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Cate Lineberry
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Secret Rescue Paperback – Illustrated, June 3, 2014

by Cate Lineberry (Author)
4.3 4.3 out of 5 stars 1,048 ratings
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The compelling untold story of a group of stranded U.S. Army nurses and medics fighting to escape Nazi-occupied Europe.

When 26 Army nurses and medics-part of the 807th Medical Air Evacuation Transport Squadron-boarded a cargo plane for transport in November 1943, they never anticipated the crash landing in Nazi-occupied Albania that would lead to their months-long struggle for survival. A drama that captured the attention of the American public, the group and its flight crew dodged bullets and battled blinding winter storms as they climbed mountains and fought to survive, aided by courageous villagers who risked death at Nazi hands to help them.

A mesmerizing tale of the courage and heroism of ordinary people, The Secret Rescue tells not only a new story of struggle and endurance, but also one of the daring rescue attempts by clandestine American and British organizations amid the tumultuous landscape of the war.
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  1. Print length
    337 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Publication date
    June 3, 2014
  4. Dimensions
    5.5 x 0.85 x 8.25 inches
  5. ISBN-10
    0316220248
  6. ISBN-13
    978-0316220248
  7. See all details
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Editorial Reviews

Review

Finalist for the 2014 Edgar Award: Best Fact Crime

Finalist for Anthony Award for Best Critical or Non-Fiction Work

"Meticulously recounted by Lineberry. Survivalists and history buffs will relish the daily escapades of this heroic American contingent." -- Publishers Weekly

"American nurses and medics, trapped behind enemy lines, hungry and haggard, dodging Nazis, hope dimming as winter gains strength. In Cate Lineberry's gifted hands, the true story of The Secret Rescue is a gripping and suspenseful tale, alive with rich details that carry readers along every step of this remarkable journey." -- Mitchell Zuckoff, author of Lost in Shangri-La and Frozen in Time

"Cate Lineberry has written a touching, thrilling, completely engrossing story of great courage under harrowing circumstances. This is a World War II story that few people have ever heard, but, after reading this book, no one will forget." -- Candice Millard, author of The River of Doubt and Destiny of the Republic

"Cate Lineberry has unearthed a little-known episode of World War II that has all the elements of a classic escape adventure. Carefully researched and compellingly told, The Secret Rescue is a suspenseful story of courage, audacity, and endurance behind enemy lines. I couldn't stop reading it." -- Gary Krist, author of City of Scoundrels

"The book combines all of the elements that draw us to WWII stories: the daring of The Guns of Navarone, the suspense of The Great Escape, and the bravery reminiscent of Ill Met by Moonlight.

About the Author

Cate Lineberry is a former staff writer and Europe editor for National Geographicandthe web editor of Smithsonian, and her work has appeared in the New York Times. She lives in the greater Washington, DC, area.

Product details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Back Bay Books; Reprint edition (June 3, 2014)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Paperback ‏ : ‎ 337 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0316220248
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0316220248
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 10.1 ounces
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 5.5 x 0.85 x 8.25 inches
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.3 4.3 out of 5 stars 1,048 ratings

About the author

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Cate Lineberry

Cate Lineberry

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CATE LINEBERRY is the author of BE FREE OR DIE (coming June 20, 2017) and the author of The Secret Rescue, a #1 Wall Street Journal e-book bestseller and a finalist for the Edgar and Anthony Awards. Lineberry was previously a staff writer and editor for National Geographic Magazine and the web editor for Smithsonian Magazine. Her work has also appeared in the New York Times. Lineberry lives in Raleigh, NC.

Customer reviews

4.3 out of 5 stars
4.3 out of 5
1,048 global ratings

Top reviews from the United States

J. Good
5.0 out of 5 stars Fascinating story of a little known event in WW II
Reviewed in the United States on June 1, 2013
Verified Purchase
I have known of this event for most of my life because my Aunt Lois (Watson) McKenzie was one of the nurses on the flight which crashed in Albania.

Cate Lineberry has written a remarkably book. Well researched and detailed, the book is a pleasure to read. Her style is gripping and enjoyable, while filling in many of the specific details of the ordeal which the group of survivors overcame. Whether the reader is a student of history, or just someone interested in a little known adventure of World War II, this is a great book for adding to the lore of that remarkable generation.

The survivors of the crash were for the most part Army nurses and medics with little or no training in survival behind enemy lines. The geography, language and culture of Albania made that place probably one of the most challenging locations in Europe for the group to try to travel through and to survive. Throw in the ever present threat of discovery by German soldiers, and you have quite a tale of heroism and perseverance for the survivors to just deal with getting through each day.

This book was a joy for me to read. I highly recommend it to anyone who may be interested in learning more about the people who served in World War II.
114 people found this helpful
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gsxr
4.0 out of 5 stars Enjoyable historical WW2 narrative
Reviewed in the United States on March 2, 2022
Verified Purchase
I ordered both the kindle version and the paired audiobook so I could read and/or listen at the same time and not lose my place, using Amazon’s Whispersync feature, which is a great way to enjoy this book. The audiobook narration is superb. The kindle ebook is well formatted and easy to navigate.

I enjoyed this book. Some historical narratives are written to read almost like a novel, with a tensely plotted story. Others are more dry history and read like school textbooks. This book is in between. It held my interest throughout, and yet there are dry periods in the writing with a lot of historical details filled in. I think the author struck a good balance here.
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T. Wagner
5.0 out of 5 stars Raises the term "page-turner" to a new level!
Reviewed in the United States on May 24, 2013
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This a gripping true account, incredibly well-researched and beautifully written in a way that you come to know the characters and feel as though you are right there with them. The 26 army nurses and medics, along with their 4-man flight crew endured the most harrowing two months-plus of their lives after crash-landing unknowingly in German-occupied Albania due to terrible weather, and loss of all radio communications as well as the functioning of their compass. Rescued by partisans, sheltered along the way by many poor and war-ravaged villagers from the Nazis at great risk to themselves, their final rescue took place through the unrelenting efforts and bravery of American and British secret agents especially during the last leg of their almost 1000-mile trek to reach the Adriatic Sea and freedom, The travails they suffered not only included evading the Nazis, but concern about their Albanian rescuers who were also entrenched in a civil war between violently opposed factions. The rugged, mountainous terrain they were forced to travel, the indescribably harsh climate, lice, fleas, lack of food, water, appropriate clothing, and basic sanitation, the constant presence of uncertainty and fear, made this a real life testimony to the indomitability of the human spirit; a story that is long overdue in its telling! Thanks, Ms. Lineberry, for introducing us to such heroes and heroines, and giving us an unforgettable reading and learning experience
5 people found this helpful
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Laura E.
3.0 out of 5 stars Fascinating subject, mediocre writing
Reviewed in the United States on April 24, 2019
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Fascinating subject. Unfortunately, the book only narrowly avoids a two-star rating because of the writing. It reads as if written for junior high students while some parts also read like one of those term papers where the student copies text from an encyclopedia.

I only finished because I wanted to see what happened and how the group managed to survive. In regard to the three nurses who were separated from the rest of the group. I do think the story might have benefited from having their journey interwoven into the other group's story instead of a quick summary at the end.

One of the nurses wrote a memoir entitled "Albanian Escape" which I am eager to read, especially in the hope that is more enjoyable than "The Secret Rescue".
10 people found this helpful
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diamondgirl
5.0 out of 5 stars Absolutely Amazing
Reviewed in the United States on August 23, 2013
Verified Purchase
The story is incredible how these nurses, medics and air crew endured hardship (all but a couple were in their early 20s)and remained friends over the years. What is also heartwarming was the sense of humor they maintained; some of the nurses refreshed their makeup before entering the villages to create a good impression (cupke amerikane)- can't keep a good woman down! They also kept the secret until recently to protect the Albanian villagers who helped them from the Nazis and then the Communists. How many young people today would do that in light of Facebook, Twitter and You Tube and wanting their 15 min of fame? This should be made into a movie; it is inspirational. Love it!!

One thing I found irritating was the Kindle edition. I would be reading then when I touched to the next page the thing would jump from 10% to 75% numerous times unexpectedly. I would have to backtrack and try to get back to where I was. So don't do the Kindle edition, buy the book instead; I was ready to throw the Kindle against the wall. I've never had this happen to any other books I've read on Kindle only this one.

diamondgirl
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Top reviews from other countries

jay
5.0 out of 5 stars Amazing and incredible true story
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on May 3, 2021
Verified Purchase
I very rarely write a book review but this is the exception. My normal reading is murder/crime stories so this was a complete change. It is the amazing story of a group of medics and nurses who crash land, it tells of all the terrible events during the trek to safety. There is a lot of background information of people and events at that time in history but it isn't so in depth that readers like me (normally fiction) still find it useful and adds to understanding what is going on. I think it really worthwhile to read this book and l recommend you give it a try.
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Davidgm
4.0 out of 5 stars Well written and revealing
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on March 27, 2017
Verified Purchase
I'm still reading the book so I might increase the number of stars given, but these are my initial thoughts:

I thought the beginning was a bit laboured, with possibly too much detail on the setting up of the medic programme. However, when we get to the real story, it is very well written, and I particularly like the description of winter in Albania and encounters with partisans. It was quite a shock to read that the Allies were ready to use mustard gas if the Germans used it first and the blowing up of the ship containing the gas on a Luftwaffe raid on Bari.

Also the author has a good knowledge of the senior Brits of the SOE.

In short, I'm enjoying the book
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