THE SPECIAL PRISONER by Jim Lehrer Random House May 2000 $23.95

Jim Lehrer's new novel "The Special Prisioner" is about a B-29 crewman shot down on a fire raid on a Japanese city. Only the A/C survives and becomes a Special Prisoner in a Kempei Tai facility. B-29 crewmembers were compelled to sign a statement that they had indiscriminately bombed and killed civilians. Thus, they were denied POW status and became Federal Prisoners on trial for their lives. These were SPECIAL PRISONERS, meaning half rations vs. conventional POW's, solitary confinement in cold dark cages, no medical treatment, beatings and interrogations, and a rule of total silence.

It is very obvious that Lehrer did intense research before embarking on this book. I felt most of the time through the various chapters that he somehow must have been an invisible companion beside me during this terrible time and first hand observations enabled him to write "The Special Prisoner". There is a sub plot involving the A/C during his confinement and his severe problems in the adjustment to normal life after freedom and his return to this country. Some memories haunt him in his life as a minister and a chance sighting of a Japanese businessman at the Dallas Airport convince him that the man was his Kempei torturer of 50 some years ago. Then follows an intense pursuit and unusual climax, which could be described as a double tragedy.

This is a 227 page easy to read, hard to put down book as the reader is mesmerized reading of events and the treatment of B-29ers, and caught up in how the present day pursuit will end. I was impressed with Lehrer's ability to grasp the concept and critical importance of the "WILL TO LIVE". Conversely he skillfully wrote in an understanding manner about the "WILL TO DIE" and the quiet gentle death of some fellow Special Prisoners. The role of the Atomic Bomb as it relates to the prisoners is clearly stated - it saved the lives of all of us. Perhaps because of my orientation I thought the book was excellent. Some may read it with disdain, it is not for everyone, but I think people interested in the B-29 and the raids against Japan will want to read it.

Reviewed by Hap Halloran
(Editors note: Please go to www.haphalloran.com to read about Hap and his excellent book "Hap's War".

No Strategic Targets Left; F. J. Bradley, Turner Publishing Co. (1999). $24.95

This new book, written by a former 300th Bomb Group gunner, is a departure from previous studies of 20th Air Force operations against Japan. Bradley has chosen to shed light on a great deal of the statistical record, much of which has not been offered to the casual reader.. For anyone interested in obscure facts, this slim, 9XI2 inch volume is a bonanza. It is serious research by a serious researcher.

Bradley's focus is on the final seven and a half months of the war -from January 1, 1945 to August 15, 1945. He touches only briefly on the first - and disappointing - phase of the B-29 campaign against the Empire - the frustrating China/India ordeal of the 58th Wing in 1944. Since most of the 58th's missions from India were assaults on Japanese-occupied territories rather than Japan itself, they did not bring the war home to the people of Japan. That would happen only when the Marianas were secure the huge bases on Saipan, Tinian and Guam became operational late in 1944. It was then that the 58th Wing, along with the 73rd, 313th, 314th and 315th began raining fire on Japanese cities.

Bradley's book details every 20th Air Force mission from the Marianas. These narrative accounts are augmented by charts, graphs and statistics covering a surprising variety of subjects from the number of kamikaze attacks on individual aircraft to numbers of Japanese fighters shot down per mission per aircraft. For each mission, there are tables listing bomb tonnage per group, the number of aircraft participating from each bomb group, the number of aircraft lost, how many bombed the primary target and how many tons of ordnance were dropped on primary targets. In the cases of Hiroshima, Nagasaki and Tokyo, Bradley's comparative statistics on civilian casualties show that deaths in the Tokyo fire raids were significantly higher than those caused by the atomic bombs in the other two.

This is not a book to be read for the sheer pleasure of reading. It is, however, an absorbing reference work by one who was there. It is a book for 20th Air Force veterans, students of military history and members of the current generation who simply want to know what happened to Japan when the 20th Air Force finally got its act together.

Copies of No Strategic Targets Left can be obtained from Turner Publishing Company at P. 0. Box 3 10 1, Paducah, KY 42002-3 10 1. Orders may also be placed by telephone:: (800) 788-3350; Fax at (270) 443-0335 or by e-mail: turnerpc@apex.net. Add $6.00 for shipping (each additional copy $3.50)

Thanks to Don Murray for his outstanding review!

Accused American War Criminal by Fiske Hanley II. This is the story of a Tinian based B-29 pilot; his cadet days, bombing missions and horrifying months as a POW. "This book should be required reading for all true Americans" -Gen. Paul Tibbets Available from Eakin Press, PO Drawer 90159, Austin, TX $27.95


Rain Of Fire by Charles L. Phillips, Jr. Written by A/C from the 498th Bomb Group, 73rd Bomb Wing based on Saipan. This is one the best; tells of 29 missions, includes 140 photos and lots of background and technical material. A very well written book recommended by Gen LeMay himself. Published by B-Nijuku Publishing, Moreno Valley, Ca. 92557 $19.95 recently went out of print but may still be available from booksellers listed below.

A COLD WAR LEGACY, A Tribute To The Strategic Air Command -1946-1992 by Alwin T. Lloyd
8 1/2 X 11" format, 714 pages, 626 B&W and 123 color photos, 16 pieces of aviation art, 33 maps, 37 biographical sketches, 102 different unit insignias and much much more. The book covers the time frame between 1946-1992. Since the B-29 was SAC's mainstay until they were phased out about 1954, there are LOTs and LOTs of B-29 photos, and histories depicting them in every roll they served with SAC. I have kept this brief, however the book is quite graphic with all kinds of statistics. Order from: Pictorial Histories Publications 713 South Third Street West Missoula, MT 59801 Phone 406-549-8488 FAX 406-728-9280 Price is $55.00 Plus $5.00 S&H.
- Herb Harper, Historian 98th B.G. Vets.


B29 Superfortress by John Pimlott. Published in 1980 by Gallery books. This book is full of diagrams and color photos and lots of facts. I bought my copy at a used book sale and I cannot get the smell of moth balls out of it!! If you can find it it is a gem. Gallery Books, 112 Madison Avenue, NY, NY 10016.


War's End by Charles W. Sweeney. Recent book written by the A/C of Bock's Car, he was present on both atomic missions. Fascinating story that brings the reader up to the present and takes on the revisionist historians. Published by Avon Books, New York 1997 $25.00

Thank God for the Atomic Bomb by Paul Fussell, a professor at the University of Pennsylvania. Out of all the tons of books, comments, arguments, etc. on this subject, this is the best detailed accounting and justification for the action taken 55 years ago. Fussell was a 2nd Lt. in the infantry during WWII and was seriously wounded, so he speaks as one who has been there, done that. After the war, he got his Ph.D. from Harvard and has gone on to become a noted writer and historian. Barnes & Noble has this on six, one and one-half hour tapes for about $40. I also have a condensed written version of "Thank God For The Atomic Bomb" of some four to five pages that I would be glad to share with anyone interested.

-Gerald Michael Gerald Michael gmichael@indy.net

Courage Beyond The Blindfold (The Last POW's of WWII) by Walter R. Ross. Published by Global Press.

In July of 1995, I played a golf outing with my old seniors group. On completion of the round, there was a table in the clubhouse with a stack of paperback books that caught my eye. It was about the B29 war against Japan. There wasn't anyone around that knew who left them there. Apparently they were free. I took two, one for me and one for my ex-business partner who had been an ECM man on 29s during the Korean affair. Two weeks later, I was paired with a man named Walter Ross. He was the writer of the books I took. I told him how much my partner and I enjoyed his writing. His reply was, "Thanks, you owe me $28.00." Shortly after that, he was one of the hosts at a large VJ Day, 50th Anniversary, honoring Harry Truman for having the guts to use the Bomb.

The book relates the story of Walter's entry into the service, and training, but mostly tells of the experience of being shot down and ditching off the coast of Japan. Shortly before approaching their target, their radioman heard a report that a very large, unknown type of bomb had been dropped on Japan.

After their ditching, and right after the Nagasaki bombing, they were picked up by a fishing boat, and returned to land. The civilians and military there were somewhat irate. The book tells of their fears and how close they came to being executed.

(I was on an LST after having completing the 35 combat missions, returning home for a thirty day rest leave, when we heard the radio report of the bomb. I was to report to the west coast for reassignment and probably another tour in the Mariana's. On reaching Ft. Leavenworth about August 30th, I was released from active duty. Thank you Mr. Truman! I was at the 50th Memorial too.)

Lee Florence
Web site: http://www.saipanb29.com

Tom Robison's reading list:

Anderton, David A., B-29 Superfortress at War, Chas. Scribner's, 1978

Baugher, Joe, Encyclopedia of American Military Aircraft, http://www.csd.uwo.ca/~pettypi/elevon/baugher_us/b029i.html

Berger, Carl, The B-29 Superfortress.Ballantine Books, 1970

Birdsall, Steve, B-29 Superfortress In Action.Squadron/Signal, 1977

Saga Of The Superfortress.Doubleday, 1980

Superfortress: The Boeing B-29.Squadron/Signal 1980

Burkett, Prentiss, The Unofficial History Of The 499th Bomb Group. Historical Aviation Albums, 1981

Collison, Thomas; The Superfortress is Born; Duell, Sloan & Pierce, 1945

Craven, Wesley F. and Cate, James L., The Army Air Forces in WWII, Vol. 5, The Pacific: Matterhorn to Nagasaki, June 1944 to August 1945; U. of Chicago Press, 1953

Davis, Larry, B-29 Superfortress in Action,Squadron/Signal, 1997

Delano, Ostman & Cole, Superfortress Over Japan, Twenty Four Hours with a B-29.Motorbooks International, 1996

Gurney, Gene, Journey Of The Giants.Cowar-McCann, 1961

Higham, Robin, and Siddall, Abigail, Flying Combat Aircraft of the USAAF-USAF; Iowa State University Press, 1975

Johnsen, Frederick, The B-29 Book.Bomber Books, 1980

Kerr, E.B., Flames Over Tokyo.Donald Fine, Inc. 1991

LeMay, General Curtis, w/Yenne, Bill; Superfortress: The Story of The B-29 and American Air Power. McGraw-Hill, 1988

Lloyd, Alwin, Detail & Scale Vol. 10, B-29 Production Versions Tab Books, 1983

Detail & Scale Vol. 25, B-29 Derivatives.Tab Books, 1987

Marshall, Chester, B-29 Superfortress.Motorbooks International, 1993

Marshall, Chester, w/ Warren Thompson, Final Assault On The Rising Sun. Specialty Press, 1995.

B-29 Photo Combat Diary.Specialty Press, 1996

Mayborn, Mitch, The Boeing B-29 Superfortress.Profile Publications, 1982

Morrison, W.H., Point Of No Return: The Story of the 20th Air Force; Time Books, 1979

Pimlott, John, B-29 Superfortress.Chartwell Books, 1980

Rust, Ken, 20th Air Force Story.Historical Aviation Albums, 1979

Thomas, Gordon, and Witts, Max Morgan, Ruin from the Air. Scarborough House, 1990

Davis, Joseph T., The Story of the 73rd: The Unofficial History of the 73rd Bomb Wing; Battery Press, Nashville, TN, 1980 (originally published in 1946)

Sky Giants Over Japan by Chester Marshall, available from Global Press 1994, $15.50

The Global Twentieth, An Anthology Of The Twentieth Air Force In WWII by Chester Marshall. Available from Global Press, $19.95

Final Assault On The Rising Sun by Chester Marshall with Warren Thompson. Available from Specialty Press, North Branch, MN $29.95

B-29 Photo Combat Diary by by Chester Marshall with Warren Thompson 460 black and white photos, 120 in color. Specialty Press, North Branch, MN $24.95

These books written and edited by Chester Marshall are full of great stories and photos of the B-29 and her crews. Marshall was a pilot from the 499th BG, 73rd BW who flew 30 missions. Some of his books contain stories submitted by others, while Sky Giants Over Japan is his own story told in diary form. I highly recommend his books and suggest you visit his web site. These books can be ordered from most book dealers or directly from him at: Chester Marshall, 216 Belle Ave Ft Smith, Ark. 72901
Ph 501 785 3271.

The last Mission - An Eye Witness Account by Jim B Smith. The B-29 raid that ended WWII. Published in 1995 is still in print and cost s$40.00.

I am a regular visitor to the various B-29 websites now on the internet and would like to express my appreciation to all of the gallant men who flew Superfortresses in World War II. To pay tribute to all of these heroic men, many of whom are your grandfathers, uncles, husbands, and fathers, and many of whom, God bless them, are still with us today, I have written a novel called The Triumph and the Glory. I wrote it for all of them. But most of all, I wrote it for all of those fine men who didn't come home again, for those thousands upon thousands who rode a B-17, B-24, or B-29 to glory for the sake of freedom, and lit the darkest hour in human history with the glow of their courage. My novel has just been published and is available in all of the major bookstores such as Barnes and Noble, Crown, B.Dalton, and Waldenbooks. It can also be ordered over the internet at Amazon.com or at Barnes & Noble. Thank you for doing your part to remember all of our veterans by visiting the world wide web's World War II sites. Sincerely,
Steven Edward Rustad.

vs. conservative struggle within MacArthur's staff, restoration of Japanese military for the Cold War, as well as political and palace intrigue are just a few of the areas which are examined in detail.

However, a key point throughout the book is the direct involvement of Emperor Hirohito in planning and executing the war as well as the focused efforts of both occupation and Japanese authorities to hide his involvement and "purify the sovereign." US authorities wanted to keep the emperor in order to buy Japanese cooperation ("the 'best ally' for the occupation authorities") while Japanese leaders wanted to preserve as much of the past as possible.

This book is a "must read" for all of us on Sallyann's list, giving us an intimate view of the events surrounding the B-29 program as well as the historic results made possible by the aircraft's massive power.

Reviewed by Tom Mathewson
tmathews@xmission.com

"Bomber" Harris was the general in charge of the RAF bombing efforts in Europe. He is the central figure in this recounting of both the RAF and the Us bombing cmpaign against German-held targets in Europe. The book is well documented and the subject appears to have been thoroughly researched. Of particular interst are the comparisons between the night time RAF missions and the daytime missions of the 8th airforce. The personalities of the leaders in both the RAF and the Us 8th Airforce are This book is very detailed in its description of the life of the RAF, the Us, and the German aircrews. For readers without a background in flying during that period it offers an insight into what the objectives were, what the equipment was like, and what the obstacles were that had to be coped with to see the job done. One finishes it with the wish that it be included in History courses in highschool and College today.

Thanks to George Beck for the scan and the review!