"Lucky 666" was a B-17, a heavy bomber. It held a normal crew of 10 men. For their last mission two members of the plane's crew were awarded the Medal of Honor, all the rest received the Distinguished Service Cross, second only to the Medal of Honor. As a result, they became the most decorated crew in the history of America's Air Forces. It is a fascinating story and a pleasure to read. Unfortunately, the authors made so many historical errors in parts of the book which didn't deal with the crew, that you have to wonder if they also didn't make errors about the story of "Lucky 666" itself.
But before I list some of those errors... I didn't have any problem with the very negative comments the authors made about General MacArthur, as I think very little of him myself. Still, I think they over did it in a book which wasn't about him. But I think the payoff to MacArthur from Philippines President Quezon deserves to be discussed more often. A number of historians are convinced this is why MacArthur did nothing early in the war, resulting in the Japanese destroying American air power in the South Pacific. See pages 59-60. For this MacArthur should have been relieved and court-martialed.
On several pages the authors maintain the Japanese intended to invade Australia. Documents captured after the war showed they wished to neutralize that country, but not invade it. The Japanese army was over committed to other areas.
On pages 62-63, the authors have Sergeant Joe Sarnoski washing dishes and other dirty chores while aboard a transport headed for the Pacific. Ha! Obviously they never served in the military themselves. These duties fell to privates and PFCs.
On page 66, in October 1941---BEFORE the U.S. was EVEN at war---the authors have Army Chief of Staff General Marshall wanting MacArthur to be the "Eastern Ike" with overall command in the Pacific theater. As of that month, Eisenhower had only just been promoted to brigadier general in the War Plans department. It wasn't until November 1942, that Eisenhower was made Supreme Commander of the American forces invading North Africa. Makes you wonder if the authors just made this up because it sounded cool.
On page 68, the authors state that before the Japanese entered the war Germans posing as missionaries prepared for the Japanese invasion of New Guinea by encouraging the natives to welcome the Japanese. Yet historians know that the Japanese attacks on December 7-8, 1941, were a complete surprise to the German government. This is obviously an early WWII myth the authors fell for.
On page 95, the authors have the USS Lexington blowing up and sinking due to bombing by Japanese planes. While the Japanese seriously damaged the carrier, its crew heroically fought to save the ship. When further explosions occurred the crew was ordered to abandon the ship and it was sunk by torpedoes launched by a U.S. destroyer.
On page 167, the authors state that U.S. Marines finally drove the Japanese from Guadalcanal in February, 1943, and were then relieved by U.S. Army troops. Not so. The 1st Marine Division landed on Guadalcanal in August 1942. A U.S. Army regiment reinforced them in October. By December, the weary 1st Marine Division was taken off the island to reorganize. It was replaced by the 2nd Marine Division and two U.S. Army divisions. This "corps" then finished the fighting on that island.
On page 190, the authors have one crew member enlisting three weeks before the attack on Pearl Harbor and then suddenly seeing action on "Corregidor, Java and Singapore." Apparently the guy never went through basic or specialist training and got right into the fighting. No way! Plus, Singapore was a British colony, so how would he have seen action there?
On page 293, the authors claim "The capture of Bougainville... weakened the Japanese military to the point where it no longer presented a viable military force." I bet this would come as a shock to the untold tens of thousands of American, British, Australian, Filipino and Chinese service men and women who had to fight the Japanese for another two years. Didn't the authors ever hear of the invasion of the Philippines, Iwo Jima, Okinawa and scores of other battles where the Allies suffered serious casualties? Come off it guys, the crew of "Lucky 666" did not win the war all by themselves!
Finally, on page 296, the authors quote some historian who claims the Allied air attacks on Rabaul "---which began in January 1942 and continued through to the end of the war in August 1945---constituted the longest battle of World War II." Perhaps the authors should have checked with other historians. The Battle of the Atlantic, against the German submarines and surface fleet, began in September 1939---over two years before America entered the war---and lasted until May 1945. It is acknowledged as the longest battle of World War II.
This book was published in 2016, and a few quick visits to Wikipedia would have prevented the series of mistakes the authors made.
But before I list some of those errors... I didn't have any problem with the very negative comments the authors made about General MacArthur, as I think very little of him myself. Still, I think they over did it in a book which wasn't about him. But I think the payoff to MacArthur from Philippines President Quezon deserves to be discussed more often. A number of historians are convinced this is why MacArthur did nothing early in the war, resulting in the Japanese destroying American air power in the South Pacific. See pages 59-60. For this MacArthur should have been relieved and court-martialed.
On several pages the authors maintain the Japanese intended to invade Australia. Documents captured after the war showed they wished to neutralize that country, but not invade it. The Japanese army was over committed to other areas.
On pages 62-63, the authors have Sergeant Joe Sarnoski washing dishes and other dirty chores while aboard a transport headed for the Pacific. Ha! Obviously they never served in the military themselves. These duties fell to privates and PFCs.
On page 66, in October 1941---BEFORE the U.S. was EVEN at war---the authors have Army Chief of Staff General Marshall wanting MacArthur to be the "Eastern Ike" with overall command in the Pacific theater. As of that month, Eisenhower had only just been promoted to brigadier general in the War Plans department. It wasn't until November 1942, that Eisenhower was made Supreme Commander of the American forces invading North Africa. Makes you wonder if the authors just made this up because it sounded cool.
On page 68, the authors state that before the Japanese entered the war Germans posing as missionaries prepared for the Japanese invasion of New Guinea by encouraging the natives to welcome the Japanese. Yet historians know that the Japanese attacks on December 7-8, 1941, were a complete surprise to the German government. This is obviously an early WWII myth the authors fell for.
On page 95, the authors have the USS Lexington blowing up and sinking due to bombing by Japanese planes. While the Japanese seriously damaged the carrier, its crew heroically fought to save the ship. When further explosions occurred the crew was ordered to abandon the ship and it was sunk by torpedoes launched by a U.S. destroyer.
On page 167, the authors state that U.S. Marines finally drove the Japanese from Guadalcanal in February, 1943, and were then relieved by U.S. Army troops. Not so. The 1st Marine Division landed on Guadalcanal in August 1942. A U.S. Army regiment reinforced them in October. By December, the weary 1st Marine Division was taken off the island to reorganize. It was replaced by the 2nd Marine Division and two U.S. Army divisions. This "corps" then finished the fighting on that island.
On page 190, the authors have one crew member enlisting three weeks before the attack on Pearl Harbor and then suddenly seeing action on "Corregidor, Java and Singapore." Apparently the guy never went through basic or specialist training and got right into the fighting. No way! Plus, Singapore was a British colony, so how would he have seen action there?
On page 293, the authors claim "The capture of Bougainville... weakened the Japanese military to the point where it no longer presented a viable military force." I bet this would come as a shock to the untold tens of thousands of American, British, Australian, Filipino and Chinese service men and women who had to fight the Japanese for another two years. Didn't the authors ever hear of the invasion of the Philippines, Iwo Jima, Okinawa and scores of other battles where the Allies suffered serious casualties? Come off it guys, the crew of "Lucky 666" did not win the war all by themselves!
Finally, on page 296, the authors quote some historian who claims the Allied air attacks on Rabaul "---which began in January 1942 and continued through to the end of the war in August 1945---constituted the longest battle of World War II." Perhaps the authors should have checked with other historians. The Battle of the Atlantic, against the German submarines and surface fleet, began in September 1939---over two years before America entered the war---and lasted until May 1945. It is acknowledged as the longest battle of World War II.
This book was published in 2016, and a few quick visits to Wikipedia would have prevented the series of mistakes the authors made.
