Operation Chowhound: The Most Risky, Most Glorious US Bomber Mission of WWII

Stephen Dando-Collins

St. Martin's Publishing Group, Feb 24, 2015 - History - 272 pages

The true story of a little-known, yet remarkable World War II operation, which had all the hallmarks of a suicide mission.

Beginning with a crazy plan hatched by a suspect prince, and an even crazier reliance on the word of the Nazis, Operation Chowhound was devised. Between May 1 and May 8, 1945, 2,268 military units flown by the USAAF, dropped food to 3.5 million starving Dutch civilians in German-occupied Holland.

It took raw courage to fly on Operation Chowhound, as American aircrews never knew when the German AAA might open fire on them or if Luftwaffe fighters might jump them. Flying at 400 feet, barely above the tree tops, with guns pointed directly at them, they would have no chance to bail out if their B-17s were hit—and yet, over eight days, 120,000 German troops kept their word, and never fired on the American bombers. As they flew, grateful Dutch civilians spelled out "Thanks Boys" in the tulip fields below. Many Americans who flew in Operation Chowhound would claim it was the best thing they did in the war.

In this gripping narrative, author Stephen Dando-Collins takes the reader into the rooms where Operation Chowhound was born, into the aircraft flying the mission, and onto the ground in the Netherlands with the civilians who so desperately needed help. James Bond creator Ian Fleming, Hollywood actress Audrey Hepburn, as well as Roosevelt, Eisenhower, and Churchill all play a part in this story, creating a compelling, narrative read.

Contents

• Navigator Ellis B Scriptures Prayer: 1
• Hitlers Secret Agent: 7
• The Suspect Prince in the World of James Bond: 13
• The Failure to Liberate Holland: 19
• The Germans Go on the Offensive: 47
• Surviving the Hunger Winter: 55
• An Offer from Nazi Governor SeyssInquart: 63
• President Dutch Roosevelts Promise: 79
• Beetle Bedell Smiths Plan: 89
• Farley Mowat Goes behind German Lines: 103
• The Achterveld Agreement: 111
• The First Nervous Test Flight: 119
• Ikes Hatchet Man Tells the Nazi Governor Straight: 135
• The US 8th Air Force Prepares for Chowhound: 145
• B17s over Holland at 400 Feet: 153
• Germans Open Fire on Chowhound Bombers: 167
• The Liberation: 183
• Bombardier Braidics Fateful Decision: 197
• For SeyssInquart and the War: 209
• The Aftermath: 215
• The Best Thing We Ever Did in the War: 221
• Notes: 229
• Bibliography: 237

About the author

Stephen Dando-Collins is an award-winning military historian with numerous highly praised books on ancient history ranging from Imperial Rome to the American west to Australia, some of which include Legions of Rome and Caesar's Legion. Today, Stephen's books appear in many languages and he has an army of loyal readers wherever his books are published around the world, in countries including Australia, the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, New Zealand, Italy, Spain, Portugal, Brazil, Poland, Albania and Korea.

Bibliographic information

• Title: Operation Chowhound: The Most Risky, Most Glorious US Bomber Mission of WWII
• Author: Stephen Dando-Collins
• Edition: illustrated
• Publisher: St. Martin's Publishing Group, 2015
• ISBN: 1466879157, 9781466879157
• Length: 272 pages
• Subjects: History / Europe / General; History / Military / Vehicles / Air; History / United States / 20th Century; History / Wars & Conflicts / World War II / General