A review by xxstefaniereadsxx
Flyboys: A True Story of Courage by James Bradley

informative tense slow-paced

4.0

 In 1914, a naval base was established on Chichi Jima in the Pacific Ocean. The Japanese used this during World War II as a supply point and long range radio station. This island was the frequent target of attacks by the United States, despite the fact that it was heavily armed and fortified. This book goes into detail about the lives of several United States pilots who were shot down while conducting missions on Chichi Jima. (One of the pilots shot down was George H. W. Bush, future President of the United States, but he was able to remain uncaptured.) They were tortured mercilessly before being murdered and four of them were cannibalized. (Lloyd Woellhof, Grady York, James Dye, Glenn Frazier Jr., Marvell Mershon, Floyd Hall, Warren Earl Vaughn, and Warren Hindenlang were the ones that were captured, tortured, and executed.) After the war, thirty Japanese soldiers were charged with war crimes and hanged.

This book is not one for the faint of heart. I am really looking forward to watching the film now that I have read the book. I though the research done by James Bradley was superb, and I appreciated that he was able to convey the horrible experiences that these men had as well as their relationships with their brothers in arms. This is a prime example of how horrible war can be.