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    Lucky 666: The Impossible Mission
    Lucky 666: The Impossible Mission
    Lucky 666: The Impossible Mission
    Audiobook9 hours

    Lucky 666: The Impossible Mission

    Written by Bob Drury and Tom Clavin

    Narrated by Jeremy Bobb

    5/5

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    About this audiobook

    “A fast-paced, well-researched…irresistible” (USA TODAY) World War II aviation account of friendship, heroism, and sacrifice that reads like Unbroken meets The Dirty Dozen from the authors of the #1 New York Times bestselling The Heart of Everything That Is.

    It’s 1942, just after the blow to Pearl Harbor and the Japanese invasion of the Philippines, and the United States is reeling. A group of raw US Army Airmen travels to the embattled American Air Base of Port Moresby at Papua, New Guinea. Their mission: to protect Australia, to disrupt the Japanese supply lines, and to fly perilous reconnaissance runs over the enemy-held strongholds. Among the men are pilot Captain Jay Zeamer and bombardier Sergeant Raymond Joseph “Joe” Sarnoski, a pair of swashbuckling screw-ups whose antics prevent them from being assigned to a regular bombing crew. Instead, they rebuild a broken-down B-17 bomber from spare parts and christen the plane Old 666.

    One day in June 1943, a request is circulated: volunteers are needed for a reconnaissance flight into the heart of the Japanese empire. Zeamer and Sarnoski see it as a shot at redemption and cobble together a crew and depart in Old 666 under cover of darkness. Five hours later, dozens of Japanese Zeros riddle the plane with bullets. Bloody and half-conscious, Zeamer and Sarnoski keep the plane in the air, winning what will go down as the longest dogfight in history and maneuvering an emergency landing in the jungle. Only one of them will make it home alive.

    With unprecedented access to the Old 666 crew’s family and letters, as well as newly released transcripts from the Imperial Air Force’s official accounts of the battle, Lucky 666 is perhaps the last untold “great war story” (Kirkus Reviews) from the war in the Pacific. It’s an unforgettable tale of friendship, bravery, and sacrifice—and “highly recommended for WWII and aviation history buffs alike” (BookPage).
    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherSimon & Schuster Audio
    Release dateOct 25, 2016
    ISBN9781508227267
    Author

    Bob Drury

    BOB DRURY, the recipient of several national journalism awards, is a three-time National Magazine Award finalist as well as a Pulitzer Prize nominee. Drury honed his investigative skills writing for all four New York City newspapers as well as a variety of national publications. His journalism career has arced from sports to crime to adventure travel to foreign correspondence. He is also the author, co-author, or editor of ten non-fiction books, including Blood and Treasure, Valley Forge, and Lucky 666.

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    Reviews for Lucky 666

    5/5

    91 ratings12 reviews

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    • 5/5
      Its amazing what people went through to save us from fascism.
    • 4/5
      Wow! What an incredible tale of drive, dedication and tenacious purpose-driven boldness. This story of a Medal of Honor-winning hero makes one proud.
    • 5/5
      GOOD (good)!!!(reilll good!!!!!!!)

      Crying at Starbucks good 4 reall hard and crying
    • 5/5
      This Book brought the Sacrifice of so many Men & Woman during & after WW2 into Vivid reality! Every younger person should read this !
    • 5/5
      An outstanding, moving, and humbling narrative. Excellent production, well read!
    • 5/5
      A marvelous book well written and well read which brought several times tears to my eyes and made me proud of the fantastic airmen who changed the course of history...
    • 5/5
      This is a piece of WW2 era history in the Fifth Air Force/Pacific Theater comparable to what Masters of the Air exemplifies in contrast to the 8th Air Force in the European theater.

      Moreover it is an absorbing top notch penned literary piece that brings to life in a vivid detailed historical description of specific events in the ongoing Pacific islands and shipping lanes battlefields.

      I was surprised that Merian C Cooper is mentioned as playing a tactical adviser role. He is a pivotal player given his own war time aerial experience in WW1 and the critical part he played in the 1920 Polish-Bolshevik War*.

      A must read for anyone interested in the feats of a B-17 “fortress” flown by a misfit crew that pushed their ship beyond its limits when attacking their Japanese foe in the vein of no holds barred gonzo sorties.

      Lucky “Old 666” is an extraordinary legendary tale with a Medal of Honor recognition.

      The Old 666 story deserves a cinematic adapted masterpiece tribute.

      *Kosciuszko Squadron was an all American/Canadian volunteer fighter pilot cadre of veterans of WW1 enlisted to fight for Polands defense against an invading Bolshevik army. They were successful in defeating the Soviet forces and received Polands highest honor: the Vituti Militari.
    • 5/5
      Gripping and well told. Deep research is balanced with fast paced storytelling and fascinating details.

      Demonstrates the tough and resilient men and machines, and the pugnacious nature of fighting aviators against all odds.

      Superb narration carries the story forward without fanfare. Merited a second complete listen.

      So good that I’ve decided to listen a second time to soak in the details relive the story.
    • 3/5
      Lucky 666 has all the elements of a great book, but ultimately it does not deliver. Drury uses the now standard non-fiction method of telling a core story that keeps the readers attention, there is a mystery driving it forward with strong character and narrative, while hanging from this thread is backstory and tangent. The problem is the book is 90% back story and tangent, while the core story turns out to be only so-so. The tangents are basically a kitchen sink of well known events in the Pacific theater during the first few years. We get treatments of Midway, the assassination of Isoroku Yamamoto, Doolittle Raid etc.. but this is not a history of the Pacific War so there are large gaps, making it feel superficial. There are much better books on these big-picture subjects while this book should be focused on the plane and its crew. But then the amount of biographical back story is numbing and ultimately not rewarding. I loved Drury's Fox Company, it had sustained gripping narrative, it's a wonderful book. This is scattered by comparison. The problem is less Drury's writing ability as the limitations of the topic and how he structured the book. It would have been improved if he spent more time in the air with the crew describing what it is like to be in a plane, the mechanics, the roles each played, etc.. closer to the people with less big picture and backstory.
    • 5/5
      Set in the Southwest Pacific during World War II “Lucky 666” is really three stories in one book. The first story is a history of the Fifth Airforce that operated in the bleak, early days of the Pacific War when men and equipment left over from other theatres struggled to halt the Japanese advance and begin the long road to Tokyo. The second story is that of a volunteer mission to photograph Bougainville in advance of American offensives. The third is personal relationship between pilot Jay Zimmer and his bombardier Joe Sarnoski.The part I appreciate the most is the history of air war in support General MacArthur’s forces. This book introduces the reader to the leaders, most prominently Gen. George Kenney, MacArthur’s air chief, and the men who maintained and flew the planes. In other readings I had heard of the generals and admirals, New Guinea, Guadalcanal and Bougainville, Midway, the Coral and Bismarck Seas and other names, but this narrative and the maps place them in context, show their relationships to each other gave me a greater understanding of this theatre of the war than I had gathered from other reading. The details of the aircraft, such as the bombing sight, that was an important advance, the cold and thin air with which the aviators contended and the cramped quarters and danger which the gunners endured convey a sense of reality to the reader.The saga of Luck 666 ’s run reconnaissance over Bougainville is an adventure that stimulates awe and admiration. The B-17 bomber, the number of which ended in 666, was salvaged by its crew, modified for this specific mission, manned by volunteers, went against overwhelming odds and brought back the pictures that guided the next offensive and altered the march across the Pacific. The accounts of the fight put out and the punishment endured are a match for any novel.The tale of Jay and Joe is, I suppose, like many born in war. I will leave it at that so you can experience the same suspense that I did.Authors Bob Drury and Tom Clavin have crafted a history and intertwined it into an adventure that keeps you turning the pages for what comes next. It is an outstanding read for anyone interested in World War II or aerial warfare.

      1 person found this helpful

    • 5/5
      Lucky 666: The Impossible Mission, tells the story of a group of aviators fighting in the South Pacific during World War II facing not only the Japanese, but also limited planes, limited spare parts, competing personal goals by superiors, and miserable living conditions. Even in the face of such odds, men overcame and did the seemingly impossible at great personal risk and cost.Frequently books tell of an event without giving you a sufficient understanding of the historical context. Thankfully, Lucky 666: The Impossible Mission does not. Author Bob Drury spends a considerable portion of the book introducing the people involved in this amazing mission, explaining the related battles and strategies underway, sheds light on the equipment and battle conditions, and much more. Then, he gives a realistic and exhilarating description of the mission that these brave men undertook to save thousands of lives. Lucky 666 is a great read for understanding American ingenuity, sacrifice, and what men can do when given (or taking) the freedom to achieve.
    • 5/5
      Great book. Primarily follows the career of one Army Pilot's exploits in the Pacific Theater during WWII. Full of WWII history and facts. Interesting and educational.