Friday Favorites:

My Favorite, Non-Fiction, War-Story (you know how I feel about Fiction, but I'm working on getting over it!) is Four Came Home, by C. V. Glines.  This book gives the account of the four surviving, "Doolittle Raiders" who crashed and where held as prisoners during WWII.  All of the 16 modified B-25 bombers that launched from the USS Hornet on April 18, 1942 were lost during or after the raid on Japan.  Most ran out of fuel and crashed landed in occupied Chine.  Doolittle himself being assisted by Chinese soldiers as well as American Missionary, John Birch.

Though the book gave all the facts and historical accounts of the raid on Tokyo, the main focus was on the American servicemen who eventually were captured, tortured and some executed by the Imperial Japanese Army.  Of the eight men who were held as Prisoners of War, only four came home. 

Haunting is the best way I can describe this book.  A tremendous chronicle of human endurance and dedication.  



  Lieutenant Dean E. Hallmark (Executed)

  William G. Farrow (Executed)

  Corporal Harold A. Spatz (Executed)

  Lieutenant Robert J. Meder (Died in Prison)

    Chase Nielsen (Came Home)

    Robert L. Hite (Came Home)

    George Barr (Came Home)

    Corporal Jacob DeShazer (Came Home)




Chuck (Very grateful for those who serve this country)