by Dan Hampton
First published 2020
In 1943, Naval Intelligence intercepts Admiral Isoroku Yamamoto's travel plans. The architect of Pearl Harbor will fly to Rabaul, then continue to Balalale airfield in the South Pacific. American military planners see their chance. They design Operation Vengeance, a mission to eliminate Japan's most brilliant naval strategist. The plan demands everything from its pilots. They must fly 1,000 miles undetected, navigating a complex route that pushes their aircraft to the limit. Timing becomes critical. Any delay, even minutes, will doom the operation and endanger American lives. Combat veteran Dan Hampton draws on archival research and his flying experience to recreate the mission. He follows the pilots through their preparation and into the cockpit, capturing each moment of their high-stakes flight. The success or failure of Operation Vengeance could shift the war's momentum and transform Allied morale in the Pacific theater.
Genres: 20th-century, military-fiction, adventure, action, military-history, american-history
Vibes: emotional, fast-paced, suspenseful
Tropes: high-stakes, mission-critical
Setting: Rabaul, Balalale
Period: 1943
Audio CD · HarperCollins