On April 21; 1945; the twelve-member crew of the Black Cat set off on one of the last air missions in the European theater of World War II. Ten never came back. This is the story of that crew—where they came from; how they trained; what it was like to fly a B-24 through enemy flak; and who was waiting for them to come home.Historian Thomas Childers; nephew of the Black Cat's radio operator; has reconstructed the lives and tragic deaths of these men through their letters home and through in-depth interviews; both with their families and with German villagers who lived near the crash site. In so doing he unearths confusion about the exact number of crash survivors and ugly rumors of their fate at the hands of the German villagers. His search to determine what really happened leads him to the crash site outside of Regensburg to lay the mystery to rest.In the tradition of Young Men and Fire; Wings of Morning is history as commemoration-an evocation of people and events that brings to life a story of love; loss; and a family's quest for truth.
#1182172 in Books 2013-10-24Original language:EnglishPDF # 1 5.80 x .80 x 8.30l; .88 #File Name: 0199948615256 pages
Review
4 of 4 people found the following review helpful. ImaginaiveBy JoeyWhile giving this book 5 stars; I'm not exactly saying I agree with everything the author has put forward. But I will say that this is a fascinating tale of the meaning of the Norse myth of the world tree and how it prevailed during the conversion process to Christianity in Germanic lands. The tree Yggdrasil saved the human race from annihilation during the fall of the gods. This story was absorbed into Christian imagery rather than it being forgotten. The author sees Yggdrasil in old churches; art; artifacts; the rune row; all the way down to our Christmas tree. Most of his work takes place in Scandinavia; so if you love anything Nordic this will be a great read. The writing is engaging and accessible and it feels as if this was a labor of love on the part of the author.0 of 0 people found the following review helpful. Inspirational; thought-provoking bookBy PennyThis book far exceeded my expectations. I found it inspirational; thought-provoking and insightful. I was hooked when I read the scripture verse in the dedication ("each one heard them speaking in his own native language" Acts 2:6) and realized that the Lord was speaking to the Norsemen through their own stories and traditions; that He had prepared their hearts for the good news of the gospel long before they actually heard it. G. Ronald Murphy; S.J. has a wonderful way of bringing history to life and of opening up new worlds of ideas. I enjoyed the book so much that I ordered his translation of the "Heliland; the Saxon Gospel" and am finding it fascinating.4 of 4 people found the following review helpful. FascinatingBy Raven 389I can't evaluate this work as art history; except to say it is extremely interesting. From a more general point of view; and theologically; it is very fine; offering an uncommon view of early medieval religious enculturation. The book is also elegantly written and beautifully made (in cloth).
