Strictly off-limits to the public, Plum Island is home to virginal beaches, cliffs, forests, ponds -- and the deadliest germs that have ever roamed the planet. Lab 257 blows the lid off the stunning true nature and checkered history of Plum Island. It shows that the seemingly bucolic island in the shadow of New York City is a ticking biological time bomb that none of us can safely ignore.

Based on declassified government documents, in-depth interviews, and access to Plum Island itself, this is an eye-opening, suspenseful account of a federal government germ laboratory gone terribly wrong. For the first time, Lab 257 takes you deep inside this secret world and presents startling revelations on virus outbreaks, biological meltdowns, infected workers, the periodic flushing of contaminated raw sewage into area waters, and the insidious connections between Plum Island, Lyme disease, and the deadly West Nile virus. The book also probes what's in store for Plum Island's new owner, the Department of Homeland Security, in this age of bioterrorism.

Lab 257 is a call to action for those concerned with protecting present and future generations from preventable biological catastrophes.

After years of research based on material gathered by American intelligence during the occupation of Japan as well as extensive interviews with surviving participants, Robert Wilcox gives the first detailed account of Japan's version of the Manhattan Project - from its earliest days to the possible testing of an actual weapon. The story involves Japan's leading scientists, including a future Nobel prize winner; a network of Spanish spies working in North America; and a German U-boat desperately trying to reach Japan with a cargo of uranium in the final days before the Third Reich's collapse. But perhaps the most fascinating element is the giant industrial complex in northern Korea where the final aspects of the Japanese atomic research may have taken place. When the Soviet army invaded Korea at the war's end, they had the entire complex dismantled and shipped back to the Soviet Union. We can only speculate about the information they gained from it. This new edition includes recently unearthed research showing that the Japanese spent much more time on their atomic program than previously made public.

Written by Martin Caidin from Saburo Sakai's own memoirs and journalist Fred Saito's extensive interviews with the World War II fighter pilot, Samurai! vividly documents the chivalry and valor of the combat aviator who time after time fought American fighter pilots and, with 64 kills, would survive the war as Japan's greatest living ace. Here are the harrowing experiences of one of Japan's greatest aces: from fighter pilot school -- where the harsh training expelled over half of his class -- to the thrilling early Japanese victories; from his incredible six hundred mile fight for life from Guadalcanal to his base in Rabaul, to the poignant story of the now-handicapped veteran's return to the air during the final desperate months of World War II.

When the pilots flew from the carriers of the Task Force 58 they knew they had little hope of returning to their ships.

Given that there was only seventy-five minutes of daylight left, they had little fuel, and they were flying into the middle of the world’s biggest ocean to attack the damaged but still dangerous Japanese fleet, it is little wonder that many of them were pessimistic about their chances.

Yet this is exactly what sixty-four men did in the twilight hours of June 19th, 1944.

Not one of the pilots or their crew hesitated as they got into their planes.

“They did what their commanders and their country told them to do. They carried out a ‘mission beyond darkness.’” Robert M. Citino, Navy Times

Mission Beyond Darkness by Lt. Commander J. Bryan III records in fascinating detail one of the most remarkable missions that place during the war in the Pacific.

Rather relying on second-hand accounts Byran explains this his work is completely authentic as it “is derived wholly from narratives by the survivors, from statements by officers and men of the Lexington’s company”.

“A story of tight going and tricky work that provided aerial miracles in a landing stampede of planes and pilots; the responsibilities of those aboard the carriers; the rescue work of destroyers and escort ships; foul ups and rogue ships; obstacles of dwindling fuel, misunderstood signals … Top among aviation books.” Kirkus Reviews

“The thrilling story of the closing phase of the First Battle of the Philippines, in which Air Group 16 from the Lexington successfully attacked a number of fleeing Japanese battleships and carriers.” Foreign Affairs

Lieutenant Commander J. Bryan III, USNR, served as a lieutenant commander assigned to naval air combat intelligence in the Pacific during World War Two. In civilian life he was a journalist and writer who was born into the influential Bryan family of newspaper publishers and industrialists. He passed away in 1993. Mission Beyond Darkness was first published in 1945.

B-29 Superfortress: The Plane that Won the War is the definitive account of the crucial role played by the B-29 bomber during World War II. Author Gene Gurney takes the reader from the superplane’s inception, test flights and production to its combat deployments and its ultimate purpose of dropping the atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki.

Gene - you ever read any of the books by Matthew Rozell? He has a series of books called "The Things Our Fathers Saw". I've been tempted to order all of them but wanted to see if you (...or anyone else on the board...) read them.

Palama wrote:

I have not, they do look interesting. I believe Amazon or one of my online book-sellers suggested them, I'll have to give them a try.

My favorite author is Robert Leckie, He wrote about the wars of America right up to the Korean war. I started with, Helmet for My Pillow, his personal experience as a WWII Marine in the Pacific, but his later books are much better.

Gene363 wrote:

With 28 confirmed kills against the fighter pilots of the Luftwaffe, Robert S. Johnson returned from the European Theater in 1944 as one of the highest-scoring American ace of the war.

When he had first arrived in Europe the combat-wise R.A.F. pilots had said that his Republic P-47C Thunderbolt would be no match for the Luftwaffe’s deadly Focke-Wulf 190’s.

Yet, under the skillful hands of men like Johnson and Gaddy Gabreski, this plane which weighed seven tons, was sixteen feet long, equipped with four .50 calibre guns, and powered by 2,000 horsepower, proved to be one of the deadliest fighter planes of the war.

Over the course of the war Johnson and his comrades of the 56th Fighter Group had shot more enemy planes than any other European Theater. They had shot down 1006 German aircraft at the cost of 128 planes, meaning that they had a ratio of eight to one against the battle-hardened Nazi Luftwaffe.

Johnson’s memoir of this time, Thunderbolt!, co-authored with Martin Caidin, is a brilliant account of his time in France in the cockpit of a remarkable plane, fighting alongside some of the best pilots that ever lived.

Ever page of Thunderbolt! is filled with fascinating details that bring to life what it was like for these young men who risked everything to fight against the Nazis in the skies above northern France and Germany.

Robert S. Johnson was the first USAAF fighter pilot in the European theater to surpass Eddie Rickenbacker’s World War I score of 26 victories. After the war he served for eighteen years as an engineering executive and test pilot for Republic Aviation. He passed away in 1998. Martin Caidin was an American author and an authority on aeronautics and aviation. Caidin was an airplane pilot as well, and bought and restored a 1936 Junkers Ju 52 airplane. Caidin passed away in 1997. Thunderbolt! was first published in 1958.With 28 confirmed kills against the fighter pilots of the Luftwaffe, Robert S. Johnson returned from the European Theater in 1944 as one of the highest-scoring American ace of the war.

When he had first arrived in Europe the combat-wise R.A.F. pilots had said that his Republic P-47C Thunderbolt would be no match for the Luftwaffe’s deadly Focke-Wulf 190’s.

Yet, under the skillful hands of men like Johnson and Gaddy Gabreski, this plane which weighed seven tons, was sixteen feet long, equipped with four .50 calibre guns, and powered by 2,000 horsepower, proved to be one of the deadliest fighter planes of the war.

Over the course of the war Johnson and his comrades of the 56th Fighter Group had shot more enemy planes than any other European Theater. They had shot down 1006 German aircraft at the cost of 128 planes, meaning that they had a ratio of eight to one against the battle-hardened Nazi Luftwaffe.

Johnson’s memoir of this time, Thunderbolt!, co-authored with Martin Caidin, is a brilliant account of his time in France in the cockpit of a remarkable plane, fighting alongside some of the best pilots that ever lived.

Ever page of Thunderbolt! is filled with fascinating details that bring to life what it was like for these young men who risked everything to fight against the Nazis in the skies above northern France and Germany.

Robert S. Johnson was the first USAAF fighter pilot in the European theater to surpass Eddie Rickenbacker’s World War I score of 26 victories. After the war he served for eighteen years as an engineering executive and test pilot for Republic Aviation. He passed away in 1998. Martin Caidin was an American author and an authority on aeronautics and aviation. Caidin was an airplane pilot as well, and bought and restored a 1936 Junkers Ju 52 airplane. Caidin passed away in 1997. Thunderbolt! was first published in 1958.

oe Foss was one of the deadliest Marines to ever sit in the cockpit of a fighter aircraft.

With 26 victories to his name, he became the first pilot to equal Eddie Rickenbacker’s American World War I record.

In October 1942, Foss and his regiment were sent into the heat of battle at Guadalcanal.

Foss quickly gained a reputation for aggressive close-in fighter tactics and uncanny gunnery skills and rose to become the lead pilot of what was called Foss’ Flying Circus.

Foss’ book Joe Foss Flying Marine: The Story of his Flying Circus is a remarkable work that demonstrates just how tough life could be for a fighter pilot in the Pacific Theater of World War One.

Through the course of the book Foss explains how he became a pilot, despite the fact he was initially deemed too old, why he, and men like him, chose to fight the war in the air and what it was like to engage in dogfights with Japanese pilots.

“His remarkable flying skill, inspiring leadership and indomitable fighting spirit were distinctive factors in the defense of strategic American positions on Guadalcanal.” Franklin D. Roosevelt, President, United States.

Joe Foss’ citation read: “For extraordinary achievement while participating in aerial flights with Marine Fighting Squadron 121 in the Solomon Islands area. During the period Oct. 13 to Oct. 20, 1942, inclusive, Captain Foss shot down six enemy Zero fighters and one enemy bomber in aerial combat. His constant aggressiveness, skill, and leadership during these engagements were worthy of the highest traditions of the Naval Service.”

Joe Foss was a United States Marine Corps major and the leading Marine fighter ace in World War II. He received the Medal of Honor in recognition of his role in air combat during the Guadalcanal Campaign. His book Joe Foss Flying Marine: The Story of his Flying Circus was first published in 1943. Foss passed away in 2003.

“This is the story of an extraordinary character. He was one of the great heroes of the Southwest Pacific in World War II, a mechanical genius, and one of the finest storytellers I have ever known.”

Four-star General Kenney pays tribute to a remarkable man in this biography.

Colonel Paul Irvin (“Pappy”) Gunn was a fearless fighter who demonstrated his qualities of leadership.

To the youngsters fresh from the training fields and untried in air combat he was an example, an inspiration, a confidence builder, and an invaluable man to have around.

As well as a brilliant pilot, Pappy was also a formidable aviation engineer. If any piece of equipment from the airplane itself to any of its hundreds of accessories failed to work, the universal answer was “Pappy can fix it,” and Pappy could and did.

Kenney's book uncovers the remarkable life of Pappy Gunn and his exploits through the Second World War, explaining why many generals, admirals and soldiers acknowledged that he was one of aviation's great pioneers.

‘Pappy Gunn is a loving tribute by the youngest son of one of the United States’ greatest heroes, one that highlights the humanity of a man who was a legend in his own time.’ — HistoryNet

‘An affectionate biography of an almost legendary Air Force hero’ — Kirkus Reviews

George Churchill Kenney (1889 –1977) was a United States Army Air Forces general during World War II. He is best known as the commander of the Allied Air Forces in the Southwest Pacific Area (SWPA), a position he held from August 1942 until 1945. Kenney wrote three books about the SWPA air campaigns he led during World War II. His major work was General Kenney Reports (1949), a personal history of the air war he led from 1942 to 1945. He also wrote The Saga of Pappy Gunn (1959) and ****** Bong: Ace of Aces (1960), which described the careers of Paul Gunn and Richard Bong, two of the most prominent airmen under his command.

“... the whole low squadron was gone ... blown up ... burned up ... shot to hell ... one guy got out of that.”

At the age of twenty-two, Bert Stiles joined the American Air Force.

Two years later he began his life as a co-pilot of a B-17 Flying Fortress, flying high over Germany and bombing cities far below.

In his moving memoir of that time Stiles takes you right to the heart of life as a young bomber pilot in World War Two; the terror of being under fire from flak and German planes, the disillusionment in their mission, the thoughts of girls back home and those they’d met on their travels, the dreams of the future and the overwhelming tiredness that hung over every member of the crew.

“A book of terrific impact. Perhaps the best to come out of World War II.” The Philadelphia Inquirer

“The serenade is a simple and moving story of the war in the air. The big bird was a Flying Fort. She had a crew of ten men and all but one of them were 20 to 24 years old. … They went out on missions together into Germany from England. They ran into flak and had the daylights scared out of them, and burned out their guns shooting down 109's and Focke-Wulfs. They dropped bombs on Berlin and other cities, and hated war, and did not like to think what their bombs had done.” The New York Times

Bert Stiles was a student at Colorado College in 1942 when he joined the American Army Air Force. He received his commission in November, 1943, and went overseas to Great Britain in March, 1944. He was awarded the Air Medal and the Distinguished Flying Cross and was a veteran of thirty-five bomber missions. Instead of returning to America when leave was due to him, he requested to be transferred to fighters. On November 26, 1944, he was shot down in a P-51 on an escort mission to Hanover. He died at the age of 23.

The Naval Institute Press is pleased to make available for the first time this cloth edition of a now-classic war memoir that was a best seller in both Japan and the United States during the 1960s. Originally published as a paperback in 1961, it has long been treasured by World War II buffs and professional historians for its insights into the Japanese side of the surface war in the Pacific. The book has been credited with correcting errors in U.S. accounts of various battles and with revealing details of high-level Imperial Japanese Navy strategy meetings. The author, Captain Tameichi Hara, was a survivor of more than one hundred sorties against the Allies and was known throughout Japan as the Unsinkable Captain. Called the workhorses of the navy, Japanese destroyers shouldered the heaviest burden of the surface war and took part in scores of intense sea battles, many of which Captain Hara describes here. In the early days of the war victories were common, but by 1943, the lack of proper maintenance of the destroyers and sufficient supplies, along with Allied development of scientific equipment and superior aircraft, took its toll. On April 7, 1945, during the Japanese navy s last sortie, Captain Hara managed to survive the sinking of his own ship only to witness the demise of the famed Japanese battleship Yamato off Okinawa. A hero to his countrymen, Captain Hara exemplified the best in Japanese surface commanders: highly skilled (he wrote the manual on torpedo warfare), hard driving, and aggressive. Moreover, he maintained a code of honor worthy of his samurai grandfather, and, as readers of this book have come to appreciate, he was as free with praise for American courage and resourcefulness as he was critical of himself and his senior commanders. The book s popularity over the past forty-six years testifies to the author s success at writing an objective account of what happened that provides not only a fascinating eyewitness record of the war, but also an honest and dispassionate assessment of Japan s high command. Captain Hara s sage advice on leadership is as applicable today as it was when written. For readers new to this book and for those who have read and re-read their paperback editions until they have fallen apart, this new hardcover edition assures them a permanent source of reference and enjoyment.

This book details the treatment of Allied service-women, female civilians and local women by the Japanese occupation forces. While a number of memoirs have been published there is no dedicated volume. It chronicles the massacres of nurses (such as that at Alexandra Hospital, Singapore), disturbing atrocities on both Europeans and Asians, and accounts of imprisonment. It reveals how many ended up in Japanese hands when they should have been evacuated. Also covered are the hardships of long marches and the sexual enslavement of white and native women (so called 'Comfort Women'). The book is a testimony both to the callous and cruel behavior of the Japanese and to the courage and fortitude of those who suffered at their hands.[/h]

Blood on the Rising Sun (Annotated): The Japanese Invasion of the Philippines
by Adalia Marquez, Carlos P. Romulo

[h]Adalia Marquez was a police reporter living in Manila under the Japanese Occupation during World War 2 when her husband was arrested by the Japanese Military Police for aiding the resistance. Following his escape, suspicion falls upon Adalia and she is detained in his place, along with her two children, and imprisoned in Fort Santiago. Facing torture and starvation, Adalia contacts the Filipino underground and agrees to help them from inside the prison in return for much-needed food and medicine. With a talent for manipulating her captors, Adalia is able to evade detection long enough to provide for herself and her children, as well as other detainees in urgent need of sustenance, until the deliverance of V-J Day.

Aaaap! Aaaap! The battle-station alarm blared through the boat. Half-naked, their bodies gleaming in the yellow light, the men tumbled out of their bunks. The narrow passageways were suddenly filled with men and then as suddenly cleared as each man fitted into his assigned position.

The USS Seawolf was one of the greatest submarine raiders of all time.

Having narrowly avoided the attack on Pearl Harbor the Seawolf set out for the seas of the Pacific to wreak havoc on Japanese shipping.

Joseph Melvin Eckberg was on the Seawolf from her maiden voyage and remained with her until January 1943. As chief radioman he was instrumental in assisting Captain Frederick Warder to find and destroy enemy targets.

From the claustrophobia of being trapped under water and the overwhelming fear of depth charges to the joys of aiding the war-effort and the camaraderie on the ship, Eckberg’s account, told to the authors Gerold Frank and James Horan, gives remarkable insight into submarine warfare of the Second World War.

“It is a narrative straight as a sword, from which emerges the story of how that happy marriage of courage and skill was achieved which made our submarines more than any other group the fleet that won the war.” The Saturday Review, Fletcher Pratt.

“The successes of the Seawolf bear testimony to the effectiveness of single-purposeness and teamwork.” Jonas H. Ingram, U. S. Navy Commander-in-Chief.

Gerold Frank and James Horan were professional authors who wrote down Eckberg’s story after meeting him on a slow train between New York City and New London, Connecticut, in August 1943. U.S.S. Seawolf: Submarine Raider of the Pacific was first published in 1945. Frank went on to become a prominent ghostwriter and passed away in 1998. Horan, author of more than forty books, died in 1981. Eckberg died four years before him in 1977.