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Beneath Haunted Waters
Beneath Haunted Waters is the tale of waters in the High Sierra haunted by generations of people who cannot forget the story of how two B-24 Liberator bombers disappeared in 1943 and what happened to the boys on board.
During World War II the USA lost 7,100 combat aircraft and 5,300 trainers, along with 15,530 pilots, crew members, and ground personnel in over 52,000 domestic accidents. Between 1942-1945, US aviation losses to accidents (12,400) exceeded combat losses (4,500) to the Japanese. For every plane shot down in the South Pacific there were three lost to accidents within the United States.
While memoirs of those who served, histories of military and political leaders, and books about combat abound, very little has been written about the terrible toll of aviation training accidents during the war. Beneath Haunted Waters tells this unknown and unappreciated story.
During World War II the USA lost 7,100 combat aircraft and 5,300 trainers, along with 15,530 pilots, crew members, and ground personnel in over 52,000 domestic accidents. Between 1942-1945, US aviation losses to accidents (12,400) exceeded combat losses (4,500) to the Japanese. For every plane shot down in the South Pacific there were three lost to accidents within the United States.
While memoirs of those who served, histories of military and political leaders, and books about combat abound, very little has been written about the terrible toll of aviation training accidents during the war. Beneath Haunted Waters tells this unknown and unappreciated story.
328 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2017
5 people are currently reading
21 people want to read
About the author
Peter Stekel
11 books2 followersPeter Stekel is an award-winning writer specializing in feature articles and photography of the Sierra Nevada. Stekel grew up in Southern California and has been hiking and backpacking in the Sierra since he was twelve years old.
Peter Stekel's first trip to the Sierra Nevada was at summer camp with his Boy Scout troop, in Sequoia National Park. Under the weight of a heavy backpack and the arduous long distances, Stekel believed he might actually die from exhaustion. Upon reaching their destination amidst the beauty of an alpine lake, granite cliffs, and wildflower fields, Stekel changed his opinion, and believed he had died and gone to heaven. Since that time he has hiked all over the Southern Sierra, from the foothills to the High Sierra.
Peter Stekel is also the author of "Best Hikes Near Seattle," and two published novels: "Growing Up White in the Sixties" and the mystery-thriller, "The Flower Lover."
Stekel has appeared as an authority on the Sierra Nevada in various national and international media outlets including National Geographic, BBC 4, NPR, and countless other print, radio, and television media. He holds a B.A. in Botany from the University of California at Davis, and a teaching credential from Humboldt State University.
Stekel makes his home in Seattle with his wife, their tropical fish, and a menagerie of stuffed animals.
He is now working on his next book, "Beneath Haunted Waters."
Peter Stekel's first trip to the Sierra Nevada was at summer camp with his Boy Scout troop, in Sequoia National Park. Under the weight of a heavy backpack and the arduous long distances, Stekel believed he might actually die from exhaustion. Upon reaching their destination amidst the beauty of an alpine lake, granite cliffs, and wildflower fields, Stekel changed his opinion, and believed he had died and gone to heaven. Since that time he has hiked all over the Southern Sierra, from the foothills to the High Sierra.
Peter Stekel is also the author of "Best Hikes Near Seattle," and two published novels: "Growing Up White in the Sixties" and the mystery-thriller, "The Flower Lover."
Stekel has appeared as an authority on the Sierra Nevada in various national and international media outlets including National Geographic, BBC 4, NPR, and countless other print, radio, and television media. He holds a B.A. in Botany from the University of California at Davis, and a teaching credential from Humboldt State University.
Stekel makes his home in Seattle with his wife, their tropical fish, and a menagerie of stuffed animals.
He is now working on his next book, "Beneath Haunted Waters."
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Displaying 1 of 1 review
March 1, 2020
Interesting book looking at the tragic disappearance of two B-24's in December 1943 and the search and subsequent discovery of both planes. Though the book focuses mainly on the loss of these two crews, it also covers the bigger tragedy of aircrew losses due to training in the USA during World War 2, which is staggering, and touches on the many causes leading to these losses. Good read and highly recommended to anyone interested in the subject.
Displaying 1 of 1 review