Operation Vengeance

The Astonishing Aerial Ambush That Changed World War II

By: Dan Hampton

Narrated by: John Pruden

Length: 11 hrs and 39 mins

Publisher's summary

The New York Times best-selling author of Viper Pilot delivers an electrifying narrative account of the top-secret US mission to kill Isoroku Yamamoto, the Japanese commander who masterminded Pearl Harbor.

"Operation Vengeance is colorful, intimate, eye-popping history, delivered at a breakneck pace. I loved it." (Lynn Vincent)

In 1943, the United States military began to plan one of the most dramatic secret missions of World War II. Its code name was Operation Vengeance. Naval Intelligence had intercepted the itinerary of Admiral Isoroku Yamamoto, the commander in chief of the Japanese Combined Fleet, whose stealth attack on Pearl Harbor precipitated America’s entry into the war. Harvard-educated, Yamamoto was a close confidant of Emperor Hirohito and a brilliant tactician who epitomized Japanese military might. On April 18, the US discovered, he would travel to Rabaul in the South Pacific to visit Japanese troops, then fly to the Japanese airfield at Balalale, 400 miles to the southeast.

Set into motion, the Americans’ plan was one of the most tactically difficult operations of the war. To avoid detection, US pilots had to embark on a circuitous, 1,000-mile odyssey that would test not only their skills but the physical integrity of their planes. The timing was also crucial: the slightest miscalculation, even by a few minutes - or a delay on the famously punctual Yamamoto’s end - meant the entire plan would collapse, endangering American lives. But if these remarkable pilots succeeded, they could help turn the tide of the war - and greatly boost Allied morale.

Informed by deep archival research and his experience as a decorated combat pilot, Operation Vengeance focuses on the mission’s pilots and recreates the moment-by-moment drama they experienced in the air. Hampton recreates this epic event in thrilling detail and provides groundbreaking evidence about what really happened that day.

©2020 Dan Hampton (P)2020 HarperCollins Publishers

Another first-rate read by Dan Hampton

Detailed and compelling. Hampton relates the taking and occupation of Guadalcanal and Rex Barbara’s shoot-down of Yamamoto as if he was there himself. As a pilot I appreciated the cockpit-seat narrative and the insights of flying the P38. Excellent audio narration.

Riveting

Simply Riveting! A fascinating read(listen). Well written and well read. I highly recommend this work, in audio or print. I have no association with the author, reader, publisher or distributors of this work and make this review independent of any interest, financial or otherwise, in this work .

Extremely well told story

I’ve read a few books about the Guadalcanal campaign, but this book tells the story in a nice even flow, which helped me understand more.l

The story about how the P-38s went about shooting down Yamamoto and most of his staff is truly amazing. The description of the controversy afterwards was described really well. 

Another good entry from a prolific writer

I have enjoyed all of Dan Hampton's books and appreciate the historical background he gives each story. The stories are always complete, the analysis detailed and the point of view is always from that of the experienced pilot and warrior that Dan is. John Pruden is the perfect narrator for all of his titles and brings his own authenticity to the performances from his own aviation background. I recommend all of Dan Hampton's book for anyone who has an interest is aerial combat or the courage required for aviation in general. There's a bit of an edge to Dan's writing, maybe a little like Col. David Hackworth's. Both men were great warriors with little patience for the bs that sometimes comes with the chain of command. They both value courage and sacrifice, and those traits are well on display in the story of the pilots who took on a suicide mission and not only survived, but succeeded and changed the course of the war.

I look forward to Dan's next project.

Japans fall

Great story about the canal!I think y wife’s uncle was a marine at that battle. Didn’t know it lasted that long.

Great history lesson and perspective

This book provides a great overview of the war in the Pacific via the personal story of Rex Barber. I live in Oregon and have spent time in the area where he grew up. I’ve driven over the Rex Barber Memorial Bridge many times, and I knew a little about him. But this made it real and personal.

The writer does an excellent job of laying out the progression of Guadalcanal’s critical importance to the war and the evolution of the flying war as well. Hampton writes authoritatively and mostly clearly. There is a lot of jumping around from the chronology of the mission - a single day - to the chronology of the war from Perl Harbor on. It can be confusing but isn’t a big deal.

Overall, I appreciated the message and perspective and will certainly offer a salute next I drive over the magnificent Crooked River Gorge on the Rex Barber Memorial Bridge.

A Crucial Step Toward Victory in WWII

What first seemed like nothing but an act for of vengeance against the author of sneak attack on Pearl Harbor is revealed to be a vital step to conquering Japanese forces in the Pacific. While the complaint by some that this story meanders endlessly through preliminaries, especially the struggle to take and hold Guadalcanal has some validity, that background does provide a more thorough explanation of what followed. Eventually the story of the interception of Yamamoto’s flight and his killing is told in detail, and proper credit for those who accomplished it is proven.

Truly Astonishing

Dan Hampton has done a marvelous job. The story is thoroughly researched and well told.

Definitely my favorite author!

Dan is always very thorough and in-depth. As a pilot reading his books, I always can always feel myself in the cockpit with his descriptions. Well done Dan!!!!

Exciting and Genuine

Dan Hampton continues to impress me. I read his book viper pilot about 10 years ago and enjoyed it a lot. I saw more recently that he started writing about historical fighter pilots and I purchased the hunter killers about the wild weasels in Vietnam. Both thar book and this one are incredibly interesting accounts of brave men who flew impressive machines in battles and wars that shaped the world's history. His books are written in a way that conveys to the reader what it must have felt like to be the men who performed these duties so well.

I think Dan with his experience flying Vipers is uniquely capable of capturing the essence of what happened in a way that someone like me, who is not a pilot or engineer, can really appreciate. This book and his others are very interesting and make me proud to be an American. Even for non-Americans I believe this book is worth reading for the history lessons alone.