{"product_id":"9780230341166","title":"The Last Mission of the Wham Bam Boys : Courage, Tragedy, and Justice in World War II","description":"\u003cstrong\u003eThe Last Mission of the Wham Bam Boys\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eAuthor(s): Gregory A. Freeman\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp\u003ePublished to glowing reviews, \u003ci\u003eThe Last Mission of the Wham Bam Boys \u003c\/i\u003etells the riveting story of a nine-man American bomber crew after they were forced to bail out over Germany in August, 1944. Quickly taken prisoner by a mob of angry farmers, shopkeepers, railroad workers, women, and children, the soldiers were marched into the nearby town of Rüsselsheim and assaulted with stones, bricks, and wooden clubs before being left for dead at the nearby cemetery. Drawing from trial records, government archives, interviews with family members, and personal letters, author Gregory A. Freeman follows two army officers charged with investigating the murders, and brings to life the dramatic story of how the depravations of war led the citizens of a sleepy German village to commit horrific acts.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eReview(s):\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp\u003e“Lucid account of a terrible war crime” —\u003ci\u003eThe Washington Post\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e“A riveting narrative bolstered by frequent, helpful citations.” —\u003ci\u003eKirkus Reviews\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e“The book's greatest strength is its ability to convey the simple pain, uncertainty, and raw emotion experienced by the crew's stateside families, who for so long held out the hope that their loved ones were still alive.  Three crewmembers survived – and Freeman tells their stories in a particularly effective manner.” —\u003ci\u003eMilitary Review\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e“Freeman has once again crafted a gripping, cinematic narrative – one that raises important questions about justice and morality in a time of industrial annihilation of civilian populations. A timely and riveting story of heroism and horror.” —\u003ci\u003eAlex Kershaw, author of The Longest Winter and The Bedford Boys\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e“With \u003ci\u003eThe Last Mission of the Wham Bam Boys\u003c\/i\u003e, Gregory A. Freeman delivers a thorough, artful, and absolutely riveting account of a fascinating yet tragic story of war, humanity, and justice.  Freeman again proves that he ranks among today's finest historical storytellers.” —\u003ci\u003eAlvin Townley, author of Fly Navy and Legacy of Honor\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e“\u003ci\u003eThe Last Mission of the Wham Bam Boys\u003c\/i\u003e is the gripping and insightful story of the Wham Bam crews first and last combat mission. Meticulously researched and masterfully written, Gregory Freeman expertly weaves the history of the crew with the historic events that followed after they were shot down and captured. This is a fascinating and engrossing book that will be read for many decades.” —\u003ci\u003eBrigadier General Don Harvel, Deputy Commander, Texas Air National Guard\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e“Gregory A. Freeman's \u003ci\u003eThe Last Mission of the Wham Bam Boys\u003c\/i\u003e is a compelling, thought-provoking, and harrowing account of how a seemingly minor, brutal incident during World War II touched, and devastated, countless lives. It's a well-written, exhaustively researched, and thoroughly human story that shows how war can bring out the worst, and the best, in combatants and noncombatants alike. Haunting.” —\u003ci\u003eJames Carl Nelson, author of The Remains of Company D: A Story of the Great War\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e“The powerful tale of an American bomber crew shot down over Germany.” —\u003ci\u003eThe Quarterly Journal of Military History\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eISBN:  9780230341166\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e ","brand":"St. Martin's Griffin","offers":[{"title":"Paperback \/ softback","offer_id":40642257682638,"sku":"9780230341166","price":20.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0600\/7029\/7806\/products\/getimage_67f49f03-bc0a-490f-ac44-b51214f30b1d.jpg?v=1639102709","url":"https:\/\/pickwickbookshop.com\/products\/9780230341166","provider":"Pickwick Bookshop","version":"1.0","type":"link"}