Behind Enemy Lines: A Young Pilot's Story (Sterling Point Books) - Softcover

Demallie, Howard R.

Softcover

ISBN 10: 1402741375 ISBN 13: 9781402741371

Publisher: Union Square Kids, 2007

Synopsis

An unforgettable autobiographical tale of survival during World War II.  DeMaillie, pilot of a B-17, describes in riveting detail his successful bombing run from England to the industrial center of Germany. But things go very wrong on the return flight when his plane is struck by enemy fire and the crew is forced to parachute into Holland. Although a group of heroic Dutch resistance fighters try to hide him, the Nazis eventually capture DeMaillie and send him to a prisoner of war camp. There, he endures hunger, cold, and brutality until the Allies finally free him. Years later, he returns to Holland in search of his brave Dutch rescuers.

About this title

From Booklist:

Updating a small-press title called Beyond the Dikes (2000), this offering is the only autobiography in the ongoing Sterling Point history series. In his twenties during the events recounted here, DeMallie details the aftermath of a mission to Nazi Germany, when the bomber pilot was forced to jump from his damaged B-17 into occupied Holland. There, he was aided by the Dutch Resistance, captured by the SS, and held in a German POW camp. DeMallie spends too long on the opening logistics of training and shipping out, and his occasional, dated slang (Gee) may initially stall readers. All the same, once that crippled engine starts shedding oil in a steady oozing of black blood, the adventure picks up significantly, delivering some unforgettable episodes of wartime drama and tragedy—including the horrific plunge of a crewmate whose parachute failed. A heartfelt endnote concludes. Offer this Greatest Generation memoir to readers considering military service, and they will appreciate both the candidly portrayed dangers and the clear sense of purpose DeMallie found in his Air Force role. Mattson, Jennifer

About this edition

• Publisher: Union Square Kids
• Publication date: 2007
• ISBN 10: 1402741375
• ISBN 13: 9781402741371
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 178