Lightning Down: A World War II Story of Survival
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- Author：Tom Clavin
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Summary
An American fighter pilot doomed to die in Buchenwald but determined to survive。
On August 13， 1944， Joe Moser set off on his forty-fourth combat mission over occupied France。 Soon， he would join almost 170 other Allied airmen as prisoners in Buchenwald， one of the most notorious and deadly of Nazi concentration camps。 Tom Clavin's Lightning Down tells this largely untold and riveting true story。
Moser was just twenty-two years old， a farm boy from Washington State who fell in love with flying。 During the War he realized his dream of piloting a P-38 Lightning， one of the most effective weapons the Army Air Corps had against the powerful German Luftwaffe。 But on that hot August morning he had to bail out of his damaged， burning plane。 Captured immediately， Moser’s journey into hell began。
Moser and his courageous comrades from England， Canada， New Zealand， and elsewhere endured the most horrific conditions during their imprisonment。。。 until the day the orders were issued by Hitler himself to execute them。 Only a most desperate plan would save them。
The page-turning momentum of Lightning Down is like that of a thriller， but the stories of imprisoned and brutalized airmen are true and told in unforgettable detail， led by the distinctly American voice of Joe Moser， who prays every day to be reunited with his family。
Lightning Down is a can’t-put-it-down inspiring saga of brave men confronting great evil and great odds against survival。
On August 13， 1944， Joe Moser set off on his forty-fourth combat mission over occupied France。 Soon， he would join almost 170 other Allied airmen as prisoners in Buchenwald， one of the most notorious and deadly of Nazi concentration camps。 Tom Clavin's Lightning Down tells this largely untold and riveting true story。
Moser was just twenty-two years old， a farm boy from Washington State who fell in love with flying。 During the War he realized his dream of piloting a P-38 Lightning， one of the most effective weapons the Army Air Corps had against the powerful German Luftwaffe。 But on that hot August morning he had to bail out of his damaged， burning plane。 Captured immediately， Moser’s journey into hell began。
Moser and his courageous comrades from England， Canada， New Zealand， and elsewhere endured the most horrific conditions during their imprisonment。。。 until the day the orders were issued by Hitler himself to execute them。 Only a most desperate plan would save them。
The page-turning momentum of Lightning Down is like that of a thriller， but the stories of imprisoned and brutalized airmen are true and told in unforgettable detail， led by the distinctly American voice of Joe Moser， who prays every day to be reunited with his family。
Lightning Down is a can’t-put-it-down inspiring saga of brave men confronting great evil and great odds against survival。
Reviews
Jane
，
Lightning Down A World War II Nonfiction book of Survival by Tom Clavin。 A memoir of a fighter pilot’s war and fight to live through unbelievable conditions。 I don’t know how to adequately describe this book because it covers so much。 It is a Historical war story with all the details of a pilot’s life and what he endured。 Joe’s early life， ambitions， love of flying， World War II planes， pilots， prisoner of war， liberation， freedom and life after the war。 This is a very emotional story， so be rea Lightning Down A World War II Nonfiction book of Survival by Tom Clavin。 A memoir of a fighter pilot’s war and fight to live through unbelievable conditions。 I don’t know how to adequately describe this book because it covers so much。 It is a Historical war story with all the details of a pilot’s life and what he endured。 Joe’s early life， ambitions， love of flying， World War II planes， pilots， prisoner of war， liberation， freedom and life after the war。 This is a very emotional story， so be ready to shed tears。I received a complimentary copy of this book。 Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own。 I appreciate the opportunity and thank the author and publisher for allowing me to read， enjoy and review this book。 5 Stars 。。。more
Kelly
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Lightning Down’s main focus is following the experience of Joe Moser， a P-38 pilot shot down by the Germans during World War II， but Clavin also addresses the depravities inflicted and experienced by others in his circumstances too。 I get exhausted by World War II stories， and sadly， as horrifying as some of the forms of torture and inhumanity described in this novel were， the more I read， the less surprised I am by what the Nazis， SS and Gestapo did to people。 In this book the victims are prima Lightning Down’s main focus is following the experience of Joe Moser， a P-38 pilot shot down by the Germans during World War II， but Clavin also addresses the depravities inflicted and experienced by others in his circumstances too。 I get exhausted by World War II stories， and sadly， as horrifying as some of the forms of torture and inhumanity described in this novel were， the more I read， the less surprised I am by what the Nazis， SS and Gestapo did to people。 In this book the victims are primarily POWs that were not held in compliance with the Geneva Convention but were instead sent to Buchenwald， a concentration camp。 Further complicating matters for the men that made it out of Buchenwald was not being believed about the atrocities being committed in the camp， not being believed that they were imprisoned there， and the doubts that concentration camps existed at all。 While the occasional recounting by Moser of his experience feels a little clunky and could be integrated into the book a little better by Clavin， this story overall is fantastic for people who want to learn more about WWII， especially pilots and POWs。 This book reads very easily about real life people and may not feel as dry as other nonfiction accounts。 。。。more
Jesse
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A very heroic war story。 Some really crazy experiences in the concentration camp where these pilots were held。 Great book！
Mary
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A digital copy of this book was given to me by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review。This is the story of pilot Joe Moser， who during World War II was shot down over German occupied France。 He was captured by the Germans， and thinking he was heading to a POW camp in accord with the Geneva convention， he was sent to Buchenwald。Joe Moser's dream was to fly planes。 Then Pearl harbor was attacked， and he was drafted。 After years of training， he finally went off to Europe at the end of January， A digital copy of this book was given to me by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review。This is the story of pilot Joe Moser， who during World War II was shot down over German occupied France。 He was captured by the Germans， and thinking he was heading to a POW camp in accord with the Geneva convention， he was sent to Buchenwald。Joe Moser's dream was to fly planes。 Then Pearl harbor was attacked， and he was drafted。 After years of training， he finally went off to Europe at the end of January， 1944。 Once there， the pilots had to go through more training。 Finally he was able to fly。 On that fateful day， his 44th mission， he was tasked to bomb "anything that moves" - trains， tanks， cargo。I have read a few books about the Jewish prisoners in the concentration camps， but I have never read about the Allied soldiers that were contained there。 This book has some graphic sections explaining some of the tortures， the meals and the overall life in camps。 Some of these sections are fast little snippets。 This isn't just the story about Joe。 There are in depth descriptions of other Allied soldiers that were at Buchenwald and how they were captured。 This tends to break up the timeline a bit as it goes back to narrate when an individual was born and how they became part of the Allies or French Resistance fighters。 This book was very well researched to bring to the readers all the events from August 1944 to April 1945。Thank you NetGalley， St。 Martin's Press and Tom Clavin。 。。。more
Tami
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There is nothing better than a true story that keeps you so intrigued you lose track of time。 During World War II， American fighter pilot， Joe Moser， was shot down over German-occupied France。 Even though members of the French resistance tried to save him， he was captured and sent to the notorious Buchenwald concentration camp。Along with fighter pilots from the US and other allied countries， Joe tried to remain strong and not lose hope that he would be rescued。 These captured pilots tried to kee There is nothing better than a true story that keeps you so intrigued you lose track of time。 During World War II， American fighter pilot， Joe Moser， was shot down over German-occupied France。 Even though members of the French resistance tried to save him， he was captured and sent to the notorious Buchenwald concentration camp。Along with fighter pilots from the US and other allied countries， Joe tried to remain strong and not lose hope that he would be rescued。 These captured pilots tried to keep some type of normalcy throughout their ordeal， helping keep each other encouraged and banding together to stay safe。The story covers the life of Joe Moser， both before he enlisted and after he was rescued。 I was shocked to read that when he returned home people did not believe his story。 Thankfully as time passed and more people saw proof of what happened in Germany， Joe was believed and honored for his bravery。I recommend this to all readers。 It should be on every high school or college reading list as a reminder that we need to continue to guard our freedom。Many thanks to NetGalley and St。 Martin’s Press for allowing me to read an advance copy。 I am happy to give my honest review。 。。。more
MarilynW
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Lightning Down by Tom ClavinDuring WWII， one hundred and sixty eight Allied airmen were imprisoned in the Buchenwald concentration camp。 Given the name the name "Terrorflieger" （terror flyers）， these men had first survived the infamous Fresnes Prison outside Paris before they were shipped in cattle cars to Buchenwald。 Rather than being treated as POWs， according the Geneva Convention， their existence was kept secret and they knew their only reason to be at this camp was to die。This true story fo Lightning Down by Tom ClavinDuring WWII， one hundred and sixty eight Allied airmen were imprisoned in the Buchenwald concentration camp。 Given the name the name "Terrorflieger" （terror flyers）， these men had first survived the infamous Fresnes Prison outside Paris before they were shipped in cattle cars to Buchenwald。 Rather than being treated as POWs， according the Geneva Convention， their existence was kept secret and they knew their only reason to be at this camp was to die。This true story follows Joe Moser， an American pilot， who was shot down over occupied France， on August 13， 1944。 After being captured and sent to Fresnes Prison， Joe and the other airmen were taken to Buchenwald。 Thinking that at some point they would be treated as POWs and given food， water， and livable accommodations to sit out the war as prisoners， instead they are faced with the almost impossible trial of surviving the death camp。 Even though I've read a lot of historical fiction detailing the horrors of the concentration camps， this story further shocked me with some of the most gruesome accounts of the treatment of the occupants of the camps that I have ever read。 It's impossible for the mind to wrap around what occurred to so many people， on a daily basis。 For the airmen， this wasn't the end， there were more horrors in store for them， as the Nazis were determined to hide their existence from the world， while they tried to determine a way to exterminate the men without Germany suffering repercussions against German POW pilots。 We don't just follow Joe。 The story details the heroic efforts of those who risked and gave their lives to save others throughout this war。 It is thanks to the efforts of Pilot Officer Philip John Lamason， and other pilots， that this group of men held together as an organized single unit， despite the nightmare that had become their lives。 For all but two of these men， Buchenwald was not their final destination， as the men were forced on brutal and deadly winter marches to other locations。 Throughout all of this， Joe felt guilt for those who risked/lost their lives trying to help them but also thankfulness that he woke up each day， knowing that at anytime， he could be one of the thousands to not see another sunrise。 A story that started out seeming dry had me fighting back tears by the end。 Even once these survivors were rescued， most of them didn't speak out about their ordeals because they found they weren't believed。 It was only decades later that all the facts came out and the surviving men could finally speak about the horrors and heroics that befell them。 Expected publication: November 2， 2021Thank you to St。 Martin's Press and NetGalley for this ARC。 。。。more
Suzi
，
This is a compelling true story of atrocities during WWII。 Stories， like Joe Moser’s are not enjoyable to read but they are important to read。 It is so important that these stories are known， shared and remembered。 Understanding the sacrifices made and challenges faced by earlier generations fosters valuable connections。
Jessica Bates
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If you enjoy history you should find this book very interesting。 I know I did。 Learned so much more than what told or taught to us about our nation’s history。
Susan
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In the course of my long public library career， I have reserved many a Tom Clavin book for patrons who count among his ardent fans， but this nonfiction book is the first one of his that I myself have read， and I am greatly impressed。 In exquisitely patient prose， Mr。 Clavin allows us to accompany Washington （State） farm boy Joe Moser from his starry-eyed boyhood dreams of becoming a pilot to the precipitous U。S。 entry into World War II after Pearl Harbor that hastened the trajectory of that boyh In the course of my long public library career， I have reserved many a Tom Clavin book for patrons who count among his ardent fans， but this nonfiction book is the first one of his that I myself have read， and I am greatly impressed。 In exquisitely patient prose， Mr。 Clavin allows us to accompany Washington （State） farm boy Joe Moser from his starry-eyed boyhood dreams of becoming a pilot to the precipitous U。S。 entry into World War II after Pearl Harbor that hastened the trajectory of that boyhood wish fulfillment， specifically by training to become a P-38 fighter pilot with an elite band of similarly smart， brave， idealistic， and focused young men， none more so than Joe。 The reader accompanies him on dozens of increasingly nail-biting but ultimately successful missions， zipping farther and farther eastward over enemy territory in Europe， until late summer of 1944， when the worst happens and his trusty P-38 is precipitously shot down over France。 Captured and uncooperative， Lieut。 Moser is sent not to a Geneva-Conference-approved POW camp as he expects， but to Buchenwald， the infinitely more brutal concentration camp in Germany already bursting with Jews and others the Nazis consider "undesirables。" Joe and his fellow captured Allied flyers are imprisoned in a special "Little Camp" section where sadistically gruesome treatment awaits， and where sometimes pure luck tips the scales toward a man's survival more than either his wits or his strong constitution， even in combination， could do。 Buchenwald's horrors and deprivations have been well documented in scores of other books， with the unpredictability of each inmate's new day rarely proving to be anything other than even more horrendous than the day before， and thus even more gut-wrenching， but the hardest part about life at Buchenwald in particular for Lieut。 Joe Moser and company may well have been the fact that their colleagues and countrymen outside the camp had no idea that they were even alive at all， let alone what immoral， illegal， and downright inhumane working and living conditions they and their fellow skeletal prisoners in the "Big Camp" alongside were being subjected to daily。 It would take a courageous （and crafty） few to finally maneuver to get the word out to these pilots' Allied commanders back at headquarters， but at such a late date （near war's end， with Hitler near desperation） that it was already too late for many， who had already succumbed from the rigors of Buchenwald or the subsequent torturous "death march" for kilometers in harshest， most frigid winter weather。 From first page to last， Joe Moser emerges as the most decent of men， a model of real heroism and self-sacrifice in the face of unspeakable depravity， and it is a real privilege to accompany this real-life hero and experience his ultimate emancipation。 "Well done， good and faithful servant。 。 。" and very well done by Mr。 Clavin， as well。 。。。more
Cya_all_day_dream_about_books
，
I thank NetGalley and St。 Martin's Press for providing me with the complementary ebook in exchange for honest review。Lightning Down is a biography which describes in vivid details the life and horrors faced by military people in the hands of the Nazis。 If you have an interest in history， WII and military， then this book is for you。As a reader of historical fiction of WWII， I have read plenty books based on true incidents and very few biographies and non fiction in the same genre。 This is my firs I thank NetGalley and St。 Martin's Press for providing me with the complementary ebook in exchange for honest review。Lightning Down is a biography which describes in vivid details the life and horrors faced by military people in the hands of the Nazis。 If you have an interest in history， WII and military， then this book is for you。As a reader of historical fiction of WWII， I have read plenty books based on true incidents and very few biographies and non fiction in the same genre。 This is my first book by Tom Clavin。 This felt more like a docuserie which brings infront of you the events faced by Joe Moser and the others。 The historical events， personal details， life before， during and after prison is described in detail。 The stories， horrors faced during one of the darkest periods of history is unending， where we read about tragedies from survivors and this book is among them which describes accurately。We should use these books to remember periods of history， heroism， human will to survive in adverse conditions which otherwise would be lost in time。 。。。more
Kym's Open Books
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“We were young， hotshot pilots， and the reason they send 20-year-old kids to war is because with youth comes a sense of invulnerability。”The incarceration of 168 Allied Airmen in Nazi concentration camps was not a story ever reported。 Most were unwilling or unable to talk about it。 They were pushed to “move on and forget。” I’ve always been proud of veterans and America but this book shook me to the core。 It is a meaningful story of lives lost， lives given， torture， degradation， and so much more “We were young， hotshot pilots， and the reason they send 20-year-old kids to war is because with youth comes a sense of invulnerability。”The incarceration of 168 Allied Airmen in Nazi concentration camps was not a story ever reported。 Most were unwilling or unable to talk about it。 They were pushed to “move on and forget。” I’ve always been proud of veterans and America but this book shook me to the core。 It is a meaningful story of lives lost， lives given， torture， degradation， and so much more。Not only did it tell of the atrocities， but of the amazing hope。 Growing up， my dad had us watch a movie 🎥 multiple times。 It was called The Great Escape。 I remember at a young age being captivated by what these men did。 I did not know it was based on true stories。 Those stories are from the men in this book。 One man is also rumored to be the model for the famous 007 James Bond 🕵️♀️ movie and book series。 See the full review with quotes and more on my blog！Thank you to St。 Martins Press for gifting me this book in exchange for an honest review。 The book releases November 2， 2021。https://www。theopenbooks。net/2021/10/。。。 。。。more
Jennifer
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This was a WW2 history based on the experience of a P-38 Lightning fighter pilot。 The author told much of pilot Joe Moser’s personal story and added bits of history surrounding the people and places he encountered during his service。The story was interesting but it fell a little flat for me。 I didn’t get emotionally involved because I want drawn into the story as I could have been。 Though many events were either tragic or fantastic， the telling wasn’t compelling。Three stars is the best I can giv This was a WW2 history based on the experience of a P-38 Lightning fighter pilot。 The author told much of pilot Joe Moser’s personal story and added bits of history surrounding the people and places he encountered during his service。The story was interesting but it fell a little flat for me。 I didn’t get emotionally involved because I want drawn into the story as I could have been。 Though many events were either tragic or fantastic， the telling wasn’t compelling。Three stars is the best I can give this book。 I would like to give it more because of the people and events it contained， but three is where it lands。Thanks MacMillan Audio via Netgalley。 。。。more
Shirley McAllister
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Surviving the CrashJoe Mosier， a farm boy from Washington， had a great desire to fly airplanes。 When he joined the Army Air Corps his dream was realized。 He was flying the new P-38 Lightning one of the most effective weapons in the air corps。The book tells of missions to protect ships， other larger bombers， and to blow up bridges and such。 It tells of the feelings the pilots had， that they had no joy in shooting down enemy aircraft as the pilots were humans just like themselves。 They did feel gr Surviving the CrashJoe Mosier， a farm boy from Washington， had a great desire to fly airplanes。 When he joined the Army Air Corps his dream was realized。 He was flying the new P-38 Lightning one of the most effective weapons in the air corps。The book tells of missions to protect ships， other larger bombers， and to blow up bridges and such。 It tells of the feelings the pilots had， that they had no joy in shooting down enemy aircraft as the pilots were humans just like themselves。 They did feel great when a mission was complete and all the aircraft returned safely， and they were sad when one didn't return。I did not understand a lot of the talk about the airplanes themselves and all the technical stuff， but I did enjoy the story of the lives and feelings of the soldiers so far from home in a strange country。One mission turned out not so well for Joe。 He was hit and had to bail out over farmland in occupied France。 Although some French farmers tried to help him he was captured by the Nazi's。 He was not sent directly to a POW camp。 First they put him in a prison in Paris， then he was sent to a concentration camp called Buchenwald instead of a POW camp。The struggle for survival in this camp was real and hard。 The unit of flyers did stay together and help each other。 The threat of being sent to the crematorium which spewed ash on them every day from the murder and burning of the dead from the camp was almost unbearable。 Then the unit commander got word that the order had come for them to be executed and it was only by incredible luck and means that they were saved from execution。They were sent to another camp and after a few months toward the end of the war undertook a death march in the winter in temperatures of below zero weather in a snowstorm。 They walked hundreds of miles in the weather and many perished and were left lying on the ground along the way。 The remaining members of Joe's camp comrades stuck together and he once again escaped death by the help of his friends fighting to stay alive。 The book is the story of a will to survive， a quest for freedom and the story of one Washington farm boy that survived the Nazi's。 Anyone that is interested in history， the war and the Nazi's reign of terror should read this book。 It is at times emotional， it is historical and a wonderful book of the human spirit。I am glad I read this book and I would recommend it。 Thanks to Tom Clavin， St。 Martin's Press， and NetGalley for the opportunity to read a complimentary copy of the book， all opinions are my own。 。。。more
Margo
，
Great book， enjoyed reading this one。
Juli
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I'm a history junkie and a big Tom Clavin fan。 I loved his previous books on Wild Bill， Tombstone and Dodge City。 So when I saw this WW II book pop up for review， I knew I needed to read this as well。 What a story！ I couldn't stop reading！ Lightning Down tells the story of Joe Moser。 Moser was 22-years old when he bailed out of his airplane over France in WW II。 He was captured by the Germans and sent to a concentration camp。 Buchenwald。。。。a notorious death camp。 He was one of 170 airman impriso I'm a history junkie and a big Tom Clavin fan。 I loved his previous books on Wild Bill， Tombstone and Dodge City。 So when I saw this WW II book pop up for review， I knew I needed to read this as well。 What a story！ I couldn't stop reading！ Lightning Down tells the story of Joe Moser。 Moser was 22-years old when he bailed out of his airplane over France in WW II。 He was captured by the Germans and sent to a concentration camp。 Buchenwald。。。。a notorious death camp。 He was one of 170 airman imprisoned there。 It was a fight for survival as conditions were incredibly horrific。 OMG -- this book is so good！ Once I got sucked into the story of everything this man went through， I couldn't stop reading！ I can't even imagine what he and the others at Buchenwald went through。 And how so many did not make it out again。 Another awesome book from Tom Clavin！ I can tell his books are just going to be must-reads for me from here on out！ I read early ARCs for review and then buy the audio book afterwards for every single one。 Keep 'em comin， Tom！ **I voluntarily read a review copy of this book from St Martins Press。 All opinions expressed are entirely my own。** 。。。more
Debra Pawlak
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I was given an advance reading copy of this book by NetGalley。com in return for a fair review。 When Allied Pilots were shot down and captured by the Germans during World War II， they were considered 'terrorists'。 Instead of being sent to a POW camps as they should have been under the Geneva Convention， many of them were sent to a notorious concentration camp--Buchenwald--located near the city of Weimer。 No one knew of their whereabouts and for the most part， these men were listed as 'missing in I was given an advance reading copy of this book by NetGalley。com in return for a fair review。 When Allied Pilots were shot down and captured by the Germans during World War II， they were considered 'terrorists'。 Instead of being sent to a POW camps as they should have been under the Geneva Convention， many of them were sent to a notorious concentration camp--Buchenwald--located near the city of Weimer。 No one knew of their whereabouts and for the most part， these men were listed as 'missing in action'。 Author Tom Clavin's book is centered on Joe Moser， a young boy who grew up on a farm in the State of Washington who ended up in Buchenwald with 168 other pilots from places such as New Zealand， Canada and England。 The men elected the most senior officer in the group as their leader--a twenty-something New Zealender。 They agreed that no matter how dire their circumstance got， they would stand together and still act like soldiers。 Their bravery in such horrific conditions is nothing less than inspiring。 Most of us will never face the things that Jose Moser and his fellow prisoners did， but their story is what true heroes are made of。 Tom Clavin is one of my favorite authors。 His research is outstanding and his books are written in a friendly， down to earth fashion。 You can always depend on Tom Clavin to tell a good story and give you the facts。 I highly recommend this book and any other book that Mr。 Clavin has written。 And just so you know， Joe Moser and his fellow pilots are truly heroes that walked among us。 。。。more
Phyllis Watson
，
First of all I would like to thank Goodreads as well as Tom Clavin for my Arc copy 。 I so much enjoyed this book it was everything I loved and didn't know I needed。 Joe Moser was a U。S， fighter pilot who fought and went through so many things in WWII and survived even though his friends weren't as fortunate。 Even though it was a tragic story I was glued untill the end。 It's defintely one that has held onto me after finishing。 I truely enjoyed this story Joe was a true hero 。 If you haven't been First of all I would like to thank Goodreads as well as Tom Clavin for my Arc copy 。 I so much enjoyed this book it was everything I loved and didn't know I needed。 Joe Moser was a U。S， fighter pilot who fought and went through so many things in WWII and survived even though his friends weren't as fortunate。 Even though it was a tragic story I was glued untill the end。 It's defintely one that has held onto me after finishing。 I truely enjoyed this story Joe was a true hero 。 If you haven't been fortunate to read it yet pick up a copy ，you won't be disappointed。 。。。more
Amy
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Excellent true story about a fighter pilot and his ordeal as a POW in WWII。 You will get the feel of being there with him and the struggles he went through to stay alive。 Great detail and research。
Steve Rufle
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First thanks to the History Reader for allowing me to receive then read an ARC copy of #LightningDown。 This book has to be one of best I have read regarding WWII and a flyers experience。 I strongly recommend you read when it becomes available。
Ransom
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This book outlines the amazing life of Joe Moser， focusing on his time serving as a pilot and POW during WWII。 It reads smoothly， is well-researched， and is certainly an eye-opening account of unimaginable， nightmareish conditions he endured。This probably would have been a 5 star review if I hadn't recently read Unbroken by Hillenbrand。 Although this book is good， it doesn't compare to the powerful prose and gripping focus and storyline in Unbroken。 I kept getting the feeling the Clavin was tryi This book outlines the amazing life of Joe Moser， focusing on his time serving as a pilot and POW during WWII。 It reads smoothly， is well-researched， and is certainly an eye-opening account of unimaginable， nightmareish conditions he endured。This probably would have been a 5 star review if I hadn't recently read Unbroken by Hillenbrand。 Although this book is good， it doesn't compare to the powerful prose and gripping focus and storyline in Unbroken。 I kept getting the feeling the Clavin was trying to fill out the book by adding in the stories of all the secondary individuals that Moser collided with。 All those extra rabbit trails ended up being more distracting than helpful in the end。 Still， lots of great stuff to be gleaned here and well worth the read。I won this as a Goodreads Giveaway。 。。。more
Brian Grouhel
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This story of survival during internment at Buchenwald during the latter part of World War Two is remarkable。 That so many of the 168 airmen imprisoned there survived is truly remarkable。 Joe Moser's story as told by Tom Clavin is a very readable account of survival in a concentration camp where numbers of people died every day。 What evil humans can do to other human beings can be astounding and heartbreaking。 If you are a follower of WW2 air war true accounts then I would absolutely recommend t This story of survival during internment at Buchenwald during the latter part of World War Two is remarkable。 That so many of the 168 airmen imprisoned there survived is truly remarkable。 Joe Moser's story as told by Tom Clavin is a very readable account of survival in a concentration camp where numbers of people died every day。 What evil humans can do to other human beings can be astounding and heartbreaking。 If you are a follower of WW2 air war true accounts then I would absolutely recommend this book。 。。。more
Jewelz
，
This book starts off quite dry and is just the basic retelling of facts and doesn't read like a story。 However， it picks up once the main character's plane begins to crash and he's caught by the Germans。 From here on the book is hard to put down。 The true account of Joe Moser's time spent in Buchenwald and other POW camps during WWII is astounding。 I've read a lot of historical books about prisoner's experiences in WWII concentration camps but I learned new things from reading this book。 New inf This book starts off quite dry and is just the basic retelling of facts and doesn't read like a story。 However， it picks up once the main character's plane begins to crash and he's caught by the Germans。 From here on the book is hard to put down。 The true account of Joe Moser's time spent in Buchenwald and other POW camps during WWII is astounding。 I've read a lot of historical books about prisoner's experiences in WWII concentration camps but I learned new things from reading this book。 New information about the German's wicked， evil and sadistic actions。 Joe Moser and the other allied POW's are true heroes and should be celebrated for contributing to our freedom today and to the liberation and freedom of so many prisoners at the end of the war。 I would definitely recommend this book。 I have only given 4/5 stars just because it can be dry and boring in parts where it's relaying historical facts instead of reading like a story based on true events。 。。。more
Heather
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This books was excellent。 It keeps the reader’s interest and has lots of notes to enhance and add details about the people/events discussed in the book。 Thank you to St。 Martin’s press for the advanced copy。
Diane
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This is a book that will appeal to any student of WWII。 A first person account of the war and the horrors experienced by servicemen and civilians who lived during this period of time。 An insider's look at Buchenwald and the courage it took to survive。 This is a book that will appeal to any student of WWII。 A first person account of the war and the horrors experienced by servicemen and civilians who lived during this period of time。 An insider's look at Buchenwald and the courage it took to survive。 。。。more
Casey Wheeler
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This is another good biography by the author in that the book reads more like a novel that a recitation of history。 This one deals with Joe Moser who is one of the pilots shot down over France during World War II and eventually ends up as one of 168 pilots categorized as terrorists by the SS and sent to Buchenwald concentration camp。 After an extended period of time they are saved by a Luftwaffe officer and transferred to a POW camp just shortly before they are to be executed and sent to the ove This is another good biography by the author in that the book reads more like a novel that a recitation of history。 This one deals with Joe Moser who is one of the pilots shot down over France during World War II and eventually ends up as one of 168 pilots categorized as terrorists by the SS and sent to Buchenwald concentration camp。 After an extended period of time they are saved by a Luftwaffe officer and transferred to a POW camp just shortly before they are to be executed and sent to the ovens。 This is a solid story about the conditions they endured and overcame。 I recommend this book to anyone who has an interest in World War II。I received a free Kindle copy of this book courtesy of Net Galley and the publisher with the understanding that I would post a review on Net Galley， Goodreads， Amazon， Facebook and my nonfiction book review blog。 。。。more
Brian Alford
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A Book Review by Brian:Lightning Down: A World War II Story of Survival by Tom Clavin⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️This will not be one of my typical book reviews as this was not a typical read。 This was an Advanced Readers Copy and the book will be on sale November 2 of this year。 Thank you to Tom Clavin and St。 Martin's Press for allowing me to read this Advanced Readers Copy in exchange for an honest review。I have studied and read a lot on the Holocaust and World War II（I was a history education major in colleg A Book Review by Brian:Lightning Down: A World War II Story of Survival by Tom Clavin⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️This will not be one of my typical book reviews as this was not a typical read。 This was an Advanced Readers Copy and the book will be on sale November 2 of this year。 Thank you to Tom Clavin and St。 Martin's Press for allowing me to read this Advanced Readers Copy in exchange for an honest review。I have studied and read a lot on the Holocaust and World War II（I was a history education major in college）。 It still never ceases to amaze me what some people endured and what other people were capable of doing to other human beings。 This book tells the story of Joe Moser， a young American Pilot who is shot down over France in 1944。 He was then captured by the Germans and eventually ended up in the Nazi concentration camp called Buchenwald。 What Joe， the other American pilots， and other prisoners of the camp are forced to endure while imprisoned at Buchenwald is indescribable and at times， hard to read。 I don't think anyone can really understand what those men truly went through without having experienced it（and I pray no one ever has to experience anything close to the Nazi concentration camps）。 I would encourage all people to read this book and then do some self reflection。 Joe had an incredible outlook on life， despite all that he had been put through and survived。 It will really make you realize that the problems that we deal with in our every day lives are actually a luxury。 We are free people and are kept free by individuals like Joe Moser， who endured horrific travesties just to keep us free。 As hard as this book was to read at times， it was a very worth while read that I am glad I took the time to read。 。。。more
Judy
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This is an amazing story by a truly gifted writer。 Portions of it look at the historical parts of Joe's desire to fly， the unique aircraft， and a basic picture of our participation in WWII。 The author is able to weave all the info together both from general facts and Joe's previous interviews and gives details that put me into the story。 Then， the plane goes down and from that moment onward you will not read， but experience the horrors of the concentration camp as well as a POW facility。 Joe was This is an amazing story by a truly gifted writer。 Portions of it look at the historical parts of Joe's desire to fly， the unique aircraft， and a basic picture of our participation in WWII。 The author is able to weave all the info together both from general facts and Joe's previous interviews and gives details that put me into the story。 Then， the plane goes down and from that moment onward you will not read， but experience the horrors of the concentration camp as well as a POW facility。 Joe was fortunate enough to have flyers from several countries to help boost his morale and to devise plans to help the men be able to endure their conditions。 Their mental strength is unmatched and each chapter led me to wonder how anyone could remain positive and dare dream of the future of hopefully going home while enduring the cruel， harsh reality that their next breath could be their last。 The odds were all but impossible， the flyers met and avoided days appointed for their deaths。 I do recommend all readers to not give in to a temptation to read ahead or take a peek to see how the story ends。 Stay and absorb each page， feel each emotion， and never forget what you read。 Read it from the first word to the last。 It is that meaningful。 I respect the honor and dedication of these heroes， I regret the fact that they had to endure the evil they faced every day。 You will be as amazed with this story as I am and will find you will never forget it。 。。。more
Christy Martin
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Joe Moser's historic capture and imprisonment by the German Army is the topic of this nonfiction work called "Lightning Down" by Tom Clavin。 The book explores the background of Joe Moser， his childhood dream of flying， and subsequent service in the Army Air Corps。 The book contains a lot of historical and biographical information about a number of other flyers， friends， and support personnel in Joe's career and in World War II。 I enjoyed most the information about Joe。 He was certainly a hero an Joe Moser's historic capture and imprisonment by the German Army is the topic of this nonfiction work called "Lightning Down" by Tom Clavin。 The book explores the background of Joe Moser， his childhood dream of flying， and subsequent service in the Army Air Corps。 The book contains a lot of historical and biographical information about a number of other flyers， friends， and support personnel in Joe's career and in World War II。 I enjoyed most the information about Joe。 He was certainly a hero and in and of himself。 His survival in the brutal imprisonment of Buchenwald， a death march in one of the coldest winter's on record， and near starvation at Stalag VIIA as the Allies closed in on Mooseburg Germany in April 1945 were legendary。 My father was also liberated from Stalag VIIA and I found the account to be accurate from what I have read and from his accounts。 Joe Moser， like most World War II veterans， seemed to be reluctant and reticent in recounting the World War II experience。 I am glad he finally told his story and the horrors of Natzi Germany from the perspective of another POW were documented。 Thanks to #LightningDown#NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this book。 。 。。。more
Ronald Roseborough
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This is the true story of a young man who pursues his dream， only to have it turned into an unimaginable nightmare that will haunt him for the rest of his life。 Joe Moser was a young farm boy who grew up dreaming about flying。 In the lean years before the start of World War II life on the farm in Oregon was demanding but also rewarding。 The daily responsibilities and a good Catholic upbringing combined to give Joe the strong body and character he would need to face the future。 Like many other yo This is the true story of a young man who pursues his dream， only to have it turned into an unimaginable nightmare that will haunt him for the rest of his life。 Joe Moser was a young farm boy who grew up dreaming about flying。 In the lean years before the start of World War II life on the farm in Oregon was demanding but also rewarding。 The daily responsibilities and a good Catholic upbringing combined to give Joe the strong body and character he would need to face the future。 Like many other young men after the attack on Pearl Harbor， he tried to join the armed forces as a flight cadet。 He was rejected at first， but as the war progressed the demand rose for pilots to replace those who were lost in the early months of the war。 He soon realized his dream， training to fly the P-38 Lighting。 This unusual twin engined fighter plane would soon become known to the enemy in Europe as the fork-tailed devil。 Lt。 Joe Moser flew forty-four missions out of airfields in England and eventually France before that fateful day when his plane was shot down。 His youthful exuberance for adventure had by this time changed to a yearning to live to once more see his mother and family。 This was not yet to be。 He was captured by the Germans， interrogated， and sent to a prison in nearby Paris。 As the Allies approached the city， the Germans loaded all the prisoners， many Allied airmen， on trains bound for destinations deeper in German held territory。 Jammed into cattle cars so tightly that they could hardly move， much less sit or lie down， the prisoners were not unloaded until many days later when they reached their destination， Buchenwald。 This is were Joe’s real nightmares would begin。 Allied fliers were supposed to be sent to P。O。W。 camps were they would expect to be treated by the rules of the Geneva Convention， which spelled out humane treatment for prisoners of war。 Buchenwald was anything but。 It was a concentration camp。 It’s major purpose was the extermination of as many prisoners as possible， without regard to any human rights。 If the dawn to dusk slave labor， lack of sufficient food， or lack of medical aid did not kill you first， a sadistic guard would。 Allied prisoners of war were not supposed to be detained in this manner， but the German’s didn’t care。 They had labeled these men terrorists， accused of killing women and children in the Allied air raids。 They had been left there in Buchenwald in secret and would remain until they all disappeared， one way or another。 The horrific sights， the sounds of suffering， and the constant smells from the camp crematorium became a constant unforgettable part of Joe’s life。 His emaciated body and tortured soul would survive this and other camps to eventually see his mother and family again。 At first he tried to tell his story。 The true story of all his suffering， but he was not believed。 The American people had not yet been awakened to the truths of the massive suffering to which other people around the world had been subjected。 Joe was to suffer with nightmares throughout most of his life， as did many other servicemen who witnessed the horrors of war。 This is an excellent retelling of the life of a true American hero。 One of uncounted many who served our country。 。。。more
Paul
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