Hell's Belle [Paperback]

Randall L. Rasmussen (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: December 1, 2003

It was December 3, 1943, and American warplanes were on assignment over Nazi Germany. Sergeant William Rasmussen was the ball turret gunner on the Hell's Belle, a B-17 heavy bomber. During one of its missions, the Belle was shot down and the captured American flyers were sent to the notorious German prison camp Stalag 17B. In Stalag the American prisoners of war had to deal with the harsh rules imposed by the German Commandant as well as deplorable living conditions: filth, bitter cold, starvation and disease. Told through the eyes of one young flyer, the book has non-stop action, emotion and humor, and captures the upbeat and undefeatable spirit of America's finest young men who served the United States during WWII.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Randall L. Rasmussen, M.D. used his father's memoirs, 'From a B-17 to Stalag 17B,' as the basis for this book. Dr. Rasmussen also explored William Rasmussen's notes, the verbal history that he recorded at the local library, research material, and recollections of the narratives he heard his father tell so many times over the years. William Rasmussen was a popular guest speaker at press clubs, library clubs and service organizations in Michigan's lower peninsula near his home. His narratives were enjoyed immensely since he had a special gift of being able to captivate audiences as they shared his experiences flying over Nazi Germany and being a prisoner of war.

Product Details

• Paperback: 212 pages
• Publisher: Sunstone Press (December 1, 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0865344051
• ISBN-13: 978-0865344051
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 6.1 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 11 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (12 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,286,883 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Randall Rasmussen was born and raised in Traverse City, Michigan. After graduating from Wayne State University School of Medicine he moved to Oakland, California to complete training at Highland General Hospital and UCSF Medical Center specializing in Internal Medicine and Nephrology. To write Hell's Belle his used tapes that recorded his father's history, written memoirs and recollections from hearing the many stories his dad told that are part of the book. Dr. Rasmussen now resides in Moraga, California with his wife, Christina and two sons, Christopher and Scott.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Hell's Belle: An amazing journey of courage and endurance, November 7, 2003

By 

Robert Doud (Berkeley, California) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Hell's Belle (Paperback)

I remember the movie "Stalag 17" from when I was a kid. At that time, it was just a movie and I could not relate the story to some real event. Now, as an adult, I have come to appreciate the sacrifices of young men fighting for our freedom. I have been moved when visiting the Normandie beachhead and being able to talk with veterans who share snippets of their stories.

This book I believe really ties everything together. It is an engrossing tale of one man's experience both in battle and as a prisoner in a camp made famous by Hollywood. What is so remarkable is being able to follow William Rasmussen from the beginning. Excellent background is provided about the planes, the training and the war plans as well as the missions. The description of being shot out of the sky, trying to survive and escape on the ground before capture give a real sense of what it must have been like in battle and how amazing it is that such young men had the courage to perform with such bravery and keep their heads and pride under such stress.

The author paints a vivid picture of life within the POW camp. It is hard to imagine enduring the conditions of weather, poor food, harassment and unsanitary conditions for the years they were captive and still stay sane, keep a sense of humor and pride and still have creativity and energy in planning escape attempts or harassing their captors right back.

This is one book worth reading if you want to get a well described vicarious experience of the horrors of WWII. I will always wonder if I could have done the same at that age. It is nice to be able to read about a war experience and have a sense of pride.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great Read of Real History!, November 29, 2003

By 

"ajdonner" (California) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Hell's Belle (Paperback)

I really enjoyed this book!
It is a very compelling story about two aspects of life in World War II -- flying B-17s for the Allies, and then of the horrors of life in a Nazi prison camp. The things that these US soldiers did in Stalag 17 to survive are a remarkable story in themselves.
It is lively and realistic; I feel like the person who lived these experiences is just like people I know who experienced World War II.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Hell's Belle Review, January 26, 2004

By 

James Anderson (Maryland) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Hell's Belle (Paperback)

Hell's Belle is an informative, well written and intriguing book recounting the experiences of Sergeant William E. Rasmussen, a World War II, B-17 turret gunner whose aircraft, Hell's Belle, was shot down over Germany during a bombing mission in 1943. Rasmussen and other members of the aircraft crew were subsequently captured by the Germans and became POW's for 16 months in the infamous German prison camp, Stalag 17B. Much of the book vividly describes many of the everyday experiences and tribulations of the POW's in the camp. Of special interest is the description of the POW's 22-day forced march, under German guard command as the camps were evacuated in anticipation of Allied occupation of Germany during the last days of the war. The book was written by Dr. Randall Rasmussen, son of William Rasmussen and is based on memoirs and personal accounts of the father handed down to the family. This personal, first hand account of events is of prime significance and contributes to the value and importance of the book for its historical significance and its overall interest and readability. The book is supplemented with photographs, many which were smuggled out of the POW camp. I highly recommend this book to both the general reader and to World War II buffs who particularly enjoy first hand accounts of World War II, Allied bombing missions and life in Nazi Germany POW camps.