I learned of this book by chance while surfing a professional website, and what a rare find it was at an extremely appropriate time! Veteran’s Day had just passed, and the great sacrifices made by so many were still present in my mind.I had not been aware that an engineering colleague of mine from many years ago had an older brother who served on a B-17 that was lost on its first combat mission over Germany in World War II. Communications and information technology then were primitive by today’s standards, and in many cases there were no coherent records of the fates of those who did not return at the end of the war. The book gives a detailed account of the author’s unrelenting efforts over many years to finally piece together what had become of his brother. His remarkable success against daunting odds is a testament to the value of persistence, and may give both encouragement and guidance to others who may have loved ones missing in action.But the real story here is a stirring tribute to the bravery of the crew of that B-17 who delivered their bombs to the target, and struggled to make it back to base against insurmountable odds. I had no idea that a B-17 could take that much punishment and still keep flying, and the same can be said for the remarkable and close-knit crew who never gave up. The author managed to locate and interview the few survivors, and from their combined recollections, has managed to put together a dramatic account of their last hours on the mission that will make you feel like you were with them on that plane!SPOILER ALERT: I recommend not reading the synopsis on the back page of the book jacket before reading the book itself.