Lucky 666: The Impossible Mission

Monday I finished Lucky 666 and I saw a post on FB about the book. (This was a great read) This is an incredible tale of a crew with an impossible mission to do a photo reconnaissance of Bougainville Island in the Solomon Islands in 1943. If they are successful it will save the lives of countless US Marines. The mission was led by then (Captain) Jay Zeamer who along with Bombardier 2d Lt. Joseph Sarnoski would be awarded the Medal of Honor, the rest of the crew would be awarded the Distinguished Service Cross the second highest award for bravery and make Lucky 666 the most decorated air crew in US Air Force history. The mission was about 6 hours long, there was a dogfight with over 8 Japanese fighters for some 40 minutes, making it the longest in Air Force history. This is one story out millions of the Greatest Generation who stepped up in the dark days of WWII and saved the world from a Dark Age of Tyranny. This is my 3rd book by Drury and Clavin, these guys write a great book together and I hope they keep it up, what ever the blend or mix that gives them that certain something, well I hope they realize that doesn't come along very often and keep their collaboration going. I just bought another book by them without reading a review... thats the sign of good writing in my view.

The first half of the book drags a little with background info, but the second half really picks up speed. This is where the the author gets into the "impossible mission." The author rightly notes the difference between a medal and a court martial is sometimes a very fine line. In this case the hero well-earned the Congressional Medal of Honor he was awarded though his military discipline was lax and some orders were disobeyed. The medal rightfully prevailed over a court martial. I gave the book five stars based on the "impossible mission" portion of the book. It is suspenseful and well-written. Fans of aerial warfare will love this book.

This is an outstanding story, which is expertly researched. When I think about heroes, these are the kind of men I think about. They improvise to get the job done, and often color outside the lines. Even their B-17 is an amazing story. These were just the kind of men we needed in the Pacific Theater during World War II, when the majority of our resources were being poured into the European Theater.This book is motivating me to read more about the heavy 4-engine bombers in the Pacific Theater during WW II. I want to end by again commenting on the research. I have rarely seen a book about WW II researched this well prior to release. Thank you.

I can easily see a defiant James Dean type or a young Harrison Ford playing the role of the fearless pilot flying the flying fortress and defying all the dangers Japanese air defenses posed as he took his crew into battle and daring reconnaissance flights over enemy territories. Clearly the pilot and his crew were cut from a special bolt of cloth that encouraged them to take on missions wiser men turned down since the odds of returning were so much not in their favor. Once again these airmen proved they were a part of the greatest generation. The insights on MacArthur were quite telling as were the same for Halsey and Nimitz. A very good read.

I loved this book. I reread the last several chapters immediately after finishing the book because it just tugs at your soul.The story pulls you in, entertains you, educates you and astonishes you at every turn. It is easy to forget, these events were real. Oh so young men where challenged by extraordinary events and committed their every effort and too often their lives to succeed.The authors crafted a great story into a wonderful book.

Amazing story of bravery and heroic action. Learning the background of the strategy in the Pacific War was educational and enlightening. It took ingenuity and the guts of the Air Force and ground soldiers to defeat the Japanese while facing overwhelming odds. This mission was the most highly decorated mission in the history of the Air Force and a virtual hidden secret for over 60 years. Thanks to Tom Clavin and Bob Drury for bringing this to life. Would make a compelling movie!

Great book and true story about B-17 crew members in the Pacific; the not so well known theater of the war. These guys had it much harder than those in the European theater of operations. Not to minimize their contribution to the war effort, they have my complete respect. However, the guys in the Pacific got all the older aircraft, hand-me-downs, etc. and won the war in their assigned area of the world, too. Again, an amazing story!Anyone wanting to learn more about this theater of the war and what the aircrew went through, this is a first-hand account and vivid in detail.

If you like this book read INDESTRUCTIBLE BY John Bruning. It goes into more detail about this part of the war by telling Pappy Gunn’s story. Pappy is mentioned in the book, but only briefly.I applaud Jay Zeamer and his team for what they accomplished in WWII. Thoroughly enjoyed the read and the tales from that part of the war. I recommend LUCKY 666 to anyone interested in this part of the war.

This book achieves so much in one volume that it has to be five stars. Firstly it is very readable, the authors are great story tellers. Secondly they have re-discovered one of the greatest forgotten stories of personal (and team) heroism from the second war. Thirdly they bring full spotlight to the early months of the Pacific theatre in WW2, an area poorly covered by historians and popular media alike.In this book I came to entirely change my view of the Pacific theatre, being drawn entirely into the drama and existential struggle in a way that will stay with me.The personal stories of these men and their struggle couldn't be more important in a world that is increasingly forgetful the meaning of manhood, sacrifice, and being part of something bigger than yourself.Great read - you won't regret this purchase.

Amazing stories of the crew of this B-17.The author does a good job of the history of the two MOH winners and their actions to winner the award.Unbelievable but a True Story.Fast,easy and very enjoyable read.

Great price for the quality of book

The superlatives in this story are astonishing: the longest aerial dogfight in history; the most highly decorated bomber crew in U.S. History; the most heavily armed B-17 bomber of the war, and more.It's a crime this story isn't already a miniseries or movie.

Fantastic epic of this bunch of heroes. Very well written with fantastic descriptions. If you are a WWII lover, don't miss this one.