genres: World War II, History, Military Fiction, Military History, Nonfiction

276 pages, Paperback

First published April 1, 2006

Reviews

[Terry Cornell · Rating 5 out of 5]

Rob Morris is a teacher and former pilot. He had a unique idea to write about World War bomber crews by interviewing surviving crew members and writing their individual stories. Although I've read about the air wars of World War II, I was introduced to much new material. Some stories are told by crew members that were shot down, and spent the remainder of the war in POW camps. Other chapters are told by Jewish crew members that could potentially have worse consequences than others if shot down over Germany. Some reminiscences are of being on crippled planes crash landing in neutral Switzerland and Sweden, and spending the remainder of the war in prisoner camps as bad as German ones. In some of these cases our already damaged planes were fired on by Swiss ME-109s, and/or neutral flak crews. Perhaps the most interesting story was about American B-17 pilot Werner Goering who was believed to be a nephew of Hermann Goering the head of the German Luftwaffe. Genealogical tests conducted after the publication of the book proved this not to be true, but still a good story. The book also includes a photo section. If you like reading about World War II and want a little different perspective, I recommend this book.

[***Book Lady *** · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book, to me, was amazing! I recently lost my wonderful father who was 88 years old, who among many other fantastic accomplishments in his life, served in WWII in the Army Air Corp as a waist gunner on a B-17. Flying many missions over Germany to preserve our freedom from Hitler and Nazi Germany. This book was his story and so many other young men's stories of the bravery and lives given in air battles where chances of surviving were 1 in 3. It also tells the story of the will to live for these men. My father's plane was shot down, and he parachuted into the hands of the Luftwaffe who were waiting on the ground and sent to a POW camp for over a year. He escaped when the camp was made to walk west in a brutal winter across northern Germany to escape the advancing Russians. My family wouldn't be here today, including my beautiful little granddaughter, who is the newest addition, without my father's perseverance and will to live. Thank you for writing this book, Rob Morris! And thank you to all the WWII veterans who fought for us and our freedom - may we never forget your sacrifices....

[Janice · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've read many books about World War II in Europe and often the material is repetitive with little new information. This wonderful book, with first person accounts, had multiple stories I had never heard before.

For example, I had always read that Switzerland was a truly neutral country. As it turns out, they were far from it and survivors of internment there tell their tale of mistreatment in vivid terms.

If you are a history buff that wants to learn something new I recommend this well researched and moving collection.

I was fortunate to win a copy of this book as a winner of Good Reads giveaways.

[Leonard · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was very surprised when I began reading this book. I had never heard of the un-neutral treatment of allied airmen going to Switzerland if in trouble. This is among many of the off-done stories of air warfare in WWII.

I especially enjoyed the stories at the end of the book about guys who had been interred in Sweden. The Swedes were entirely different than the Swiss in their treatment of allied internees. I also enjoyed the reunion chapter of the guys held in a German POW camp and what happened to them after the war. A great altho different book about the war.

[Tom · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another great history book from Rob Morris. It's obvious he puts a great deal of time into interviewing veterans so we can learn about their experiences.