One Man's War

The WWII Saga of Tommy LaMore

By: Tommy LaMore, Dan A. Baker

Narrated by: Patrick G. Lawlor

Length: 9 hrs and 31 mins

Publisher's Summary

Escaping certain death, not once but several times, lies at the core of this riveting, real-life story of an American soldier during World War II. In One Man's War: The WW II Saga of Tommy LaMore, a B-17 airman vividly details his experiences in war-ravaged Europe, from the horrific to the romantic and beyond.

He tells what it was like to be among the first airmen in the B-17s, to prepare oneself for long missions over enemy territory, to be in heavy aerial bombardment by German fighters, to be shot down, finding oneself first in friendly hands and then in enemy hands, to be at the mercy of merciless German guards, to be one of the few American to enter, much less escape, an infamous death camp.

He tells of the relationships formed, not only with fellow crewmen but also with French Resistance fighters, with Polish prisoners, with a young and pretty survivor of a women's camp, and, surprisingly, with a bigger-than-life Russian officer with a heart set on revenge. There are fascinating descriptions of the bloodthirsty Mongols on horseback who accompanied the Russians and who struck fear into the hearts of even the most hardened German SS men.

Balancing the tales of despair and loneliness are images of a girl with an orange on a train, an intuitively companionable little dog, and brilliant scenes of Paris overflowing with flowers, food, love, and exuberance in the first weeks after the war.

The listener ends up thinking it would have been a pleasure to have known this man, Tommy LaMore, and humbly certain that the West's freedom was assured by the sacrifices of men like him.

Intrigue, passion, and sacrifice imbue One Man's War in a compelling story not only for history aficionados and WWII scholars but also for those who are fascinated by the bittersweet nature of love in times of war.

©2002 Dan A. Baker and the estate of Tommy LaMore (P)2003 Blackstone Audiobooks

Almost certainly fake

The level of storytelling and narration in this book would be acceptable if this was actually a straight forward true story, but it is almost certainly a work of fiction and as such should be held to that standard, which it doesn’t meet.

a Forrest Gump type story

have to agree with another reviewer that this is fiction. couldn't make it all the way through it it's just too fake

Fiction.

it's hard to believe this story and there's nothing online to verify it. At times its laughably fake. I think the author forgot to include Tommy's mission to the moon...... if you're looking for fiction, this book will do.

What to say about this audiobook...,

Ok. Before you purchase this book, just understand that it is a work of fiction. I purchased it thinking it was a true story. But I think it's satirical in that it has exaggerated parts that are similar to other WWII stories.

That being said, it's a crazy story with cool twists and turns. I did find a number of inconsistencies and there were parts that flat out made no sense. That is why I gave an overall rating of 3 stars. Decent story but I felt let down by the inconsistency and overly exaggerated parts.

For example he encounters way too many people who speak English. Lol.

Listen knowing it's fiction and if you like fiction you will enjoy it at least some.

One final thought. The performance was pretty good. Clear and easily understood. I felt the reader was able yo accurately convey the emotion of different parts in his voice.

Good story, but...

I thought this was a good view of another side of WWII, and an interesting listen. It seemed a little embellished and unrealistic at times.

Fascinating and unbelievable

This book started out as a pedestrian war memoir but after being shot down over France this man's trek back to the Allied lines through the French resistance, prison camps and then with the Russians is one of the most complelling stories I have ever heard or read - as a student of WWII that covers a lot of ground. You won't be disappointed.

There is no way this happened..

This is a great little story. Twists and turns abound. Will the SS catch Tommy? Will he be shot a sunrise.?
I tried to authenticate Tommy, but the book has no footnotes. And neither does Audible.
The narrator is fantastic. I enjoyed it, knowing this was all hyperboel. Try it, it is a good story.

Should be required reading for all Americans!

Anyone who is privileged to read this book will experience a transformative event! This book is also proof that this was the Greatest Generation ever! Their sacrifices are beyond imagination. They deserve our highest tributes and should be remembered forever!
They sacrificed their lives for our current freedoms! Should be required reading for all Americans! A most inspiring read!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Prepare to be engaged

Besides being a thrilling account of overcoming incredible odds, this story should be used as a textbook for anyone who wants to engage their readers. I could vividly see, smell, hear taste and feel each scene as LaMore hurt, laughed, loved and cried.

Warning: You'll have a hard time finding a stopping place with this one.

unbelievable.. literally

Unfortunately I can't believe this stuff happened the way it's described. I believe this is wildly exaggerated . I want it to be true...and I believe Tommy was shot down and a POW... But the escaping Nazi camps, the screaming mongrel hoards, learning French, Russian, fighting with the French resistance, human skin lamp shades etc.. It feels like fiction. Like a forest gump type story. There were too many miracles for me to believe. If viewed as fiction based on real life events, then it's okay. Sorry if this offends anyone. I appreciate his service and think he just developed some false memories or something.