Flight of the Forgotten: A True Story of Heroism and Betrayal [Hardcover]

Mark A. Vance (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 1587212161 | ISBN-13: 978-1587212161 | Publication Date: August 1, 2000

Flight of the Forgotten is the true story of one of the most closely-guarded American military secrets of all time. It is intriguing, controversial and thought-provoking. The story traverses 50 years, two generations and the realities of our physical world. The triggering event is the tragic loss of an American Eighth Air Force bomber crew in 1945 under mysterious circumstances while enroute home after the end of World War II. This loss represents a 50-year-old aviation mystery, officially "forgotten" by the United States Government. Details described and amplified within this story remain permanently "buried" inside a top-secret O.S.S. file to this day. This book is a public counter to official censorship efforts by the United States Government to have these events erased from the public record and hidden from public view. Flight of the Forgotten is a story everyone who has ever lost a loved-one should hear and it serves as a living memorial to the Jack B. Ketchum crew.

--This text refers to the Paperback edition.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Mark A. Vance is an active airline captain for a major US airline with over 20,000 total flying hours. He is also the nephew of a member of the Jack B. Ketchum crew --This text refers to the Paperback edition.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 292 pages
• Publisher: 1st Book Library (August 1, 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1587212161
• ISBN-13: 978-1587212161
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 6.1 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.4 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #4,103,917 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5.0 out of 5 stars One of the Most Colossal Secret Intelligence Cover-Ups in U.S. History, May 12, 2011

By 

Mihir Shah - See all my reviews

This review is from: Flight of the Forgotten: A True Story of Heroism and Betrayal (Paperback)

Have you ever wondered what goes on behind closed doors in top-secret organizations such as the FBI and CIA? These are institutions rooted in good and standing for right; however, much of what they do is, and must remain, covert--hidden from the general public. The question that begs to be answered is: To what extent will they go to conceal their activities?

In Mark A Vance's Flight of the Forgotten: A True Story of Heroism and Betrayal, readers will be given the details of one of the most closely guarded governmental secrets of all time. Essentially, Flight of the Forgotten is Vance's message, on behalf of the Jack B. Ketchum crew, that will expose the truth and challenge the fundamental beliefs that U.S. residents have "about their government and its role in society."

The plot centers on the mystery surrounding the fatal crash of a B-24 plane, which killed everyone aboard, including the pilot, Jack B. Ketchum, and Mark Vance's uncle, twenty-six year old Sergeant Raymond Davis. Though the events are not clear--and there is little information available to the public--it's become apparent over the past fifty years, that the crew's death was not accidental. On the contrary, Vance argues that time bombs on the plane went off prior to the crash off the coast of Scotland. While Vance acknowledges that his accusations are serious in nature--while putting his reputation on the line--he remains adamant that the government was involved in the "murder, conspiracy, and sabotage by the O.S.S., the forerunner to the modern CIA," of his uncle's crew.

When Vance initiated an isolated investigation regarding the events of the crash, he was constantly thrown off. In fact, those who helped him were presented with government threats on their lives and careers. He states, "The closer I got to the truth, the more the military and governmental authorities worked to prevent further inquiry or disclosure."

Interestingly, Vance introduces a spiritual and supernatural element to the story: Camp Chesterfield, founded by the Indiana Society of Spiritualists, allows Mark to communicate with the fallen crew. He not only communicates with Sergeant Davis and Jack B. Ketchum, but the rest of the crew en route to gathering valuable information to support his investigation and claim that the United States government and the O.S.S. were involved in a major cover-up. Clearly, there was something wrong--there was something they didn't want anyone to see. The supernatural spirits of the crew claim that they saw a weapon of mass destruction that was capable of killing thousands--but sparing properties--which led to their elimination.

More than anything else, Flight of the Forgotten is well written and thoroughly engaging throughout. It alludes to the necessity of appreciating freedom and the sacrifices countless people have made for people to be free today. Flight of the Forgotten is divided into three parts: Part I explains how Mark was chosen to deliver their story to the masses; Part II delves into the events leading up to the murder; Part III is Vance's fictional ending and the serving up of justice for a crime committed generations before.

5.0 out of 5 stars Great book, October 17, 2009

By 

L. Panesi (Pineville, NC USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Flight of the Forgotten: A True Story of Heroism and Betrayal (Paperback)

True story that reads like a novel. Hard to put down. Well documented. This book will get you thinking about government coverups.