Night of the Intruders: First-Hand Accounts Chronicling the Slaughter of Homeward Bound Usaaf Mission 311 [Hardcover]

Ian McLachlan (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: May 1994

50 years on, this dramatic account details USAAF mission 311 to Hamm on 22 April 1944 when American bombers suffered their highest ever losses to German intruders. This book describes the ferocious action over Europe, and the carnage and confusion over England, revealing the facts behind what went tragically wrong. Marks the 50th anniversary of East Anglia's fiercest ever night air-battle, a bloodbath still remembered with horror and disbelief on both sides of the Atlantic. Features eye-witness accounts, published here for the first time, of the disastrous 8th Air Force mission when some 150 bomber aircrew failed to return from Europe, and 14 fighters were lost. Describes the subsequent carnage over East Anglia when German fighters, hidden by friendly radar echoes, followed the Americans home, attacking 20 bombers and killing or wounding more than 60 aircrew. Written by a successful 8th Air Force author and packed with human interest stories, the book chronicles all the raid's events including RAF and German losses in combat. Covers many famous USAAF, RAF and Luftwaffe units, serving a wide veteran and enthusiast market.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 224 pages
• Publisher: Patrick Stephens; First edition (May 1994)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1852604506
• ISBN-13: 978-1852604509
• Product Dimensions: 9.4 x 7.1 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.5 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,226,459 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Luftwaffe Wolves in the Fold!, October 6, 2008

By 

Michael OConnor "Wordsmith" (Wausau, WI USA) - See all my reviews
(TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Night of the Intruders: First-Hand Accounts Chronicling the Slaughter of Homeward Bound Usaaf Mission 311 (Hardcover)

With one exception, Luftwaffe commanders missed a golden opportunity and never committed their fighters to harassing 8th AF bombers returning to their UK bases. Ian McLachlan relates the gripping story of the one occasion - on 22 April 1944 - when weary B-17 and B-24 crewmen, seemingly safe after crossing the English Channel, suddenly found themselves fighting for their lives over their own bases.

The 8th AF strike on Hamm on 22 April was a rare late-afternoon mission, 8th AF brass trying to maximize every opportunity to hit Hitler's Germany. Due to poor leadership and equipment problems, the Hamm bombing was poor. As the B-17s and -24s streamed home in the dusky skies, German commanders saw an opportunity to strike a last blow against the raiders and launched four KG 51 Me410s to follow the bombers home and hit them as they prepared to land. The Luftwaffe intruders were wildly successful, eight B-24s being downed or crashlanded due to Me410 fire. Ten more were damaged in the air and two more on the ground. Around 60 8th AF crewmen and civilians were killed.

McLachlan does a wonderful job of placing the reader in the cockpit of various bombers and fighters flying the Hamm mission. He utilizes many first-hand reports that paint a vivid account of a mission gone terribly wrong. Dozens of photos of crewmen, aircraft, crash scenes, the Luftwaffe intruders, etc. put faces to the names.

Luckily for the Mighty Eighth, the Luftwaffe didn't stage a repeat. Yet, for a few, terrifying hours on April 22nd, American bomber crews learned that there was no safe harbor in the skies of Europe. NIGHT OF THE INTRUDERS provides a well-researched and dramatic recreation of those long-ago events. Highly recommended.

5.0 out of 5 stars WW2 heroes, August 16, 2011

By 

Mac - See all my reviews

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This review is from: Night of the Intruders: First-Hand Accounts Chronicling the Slaughter of Homeward Bound Usaaf Mission 311 (Hardcover)

Read up the history of these air force heroes. My wife's Uncle was KIA on 22 May 44. She was born 9 days later and was named after him, Louise(Louis Violette)