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  • Intrepid Aviators

  • The True Story of U.S.S. Intrepid's Torpedo Squadron 18 and Its Epic Clash with the Superbattleship Musashi
  • By: Gregory G. Fletcher
  • Narrated by: Don Hagen
  • Length: 16 hrs and 52 mins
  • 4.0 out of 5 stars (4 ratings)
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Intrepid Aviators

By: Gregory G. Fletcher
Narrated by: Don Hagen
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Summary

On the morning of October 24, 1944, in the Sibuyan Sea amidst the Philippine Islands, VT-18, a close-knit squadron of six young American torpedo bomber pilots, departed the aircraft carrier USS Intrepid on a search and destroy mission. Their target: the super-battleship Musashi, the pride of the Imperial Japanese Navy. The pilots were tasked with preventing the immense enemy warship and the huge naval armada of which she was a part from inflicting unspeakable damage on the transports and supply ships that were supporting the American amphibious landings within nearby Leyte Gulf. Little did these young men know that they had embarked on the opening rounds of history’s greatest - and last - epic naval battle.

Two bomber crews launched in the first wave of attackers were shot out of the sky. Only pilot Will Fletcher survived the crash landing. Adrift at sea, Will made his way to land and escaped into the jungles of the Philippines, where he eluded capture by the Japanese with the help of Filipino guerrillas and joined their ranks against their common enemy.

Intrepid Aviators is the thrilling true story of the brave bomber pilots, their daring duel with the Musashi, and Will Fletcher’s struggle to survive as a guerrilla soldier. The sinking of Musashi inflicted a crucial blow in the Battle of Leyte Gulf, and would mark the first time in history that aviators had sunk a Japanese battleship on the high seas.

©2012 Gregory G. Fletcher (P)2012 Gildan Media LLC
  • Unabridged Audiobook
  • Categories: History

Critic reviews

“Gregory Fletcher's enthralling Intrepid Aviators beautifully recreates the epic clash between the USS Intrepid's Torpedo Squadron 18 and the Japanese battleship Musashi, one of the most important engagements of World War II. A thrilling, deeply moving literary memorial to the American flyboys whose immense sacrifice and courage really did change the world.” (Alex Kershaw, New York Times best-selling author of The Longest Winter)

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Courage and Survival

The Pacific campaign in World War II has always interested me. The majority of written material on the second world war seems to largely be focused on the land battles within the European theatre. SO, it was with interest I came across this title.

Many years ago as a teen, I visited the USS Intrepid floating museum in New York city. Back then I had little understanding of the second world war and even less of an appreciation of the great ship I stood upon. Now, many decades later I have a new appreciation and perspective on many of the Pacific campaigns and this book has added nicely to that understanding.

This book paints a picture of the life aboard a U.S fleet carrier that the young pilots lived in. A world where life and death were but a heart beat away. A world where you lost close friends along the way. And sadly, a world that few of the younger generation today understand and, even less, care about.

The story itself revolves around one particular young pilot and his contributions to the Pacific war, his being shot down amidst the furious battle of Layte Gulf and his subsequent struggles for survival. Yet again I am forced to think how there is so much material here that could go into a movie and yet Hollywood continues to pump out mostly drivel these days, focusing more on political messaging than delivering stories like this that would make people;realize what they have today.

All in all, this is a fascinating story and well worth a read. My one minor gripe were the typos, or misspeaks by the narrator, not sure which. Some examples of this are:

* Helldriver instead of Helldiver
* Drowning instead of downing
* Pincher instead of pincer
* Yamato instead of Yamamoto
* Fighter instead of freighter

However, despite the nit picks, this didn't spoil what is an excellent story.

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