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Hello Everyone,
My name is S. Aaron, and I am the sole creator and proprietor of Canto34 Studios. I am so excited to finally get this story out to the world, after sitting on it, writing it, and rewriting it for a little over nine years. Since I was a boy, I was obsessed with World War II, and specifically, the Air War fought over Europe. I was just 5 years old when I first watched the 1991 movie, Memphis Belle, and that began my life-long obsession with all things World War II and anything to do with the Boeing B-17 Bomber.
My sole purpose in telling this story is to give glory and honor to the brave young men who gave everything they could, in order to serve their country. This type of warfare is sadly forgotten in History books and public media, but it was vicious, cruel, dangerous, and outright suicidal. However, these 18-23-year-old kids from all around American volunteered to do the job that ultimately allowed the Allies to be able to invade Europe and bring the war to an end.
The men, the 300th bombardment group, and the airfield described in this story are all fictional, but please keep in mind that the men, bombardment group, locations, events, stories, and lives described in this story are based on real men, bombardment groups, locations, events, stories, and lives.
In the last nine years, I've interviewed a dozen veterans of the 8th Air Force and asked each one if they felt comfortable having their story shared with the public, and every one of them said something to the effect of, "Sure, as long as my name isn't mentioned, I don't want to be seen as some kind of hero, I was just doing my job." So many of these veterans don't want to be displayed as the hero's they are, and so, I decided to honor their wishes.
I look forward to seeing you and hearing from you all in July, and I hope you all enjoy this story, as much as I enjoyed writing it.
-S. Aaron
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From the publisher's feed
It's March 1944, and the world remains engulfed in war. The United States is locked in a fierce battle to establish air superiority over Europe. Over the past year and a half, the Eighth Air Force…
The death toll among the Eighth Air Force continues to rise, with most bomber crews failing to complete even half of their 25-mission tour. Flak fields have become denser and more accurate, posing a grave threat to any plane that dares to fly through them. Nazi fighter pilots, growing in skill, relentlessly pursue American bombers, despite the defensive measures onboard.
Unknown to the American bomber crews, a significant change has occurred in their mission objectives. Under the leadership of Jimmy Doolittle, the Eighth Air Force now employs a risky strategy. Bombers are used as bait to lure Nazi fighters into combat, allowing escort fighters to pick them off one by one. This shift means the lives of bomber crews are no longer considered sacrosanct but rather as expendable casualties in the pursuit of victory.
By this time next year, the death toll of the Eighth Air Force will reach a staggering 26,000, surpassing the losses of Marines throughout the entirety of World War II. This podcast chronicles the experiences of one such bomber crew during the early months of 1944.
Lieutenant Bakas, a 24-year-old pilot from Youngstown, Ohio, leads a B-17G named "Load of Bull" and commands a 10-man crew with a singular goal: survival. With daunting odds stacked against them, Lieutenant Miller, a 23-year-old co-pilot, must navigate the challenges of leadership, perseverance, and duty.
Tasked with motivating a crew comprised mostly of young men fresh out of high school, Bakas and Miller grapple with the weight of their responsibilities. As they confront the harsh realities of their suicidal missions and the uncertain impact on the war effort, they must find the strength to inspire their men to keep fighting.
Starting in July 2021, SNAFU, a historical fiction podcast, will begin to tell the story of a group of men, as their families never knew them.