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Forgotten Souls: The Search for the Lost Tuskegee Airmen
NPR investigative journalist and the daughter of a Tuskegee Airman, Cheryl W. Thompson explores the stories of the 27 Tuskegee Airmen – the Black pilots who fought for America in WWII – who went missing in combat, the lives they lived, the reasons they were shot down, why the remains of all but one were never found, and the impact their disappearances had on their families and communities.
In 1945, World War II ended in one of the deadliest conflicts in history. Geared for battle were nearly 1,000 trailblazing Black pilots trained at the Tuskegee Army Air Field, an unrepentantly segregated facility in Alabama. Hailing from the Iowa cornfields to the Texas Gulf Coast to the tobacco plantations of North Carolina, the Tuskegee Airmen already proved, under the toughest circumstances, to be among the most resilient and defiantly patriotic men of the Army Air Corps.
27 of them disappeared during the final critical mission in Europe. So, too, would the government’s efforts to find them, acknowledge them, or help to bring closure to the loved ones that the valiant 332nd Fighter Group left behind.
In Forgotten Souls, award-winning journalist Cheryl W. Thompson delves into the true stories of the Black combat pilots who faced unimaginable racism—before, during, and after the war—from a military that told them they were less than, even as their courage and aviation prowess saved scores of white brothers in arms from the enemy.
As cruel as war itself could be, the friends, family, communities, and fellow Tuskegee Airmen who mourned the lost pilots never imagined how unforgivable it could get. After 80 years, Forgotten Souls honors the impact they made, and the sacrifices they endured on America’s behalf.
In 1945, World War II ended in one of the deadliest conflicts in history. Geared for battle were nearly 1,000 trailblazing Black pilots trained at the Tuskegee Army Air Field, an unrepentantly segregated facility in Alabama. Hailing from the Iowa cornfields to the Texas Gulf Coast to the tobacco plantations of North Carolina, the Tuskegee Airmen already proved, under the toughest circumstances, to be among the most resilient and defiantly patriotic men of the Army Air Corps.
27 of them disappeared during the final critical mission in Europe. So, too, would the government’s efforts to find them, acknowledge them, or help to bring closure to the loved ones that the valiant 332nd Fighter Group left behind.
In Forgotten Souls, award-winning journalist Cheryl W. Thompson delves into the true stories of the Black combat pilots who faced unimaginable racism—before, during, and after the war—from a military that told them they were less than, even as their courage and aviation prowess saved scores of white brothers in arms from the enemy.
As cruel as war itself could be, the friends, family, communities, and fellow Tuskegee Airmen who mourned the lost pilots never imagined how unforgivable it could get. After 80 years, Forgotten Souls honors the impact they made, and the sacrifices they endured on America’s behalf.
240 pages, Hardcover
Published January 27, 2026
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 35 reviews
April 15, 2026
The Tuskegee Airmen were unquestionably heroes of the first order. They deserved a far, far better book than this.
The author spends the first 85 pages or so endlessly repeating that the military didn't want them, and that they were the victims of continuous racism. What a surprise. Rather than portraying them as victims, she should have concentrated on their stunning heroism. For the most part, these were men with at best B level educations, inadequate training, and little institutional support. Yet they persevered.
It is not, however, due to the Tuskegee Airmen that World War II was won, as she claims. If this were remotely true, I really want to see evidence. A little research says they had less training, less experience, and less quality equipment than white pilots of the same era. I'd like to know if they, statistically, made more mistakes--but they're all perfect in this book.
Thompson also contends that the military didn't look for a number of the 27 who went down and were never recovered. It strains credulity a bit--since the ones that were never recovered in the main went down without a trace (in the middle of wartime) and many appear to have crashed directly into the Adriatic. Yes, there should still be a search from them with the far better tools we have in the 21st century, but I doubt all that was available in the 1940s. Anyone who has watched Foyle’s War (or even All Creatures Great and Small) knows how incredibly perilous being a WWII pilot was, and how many were never recovered. Under the same set of events, I'd like to know how many remains of white pilots were recovered.
After the lengthy and undoubtedly true racism screed, Thompson launches into a catalog of each downed pilot--who their parents were, where they went to school, what civilian jobs they held, whether they married or had children, and what relatives are left alive. I read the ebook version, which only has photos at the very end, so most of these mainly recitals of data are very hard to keep track of, and the airmen become ciphers, which they emphatically do not deserve. One longs for what Tracy Kidder or Ken Burns could have done with whatever data is available. This book actually dehumanizes the lost airmen.
Finally, she never answers the main question I have: why on earth would a well educated black man with a new wife and often an infant volunteer (they weren't drafted!) to be trained and assigned a job with an incredibly high casualty rate, black or white? Why was it an unlooked for and powerful surprise when news of their death reached their families? They must have known that they had little chance of becoming civilian pilots for airlines. Was it patriotism? Thrills? Thompson never explores their motivation. It appears to come as a total surprise to their famiiies. I mean, if you volunteer for a known dangerous job, you might have a pretty good idea of what's coming--just as if you volunteer to defuse bombs and landmines.
Thompson never mentions what type of financial remuneration or pension widows and children got, so I just don't know. She does mention dozens of times that the family never heard from the government again--after 55 years, I'm not sure what they’d expect.
Thompson has not been well served by her editor, either. Many words are misused and grammar at times is questionable.
These heroes need to be recognized and lauded. This isn't the book that does it.
The author spends the first 85 pages or so endlessly repeating that the military didn't want them, and that they were the victims of continuous racism. What a surprise. Rather than portraying them as victims, she should have concentrated on their stunning heroism. For the most part, these were men with at best B level educations, inadequate training, and little institutional support. Yet they persevered.
It is not, however, due to the Tuskegee Airmen that World War II was won, as she claims. If this were remotely true, I really want to see evidence. A little research says they had less training, less experience, and less quality equipment than white pilots of the same era. I'd like to know if they, statistically, made more mistakes--but they're all perfect in this book.
Thompson also contends that the military didn't look for a number of the 27 who went down and were never recovered. It strains credulity a bit--since the ones that were never recovered in the main went down without a trace (in the middle of wartime) and many appear to have crashed directly into the Adriatic. Yes, there should still be a search from them with the far better tools we have in the 21st century, but I doubt all that was available in the 1940s. Anyone who has watched Foyle’s War (or even All Creatures Great and Small) knows how incredibly perilous being a WWII pilot was, and how many were never recovered. Under the same set of events, I'd like to know how many remains of white pilots were recovered.
After the lengthy and undoubtedly true racism screed, Thompson launches into a catalog of each downed pilot--who their parents were, where they went to school, what civilian jobs they held, whether they married or had children, and what relatives are left alive. I read the ebook version, which only has photos at the very end, so most of these mainly recitals of data are very hard to keep track of, and the airmen become ciphers, which they emphatically do not deserve. One longs for what Tracy Kidder or Ken Burns could have done with whatever data is available. This book actually dehumanizes the lost airmen.
Finally, she never answers the main question I have: why on earth would a well educated black man with a new wife and often an infant volunteer (they weren't drafted!) to be trained and assigned a job with an incredibly high casualty rate, black or white? Why was it an unlooked for and powerful surprise when news of their death reached their families? They must have known that they had little chance of becoming civilian pilots for airlines. Was it patriotism? Thrills? Thompson never explores their motivation. It appears to come as a total surprise to their famiiies. I mean, if you volunteer for a known dangerous job, you might have a pretty good idea of what's coming--just as if you volunteer to defuse bombs and landmines.
Thompson never mentions what type of financial remuneration or pension widows and children got, so I just don't know. She does mention dozens of times that the family never heard from the government again--after 55 years, I'm not sure what they’d expect.
Thompson has not been well served by her editor, either. Many words are misused and grammar at times is questionable.
These heroes need to be recognized and lauded. This isn't the book that does it.
February 27, 2026
Forgotten Souls: The Search for the Lost Tuskegee Airmen reflects the work of investigative journalist, Cheryl W. Thompson (whose father William E. Whitlow Jr. was himself a Tuskegee Airman, serving as a pilot with the 332nd Fighter Group in Italy during WWII) to flesh out and examine the lives of the 27 Tuskegee Airmen who went missing in action - and the impact their deaths had on their families decades after WWII.
Thompson also met with surviving spouses and siblings of these missing airmen, and it is their stories in the book that further convey the human cost across generations in the families of these missing airmen who were never able to have closure through having the remains of their loved ones returned to them. Indeed, what is revealed in the book is the negligence of the War Department in its often feeble, half-hearted efforts to try to find the remains of the missing airmen in the areas of conflict where their aircraft disappeared.
The U.S. military in WWII was rigidly racially segregated, which led to African Americans in its ranks being accorded a lower value than their white compatriots - and even German prisoners of war. (As a son whose late father was a U.S. Army combat veteran of WWII who fought in Europe during 1944-45, I grew up on his stories of the indignities heaped on him, both stateside and in Europe, because of the color of his skin.)
Forgotten Souls also sheds light on the efforts, in recent times, to find the remains of the 27 Tuskegee Airmen - when possible -which led to some of the bereaved families belatedly receiving the closure they had sought for so long. It gave me a good feeling to read about this.
As of the writing of this review (February 26th, 2026), the number of surviving Tuskegee Airmen who served during WWII is vanishingly small. Lieutenant Colonel George Hardy - one of the Tuskegee Airmen Thompson interviewed for this book - died September 25, 2025, age 100. At 19, he was the youngest pilot to fly combat with the 332nd Fighter Group in the war.
For anyone seeking to better understand the lasting human costs of war, I highly recommend reading Forgotten Souls.
Thompson also met with surviving spouses and siblings of these missing airmen, and it is their stories in the book that further convey the human cost across generations in the families of these missing airmen who were never able to have closure through having the remains of their loved ones returned to them. Indeed, what is revealed in the book is the negligence of the War Department in its often feeble, half-hearted efforts to try to find the remains of the missing airmen in the areas of conflict where their aircraft disappeared.
The U.S. military in WWII was rigidly racially segregated, which led to African Americans in its ranks being accorded a lower value than their white compatriots - and even German prisoners of war. (As a son whose late father was a U.S. Army combat veteran of WWII who fought in Europe during 1944-45, I grew up on his stories of the indignities heaped on him, both stateside and in Europe, because of the color of his skin.)
Forgotten Souls also sheds light on the efforts, in recent times, to find the remains of the 27 Tuskegee Airmen - when possible -which led to some of the bereaved families belatedly receiving the closure they had sought for so long. It gave me a good feeling to read about this.
As of the writing of this review (February 26th, 2026), the number of surviving Tuskegee Airmen who served during WWII is vanishingly small. Lieutenant Colonel George Hardy - one of the Tuskegee Airmen Thompson interviewed for this book - died September 25, 2025, age 100. At 19, he was the youngest pilot to fly combat with the 332nd Fighter Group in the war.
For anyone seeking to better understand the lasting human costs of war, I highly recommend reading Forgotten Souls.
April 3, 2026
It’s so important to hear the stories of these Tuskegee airmen, who were lost during WWII and their bodies never found. Andrew Maples Jr. was from Orange, Virginia. I need to stop by the courthouse one day to see his portrait, placed there in 2021.
February 22, 2026
Well researched and written book about the missing Tuskegee Airmen. Strong details about the treatment of the Airmen by society. I would love to know more details about the flight by Chief Anderson and Eleanor Roosevelt. Historic.
Read
April 18, 2026Harder to read since this is NonFiction.. so many facts and details; but it was really enlightening to learn how these surviving airmen faired after returning home from heroic service flying in WWII. Treated Disgracefully and
I for one, am glad this g’daughter of one such Pilot wrote this book. These Tuskegee Airmen served willingly and heroically and deserve our gratitude and respect! 🇺🇸 🇺🇸
I for one, am glad this g’daughter of one such Pilot wrote this book. These Tuskegee Airmen served willingly and heroically and deserve our gratitude and respect! 🇺🇸 🇺🇸
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 18, 2026
4.5 stars
September 9, 2025
So many young men, lost and forgotten by all but their families and close friends. The Tuskegee Airmen, Black pilots of WWII, were a little recognized group of brave soldiers who joined the segregated service to serve as pilots in WWII. They faced racism, segregation, discrimination, and disrespect. However, they became a close group of soldiers and when one was lost, the others mourned him. Their families mourned them and never forgot. Unfortunately, they often received little or no help from the government to attempt to recover or identify their remains. Some families were able to piece together what had happened to their loved one, others only ever knew basic guesses of what must have happened. This is their story - heartbreaking and emotional, but it filled me with a huge sense of respect for this group of fallen soldiers. It is a story well worth reading.
May 5, 2026
Cheryl W. Thompson’s “Forgotten Souls: The Search for the Lost Tuskegee Airmen” reads like a case file opened in a thunderstorm: part aviation mystery, part family reckoning, part indictment of a nation that asked Black pilots to fight fascism abroad while making them fight contempt at home. Thompson follows vanished airmen not as abstractions, but as men with names, voices, families, and futures stolen mid-flight. The book’s engine is not nostalgia. It is propulsion. Thompson moves from airfields and training barracks to crash sites, military paperwork, family memories, and the cold language of missing-in-action bureaucracy. The result is gripping because the stakes are human before they are historical: every lost pilot becomes more than a name on a roster, more than a solemn photograph, more than another casualty swallowed by wartime fog. These men had hometowns, habits, sweethearts, rivalries, ambitions, and parents waiting for news that often never came. What makes the book sing is Thompson’s double vision. She has the reporter’s hunger for evidence and the daughter’s ear for grief. That combination keeps the narrative from turning either dry or sentimental. She knows when to follow the paper trail and when to let silence do its terrible work. The best pages feel almost cinematic: engines coughing over Europe, young men testing themselves against weather and enemy fire, then the sudden blank space where a life should be. “Forgotten Souls” is also quietly furious. It asks why some war dead became monuments while others became footnotes, and why valor performed in a segregated uniform still had to wait generations for full recognition. Yet the book is not a lecture. It is a rescue mission, conducted with patience, style, and moral heat. For readers of military history, aviation, civil rights, or investigative narrative, Thompson delivers something rare: a book that restores the missing without pretending restoration is enough.
January 31, 2026
Thanks to NetGalley and Kensington Publishing/Dafina for the digital copy of this book; I am leaving this review voluntarily.
This. Book. Forgotten Souls is the type of history I love to read about. Bringing stories of the Black experience to the forefront where it belongs. I knew of the Tuskegee airman from my readings after I left school, but nothing in detail. National Public Radio’s Cheryl W. Thompson’s father was from the famed air group. She presents a richly researched narrative that combines personal testimony and a meticulously documented account of the 27 missing Black airmen.
Forgotten Souls focuses on the wartime bravery the Tuskegee airmen exhibited and the systemic racism they faced every. single. day. The missing men left a lingering emotional toll on their families. There is a depth and nuance to the emotional weight of that unresolved loss. This thoughtful and historically grounded book hit that social justice storytelling spot that I do love to explore.
Thompson explores the racist belief that Black men could not learn to fly because they weren’t smart enough. They were segregated by the Army Air Corps into their own unit. That they were sent to a base in Alabama during the Jim Crow era is a special kind of cruelty. However, the men learned that the safest place in the state was on the air base. Of the 900 men who trained at Tuskegee, 27 didn’t return after flying their missions. What happened to these Black men remains a mystery, in part because the white men in charge didn’t want to waste resources to find Black bodies.
Released just in time for Black History Month, this extensively researched book is the perfect book to pick up and explore another side of WWII history that wasn’t taught in school.
This. Book. Forgotten Souls is the type of history I love to read about. Bringing stories of the Black experience to the forefront where it belongs. I knew of the Tuskegee airman from my readings after I left school, but nothing in detail. National Public Radio’s Cheryl W. Thompson’s father was from the famed air group. She presents a richly researched narrative that combines personal testimony and a meticulously documented account of the 27 missing Black airmen.
Forgotten Souls focuses on the wartime bravery the Tuskegee airmen exhibited and the systemic racism they faced every. single. day. The missing men left a lingering emotional toll on their families. There is a depth and nuance to the emotional weight of that unresolved loss. This thoughtful and historically grounded book hit that social justice storytelling spot that I do love to explore.
Thompson explores the racist belief that Black men could not learn to fly because they weren’t smart enough. They were segregated by the Army Air Corps into their own unit. That they were sent to a base in Alabama during the Jim Crow era is a special kind of cruelty. However, the men learned that the safest place in the state was on the air base. Of the 900 men who trained at Tuskegee, 27 didn’t return after flying their missions. What happened to these Black men remains a mystery, in part because the white men in charge didn’t want to waste resources to find Black bodies.
Released just in time for Black History Month, this extensively researched book is the perfect book to pick up and explore another side of WWII history that wasn’t taught in school.
April 3, 2026
Cheryl Thompson's book Forgotten Souls isn't so much history as journalism. That's not surprising given that she's been an investigative NPR reporter for years. That's not to belittle Forgotten Souls because what Thompson offers is a chance to remember the two-dozen or so Tuskegee airman who, in many cases, simply disappeared while flying missions with the famous Red Tails.
This book offers glimpses of a number of those men through the quickly-fading memories of their survivors and the few remaining fliers they served with. Often, too often, when these Forgotten Souls failed to return from a mission no search was even conducted. Understandable, when they disappeared over enemy territory. Despicable, when they crashed in areas controlled by the allies. Obviously, in any war some warriors simply disappear and can't be found. But Thompson suggests another reason for government hand-sitting: race. Afterall, these were African American combat flies, the nation's first African American combat fliers, fighting for a nation whose military officials often questioned the mental and physical ability of these men to become combat fliers. The Red Tails repeatedly put those doubts to rest.
No doubt, there where others whose abilities were doubted, even as the nation needed more Americans to serve. Coincidentally, the April edition of The Atlantic includes a must-read article, The Women of Avenger Field, in which writer Ellen Cushing describes the trials and tribulations of the Women Airforce Service Pilots. To suggest these women, do vital duties, where treated with disdain would be an understatement.
Both Cushing's article and Thompson's book help expose WWII events that show how far we've come and how far we've yet to go.
This book offers glimpses of a number of those men through the quickly-fading memories of their survivors and the few remaining fliers they served with. Often, too often, when these Forgotten Souls failed to return from a mission no search was even conducted. Understandable, when they disappeared over enemy territory. Despicable, when they crashed in areas controlled by the allies. Obviously, in any war some warriors simply disappear and can't be found. But Thompson suggests another reason for government hand-sitting: race. Afterall, these were African American combat flies, the nation's first African American combat fliers, fighting for a nation whose military officials often questioned the mental and physical ability of these men to become combat fliers. The Red Tails repeatedly put those doubts to rest.
No doubt, there where others whose abilities were doubted, even as the nation needed more Americans to serve. Coincidentally, the April edition of The Atlantic includes a must-read article, The Women of Avenger Field, in which writer Ellen Cushing describes the trials and tribulations of the Women Airforce Service Pilots. To suggest these women, do vital duties, where treated with disdain would be an understatement.
Both Cushing's article and Thompson's book help expose WWII events that show how far we've come and how far we've yet to go.
September 27, 2025
I am so glad I had the opportunity to read Cheryl W. Thompson's book chronicling the stories of the African American pilots who disappeared during World War II while defending our country. These pilots were part of an elite, trailblazing group called the Tuskegee Airmen, who faced considerable racial discrimination at the hands of the United States government and army. The author, herself the daughter of a Tuskegee Airman, goes into detail about the lives of each pilot who disappeared during the war, as well as the lasting impact their disappearances had on the families and friends these pilots left behind. It was so disheartening to read about the egregious lack of concern and care the United States Army and government displayed once these pilots went missing, often waiting years to start a search for these missing pilots, if they searched for them at all.
Prior to reading this book, I knew next to nothing about the Tuskegee Airmen and the crucial role these pilots played during the war, as this is not often discussed. I am so glad I got the chance to learn more about the Tuskegee Airmen as well as learning more about each pilot who sacrificed their life for this country while fighting in one of the most brutal wars. This book by Cheryl W. Thompson was a great tribute to these men who made the ultimate sacrifice for a country that often showed them just how little it cared for them and treated them as second class citizens. I will never forget the stories of these brave and selfless men.
Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Prior to reading this book, I knew next to nothing about the Tuskegee Airmen and the crucial role these pilots played during the war, as this is not often discussed. I am so glad I got the chance to learn more about the Tuskegee Airmen as well as learning more about each pilot who sacrificed their life for this country while fighting in one of the most brutal wars. This book by Cheryl W. Thompson was a great tribute to these men who made the ultimate sacrifice for a country that often showed them just how little it cared for them and treated them as second class citizens. I will never forget the stories of these brave and selfless men.
Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
February 24, 2026
According to the Army official government website: "During WWII, more than 2.5 million African American men registered for the draft, and African American women volunteered in large numbers. When combined with black women enlisted into Women's Army Corps, more than one million African Americans served the Army during the War. As of early 2026, there is no exact, publicly available count of specifically Black American World War II veterans still alive, though they are part of the fewer than 45,000 U.S. WWII veterans surviving today."
Thompson's "Forgotten Souls" focuses on the wartime bravery the Tuskegee airmen exhibited and the systemic racism they faced every. single. day. The book explores the 27 Tuskegee Airmen (Black WW2 pilots) who went missing in action and were never found stems from a combination of hazardous combat missions, unreliable equipment, and institutional racism that limited search and rescue efforts. Thompson explores the racist belief that Black men could not learn to fly because they weren’t smart enough. They were segregated by the Army Air Corps into their own unit. The answer to why so many were never found lies in a system that sent them into a dangerous war in inferior planes and then did not look for them with the same dedication as their white counterparts.
This is their story, heartbreaking and emotional, but it filled me with a huge sense of respect for this group of fallen soldiers. It is a story well worth reading.
Thompson's "Forgotten Souls" focuses on the wartime bravery the Tuskegee airmen exhibited and the systemic racism they faced every. single. day. The book explores the 27 Tuskegee Airmen (Black WW2 pilots) who went missing in action and were never found stems from a combination of hazardous combat missions, unreliable equipment, and institutional racism that limited search and rescue efforts. Thompson explores the racist belief that Black men could not learn to fly because they weren’t smart enough. They were segregated by the Army Air Corps into their own unit. The answer to why so many were never found lies in a system that sent them into a dangerous war in inferior planes and then did not look for them with the same dedication as their white counterparts.
This is their story, heartbreaking and emotional, but it filled me with a huge sense of respect for this group of fallen soldiers. It is a story well worth reading.
January 27, 2026
A book so appropriate to debut a few days before Black History Month is what Investigative Journalist Cheryl W. Thompson has created. The cover defines the story that lies beyond the illustration of a black airman yet in the clouds withcomprised the faces of men who did not return to their air base after an assignment. This is the story of the Tuskegee Airmen from World War II because higher professional Army Air Corps felt that black men could not learn to fly, follow directions yet make split second decisions to fight for their lives and equipment during flights. They had to be segregated from the regular Army Air Corps. Cheryl describes many of the airmen who were selected to become members and came from all over the U.S. to Alabama and learned quickly that the base was the only safe place to be in that area. 900:Tuskegee airmen were trained and 27 didn’t return to their airfield after a mission and what happened to them remains a mystery.. The story is a follow up of these 27 men with extensive research from family member, friends and community remembrances as well as pure academic research. The response of those left behind will resound with you long after you finish reading this book. Perfect for historians, WWII followers, schools. Thanks to the author, NetGalley, and Kensington Publishing for an e-digital ARC of this book; this is my honest review.
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
Forgotten Souls: The Search for the Lost Tuskegee Airmen. Cheryl W. Thompson. Dafina/Kensington Books, to be published January 27, 2026. 240 pages. Thanks to Kensington Books for the free advance readers copy for review.
It's taken far too long for the Tuskegee Airmen to get their just due for their service as the nation's first black military pilots and for their legendary record of achievements in World War II, but, at least in the past few decades, the veterans and their stories have been recognized. Unfortunately, not all survived long enough to see it. In fact, 27 of the over 1,000 Airmen were lost during the war, and their service and sacrifice was forgotten to all but their family. Cheryl W. Thompson, an investigative journalist and the daughter of a Tuskegee Airman herself, set out to uncover and tell the stories of those missing men. The result is a really great history of the unit and the men who comprised it, and now, after 80 years, those 27 missing men are getting at least some of the respect they deserve.
It's taken far too long for the Tuskegee Airmen to get their just due for their service as the nation's first black military pilots and for their legendary record of achievements in World War II, but, at least in the past few decades, the veterans and their stories have been recognized. Unfortunately, not all survived long enough to see it. In fact, 27 of the over 1,000 Airmen were lost during the war, and their service and sacrifice was forgotten to all but their family. Cheryl W. Thompson, an investigative journalist and the daughter of a Tuskegee Airman herself, set out to uncover and tell the stories of those missing men. The result is a really great history of the unit and the men who comprised it, and now, after 80 years, those 27 missing men are getting at least some of the respect they deserve.
February 3, 2026
This powerful work centers on the search for the lost Tuskegee Airmen—brave Black pilots who served their country with honor, only to be overlooked, forgotten, or erased from mainstream history. These men were true American heroes. This book doesn’t just recount facts—it brings their stories to life through the voices of their families. Hearing loved ones speak on their sacrifices, losses, and legacy is both heartbreaking and deeply meaningful.
If you’re unfamiliar with this chapter of American history, this book will open your eyes. If you already know a little, it will deepen your understanding in a very real way. The family stories are priceless and will stay with me long after I finished reading. I highly recommend Forgotten Souls for both educational and emotional purposes. This is a must-read for anyone who believes history should tell the whole story.
Thank you Goodreads for gifting me a copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.
If you’re unfamiliar with this chapter of American history, this book will open your eyes. If you already know a little, it will deepen your understanding in a very real way. The family stories are priceless and will stay with me long after I finished reading. I highly recommend Forgotten Souls for both educational and emotional purposes. This is a must-read for anyone who believes history should tell the whole story.
Thank you Goodreads for gifting me a copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.
August 25, 2025
Forgotten Souls: The Search for the Lost Tuskegee Airmen is an emotionally charged, well-written story about the 27 Tuskegee Airmen who were lost during WWII. This is their story; men who made history as the first Black pilots in a new program which offered the young men an opportunity to train and fight for their country. They went through unspeakable racism, segregation, and disrespect but they became pilots and served with dignity and pride. I was happy to read that two of the men have been identified overseas and brought home, albeit 75-80 years after they died. I hope the remaining 25 will find their way home eventually. In the meantime, this book brings their stories to life, keeping their memories alive. This is a story that needed to be told and I recommend it for everyone. I, for one, will never forget these heroes.
September 5, 2025
This country has done so much wrong to the Tuskegee Airman but the most shameful, is the lack of followup to those who were killed in the line of duty. So the families are left wondering, with no answers or closure. Given the time, so many of loved ones of these airmen, have passed on and many stories were not or could not be passed down. Cheryl Thompson's meticulously researched Forgotten Souls remedies what the US Government has not. She tells the stories and lives of the men who were lost and forgotten and she does so, through the lens of living survivors, loved ones and documents. She shines a light on those who have been erased and whose bodies were mostly never found. This book ensures that these American heroes will never be forgotten.
I received an arc from the publisher but all opinions are my own.
I received an arc from the publisher but all opinions are my own.
April 28, 2026
I had really high hopes for this book! While I appreciate the author giving a voice to these forgotten soldiers, I was hoping for more than a very long collection of basic demographic information. Over 100 pages of this followed the same format: an airman is named, date of birth and family is covered, they talk about where they were born, where they went to school, and any jobs they had before they enlisted, they name any spouses or children, give a brief synopsis of how their plan went down, and then provide the day they were declared dead, making sure to mention every single time that this happened a year and one day after they were declared missing and that this is protocol. I thought this book would be more about searching for them or perhaps the author researching and tracking some down, but there was only one chapter vaguely related to this topic.
January 29, 2026
*The Tuskegee Airmen*
The Forgotten Souls, written by Cheryl W. Thompson , is a compelling, well written novel that brings to life the greatest groups in American military history. This book talks about the lives of the black pilots who defied racism and segregation to become some of the most respected aviators of World War II.
Through vivid storytelling, the book highlights the airmen's incredible achievements, including their impressive combat record in North Africa and Europe. The narrative is punctuated with personal accounts from some of the original Tuskegee Airmen, offering a poignant and humbling perspective on their experiences.
Overall, The Tuskegee Airmen is an informative book that brings to life the enormous contribution made by these men in black history.
The Forgotten Souls, written by Cheryl W. Thompson , is a compelling, well written novel that brings to life the greatest groups in American military history. This book talks about the lives of the black pilots who defied racism and segregation to become some of the most respected aviators of World War II.
Through vivid storytelling, the book highlights the airmen's incredible achievements, including their impressive combat record in North Africa and Europe. The narrative is punctuated with personal accounts from some of the original Tuskegee Airmen, offering a poignant and humbling perspective on their experiences.
Overall, The Tuskegee Airmen is an informative book that brings to life the enormous contribution made by these men in black history.
May 5, 2026
More lost history coming to light. Today, I think, most U. S. citizens know of or at least I hope they know of the Tuskegee Airmen. Unfortunately, this book deals with those lost and too few recovered.
It seems leave no one behind meant for a chosen few.
Talk of the aircraft reminded me of the history of Black soldiers in the Civil War. We're fully uniformed and sometimes without shoes. It took a lot to convince the (back then) War Department to fully outfit them and pay them accordingly.
These airmen flew second hand aircraft against the best Germany had and the War Department had no qualms about it and the additional hazard and peril these mens were faced with and 27 that made ultimate sacrifice and the lack of searches for their remains says it all.
It seems leave no one behind meant for a chosen few.
Talk of the aircraft reminded me of the history of Black soldiers in the Civil War. We're fully uniformed and sometimes without shoes. It took a lot to convince the (back then) War Department to fully outfit them and pay them accordingly.
These airmen flew second hand aircraft against the best Germany had and the War Department had no qualms about it and the additional hazard and peril these mens were faced with and 27 that made ultimate sacrifice and the lack of searches for their remains says it all.
February 6, 2026
I’m so glad to learn about so many of the Lost Tuskegee Airmen. While not everyone learns about the famed red tails, they should. Thank you Cheryl W. Thompson for sharing and exploring the history of the Tuskegee Airmen. I felt honored to learn more about these men who fought for a country that would fight for them…or even look for them when their planes went down.
For many years you could find me in the photo pit at air shows. I was always drawn to the war birds of WWII. I was always thrilled to see The Red Tail Squadron, part of the non-profit Commemorative Air Force, and the P-51Cs.
Thank you Kensington Publishing | Dafina and NetGalley.#ForgottenSoulsTuskegeeAirmen #NetGalley
For many years you could find me in the photo pit at air shows. I was always drawn to the war birds of WWII. I was always thrilled to see The Red Tail Squadron, part of the non-profit Commemorative Air Force, and the P-51Cs.
Thank you Kensington Publishing | Dafina and NetGalley.#ForgottenSoulsTuskegeeAirmen #NetGalley
March 22, 2026
This book is a history of WWII US Black Pilots, known as Tuskegee Airmen because they were trained there. They encountered a lack of support during their entire deployments. They were supplied with inferior weapons and other equipment, including planes, and because of a lack of backup, many of them disappeared on missions. In spite of all this, they kept going. The author of this book, Cheryl Thompson, the daughter of one of these pilots, has written this book about them. She has brought their spirits into this book and has done a very good job of describing what they went through.
March 22, 2026
In many ways, this book was very difficult to read. How are government could let these men go to Europe and fly planes that were "hand-me-downs" from the White military baffles me and then when they crashed, they didn't even look for their bodies. I must admit that it crossed my mind that perhaps the planes were sabotaged. I'd like to think we don't have that kind of racism in our country anymore but that is not true and maybe that is why it was hard to read.
February 18, 2026
I really enjoyed reading Forgotten Souls. It was very informative. Forgotten Souls will be a valuable addition to my collection of books about the Tuskegee Airmen/Red Tails. The Tuskegee Airmen were an amazing group of young men and their contribution to the "Double V" should never be forgotten.
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February 11, 2026
Well researched and thoughtful, this book gives a clear view into the lives-and deaths-of the Tuskegee Airmen and their families.
Disclaimer: I received this book from the publisher as a Goodreads Giveaway. A review was requested but not required and the content and star rating are both my own
Disclaimer: I received this book from the publisher as a Goodreads Giveaway. A review was requested but not required and the content and star rating are both my own
March 6, 2026
Excellent study into a dusty episode in WW2 American history. These heroes deserve to be recognized and their families given our support even these many years later.
I read this book in hospital and the book is still very clear in my memory.
I read this book in hospital and the book is still very clear in my memory.
February 11, 2026
Won this through good reads giveaway and it was a great book about those that served their country and went missing.
February 17, 2026
Gifted Copy/Book Overall:4.5/5
Audiobook/Narration: 3.5/5
Enjoyment: 4/5
Audiobook/Narration: 3.5/5
Enjoyment: 4/5
March 3, 2026
Wonderfully written and thoroughly researched. A great way to honor her father and the many other Tuskegee Airmen who were lost, unnecessarily, during WWII.
March 21, 2026
Interesting topic but a disappointing read.
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