Lady's Men: The Saga of Lady Be Good and Her Crew a Haunting Story of the Second World War [Hardcover]

Mario Martinez (Author)

Product Details

• Hardcover: 208 pages
• Publisher: Leo Cooper (September 1994)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0850523788
• ISBN-13: 978-0850523782
• Product Dimensions: 9.5 x 6.2 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.1 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #3,577,314 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An excellent account., July 31, 2011

By 

Ned Middleton (British professional underwater photo-journalist & author) - See all my reviews
(TOP 500 REVIEWER)   

This review is from: Lady's Men: The Saga of Lady Be Good and Her Crew a Haunting Story of the Second World War (Hardcover)

At one time or another, most people become obsessed with some form of mystery and can't help but wonder what really happened. Indeed, books on famous mysteries always seem to be rather popular. Just occasionally, however, some of the world's greatest mysteries are solved and, whenever these have involved the loss of life, families are finally able to put those three words; Rest in Peace to the best possible use. And so it is in this instance.

In April 1943, at the height of WW2, a USAF Liberator bomber called `Lady Be Good' was returning from a sortie over Naples, Italy to her base in Benghazi, Libya when she simply vanished - never to be seen again. All efforts to find the aircraft ended in failure and her crew were eventually listed amongst the many casualties of war! In 1958, however, geologists prospecting for oil spotted the remains of an old aircraft from the air and reported the position as being some 400 miles south of Benghazi. That report, however, generated no interest amongst either the British or American authorities at that time.

It was not until the US Army Mortuary System undertook an expedition to the area that the aircraft was finally discovered - along with all but one of the remains of her crew. The one element of their discovery which struck the expedition members most, even after the passage of so many years, was the clear evidence of their attempts to survive in such harsh conditions.

Author Mario Martinez spent many years investigating and unravelling the mystery of the Lady Be Good and his account will enthral any reader looking for a good read. It is a riveting, exciting, courageous and yet, ultimately sad tale of what happened to the crew of a US aircraft and one of the best books I have read in a very long time.

NM

7 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Lady's crew would be proud, November 15, 2001

By 

Nicholas Robinson (Montreal) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Lady's Men: The Saga of Lady Be Good and Her Crew a Haunting Story of the Second World War (Hardcover)

Since you're reading this, you already know about the story of the Lady Be Good,a B-24 bomber that crashed in the Libyan desert sans crew. You also know that a fanciful movie starring William Shatner called "Sole Survivor" was made about the story, with the added intrigue that the navigator somehow bailed out over the Mediterranean and survived while the brave crew perished.

Well, here's the book that tells the whole story and leaves no stone (or grain of sand) unturned.

Author Mario Martinez wanted to make a film about this story but was turned down by almost everyone in Hollywood, including "the richest man in America" at the time. It was suggested to him that he write this book instead.

Well, my message to author Mario is this: Mario, the film never got made. It should have been. But meanwhile, your book is the stopgap keeping the story alive until it _is_ made.

This is a must-read for all those who've heard of this enduring tale of heroism that never seems destined to die.

2 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars The Best Wirtten on the Subject....So Far!, February 14, 2007

By 

Mike Miner (Tennessee) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Lady's Men: The Saga of Lady Be Good and Her Crew a Haunting Story of the Second World War (Hardcover)

OK, the author did a great deal of research for this book, and it is certainly the best one written on the subject to date. It is an easy read that flows well and can be read quickly. My only complaint is the 'speculative' conversations and actions of the crew that he continues to inject throughout the book. They have been near the mark, but I found them distracting, and I think them a bad idea when you have a book that has been based on such painstaking research. The next reader might well find them a plus, as it is just a personal preference. Since the book has been reprinted, "Lady Be Good" has been moved by the Libyan government to protect it, as well put it on display, of sorts. Future reprints ought to include this saga, as well as include more pictures of the decline of the B-24's remains over the decades. It is a pitiful pile of historic junk today, compared to the years after it was found. I think recent information has come to light as well concerning why our government removed the engine and other parts, which had more to do with Cold War missiles in silos than any real concern over the "Lady Be Good" nor how her equipment held up through the years. Still, if you only buy one book on the subject, this should be it, and by far the best on the subject. Any updates can be easily found on the internet and a few more recent magazine articles.