Midnight flyboys The American bomber crews and Allied secret agents who aided the French Resistance in World War II

This propulsive account from journalist and historian Henderson (Bridge to the Sun) spotlights Allied aviators and spies who were part of a top-secret operation to disable and disrupt Nazi defenses ahead of the D-Day invasion. Code-named Carpetbagger, the plan was for American B-24 Liberators to "fly low and slow in the dead of night to parachute spies and supplies" into France to aid local French resistance cells. Not until the 1990s were the wartime records of the Carpetbaggers declassified; here, Henderson draws on his own research and interviews to further detail the workings of the operation. A superb storyteller, he populates his account with personal stories that underscore the treacherous nature of the task. For the flyers, it meant piloting their bulky B-24s by moonlight over the English Channel and locating drop zones that were nothing "but patches of ground" lit with lamps "in a dark countryside"; decreasing speed to just above stalling in order to make the drop; and evading antiaircraft fire and fighter planes. Henderson's most intriguing stories are of the female secret agents who parachuted into France, like Nancy Wake and Violette Szabo, and of Bombardier 1st Lt. "Johnny" Mead, who bailed from his burning B-24 and eventually became a commander of the resistance. Novelistic and enlightening, this will captivate WWII buffs. (Nov.)

Prolific historian Henderson (Bridge to the Sun: The Secret Role of the Japanese Americans Who Fought in the Pacific in World War II) offers a propulsive account of top-secret operations in the run-up to D-Day, immersing readers in the peril and heroism of covert World War II missions involving American bombers and Allied spies. Drawing on interviews and careful research, the book provides a fresh perspective on the unique collaboration between U.S. bomber crews and the French Resistance. Henderson's clear, engaging style simplifies complex military operations without losing emotional depth or detail. The book includes carefully selected photographs that enhance the narrative by providing authentic visual context to the missions and personnel involved, enriching readers' connection to this history. The subject offers significant interest and educational value, especially for military history enthusiasts and students seeking lesser-known stories of wartime bravery. This resource sheds light on an overlooked dimension of World War II, broadening historical understanding with detailed and compelling accounts of secret Allied operations. VERDICT A vital addition for those interested in military history and stories of international cooperation, sure to enhance any library's history holdings.--Lawrence Mello

Valor and sacrifice in the skies over Europe. Hollywood loves the French resistance; military historians not so much, but journalist Henderson, author ofHero Found: The Greatest POW Escape of the Vietnam War, has an eye for wartime derring-do. By the time the U.S. entered World War II, British Prime Minister Winston Churchill, a far more hands-on leader than Franklin D. Roosevelt, was already an enthusiastic supporter of the resistance, which had begun slowly after the 1940 French defeat, expanded after Hitler's June 1941 invasion of Russia, but received its greatest boost in 1943 when thousands of guerrilla bands (the Maquis) fled to the country to evade a law requiring all able-bodied Frenchmen to work in Germany. Throughout 1942 and 1943, Britain's secret service flew planes over France, dropping supplies and agents. The U.S. was slow to get involved but late in 1943 began accepting volunteer crews from one of its largest bombers, the B-24, to undertake these dangerous, nighttime missions. From early 1944, individual planes would take off after dark, fly hundreds of miles, a task requiring superb navigation, and watch for a flashing light signal from the ground before dropping their load. By 1944, French resistance was organized and active in conducting intelligence and sabotage, tasks that peaked with the Normandy landings in June but continued until the war's end. The author does not ignore the ongoing debate over whether this was an efficient use of Allied military resources, but mostly he describes the missions. There are biographies of individual fliers, French resisters, and agents dropped along with the supplies. A minority were women. Successful missions--60% to 70% succeeded--receive their due, but more pages describe those that weren't, so there is a steady stream of mishaps, crashes, dramatic escapes, individual tragedies, and heroics. Not an untold story, but Henderson is a pro, so readers are in good hands. Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.