Reviewed by Claire Foster
Detailed research puts the reader inside the cockpit, shoulder to shoulder with the pilot and crew.
Steve Snyder’s masterful book, Shot Down, does justice to the adventures of his father, pilot Howard Snyder, and the crew of the B-17 plane Susan Ruth. Using first-hand accounts from diary entries, letters, and family stories, Snyder revives experiences that are accessible and relevant both to historians and readers with a casual interest in WWII history.
The Susan Ruth’s crew was composed of ten men, four officers and six enlisted, and made up a true cross-section of American society. “They were college graduates, farmers, lawyers, and coal miners, from all nationalities and … Continue reading …