Intrepid Aviators
The True Story of U.S.S. Intrepid's Torpedo Squadron 18 and Its Epic Clash with the Superbattleship Musashi
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Narrated by:
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Don Hagen
About this listen
On the morning of October 24, 1944, in the Sibuyan Sea amidst the Philippine Islands, VT-18, a close-knit squadron of six young American torpedo bomber pilots, departed the aircraft carrier USS Intrepid on a search and destroy mission. Their target: the super-battleship Musashi, the pride of the Imperial Japanese Navy. The pilots were tasked with preventing the immense enemy warship and the huge naval armada of which she was a part from inflicting unspeakable damage on the transports and supply ships that were supporting the American amphibious landings within nearby Leyte Gulf. Little did these young men know that they had embarked on the opening rounds of history’s greatest - and last - epic naval battle.
Two bomber crews launched in the first wave of attackers were shot out of the sky. Only pilot Will Fletcher survived the crash landing. Adrift at sea, Will made his way to land and escaped into the jungles of the Philippines, where he eluded capture by the Japanese with the help of Filipino guerrillas and joined their ranks against their common enemy.
Intrepid Aviators is the thrilling true story of the brave bomber pilots, their daring duel with the Musashi, and Will Fletcher’s struggle to survive as a guerrilla soldier. The sinking of Musashi inflicted a crucial blow in the Battle of Leyte Gulf, and would mark the first time in history that aviators had sunk a Japanese battleship on the high seas.
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- By: Bill White, Robert Gandt
- Narrated by: Tom Weiner
- Length: 9 hrs and 19 mins
- Unabridged
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Intrepid brings the history of the U.S.S. Intrepid to life in a stirring tribute complete with personal recollections of those who served on the ship and vivid descriptions of the deadly conflicts she endured. It is a story of the people who sailed in her, fought to keep her alive, and perished in her defense, a story which powerfully captures the human element in the history of American heroism.
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Ok read but needed more something...
- By Luis on 01-24-09
By: Bill White, and others
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Kangaroo Squadron
- American Courage in the Darkest Days of World War II
- By: Bruce Gamble
- Narrated by: Mark Boyett
- Length: 14 hrs and 20 mins
- Unabridged
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In early 1942, while the American military was still in disarray from the devastating attacks on Pearl Harbor and the Philippines, a single US Army squadron advanced to the far side of the world to face America's new enemy. Based in Australia with inadequate supplies and no ground support, the squadron's pilots and combat crew endured tropical diseases while confronting numerically superior Japanese forces. Yet the outfit, dubbed the Kangaroo Squadron, proved remarkably resilient and successful.
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5 star History!
- By DON COOKE on 03-13-19
By: Bruce Gamble
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The Twilight Warriors
- The Deadliest Naval Battle of World War II and the Men Who Fought It
- By: Robert Gandt
- Narrated by: John Pruden
- Length: 11 hrs and 53 mins
- Unabridged
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April 1945. The end of World War II finally appears to be nearing. The Nazis are collapsing in Europe, and the Americans are vastly overpowering the Japanese in the Pacific. For a group of pilots in their early 20s who were trained during the twilight of the war, the biggest concern is that they'll never actually see real action and will go home without having a chance to face the enemy.
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Excellent Selection: One of the Best in this Genre
- By David on 09-22-11
By: Robert Gandt
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Air Apaches
- The True Story of the 345th Bomb Group and Its Low, Fast, and Deadly Missions in World War II
- By: Jay A. Stout
- Narrated by: Robertson Dean
- Length: 15 hrs and 5 mins
- Unabridged
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The American 345th Bomb Group - the Air Apaches - was legendary in the war against Japan. The first fully trained and fully equipped group sent to the South Pacific, the 345th racked up a devastating score against the enemy. Armed to the teeth with machine guns and fragmentation bombs, and flying their B-25s at impossibly low altitudes - often below 50 feet - the pilots and air crews strafed and bombed enemy installations and shipping with a fury that helped cripple Japan.
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Boring and unorganized unit history
- By R. Denton on 04-25-19
By: Jay A. Stout
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The Cactus Air Force
- Air War Over Guadalcanal
- By: Eric Hammel, Thomas McKelvey Cleaver
- Narrated by: Adam Henderson
- Length: 14 hrs and 40 mins
- Unabridged
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In The Cactus Air Force, Pacific War expert Thomas McKelvey Cleaver worked closely with Eric to build on his collection of diary entries, interviews and first-hand accounts to create a vivid narrative of the struggle in the air over the island of Guadalcanal between August 20 and November 15, 1942.
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Excellent Book!
- By Eric Peterson on 09-16-22
By: Eric Hammel, and others
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A Dawn Like Thunder
- The True Story of Torpedo Squadron Eight
- By: Robert J. Mrazek
- Narrated by: Dick Hill
- Length: 15 hrs and 29 mins
- Unabridged
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One of the great untold stories of World War II finally comes to light in this thrilling account of the members of Torpedo Squadron Eight and their heroic efforts in helping an outmatched U.S. fleet win critical victories at Midway and Guadalcanal. These 35 American men - many flying outmoded aircraft - changed the course of history, going on to become the war's most decorated naval air squadron, while suffering the heaviest losses in U.S. naval aviation history.
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Excellent story well told
- By Kismet on 01-30-09
By: Robert J. Mrazek
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Pacific Thunder
- The US Navy's Central Pacific Campaign, August 1943–October 1944
- By: Thomas McKelvey Cleaver
- Narrated by: Tom Perkins
- Length: 13 hrs and 13 mins
- Unabridged
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On 27 October 1942, four "Long Lance" torpedoes fired by the Japanese destroyers Makigumo and Akigumo exploded in the hull of the aircraft carrier USS Hornet (CV-8). Minutes later, the ship that had launched the Doolitte Raid six months earlier slipped beneath the waves of the Coral Sea 100 miles northeast of the island of Guadalcanal and just north of the Santa Cruz Islands, taking with her 140 of her sailors. With the loss of Hornet, the United States Navy now had one aircraft carrier left in the South Pacific.
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Good for what it is, but not what it claims to be
- By David Maher on 12-18-17
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The Last Stand of the Tin Can Sailors
- The Extraordinary World War II Story of the U.S. Navy's Finest Hour
- By: James D. Hornfischer
- Narrated by: Barrett Whitener
- Length: 16 hrs and 31 mins
- Unabridged
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Told from the point of view of the men who waged this steel-shattering battle, The Last Stand of the Tin Can Sailors captures Navy pilots attacking enemy battleships with makeshift weapons and sacrificial valor, a veteran commander improvising tactics never taught in Annapolis, and young crews from across America rising to an impossible challenge.
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Outstanding
- By John on 04-17-04
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Finish Forty and Home
- The Untold World War II Story of B-24s in the Pacific
- By: Phil Scearce
- Narrated by: Danny Campbell
- Length: 11 hrs and 32 mins
- Unabridged
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During the early years of World War II in the Pacific theatre, against overwhelming odds, young American airmen flew the longest and most perilous bombing missions of the war. They faced determined Japanese fighters without fighter escort, relentless anti-aircraft fire with no deviations from target, and thousands of miles of over-water flying with no alternative landing sites.
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Pretty Good!
- By Robert on 02-01-13
By: Phil Scearce
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The Fleet at Flood Tide
- America at Total War in the Pacific, 1944-1945
- By: James D. Hornfischer
- Narrated by: Pete Larkin
- Length: 23 hrs and 15 mins
- Unabridged
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With its thunderous assault on the Mariana Islands in June 1944, the United States crossed the threshold of total war. In this tour de force of dramatic storytelling, distilled from extensive research in newly discovered primary sources, James D. Hornfischer brings to life the campaign that was the fulcrum of the drive to compel Tokyo to surrender—and that forever changed the art of modern war.
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Hornfischer's Philosophical Summary Up to VJ Day
- By Hollywood Dave on 01-08-17
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Grey Wolves
- The U-Boat War 1939–1945
- By: Philip Kaplan
- Narrated by: A. T. Chandler
- Length: 8 hrs and 46 mins
- Unabridged
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In the early years of the Second World War, the elite force of German submariners known as the Ubootwaffe came perilously close to perfecting underwater battle tactics and successfully cutting Britain's transatlantic lifeline. To the Allies, these enemy sailors were embarking on a mission of unequivocal evil. Each member of the Ubootwaffe understood that he must take pride in being part of a unique brotherhood. He had to do so because he was setting out on a journey that would test his mental and physical endurance to the very limits, and which he had little chance of surviving.
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Like a Jr High Book Report, Performance Bad Too
- By Bill Sayer on 12-03-15
By: Philip Kaplan
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The War Below
- The Story of Three Submarines That Battled Japan
- By: James Scott
- Narrated by: Donald Corren
- Length: 14 hrs and 20 mins
- Unabridged
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The War Below is a dramatic account of extraordinary heroism, ingenuity, and perseverance—and the vital role American submarines played in winning the Pacific War. Focusing on the unique stories of the submarines Silversides, Drum, and Tang—and the men who skippered and crewed them—James Scott takes readers beneath the waves to experience the thrill of a direct hit on a merchant ship and the terror of depth charge attacks.
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Unique. Engaging. Worth your credit.
- By Ryan on 06-21-13
By: James Scott
What listeners say about Intrepid Aviators
Average customer ratingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
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- Tom
- 11-06-17
Phenomenal Does a true justice to the men of WWII.
Well written. Suspenseful. Both author and narrator were excellent sometimes a tough combination to find.
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- Timothy Barry
- 01-04-24
Well Done!
I enjoyed this very detailed story, and the narration, of these brave young men. The accuracy and descriptions of the military positions and stratagies are obviously well researched, and almost a bit too much sometimes, but overall they lay down and unbelievable background for many amazing personal stories and achievements under some very harsh and stressful conditions.
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- Steve
- 02-03-14
Very factual, but boring
Any additional comments?
I read reviews that were rated high and the information was very factual. I just could not get into this. I kept waiting for it to grip me, but it was boring. If you want a history lesson then you will enjoy this, and the narration was fine. It just could not do for me what other audiobooks like "Tommy LaMoore", "Hero Found", "The liberator", or "Fighter Pilot - Robin Olds" did for me.
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1 person found this helpful
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- Andrew Braddick
- 02-22-13
A good story that got buried in detail
While I don't generally like abridged books, this book could have been successfully shortened, keeping the great story line, but skipping the very detailed explanations of aircraft and ship performance specifications and dimensions as well as minute detail about ships courses and the like. In summary, the details sometimes got in the way of a good story.
This is generally easier to filter out in a print book, but doesn't transfer easily to an audiobook,
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2 people found this helpful
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- Robert Walingford
- 02-18-13
Great read, very well narrated.
What did you love best about Intrepid Aviators?
The book was written and documented with a good deal of accuracy. Don Hagen did a great job of narration. I would recommend this book to anyone interested in WW II aviation.
Who was your favorite character and why?
N/A
Have you listened to any of Don Hagen’s other performances before? How does this one compare?
This is the first of Mr. Hagen's books that I have heard, I will definitely look for more of his accomplishments in the future.
Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?
It was indeed hard to put down, it made looking forward to the next chapter something to look forward to.
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1 person found this helpful
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- Tyree
- 08-18-22
Outstanding
Well written and narrated. Compelling! Keeps one engaged from start to finish. A must for anyone thrilled by naval aviation.
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- Joan Lake
- 01-05-15
Fantastic view into the Battle of Leyte Gulf, 1944
Heart rending. What these guys went through for us. We can never thank them enough for their contribution to our safety. Thank you Gregory Fletcher for providing a fantastic view into the lives of our heroes. Great book!!
Joan Skelly Lake
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1 person found this helpful
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- Ben
- 02-04-13
Detailed account of a lesser known part of the war
What did you like best about Intrepid Aviators? What did you like least?
very very detailed account of a part of the war that we don't hear a lot about. I enjoyed listening even though the account was almost documentary monotone. I stuck with it through the end and was glad that I did.
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- George
- 03-28-13
Loved this book!
What made the experience of listening to Intrepid Aviators the most enjoyable?
Info I never knew about the sinking of the Musashi
Who was your favorite character and why?
The pilot who survived & swam miles to be eventually rescued
What does Don Hagen bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?
I always prefer audio books, although I forget more.
Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?
The actual attack, the unbelievable effort involved to sink the Musashi.
Any additional comments?
I always wondered how this fight went down.....
Hair raising...this was no cake walk!
19 torpedo's & many brave airmen to sink this magnificent ship!
Does anyone know of an account of the sinking of the sister ship Yamato?
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4 people found this helpful
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- RODNEY K.
- 08-04-12
TRUE PICTURE
What made the experience of listening to Intrepid Aviators the most enjoyable?
GREAT PORTRAYAL OF NAVY PILOTS IN WAR. EASY WRITING STYLE.
Any additional comments?
AS A NAVY PILOT FLYING OFF HORNET IN VIET NAM, I WAS AMAZED BY SIMILARITY OF EXPERIENCES. PLOTTING BOARDS & "FLAMING HOOKERS" LIVED FOR 20 YEARS.
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5 people found this helpful