The Mighty Eighth

The Air War in Europe as Told by the Men Who Fought It

By: Gerald Astor

Narrated by: Kaleo Griffith

Length: 23 hrs and 11 mins

Publisher's summary

Europe has fallen. Pearl Harbor is in flames. Enter: the Eighth.

In 1941 the RAF fought a desperate battle of survival against the Luftwaffe over Britain. Then, from across the Atlantic, came a new generation of American pilots, gunners, and bombardiers, a new generation of flying machines called the B-17 Flying Fortress, the B-24 Liberator, the P-47 Thunderbolt, and the P-51 Mustang fighter. Soon these brave young men were hurtling themselves and their unproven planes across the Channel and into the teeth of enemy firepower, raining down bombs on the German military machine, and going up against Hitler's best fliers in the sky.

This is the dramatic oral history of the Army Air Corps and the newly created Eighth Air Force stationed in Britain, an army of hard-fighting, hard-playing flying men who suffered more fatalities than the entire US Marine Corps in the Pacific campaign of World War II. Here, in their own words, are tales of survival and soul-numbing loss, of soldiers who came together to fight a kind of war that had never been fought before - and win it with their courage and their blood.

But the road to victory was paved with sacrifice. From its inaugural mission on July 4, 1942, until V-E Day, the Eighth Air Force lost more men than did the entire United States Marine Corps in all its campaigns in the Pacific. The Mighty Eighth chronicles the testimony of the pilots, bombardiers, navigators, and gunners who daily put their lives on the line. Their harrowing accounts recall the excitement and terror of dogfights against Nazi aces, maneuvering explosive-laden aircraft through deadly flak barrages, and fending off waves of enemy fighters while coping with subzero temperatures.

Beginning with the opening salvos from a mere dozen planes, crewmen describe the raids on Berlin and Dresden, the fiasco at Ploesti, Romania, and Black Thursday over Schweinfurt. They fell to the terror of seeing aircraft destroyed - helplessly watching as comrades crash and burn, or parachute over enemy territory, where they will attempt to evade enemy capture through the underground. Others tell of mourning downed airmen murdered by vengeful citizens and soldiers, and of those who endured captivity in POW camps.

©2015 Gerald Astor (P)2015 Penguin Audio

Critic reviews

"Great reading." (Stephen Ambrose)

"Bold, brawny, epic in scope...Astor captures the fire and passion of these tens of thousands of US airmen who flew through the inferno that was the bomber war over Europe." (Stephen Coonts)

very entertaining

its a bunch of anecdotes and personal stories and not a historical telling of the air war over Europe. if you already know the historical story it's a very interesting listen

This was the " Greatest Generation"

This book is based upon letters, diaries, recollections, etc of those who were part of the 8th and presents a personal history of this part of the air war in Europe. As such, it does 'jump around' a bit and is not at all a "typical", chronological historical book. However, it is quite informative and very moving. It raises many questions about war and questions of "morality" and puts the war in Europe in proper perspective.
One cannot listen to this book without a very deep appreciation of these young men and the incredible sacrifices they made!
Highly recommend this book.

a little confusing narration but a great history

I enjoyed the stories and can fully appreciate the fear, hopelessness and bravery of the men in this book. A few mistakes in the narration. Mispronounced words and at times a little confusing in the transition from one pilot to the next. it was hard to know if a story was of a bomber pilot or a fighter. I do realize the stories were from veterans and each one is precious but they need to be handled very carefully in the retelling. The air war in WW2 was the first and last time in history intense combat would be conducted in such a way. God bless the Mighty Eighth and all the veterans.

it's true

all records are true, if anyone was alive during that awful time the history beware of things going on now.

Good stories that were followed up in time all together

Pore job of deferring between stories by name
And the reading was a little dry

Lengthy but worth it

Excellent narration with and incredible story of success and failure. War at it’s best and worst at the same time. Bravery & cowardice intertwined to make a unique story.

A Story of Courage and Determination

The many, many stories of the courage and determination of the tens of thousands of young men who fought in the skies over Germany to free the world from the Nazis must never be forgotten. As we approach Memorial Day 2020, it's hard to realize that the vast majority of these heros have passed on. I knew an 8th Air Force Veteran in the small rural town where I grew up. He had been a B-17 tailgunner and his aircraft was shot down in a raid over Berlin. He spent over a year in a German Prison camp camp. He was very patriotic and realized how lucky he was to have survived the war. This is a book every young American should read to understand DUTY, COUNTRY, FREEDOM! and what it costs to have a country like ours... Please HONOR their memories EVERY Memorial Day...

Great History Lesson

All Americans young and old should read this book. Especially the young who aren't being taught this in school.

Like you’re sitting there

Book was great! First hand account of the Airmen who lived it! Easy to listen to and follow. You won’t be disappointed. As a career Air Force guy it gave me a huge sense of pride!

History of mighty 8th personnel, missions

Narration was clear but perhaps a bit slowly paced. Narration better than attested to by nay sayers.

Recounting crews contemporary beliefs, combat fatigue, coping strategies, missions, effects, and equipment were informative mainstays of the 8th’s role in ww2.

Highly recommended for students of ww2.