Forgotten Fifteenth

The Daring Airmen Who Crippled Hitler's War Machine

By: Barrett Tillman

Narrated by: Robertson Dean

Length: 9 hrs and 26 mins

Publisher's summary

November 1943 to May 1945. The US Army Air Forces waged an unprecedentedly dogged and violent campaign against Hitler's vital oil production and industrial plants on theThird Reich's southern flank. Flying from southern Italy, far from the limelight enjoyed by the Eighth Air Force in England, the Fifteenth Air Force engaged in high-risk missions spanning most of the European continent. The story of the Fifteenth Air Force deserves a prideful place in the annals of American gallantry.

In Forgotten Fifteenth, Barrett Tillman brings into focus a seldom-seen multinational cast of characters, including pilots from Axis nations Romania, Hungary, and Bulgaria and many more remarkable individuals. They were the first generation of fliers - few of them professionals - to conduct a strategic bombing campaign against a major industrial nation. They suffered steady attrition and occasionally spectacular losses. In so doing, they contributed to the end of the most destructive war in history.

Forgotten Fifteenth is the first-ever detailed account of the Fifteenth Air Force in World War II and the brave men that history has abandoned. This book is a must-read for military history enthusiasts, veterans, and current servicemen and their families.

©2014 Barrett Tillman (P)2014 Blackstone Audio

High Adventure!

This was an incredibly informative book. The naration was"Spot On", and engaging. So glad I was able to finish listening on Memorial Day Weekend, it brings new meaning to the heros we forget, never knew but should always HONOR!

Forgotten Fifteenth

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. Having read scores of books on the 8th Air Force, it is great to finally read something about the 15th. The author presents a great history.

Interesting book

Learned alot of histiry ablut these brave pilots from.the Gfeatest Generation. learned about the planes from.WW II

Holy cow!

I had no idea of the massive numbers of POWs that we’re involved in this theater of war! The author did a great job in the epilogue presenting the total numbers and percentages of people lost in wounded and the percentage of planes that never made it through was just astronomical versus the very poor performance of accuracy of the bombs dropped. After listening to this it is clear that modern society has absolutely no idea what stress and sacrifice is!

Decent book

It covers a little bit of everything about the 15th, but reads more like a history text book instead of a thrilling novel. Not much in the way of great stories, more like important information with a few footnotes about various people or events.

Well thought out. Well written. Great read.

The narrator did a marvelous job. He never allowed his reading to get manatinous. at any time.

Well written ...; felt like I was a door gunner.

This book is so well researched. The one negative to Audible books is that you can’t view pics, obviously and check out the bibliography.

The research that went into writing this book, must have been exhaustive.
They “Mighty 8th” gets all the press, while the lonely 15th gets little attention.

I know a l lot of the air war in Europe, but the author opened my eyes to the extent of damage the 15th caused, especial;y the oil fields. in Romania and surrounding counties.

I am a picky listener and will praise both the narrator and author. This is a book I will listen to again down the road.

Well Researched

Great accounts of unsung heroes of WWII. Really enjoyed some of the lesser known anecdotes and they way the author tied them into the timeline. As a granddaughter of a P-47 pilot in Europe and a USAF pilot myself, I appreciated the accuracy and the detailed descriptions of the aircraft specs. I also enjoyed following the historical timeline of aircraft introduction and mods. Often there’s a miss when describing technical aspects, but these were spot on and added to the credibility of the book. I very much enjoyed this book and highly recommended it to other aviation enthusiasts and those who wish to learn more about the greatest generation.

Good book.

A good overview of the Fifteenth. It is not as detailed as many books on the Eighth. However in fairness, there is less material available for an author who writes about the Fifteenth. The author put to rest some of the mythology surrounding the Tuskegee Airmen. Post-war, many of those who served continued in reputable, worthwhile careers in the military and in the civilian sector. Unfortunately, a few became politicians (George McGovern, Lloyd Bentsen). All things considered, it was a good book.

Solid Story worth telling

Would you listen to Forgotten Fifteenth again? Why?

Not again, but I had to hear it. My father flew in a B-17 with the 15th.

Who was your favorite character and why?

No characters. The story is of the 15th.

Have you listened to any of Robertson Dean’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

No

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

Would like to hear more about the men, and the details of the missions. This was more about the 15th as an organizatoin.

Any additional comments?

The 8th gets all the pub!