The Ragged Irregulars

This is the second book in the series and it follows the story line from book 1, The Children's Crusade. The Ragged Irregulars is a fast-paced, suspenseful and often astounding novel about B-17 bomber crews in action over Europe in World War II, buttressed by enlightening technical details and multi-dimensional characterizations of pilots, bombardiers, navigators, gunners and ground crews -- all based on first-person interviews with USAAF veterans who experienced many of the actual events. It is a gripping book that I found impossible to put down, as my emotions ranged from the merely expectant to the overwhelming. It has a perfect match of idiom and tone for the historical era and for the situations that young American airmen faced.