Shot Down: The True Story Of Pilot Howard Snyder And The Crew Of The B-17 Susan Ruth

A powerful read. 

Steve Snyder's passion to tell the story of his father certainly shines through.

The small details of the training and the  equipment brought it all alive. The descriptive prose is excellent and that takes right to the heart of the action over Germany.

Highly recommended.

I was delighted to be given an opportunity to read this book.  I have been reading around a lot of the subject matter of WWII and this synopsis immediately drew my attention, I do love a true story.  I really loved the way that the book was written and the extracts from the authors father to his mother when he was overseas are touching and I feel privileged to have been able to read these.  The descrptions in the book are fantastic and it really goes in to the detail of what it would have been like to be fearful of becoming a POW and the threat of being caught by the Nazi's that were patrolling over Belgium and France at the time.  It really does bring it home what these servicemen went through to assist a wartorn country hundreds of miles from home.  They truly were very brave gentlemen, I feel honoured to have been given an opprtunity to read an advance copy.  I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I found this to be a wonderful book about the aviation effort of WWII, it really told a lot about what the pilots went through, the significant losses compared to other groups. But it also told the story of the author's father Howard, the pilot of the Susan Ruth, (named after Steve's sister). How he and his crew were shot down over Belgium that 8th of February, 1944, and what happens to everyone after that.

Then it really gets good! But you'll have to get it and read it for yourself to find out what all they endured, and all the things that happened with them. Its surely worth the read if you like this kind of book.

An excellent portrayal of the bombing runs of the second world war.  Descriptions of riding inside a bomber over Germany, being attacked by German fighter planes, flying through flak and anti-aircraft fire.  This is likely one of the most realistic accounts I have read and it answered many questions I have often pondered regarding formation flying and high altitude without pressurization.  The additional details of being shot down and surviving with the help of underground resistance groups is a bonus.  Being born in 1946 I was always curious about the war and have read countless books of the European action as well as the Pacific theater during WW2.  Comparing as best my memory allows, of all the books I have read this one stands out.  An excellent picture of the men and their flying machines their fears and the perils they faced.