Kangaroo Squadron

American Courage in the Darkest Days of World War II

De: Bruce Gamble

Narrado por: Mark Boyett

In early 1942, while the American military was still in disarray from the devastating attacks on Pearl Harbor and the Philippines, a single U.S. Army squadron advanced to the far side of the world to face America's new enemy.

Based in Australia with inadequate supplies and no ground support, the squadron's pilots and combat crew endured tropical diseases while confronting numerically superior Japanese forces. Yet the outfit, dubbed the Kangaroo Squadron, proved remarkably resilient and successful, conducting long-range bombing raids, carrying out armed reconnaissance missions, and rescuing General MacArthur and his staff from the Philippines.

Before now, the story of their courage and determination in the face of overwhelming odds has largely been untold. Using eyewitness accounts from diaries, letters, interviews, and memoirs, as well as Japanese sources, historian Bruce Gamble brings to vivid life this dramatic true account.

But the Kangaroo Squadron's story doesn't end in World War II. One of the squadron's B-17 bombers, which crash-landed on its first mission, was recovered from New Guinea after almost seventy years in a jungle swamp. The intertwined stories of the Kangaroo Squadron and the "Swamp Ghost" are filled with thrilling accounts of aerial combat, an epic survival story, and the powerful mystique of an invaluable war relic.

Reseñas de la Crítica

"In the darkest days of World War II in the Pacific, a squadron of forgotten heroes gave their all, becoming the first to strike back against the Japanese. Kangaroo Squadron is an inspiring, beautifully crafted tale of ordinary Americans exhibiting extraordinary heroism and grit when it mattered most."--Alex Kershaw, New York Times bestselling author of The Longest Winter and The First Wave

"Bruce Gamble has beautifully captured the dark early days of World War II--and the brave American airmen willing to take the fight to the enemy. With a novelists's gift for storytelling, Gamble takes readers into cockpits over Japanese bases, drops them waist-deep in malarial swamps, and lets them unwind in dusty outback bars. Kangaroo Squadron is a soaring story and a triumph of the American spirit."--James M. Scott, Pulitzer Prize finalist and author of Rampage and Target Tokyo

"With his exquisite eye for detail and spellbinding talent as a stroyteller, Bruce Gamble takes readers on an unforgettable journey through the perilous early months of World War II in the Southwest Pacific."--Colonel Walter Boyne, author and former director of the National Air and Space Museum

"Fast-paced and packed with vivid descriptions and valuable information, Kangaroo Squadron shines a bright light on the valiant American fliers who took on the Japanese in the first engagements in the Pacific. Bruce Gamble brings these heroes out of the shadows and makes them come alive. A must-read for anyone interested in World War II."--John Darnton, Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist and author of Almost a Family

"Bruce Gamble demonstrates again why he is one of the best aviation historians in the business. In Kangaroo Squadron he has crafted a fascinating account of men and machines, painting a compelling picture of what it was like to fight as an American aviator during the very darkest days of the Pacific War. Outstanding!"--Jonathan Parshall, co-author of Shattered Sword: The Untold Story of the Battle of Midway

"Bruce Gamble's excellent history of the U.S. Army's B-17 bombers in the Pacific, officially the Southern Bomber Command but colloquially known as the Kangaroo Squadron, is a triumph. The characters are vivid and the narrative gripping; the story of the downed B-17 later known as the 'Swamp Ghost' is especially riveting. Throughout, Gamble's mastery of aircraft characteristics is impeccable, and his fast-paced storytelling is irresistible."--Craig L. Symonds, author of World War II at Sea: A Global History

Informative and interesting

A great story about a part of WW2 less covered by most media. Highly recommend!

Well told piece of little known aviation history

Really enjoyed this book. It did a great job of detailing early WW2 in the South Pacific, the role US aviation played in it, and how important the geography was to what the aviators had to accomplish. Mr Gamble does a magnificent job describing not only the big picture but also providing first-person details about individual missions that read like great historical fiction. I was captivated by the individual stories in this book but also felt like I learned a ton about the fighting in areas that I frequently hear about but never really understood how they fit into the bigger picture of the war in the South Pacific.

I read a lot of aviation history and this book is one of the few in which the author combines a love of history with a love of aviation and great writing abilities.

The one thing I would change about this book is that the stories of pilots and crews became less detailed as the book progressed. So, it was a touch less exciting at the end than at the beginning. But, overall, a really worthwhile listen!

Excellent story

Excellent story and well read in the audio version. Very informative as to the vulnerability of the US foray into the South Pacific at the beginning of the US involvement during WW2.

Solid craftsmanship

A detailed and heartfelt narrative of a little known aspect of the American air war.

Like the best books on this topic it’s informed by thorough documentary research on both sides of the conflict. And by first hand observations and memories of the participants. Plus skillful story telling.

Unlike the massed attacks of the European air war these small ragtag squadrons were lonely distant and poorly supplied outposts of the Pacific campaign.

They made decisive hit and run attacks against Japanese forces that were more like guerrilla or scouting raids.

Of equal importance was the thorough and dogged aerial surveillance and photography that was crucial to the Allied victory.

The prodigious risks, epic flights and protracted attacks undergone by these aviators match any other achievements of American air power in WWII.

5 star History!

Wonderful book! More details than most! Felt like I was a member of the unit. Absolutely loved it. The story alone is pure American, and no one can take that away.Reccomend highly for anyone that loves history.

Great Book! Highly Recommended!

This is a riveting story about a B 17 group (Kangaroo Squadron) that I was not aware of. It’s non fiction that reads like a novel. Kudos to Bruce Gamble and the narrator Mark Boyett.

it's a true story,

no one can imagine what it would be like to fly in an airplane and have enemy aircraft shooting at you as well, not just one but several. I doubt very much anyone could possibly even think what it would be like.
If I could thank every single person that flew these missions I would, to save us from loosing our freedom. Thank you is so little

Great Story!

Great story about this theater of operations from the early USArmy Air Corps squadrons involved.
On another note it, explains the B-17 Swamp Ghost story on display at Hickim AFB.

Excellent History

Great detail and history but I kept waiting for Colnel Kyle Riggs to pull out beam weapons and end the war in about 15 mins…..

Another Bruce Gamble hit

Another hit by Bruce Gamble. The story of the Kangaroo Squadron and the early days of World War 2 in the Pacific has received little attention other than a few lines in many studies of the Pacific War. Me. Gamble gives a very compelling look at the early days of World War 2 at Pearl Harbor, Australia and New Guinea. The narration is excellent and told at a good pace. Definitely worth your time to listen to this book.