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Trapped Behind Nazi Lines
In the midst of World War II, a group of Army Air Force medical workers found themselves trapped behind enemy lines after surviving a plane crash. What followed were two months of sheer terror. Vivid details bring to light how they survived and the emotions they faced on a daily basis. Primary-source quotes bring the story to life.
224 pages, Hardcover
Published March 1, 2016
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Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews
May 3, 2016
When we think about WWII, we primarily think about Germany and Britain, Jews and concentration camps, and the men who fought on the battlefields. Trapped Behind Nazi Lines tells us a story about people and places that are not widely known. This true story tells us about nurses and medics, as well as the flight crew, who crash landed in Albania and their incredible journey to safety. We get the opportunity to meet these men and women, as well as the Albanian heroes who helped them along the way. I loved seeing the pictures of the Americans at the end of the book after they were rescued. The main reason we have this story is because one of the nurses, Agnes Jensen, and one of the medics, L. Orville Abbott, took the time to make notes along the way. I'm glad that they did so that I could read about their story. This book would be a good read for middle grade readers.
Thank you to NetGalley and Capstone Young Readers for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Thank you to NetGalley and Capstone Young Readers for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
April 4, 2016
Here is a little known harrowing story of courage and survival that could rival any novel written about WWII.
On November 8, 1943, a group of 13 Army medics, 13 Army nurses and a flight crew of 4, most in their late teens and early twenties, set off from Sicily on a plane bound for Bari, Italy to pick up some wounded British soldiers. Almost immediately, the plane ran into trouble as they flew into a cold, harsh winter storm. As the plane bucked and dove over the sea below, one of the nurses realized there were only 10 life vests for 30 people. Then the radio went out and communication was no longer possible with anyone anywhere on the ground. The plane flew in circles and began to run out of fuel. As they attempted a landing in a valley, the plane was greeted with antiaircraft artillery. When they finally crash landed, it was cold and rainy, no one was dressed for the weather or even knew where they were, and on top of that, men with rifles were running towards them shouting in a language they did not understand.
One of the men spoke a little English and told the Americans they were in Albania. Luckily for them, the Albanians were anti-Nazi guerrilla fighters, unluckily for them, the area was surrounded by German soldiers. Not knowing if they could trust these partisans, the Americans nevertheless decided to follow them through the woods, and after hiking for hours in the pouring rain, arrived at the village of Gjolen. There, they were feed some dry cornbread and sour white cheese.
Thus began the harrowing 63 day journey to reach their destination at Bari, Italy. In-between, the meds and nurses had to hike between 600 and 1,000 miles in bitter cold, snowy weather to reach the Albania coast only 60 miles away. Along the way, they were at the mercy of the partisans, some who were honest and treated them as kindly as possible under the circumstances. some not terribly trustworthy and others just scared villagers who would put them up for a night, but wanted them gone the next day. Everyone knew that If anyone in Albania was caught helping the Allies, they would be immediately killed by the Nazis and their villages burned down - and there was proof all around them that this threat was real.
Trapped Behind Nazi Lines is an exciting account of this rescue of the flight crew and the 26 medical personnel of the 807th. I have to be honest and say that given the obstacles these men and woman encountered, drawbacks like starvation, inadequate clothing, worm out shoes, I am in awe that every single one of the survived their ordeal.
Eric Braun used various sources, including books written by one of the medics and one of the nurses, to recreate a vivid, detailed account of what life was like for the two months these soldiers were caught behind enemy lines. One of the things that surprised me was that for a country occupied by Nazi soldiers, there were some British SOE agents there who were able to help the Americans escape. The other surprise was the age of the medics and nurses. I kept having to remind myself that these were really collage-age kids and not seasoned soldiers, yet they acted and reacted like more mature adults given the dangerous situations they found themselves in.
Trapped Behind Nazi Lines is a work of nonfiction that is sure to appeal to middle grade reader, and even YA readers who like history, but will also please kids looking for an action-packed story, all the more exciting because it really happened.
Back matter included lots of photographs of the Americans, a map, a timeline, select bibliography, internet sites and more.
This book is recommended for readers age 9+
This book was an EARC received from NetGalley
This review was originally posted on The Children's War
On November 8, 1943, a group of 13 Army medics, 13 Army nurses and a flight crew of 4, most in their late teens and early twenties, set off from Sicily on a plane bound for Bari, Italy to pick up some wounded British soldiers. Almost immediately, the plane ran into trouble as they flew into a cold, harsh winter storm. As the plane bucked and dove over the sea below, one of the nurses realized there were only 10 life vests for 30 people. Then the radio went out and communication was no longer possible with anyone anywhere on the ground. The plane flew in circles and began to run out of fuel. As they attempted a landing in a valley, the plane was greeted with antiaircraft artillery. When they finally crash landed, it was cold and rainy, no one was dressed for the weather or even knew where they were, and on top of that, men with rifles were running towards them shouting in a language they did not understand.
One of the men spoke a little English and told the Americans they were in Albania. Luckily for them, the Albanians were anti-Nazi guerrilla fighters, unluckily for them, the area was surrounded by German soldiers. Not knowing if they could trust these partisans, the Americans nevertheless decided to follow them through the woods, and after hiking for hours in the pouring rain, arrived at the village of Gjolen. There, they were feed some dry cornbread and sour white cheese.
Thus began the harrowing 63 day journey to reach their destination at Bari, Italy. In-between, the meds and nurses had to hike between 600 and 1,000 miles in bitter cold, snowy weather to reach the Albania coast only 60 miles away. Along the way, they were at the mercy of the partisans, some who were honest and treated them as kindly as possible under the circumstances. some not terribly trustworthy and others just scared villagers who would put them up for a night, but wanted them gone the next day. Everyone knew that If anyone in Albania was caught helping the Allies, they would be immediately killed by the Nazis and their villages burned down - and there was proof all around them that this threat was real.
Trapped Behind Nazi Lines is an exciting account of this rescue of the flight crew and the 26 medical personnel of the 807th. I have to be honest and say that given the obstacles these men and woman encountered, drawbacks like starvation, inadequate clothing, worm out shoes, I am in awe that every single one of the survived their ordeal.
Eric Braun used various sources, including books written by one of the medics and one of the nurses, to recreate a vivid, detailed account of what life was like for the two months these soldiers were caught behind enemy lines. One of the things that surprised me was that for a country occupied by Nazi soldiers, there were some British SOE agents there who were able to help the Americans escape. The other surprise was the age of the medics and nurses. I kept having to remind myself that these were really collage-age kids and not seasoned soldiers, yet they acted and reacted like more mature adults given the dangerous situations they found themselves in.
Trapped Behind Nazi Lines is a work of nonfiction that is sure to appeal to middle grade reader, and even YA readers who like history, but will also please kids looking for an action-packed story, all the more exciting because it really happened.
Back matter included lots of photographs of the Americans, a map, a timeline, select bibliography, internet sites and more.
This book is recommended for readers age 9+
This book was an EARC received from NetGalley
This review was originally posted on The Children's War
March 12, 2016
I received a copy of this book via Netgalley.
As a middle school teacher, I am always looking for interesting nonfiction for my students. I was unfamiliar with the story of how the United States 807th Mecial Evacuation Squad crashed in occupied Albania. This book tells the story of their journey and rescue with the help of many people who risked their own lives along the way. I struggled midway through the book because it seemed to drag, and I was overwhelmed with the number of people in the story. Because of this, I think this could be a difficult read for some middle grade readers. What I think will entice readers, is the fact that they kept this story a secret for so long and the primary sources in the back of the book.
As a middle school teacher, I am always looking for interesting nonfiction for my students. I was unfamiliar with the story of how the United States 807th Mecial Evacuation Squad crashed in occupied Albania. This book tells the story of their journey and rescue with the help of many people who risked their own lives along the way. I struggled midway through the book because it seemed to drag, and I was overwhelmed with the number of people in the story. Because of this, I think this could be a difficult read for some middle grade readers. What I think will entice readers, is the fact that they kept this story a secret for so long and the primary sources in the back of the book.
January 23, 2017
Important WW II story. Fascinating and harrowing journey given in straightforward narrative with little background. Confusing transition in second chapter. Map and photos included in backmatter. Will appeal to "I Survived..." readers, but does not have the intimacy of those books. Focuses solely on the escape. Makes little attempt to connect the characters to real people until the end. Does not paint word pictures to help readers envision the time and place.
As a judge for the CYBILS award, I received a free digital copy of this book in return for an honest evaluation.
As a judge for the CYBILS award, I received a free digital copy of this book in return for an honest evaluation.
August 16, 2020
The story was a new one to me and it is incredible what these medics and nurses went through.
There were a lot of names so that got a little confusing but the narrative centered around a handful of the Americans trying to get back to Italy.
Towards the end it was confusing because they advanced so far then had to go back then went back to where they had been then retraced their steps. Some of the town names were similar so it was hard to track where they were going and why they kept changing routes.
But this was very age appropriate reading for the grades it recommends. Nothing too graphic but it accurately reports the danger they were constantly in. The pictures and map at the end were an added bonus. Great way to introduce teens to WW2 on a different front than you usually hear about.
There were a lot of names so that got a little confusing but the narrative centered around a handful of the Americans trying to get back to Italy.
Towards the end it was confusing because they advanced so far then had to go back then went back to where they had been then retraced their steps. Some of the town names were similar so it was hard to track where they were going and why they kept changing routes.
But this was very age appropriate reading for the grades it recommends. Nothing too graphic but it accurately reports the danger they were constantly in. The pictures and map at the end were an added bonus. Great way to introduce teens to WW2 on a different front than you usually hear about.
March 15, 2018
Trapped Behind Nazi Lines is a great book because it talks about 13 army medics, 13 army nurses, and a pilot group of 4 are leaving their base at Silicy and are headed to Bari,Italy to pick up wounded British soldiers. On their way to Bari there was a storm and they thought they were gonna go down. The pilot flew down all they way to the ground and was trying to stay out of the storm to avoid damage to the plane. They decided to land in a valley but were greeted by anitaircraft artillary so they couldn't land. They were flying in circles in the middle of the winter storm. They were running low on fuel so they decided to crash land the plane. Now everyone is mainly focusing on surviving.
December 21, 2023
If you are into historical and non-fiction books you will love this book. Eric Braun does a great job at depicting the challenges for soldiers during World War 2. This book kept me intrigued all the way to the end of the book which is a challenge for me but i couldn't even put the book down. I also liked some of the pictures that he put at the end of the book and i just thought it was an interesting little Easter egg kind of. The way Braun starts each chapter makes it hard for anyone to just stop and walk away from the book before they finish it. Overall this book is for people that like history in a non documentary way which is very boring.
March 4, 2025
I was gifted this book from a friend. It’s a rather simplistic true story, although it’s a tremendous survival struggle for those involved. I do agree with other reviews written here that the intrigue of this book is the fact that it’s facts were kept secret so long after the war, and also that it is about medics, nurses and flight crews who aren’t front line soldiers. I also agree that the ending made up for a meandering middle part of the book. It’s worth reading.
March 15, 2017
During WWII, a squadron of medical personnel from the US army got stranded behind enemy lines. Much research and use of primary source materials make this a well-documented tale, but my understanding is that enough of what happens is filled in by the author that it is considered to be fiction. Lots of suspense, action, and drama. Students who are interested in survival tales (such as Hatchet) will enjoy this book.
I felt like some of the characters were not as well developed as others, but that makes sense knowing the limitations the author was working with in an effort to keep everything as authentic as possible.
I felt like some of the characters were not as well developed as others, but that makes sense knowing the limitations the author was working with in an effort to keep everything as authentic as possible.
February 10, 2016
Featured in World War II Nonfiction for Young Readers on Intellectual Recreation.
The United States 807th Medical Evacuation Squadron crash landed in Nazi-occupied Albania. It took them three months and a hike of over 1000 miles to reach the sea and an evacuation boat. They battled blizzards and had many close calls with Nazis and Nazi sympathizers. Along the way they were aided by local partisans and several British Special Operatives.
I learned quite a lot while reading Eric Braun's Trapped Behind Nazi Lines. Nazi-occupied Albania is not an aspect of WWII that is often discussed. It was really interesting to learn about the occupation in Albania and what the locals and Allies were doing to thwart the Nazis. I'm particularly interested in the work of the British Special Operatives and would like to learn more about their role in occupied areas during the war.
The escape of the 807th MES is even more remarkable considering that the group consisted of medics and nurses. They were not necessarily trained in combat, had no weapons, and were not prepared for the harsh climate.
It was also interesting to learn about why many of them did not tell their stories in the years after the war. Several kept silent because of the political situation in Albania.
A story of courage and resistance, this is a great nonfiction book for young readers interested in World War II.
Trapped Behind Nazi Lines is out March 1st, 2016.
Review copy from NetGalley
August 29, 2016
I received this copy from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
I was not familiar with the US Army Air Force 807th Medical Evacuation Squad and their story before reading Trapped Behind Nazi Lines by Eric Braun. And what a story it is! Crashed in Nazi occupied Albania, a group of American medics, nurses, and a four man flight crew faced fear, starvation and disease on their long walk to freedom. Most were in their early twenties and late teens. They accomplished the extraordinary, hiding from enemy soldiers and surviving mountain climbs in blizzards. They were assisted in their escape by local resistance groups, the British SOE and the American OSS. Their story is astonishing and Braun does an excellent job retelling it for younger audience.
There were a few times where the narrative lagged or got a little confusing. I sometimes felt like I had shown up in the middle of things with no background to build on. However, these occasional hiccups did not detract from the overall story.
As a librarian, I am always on the lookout for a good nonfiction book for middle grade and young adult readers. Too often, books targeting this audience are tedious to read and textbook-like in their format. This makes it difficult to engage these readers with nonfiction topics. I am happy Trapped by Behind Nazi Lines breaks away from this mold and I look forward to suggesting it to my patrons once it comes out.
I was not familiar with the US Army Air Force 807th Medical Evacuation Squad and their story before reading Trapped Behind Nazi Lines by Eric Braun. And what a story it is! Crashed in Nazi occupied Albania, a group of American medics, nurses, and a four man flight crew faced fear, starvation and disease on their long walk to freedom. Most were in their early twenties and late teens. They accomplished the extraordinary, hiding from enemy soldiers and surviving mountain climbs in blizzards. They were assisted in their escape by local resistance groups, the British SOE and the American OSS. Their story is astonishing and Braun does an excellent job retelling it for younger audience.
There were a few times where the narrative lagged or got a little confusing. I sometimes felt like I had shown up in the middle of things with no background to build on. However, these occasional hiccups did not detract from the overall story.
As a librarian, I am always on the lookout for a good nonfiction book for middle grade and young adult readers. Too often, books targeting this audience are tedious to read and textbook-like in their format. This makes it difficult to engage these readers with nonfiction topics. I am happy Trapped by Behind Nazi Lines breaks away from this mold and I look forward to suggesting it to my patrons once it comes out.
February 3, 2016
I received a free copy of this book through NetGalley for an honest review.
I reluctantly gave this book four stars, not for lack of content, but only because in a few areas I felt the narrative dragged somewhat. It is difficult, I realize, when writing non-fiction to keep the tempo up as one does with a novel, but I would have liked to have seen a little more momentum.
On the other hand, there is no lack of good content, and as one whose hobby is military history, I enjoyed this story from the Balkans during the Second World War. Due to the lack of full-scale military action on the part of the allies, little is written about that portion of the war, leaving a big hole in our knowledge of the area.
Mr. Braun did a good job of drawing together all sides of the escape, making this story more in depth than most middle school level books, which I commend. This book has much to interest readers outside of the middle grade genre, and it held my attention all the way through. I heartily recommend this story to anyone with any interest in military activities.
I reluctantly gave this book four stars, not for lack of content, but only because in a few areas I felt the narrative dragged somewhat. It is difficult, I realize, when writing non-fiction to keep the tempo up as one does with a novel, but I would have liked to have seen a little more momentum.
On the other hand, there is no lack of good content, and as one whose hobby is military history, I enjoyed this story from the Balkans during the Second World War. Due to the lack of full-scale military action on the part of the allies, little is written about that portion of the war, leaving a big hole in our knowledge of the area.
Mr. Braun did a good job of drawing together all sides of the escape, making this story more in depth than most middle school level books, which I commend. This book has much to interest readers outside of the middle grade genre, and it held my attention all the way through. I heartily recommend this story to anyone with any interest in military activities.
January 22, 2016
Trapped Behind Nazi Lines
The Story of the U.S. Army Air Force 807th Medical Evacuation Squadron
by Eric Braun
Capstone
Capstone Young Readers Middle Grade, Children’s Nonfiction
Pub Date Mar 1, 2016
I was given a copy of Trapped Behind the Nazi Lines: The Story of the U.S Army Air Force 807th Medical Squandron through the Publisher and there partnership with Netgalley in exchange for my honest review which is as follows:
Trapped Behind Nazi Lines, is a great book to teach Middle Grade readers about the Holocaust.
For Six weeks the airforce Squandron is stuck in Nazi occupied Albania. Because the officers and those involved with what happened in Albania had been sworn to silence the story nearly died, but the story survived. This is not only the story of the brave air force Squandron but those who were willing to risk their lives to save those that were Trapped Behind the Enemy Lines.
Five out of five Stars
Happy Reading
The Story of the U.S. Army Air Force 807th Medical Evacuation Squadron
by Eric Braun
Capstone
Capstone Young Readers Middle Grade, Children’s Nonfiction
Pub Date Mar 1, 2016
I was given a copy of Trapped Behind the Nazi Lines: The Story of the U.S Army Air Force 807th Medical Squandron through the Publisher and there partnership with Netgalley in exchange for my honest review which is as follows:
Trapped Behind Nazi Lines, is a great book to teach Middle Grade readers about the Holocaust.
For Six weeks the airforce Squandron is stuck in Nazi occupied Albania. Because the officers and those involved with what happened in Albania had been sworn to silence the story nearly died, but the story survived. This is not only the story of the brave air force Squandron but those who were willing to risk their lives to save those that were Trapped Behind the Enemy Lines.
Five out of five Stars
Happy Reading
January 21, 2016
This is a phenomenal non-fiction account of bravery, luck, perseverance, and survival. After surviving a plane crash, a number of American medical workers find themselves in the most dangerous position of being stranded in Albania, behind Nazi lines!
Eric Braun chronicles their struggle, their journey, the people who risked their lives to help them, and their eventual rescue. This book is fascinating, heart-breaking, and hopeful. This is brilliantly written for anyone who loves history and hearing stories of the men and women who bravely served our great nation.
Trapped Behind Nazi Lines is due out March 1st. I will definitely be picking up a copy for my classroom and I plan on recommending this one to the non-fiction English teachers as well!
Eric Braun chronicles their struggle, their journey, the people who risked their lives to help them, and their eventual rescue. This book is fascinating, heart-breaking, and hopeful. This is brilliantly written for anyone who loves history and hearing stories of the men and women who bravely served our great nation.
Trapped Behind Nazi Lines is due out March 1st. I will definitely be picking up a copy for my classroom and I plan on recommending this one to the non-fiction English teachers as well!
April 2, 2016
This was an interesting story of a group of men and women that crashed behind enemy lines in Albania and had to trust the people they met to help them successfully make their way back to safety. Although it was not a direct or easy trip, it is another story that ultimately shows how so many people are willing to help others, and at the same time, how much people will persevere through difficulty to reach their goals. One of the great things about this book is that it tells a story of a different group of people and in a different place than most of the books about World War II available to young readers.
* I received an electronic copy of this book through NetGalley for an honest review.
* I received an electronic copy of this book through NetGalley for an honest review.
January 22, 2016
For fans of narrative nonfiction, especially during WWII, this book will be a fast and interesting read about an American medical team caught behind the lines of fighting. After more than 63 days and a 1,000 mile hike in the mountains, the medical team finally finds safety. During those days countless citizens and soldiers assisted their efforts. It is not only a story of human survival, but also one of human kindness even in the face of personal danger.
February 2, 2016
I adored this book. It was at times heartbreaking and other times harrowing and it kept me wanting to read the next page (You know the type - just one more chapter and then sleep!...Yeah. It was that kind of book). I laughed, I cried, wonderfully written. Epic. 5 out of 5 stars. Awesome for kids!
November 26, 2023
Great book for kids to learn about these real life survivors who managed to avoid capture by the Nazis. Always am impressed by those who help when the risks are so great.
June 14, 2016
Very plainly written. Not much historical or larger context.
Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews