The Wild Blue

The Men and Boys Who Flew the B-24s Over Germany

By: Stephen E. Ambrose, Stephen E. Ambrose - introduction

Narrated by: Jeffrey DeMunn

Stephen E. Ambrose, acclaimed author of Band of Brothers and Undaunted Courage, carries us into the skies of World War II aviation, flying aboard the crowded and dangerous B-24 bombers as their crews fought to destroy the German war machine and secured Allied victory.

The young men who flew the B-24s over Germany in World War II fought against horrific odds, and, in The Wild Blue, Ambrose recounts their extraordinary heroism, skill, daring, and comradeship with vivid detail and affection.

Ambrose describes how the Army Air Forces recruited, trained, and selected the elite few who would undertake the most demanding and dangerous jobs in the war. These are the boys—turned pilots, bombardiers, navigators, and gunners of the B-24s—who suffered over fifty percent casualties.

With his remarkable gift for bringing alive the action and tension of combat, Ambrose carries us along in the crowded, uncomfortable, and dangerous B-24s as their crews fought to the death through thick black smoke and deadly flak to reach their targets and destroy the German war machine. Twenty-two-year-old George McGovern, who was to become a United States senator and a presidential candidate, flew thirty-five combat missions (all the Army would allow) and won the Distinguished Flying Cross. We meet him and his mates, his co-pilot killed in action, and crews of other planes. Many went down in flames.

As Band of Brothers and Citizen Soldiers portrayed the bravery and ultimate victory of the American soldiers from Normandy on to Germany, The Wild Blue illustrates the enormous contribution that these young men of the Army Air Forces made to the Allied victory.

Good Book

I have to admit to being a little skeptical since the author claimed to be close friends with McGovern, the protagonist of the story and so there has to have been some needed objectivity lost. But the overall story isn't controversial by nature so I guess that's okay. If McGovern had made any serious blunders as a pilot or an officer, it would have surely come out before this book was ever written considering his political career.

The story developed well and I liked the background on each character and getting a look at their training, etc.

The narrator has a fine voice, and good cadence but I didn't think it really fit this book very well, but I suppose that's going to be subjective to each listener. (Just click on the audio sample to judge for yourself.)

Citizen heroes - extraordinary ordinary men

Ambrose is the biographer of the citizen soldiers, the brotherhood who won the war. This story is about the boys (that is really all they were: 18 to 22 year olds who piloted and crewed bombers. Many, including my father’s brother who was a B-24 navigator, died doing the job of destroying Hitler’s infrastructure. Listening to the stories was especially touching for me.

My Uncle Mike died

What did you love best about The Wild Blue?

My Uncle Mike died in a B-24, this story helped me realize just what he must have went through. Very good story and it should have been told a lot sooner.

Typical Ambrose

This book does not go into great detail of the daily operations, nor in-depth strategic discussions of the air war, but it introduces you on a personal level to the crew. It is typical Ambrose, allowing One to get a sense, at a personal level,
of the characters within the story

A very Good Expo of the WW 2 Air Battle

I was not aware of the heavy casualties taken by bomber crews and especially of the bravery of George McGovern. The crews ranged in age from 18 to 25 and were brave beyond belief.