The Coffin Corner Boys: One Bomber, Ten Men, and Their Incredible Escape from Nazi Occupied France

Avriett, a former editor of Southern Living magazine, moves far afield from that region to recount the wartime experiences of the 10-member crew of a B-17 shot down over France on Mar. 16, 1944. The remarkable story of the crew’s efforts to evade France’s German occupiers is framed by coauthor and B-17 captain George Stark’s 1969 return to France to retrace his grueling, dangerous journey to the Swiss border and freedom, and to find and thank those who aided him. Although Stark’s escape, which involved being hidden and helped by Resistance members as he walked on a broken foot into Switzerland, is the centerpiece, the odysseys of the other nine crew members, each of whom survived the war, are also gripping—several are captured and face harrowing time in brutal POW camps. This tale also illuminates the personalities and motivations of ordinary French citizens and Resistance members who at great risk helped the flyers to safety. The writing is unsophisticated and uncritical, but readers interested in WWII will find the experiences of these young airmen filled with sufficient dramatic escapes, moments of surprising humanity, and acts of bravery to transcend any defects. (May)