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Beyond the Call: The True Story of One World War II Pilot's Covert Mission to Rescue POWs on the Eastern Front Hardcover – January 1, 2015
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- LanguageEnglish
- PublisherIcon Books Ltd
- Publication dateJanuary 1, 2015
- Dimensions6.02 x 1.34 x 9.21 inches
- ISBN-101848318510
- ISBN-13978-1848318519
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Product details
- Publisher : Icon Books Ltd (January 1, 2015)
- Language : English
- ISBN-10 : 1848318510
- ISBN-13 : 978-1848318519
- Item Weight : 1.4 pounds
- Dimensions : 6.02 x 1.34 x 9.21 inches
- Best Sellers Rank: #3,823,710 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #273 in Prisoners of War History
- #372 in Military Life & Institutions History
- Customer Reviews:
About the authors
Jeremy Dronfield was born in Wales. After completing a doctorate in archaeology at Cambridge, he began writing fiction. His first novel, The Locust Farm, was shortlisted for the John Creasey Memorial award for debut crime fiction. His subsequent novels include the critically acclaimed The Alchemist's Apprentice. He also has a parallel career as a ghostwriter and non-fiction author.
You can find information and news about Jeremy and his books at www.jeremydronfield.com.
Lee Trimble was born in 1950, the son of Captain Robert M. Trimble. He was educated in science and technology at Pennsylvania State University and received an MS at Stevens Institute of Technology in New Jersey. He worked in research and development on lasers, electronics, and semiconductors, and has been a scientific writer and reviewer for various scholarly and professional journals. He has lately retired from the tech world, and works rehabilitating problem dogs, including work in conjunction with SPCA International and the U.S. military on “Operation Baghdad Pups.”
Customer reviews
Customer Reviews, including Product Star Ratings help customers to learn more about the product and decide whether it is the right product for them.
To calculate the overall star rating and percentage breakdown by star, we don’t use a simple average. Instead, our system considers things like how recent a review is and if the reviewer bought the item on Amazon. It also analyzed reviews to verify trustworthiness.
Learn more how customers reviews work on AmazonCustomers say
Customers find the book engaging and well-written. They appreciate the narrative style, which is detailed and personal. The history is enlightening and moving for them, as it sheds light on aspects of the war and Cold War. Readers praise the heroism and dedication of the soldier. Overall, they describe the book as an uplifting yet humbling read.
AI-generated from the text of customer reviews
Customers find the book well-written and engaging. They say it's a must-read for all citizens and would make a good movie.
"...figure of the story, Captain Robert Trimble, and the clear, riveting account and in-depth research by the author, Jeremy Dronfield..." Read more
"...His bravery, abilities, and strength were amazing. The book is very well written and I was totally engaged from the first page...." Read more
"...This book would make a very good movie." Read more
"...This true story is well written and gives the reader insight to how things worked and didn't work between the Americans and Russians during the war...." Read more
Customers find the story engaging and well-written. They appreciate the true account of heroism and find the subject matter harrowing.
"...It is a tale of derring-do, of the nasty politics at work between the "Allies", outright lies, deceits, and obstruction on the part of &#..." Read more
"This book tells a haunting and dramatic real life story that will stay with me a long time...." Read more
"...and narrative can be a little creaky at times, this is a very important story that has never been told...." Read more
"...This true story is well written and gives the reader insight to how things worked and didn't work between the Americans and Russians during the war...." Read more
Customers enjoy the memoir's narrative style. They find it well-written and insightful, with a personal perspective. The book is described as a riveting account of one officer's experiences in an aspect of WWII not covered in history books. Readers appreciate the author's clear, riveting account and in-depth research.
"...Robert Trimble, and the clear, riveting account and in-depth research by the author, Jeremy Dronfield..." Read more
"I love first person accounts of history and this is one of my favorites...." Read more
"This story is an inspiring tale of a man who really went beyond the call if duty...." Read more
"...I also find it interesting how they're able to tell the stories of other people from their perspective, when this was so hush-hush. 5...." Read more
Customers enjoy the book's history. They find it entertaining and insightful, providing perspective on World War II and the Cold War. The account of WWII provides valuable context for what happened in Poland during the later part of the war.
"...I could not put this book down. It was a whole different side of the war and the commitment that the Greatest Generation had and paid for our freedom..." Read more
"...This book deserves to be read and remembered." Read more
"...This sheds light on and gives perspective to what happened in Poland during the later part of WWII...." Read more
"...Berlin wall came down, and this book gave me some real insight into the history of the Cold War." Read more
Customers praise the author's heroism and dedication. They find the account of his heroic actions to save POWs, foreign workers, and downed aviators fascinating and suspenseful. The book is described as one of the best war memoirs they have read and a must-have for WWII enthusiasts.
"...His bravery, abilities, and strength were amazing. The book is very well written and I was totally engaged from the first page...." Read more
"This account of one man's heroic actions to save POWs, foreign workers and downed airmen near the end of World War II is compelling, and reads like..." Read more
"...Well written and very interesting. A must have for WW2 buffs. Makes you wonder if the Russians really were on our side or not...." Read more
"...How brave to go behind enemy lines to rescue not only American pow's but refugees of other nations...." Read more
Customers find the book interesting and enlightening. They describe it as an eye-opening look at how our allies fought. The book is described as exciting, dangerous, tragic, and moving. It works on all of their emotions.
"...It takes you right there: exciting, dangerous, tragic, heartrending - makes you want to keep reading...." Read more
"...It was eye opening and what a truly amazing man Robert Trimble was...." Read more
"...Very uplifting yet humbling at the same time. I couldn't put the book down. This is one you'll want to read again and again." Read more
"...This book was a cliff hanger and eye opener." Read more
Customers find the book engaging from the start. They appreciate the detailed effort undertaken by American airmen stationed in the USSR. The story is moving and hard to put down, with a great man and amazing courage.
"...The book is very well written and I was totally engaged from the first page. I am so thankful that this book was written." Read more
"...Trimble was an amazing man and was able to save many lives due to his courage." Read more
"This books is a detailed effort undertaken by American airmen stationed in the USSR, to help POWs and laborers from Western Europe, Great Britain..." Read more
"...The author brings the story alive with detail, without getting bogged down in minutia...." Read more
Reviews with images
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The Truth Behind the Dangerous Extraction of Prisoners from the Eastern Front, WWII
Top reviews from the United States
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- Reviewed in the United States on August 9, 2021What I liked most about this book was the integrity of both the central figure of the story, Captain Robert Trimble, and the clear, riveting account and in-depth research by the author, Jeremy Dronfield (author of the bestseller “The Boy Who Followed His Father Into Auschwitz”).
There are hundreds of references from the US National Archives (NARA), the Air Force Historical Research Agency (AFHRA), and the Texas Military Forces Museum, verifying the details of Captain Trimble’s journey from heavy bomber pilot stationed in England, to undercover rescuer on foot in Poland. This abundance of primary sources validate his story. In fact, two Air Corps historians were commissioned to write the "History of Eastern Command", found in the above archives. Both historians write of Captain Trimble's accomplishments. Of notable importance, is the fact that these historians were fellow officers stationed at the Poltava Air Base at the same time as Captain Trimble. They were therefore witnesses to some of the saved prisoners brought into the base.
The most secretive aspects of the mission- the rescue of imprisoned military and civilian men and women- would not find much light in official archived reports, due to the secrecy of the mission at the time, and potential embarrassment of overstepping the authority of an Allied guest in Russian territory. Especially since Stalin saw all prisoners as traitors and cowards.
One particularly telling report was found in NARA however, sanctioned by the Air Corps, written by Capt. Trimble. It details the rescue of over 30 soldier prisoners in one mission. What is most striking is the fact that it is cosigned by two officer eyewitnesses on that mission. This report also details the place (Lwow) that Capt. Trimble would find himself more than once, in both outbound and inbound rescue missions. Anyone who may question his heroism, need only research the above primary references for themselves.
The rescue of 400 French Women must have been quite awkward for Capt. Trimble, as it was not part of his orders and was quite by accident. The young French woman who found him at the Hotel George in Lwow, was a chance meeting. Trimble was there to find information on lost aircrews and other Allies. The “liberation” of these French women was a clever rouse that had little chance of working. But we now know it did. The story of course did not appear in any archives of military records. But fortunately the honor of the rescue effort became public in newspaper annals in 1945. De Gaulle sent a French entourage to the US to honor esteemed Americans who contributed especially to the liberation of France and its citizens. And so in the autumn of 1945, Trimble received the high honor Croix de Guerre with Silver Star at a ceremony at Wright Air Field, Dayton Ohio. A clipping attached here from The Dayton Herald, Dayton Ohio, Sept. 1, 1945 recorded the event.
Another attachment here is a photo of Captain Trimble from the book, found in the Texas Military Forces Museum. It was taken by Lieutenant Arnold Tillman, pilot of one of the aircrews Trimble rescued in Poland, and part of Tillman’s collection displayed in the Museum. The photo is taken outside of the Operations hut at the Poltava Air Base in Ukraine, where Trimble was stationed for his duration there. Trimble later was elevated to Commanding Officer of the base in a bizarre turn of events, where all of Trimble’s superiors at the base with flying status, we’re removed due to the ire of the Russians. He was the last American to leave the base in June 1945, after all of the other officers were safely out.
5.0 out of 5 starsWhat I liked most about this book was the integrity of both the central figure of the story, Captain Robert Trimble, and the clear, riveting account and in-depth research by the author, Jeremy Dronfield (author of the bestseller “The Boy Who Followed His Father Into Auschwitz”).The Truth Behind the Dangerous Extraction of Prisoners from the Eastern Front, WWII
Reviewed in the United States on August 9, 2021
There are hundreds of references from the US National Archives (NARA), the Air Force Historical Research Agency (AFHRA), and the Texas Military Forces Museum, verifying the details of Captain Trimble’s journey from heavy bomber pilot stationed in England, to undercover rescuer on foot in Poland. This abundance of primary sources validate his story. In fact, two Air Corps historians were commissioned to write the "History of Eastern Command", found in the above archives. Both historians write of Captain Trimble's accomplishments. Of notable importance, is the fact that these historians were fellow officers stationed at the Poltava Air Base at the same time as Captain Trimble. They were therefore witnesses to some of the saved prisoners brought into the base.
The most secretive aspects of the mission- the rescue of imprisoned military and civilian men and women- would not find much light in official archived reports, due to the secrecy of the mission at the time, and potential embarrassment of overstepping the authority of an Allied guest in Russian territory. Especially since Stalin saw all prisoners as traitors and cowards.
One particularly telling report was found in NARA however, sanctioned by the Air Corps, written by Capt. Trimble. It details the rescue of over 30 soldier prisoners in one mission. What is most striking is the fact that it is cosigned by two officer eyewitnesses on that mission. This report also details the place (Lwow) that Capt. Trimble would find himself more than once, in both outbound and inbound rescue missions. Anyone who may question his heroism, need only research the above primary references for themselves.
The rescue of 400 French Women must have been quite awkward for Capt. Trimble, as it was not part of his orders and was quite by accident. The young French woman who found him at the Hotel George in Lwow, was a chance meeting. Trimble was there to find information on lost aircrews and other Allies. The “liberation” of these French women was a clever rouse that had little chance of working. But we now know it did. The story of course did not appear in any archives of military records. But fortunately the honor of the rescue effort became public in newspaper annals in 1945. De Gaulle sent a French entourage to the US to honor esteemed Americans who contributed especially to the liberation of France and its citizens. And so in the autumn of 1945, Trimble received the high honor Croix de Guerre with Silver Star at a ceremony at Wright Air Field, Dayton Ohio. A clipping attached here from The Dayton Herald, Dayton Ohio, Sept. 1, 1945 recorded the event.
Another attachment here is a photo of Captain Trimble from the book, found in the Texas Military Forces Museum. It was taken by Lieutenant Arnold Tillman, pilot of one of the aircrews Trimble rescued in Poland, and part of Tillman’s collection displayed in the Museum. The photo is taken outside of the Operations hut at the Poltava Air Base in Ukraine, where Trimble was stationed for his duration there. Trimble later was elevated to Commanding Officer of the base in a bizarre turn of events, where all of Trimble’s superiors at the base with flying status, we’re removed due to the ire of the Russians. He was the last American to leave the base in June 1945, after all of the other officers were safely out.
Images in this review
- Reviewed in the United States on July 9, 2015A stunning story about the Cold War that actually began before the end of WWII.
USAAF forces, in support of the Red Army advance westward into Poland and Germany, began using "shuttle" missions by their B-24 and B-17 bombers- launch from bases in Britain, France and Italy, strike targets in the eastern areas of the Reich, and continue on to Red Army held territory (as they did not have the range to return to their bases). There, they would re-fuel and re-arm, and strike targets on their way back.
Naturally, a number of aircraft were forced to crash-land in territory held by the Soviets, and the USAAF was anxious to get their planes and crews back- and they applied for permission to recover said aircraft.
Enter Captain Robert Trimble, newly minted member of the "Lucky Bastards Club", the select few who had managed to complete the required 35 missions over enemy territory before being rotated home. Trimble was called to his CO's office and offered a choice- go home for a three week leave, and then possibly be re-assigned to a new set of combat missions (maybe in the Pacific), or agree to a "safer" aircraft recovery mission in the Eastern European Theater with the willing help of the Communists. Trimble's experience of combat missions flying both B-17s AND B-24s gave him a rather unique set of qualifications- and he was rated one of his squadron's best officers, as well.
He began to notice odd things as he began to train for his new mission, not the least of which was the involvement of the Office of Strategic Services (OSS). He was to discover that his mission was not only to recover downed US aircraft, he was also to try to repatriate Axis held POWs who had been "liberated" by the Russians. Aircrews who had managed to evade capture by the Germans were treated as heroes by the Reds, but those taken prisoner were considered to be cowards, and abandoned after the POW camps were captured.
The Russians performed mass executions of their own people who had been captured by the Nazis, and actively interfered with attempts by the Western Allies to recover theirs. Trimble's assignment was to outfox the Soviets and bring our people home, and in the process freed many more- other allied military, and hundreds of slave workers transported from their native countries to perform duties in the Nazi labor camps.
This story is much more than the recollections of one man- it is meticulously researched- many military archives were investigated, and all of Trimble's verifiable details have proven accurate.
It is a tale of derring-do, of the nasty politics at work between the "Allies", outright lies, deceits, and obstruction on the part of "Uncle Joe" Stalin, and the bravery and ingenuity of American and other freedom-minded people in a terrible time and place.
I cannot recommend this book highly enough- five stars seems inadequate- this story must be known. It screams out for a legitimate historical movie or mini-series ala "Band of Brothers".
One more note: I have been a fan of the movie "Patton", starring George C. Scott, for many years. This book illustrates a major failing of that tale. There is a point in the movie where Patton laments his inability to start a new war with the Russians to his friend Omar Bradley, and it is treated as a humorous, insane side-note to General Patton's career. It turns out that General Patton knew full well about the treatment of American POWs in Soviet held territory- treatment that would have been considered an act of war under any other circumstances. See also Bill O'Reilly's book, "Killing Patton".
- Reviewed in the United States on March 1, 2017This book tells a haunting and dramatic real life story that will stay with me a long time. It gives at least a small idea of what it was like to be Capt. Trimble, caught between the human suffering on the eastern front (as the Nazi's withdrew and the Soviets advanced) and the big power politics that hindered every effort to relieve that suffering next to impossible. My only slight complaint is that the writing seems to me to be a little melodramatic, when just the facts are enough to move the reader. Still, I recommend this book, both for history buffs and for anyone who wants a glimpse of the realities of the tradgedy of the countless POWs, civilians and concentration camp survivors, displaced by WWII.
- Reviewed in the United States on July 23, 2024I love first person accounts of history and this is one of my favorites. Parts were difficult to read... It is so awful the things that happen in war. The things he saw... How could anyone witness/experience the things he did and not be affected. His bravery, abilities, and strength were amazing. The book is very well written and I was totally engaged from the first page. I am so thankful that this book was written.
Top reviews from other countries
- Bill OliverReviewed in Canada on September 25, 2020
5.0 out of 5 stars A great book. Well written!
Well written book!
- Ephy CheslerReviewed in the United Kingdom on July 1, 2023
5.0 out of 5 stars Brilliant read
A report on Russian non-cooperation towards the West at the end of WW2. How they tried to block return of POW's and forced labour workers from German occupied territory. Shows the lengths the pilot in question had to go to save these people.
- deshpande, cvReviewed in India on July 24, 2018
5.0 out of 5 stars An interesting story about not only routinely rising to the ...
An interesting story about not only routinely rising to the call of the duty but also going beyond its call and presenting an example for the future generations to follow!
- MichalReviewed in Australia on May 5, 2016
4.0 out of 5 stars A fascinating and largely unknown part of the war.
Very good story marred by poor writing. I didn't particularly enjoy the writing which was pedestrian at best.
- Amazon CustomerReviewed in Canada on September 30, 2017
5.0 out of 5 stars Five Stars
Christmas gift.