Terror of the Autumn Skies
The True Story of Frank Luke, America's Rogue Ace of World War I
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Narrated by:
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John McLain
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By:
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Blaine Pardoe
About this listen
Frank Luke, Jr., was an unlikely pilot. In the Great War, when fliers were still "knights of the air", Luke was an ungallant loner, a kid from Arizona who collected tarantulas, shot buzzards, and boxed miners. But during two torrid weeks in September 1918, he was the deadliest man on the Western Front. In only 10 missions, he destroyed 14 heavily defended German balloons and four airplanes, a rampage unequalled even by the dreaded von Richtofen, and the second highest American tally of the entire war. Cocksure and constantly reprimanded, Luke was actually under arrest on the day of his final flight, but he stole a plane to join the fatal action that won him the first Congressional Medal of Honor awarded to a pilot.
Blaine Pardoe retraces and refreshes Frank Luke's story through recently discovered correspondence. What emerges is a portrait of a life out of an "Old West" that was, by the late Teens, colliding with modernity. Frantic, short, and splendid, the life of Frank Luke, Jr. dramatizes the tragic intervention of an American spirit in the war that devastated Europe.
©2011 Blaine L. Pardoe (P)2012 Audible, Inc.Listeners also enjoyed...
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Great War fighter pilot Frank Luke flew a scant 10 missions before his final stand behind enemy lines, but the brazen ace would go to his grave the second most victorious US Airman of World War I. Luke's two-week rampage through the western front skies capped a life marked by struggle and delinquency, from his beginnings as a miner and bare-knuckle boxer, to his near arrest for being AWOL on the penultimate day of his life. Husky-voiced performer John McClain captures Luke's fearless, tough-guy public demeanor, while nevertheless revealing the human sympathies of a young man with hopes, dreams, and an unyielding devotion to his family, comrades, and country.
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Story
Few perspectives epitomize the sheer drama and sacrifice of combat more perfectly than those of the fighter pilots of World War II. As romanticized as any soldier in history, the World War II fighter pilot was viewed as larger than life: a dashing soul waging war amongst the clouds. In the 65-plus years since the Allied victory, stories of these pilots' heroics have never been in short supply. But what about their adversaries - the highly skilled German aviators who pushed the Allies to the very brink of defeat?
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Not what I hoped for
- By Michael Jacobi on 09-01-20
By: Anne-Marie Lewis, and others
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Hell Above Earth
- The Incredible True Story of an American WWII Bomber Commander and the Copilot Ordered to Kill Him
- By: Stephen Frater
- Narrated by: Pete Larkin
- Length: 9 hrs and 27 mins
- Unabridged
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Hell Above Earth tells an unforgettable story of two World War II American bomber pilots who forged an unexpected but enduring bond in the flak-filled skies over Nazi Germany. But there's a twist: one of them was related to the head of the Luftwaffe, Reich Marshal Herman Goering, and the other had secret orders from FBI Director J. Edgar Hoover to kill him if anything went wrong during their missions.
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A very unusual story
- By David on 10-15-12
By: Stephen Frater
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Big Week
- The Biggest Air Battle of World War II
- By: James Holland
- Narrated by: Grover Gardner
- Length: 15 hrs and 20 mins
- Unabridged
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During the third week of February 1944, the combined Allied air forces based in Britain and Italy launched their first round-the-clock bomber offensive against Germany. Their goal: to smash the main factories and production centers of the Luftwaffe while also drawing German planes into an aerial battle of attrition to neutralize the Luftwaffe as a fighting force prior to the cross-channel invasion, planned for a few months later. Officially called Operation ARGUMENT, this aerial offensive quickly became known as “Big Week,” and it was one of the turning-points of World War II.
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War in the Air: Sets stage with gripping narrative
- By Nashville Cat on 11-17-18
By: James Holland
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The Millionaires' Unit
- By: Marc Wortman
- Narrated by: Patrick Lawlor
- Length: 13 hrs and 31 mins
- Unabridged
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The Millionaires' Unit is the story of a gilded generation of young men from the zenith of privilege: a Rockerfeller; the son of the head of the Union Pacific Railroad; several who counted friends and relatives among presidents and statesmen of the day. They had it all and, remarkably by modern standards, they were prepared to risk it all to fight a distant war in France.
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Hard story to get into.
- By Craig Walker on 01-14-15
By: Marc Wortman
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Never Call Me a Hero
- A Legendary American Dive-Bomber Pilot Remembers the Battle of Midway
- By: N. Jack "Dusty" Kleiss, Timothy Orr
- Narrated by: Mike Ortego, Cassandra Campbell, Patrick Lawlor
- Length: 9 hrs and 38 mins
- Unabridged
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An extraordinary firsthand account of the Battle of Midway by one of its key participants, timed to the 75th anniversary: American dive-bomber pilot "Dusty" Kleiss helped sink three Japanese warships (including two aircraft carriers), received the Navy Cross, and is credited with playing a decisive individual role in determining the outcome of a battle that is considered a turning point in World War II.
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Love the story, disagree with the title.
- By STC on 08-21-17
By: N. Jack "Dusty" Kleiss, and others
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The Mighty Eighth
- The Air War in Europe as Told by the Men Who Fought It
- By: Gerald Astor
- Narrated by: Kaleo Griffith
- Length: 23 hrs and 11 mins
- Unabridged
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Europe has fallen. Pearl Harbor is in flames. Enter: the Eighth. In 1941 the RAF fought a desperate battle of survival against the Luftwaffe over Britain. Then, from across the Atlantic, came a new generation of American pilots, gunners, and bombardiers, a new generation of flying machines called the B-17 Flying Fortress, the B-24 Liberator, the P-47 Thunderbolt, and the P-51 Mustang fighter.
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A Good Listen with 1 problem
- By Matthew Schuller on 08-23-19
By: Gerald Astor
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Hit the Target
- Eight Men Who Led the Eighth Air Force to Victory over the Luftwaffe
- By: Bill Yenne
- Narrated by: Corey M. Snow
- Length: 10 hrs and 7 mins
- Unabridged
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Less than a month after the attack on Pearl Harbor, the US Army formed its first air force designated to operate overseas, the Eighth. Within four months they had set up base in England. Three months later they were bombing German targets in occupied Europe. The Eighth was the first bomber command on either side to commit to strategic daylight bombing. It was a major change in tactics - and the men of the Eighth paid the price in both lives and blood.
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Lots of history, kinda boring.
- By Annie on 11-12-23
By: Bill Yenne
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The German Aces Speak II
- World War II Through the Eyes of Four More of the Luftwaffe's Most Important Commanders
- By: Colin D. Heaton, Anne-Marie Lewis, Dr. Dennis Showalter - foreword, and others
- Narrated by: P.J. Ochlan
- Length: 10 hrs and 31 mins
- Unabridged
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In The German Aces Speak II, Heaton and Lewis paint a picture of the war through the eyes of four more of Germany's most significant pilots, put together from numerous interviews personally conducted by Heaton from the 1980s through the 2000s. The four ex-Luftwaffe fighter aces bring the past to life as they tell their stories about the war, their battles, their off-duty lives, their lives after the war, and perhaps most importantly, how they felt about serving under the Nazi leadership of Hermann Göring and Adolf Hitler.
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Too Slow!
- By zur45 on 05-01-20
By: Colin D. Heaton, and others
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The Wild Blue
- The Men and Boys Who Flew the B-24s Over Germany
- By: Stephen E. Ambrose
- Narrated by: Jeffrey DeMunn
- Length: 8 hrs and 45 mins
- Unabridged
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The very young men who flew the B24s over Germany in World War II against terrible odds were an exemplary band of brothers. In The Wild Blue, Stephen Ambrose recounts their extraordinary brand of heroism, skill, daring, and comradeship. Stephen Ambrose describes how the Army Air Forces recruited, trained, and chose those few who would undertake the most demanding and dangerous jobs in the war.
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Required Reading
- By Lyle on 11-22-11
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Enduring Courage
- Ace Pilot Eddie Rickenbacker and the Dawn of the Age of Speed
- By: John F. Ross
- Narrated by: Edward Herrmann
- Length: 13 hrs and 36 mins
- Unabridged
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At the turn of the twentieth century two new technologies—the car and airplane—took the nation's imagination by storm as they burst, like comets, into American life. The brave souls that leaped into these dangerous contraptions and pushed them to unexplored extremes became new American heroes: the race car driver and the flying ace. No individual did more to create and intensify these raw new roles than the tall, gangly Eddie Rickenbacker, who defied death over and over with such courage and pluck that a generation of Americans came to know his face better than the president's.
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A true ace, and an example for us all.
- By Gotta Tellya on 08-20-14
By: John F. Ross
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LeMay
- By: Warren Kozak
- Narrated by: Grainger Hines
- Length: 13 hrs and 50 mins
- Unabridged
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The firebombing of Tokyo. Strategic Air Command. John F. Kennedy. Dr. Strangelove. George Wallace. All of these have one man in common—General Curtis LeMay, who remains as enigmatic and controversial as he was in life. Until now. Warren Kozak traces the trajectory of America’s most infamous general, from his troubled background and heroic service in Europe to his firebombing of Tokyo, guardianship of the U.S. nuclear arsenal in the Cold War, frustrated career in government, and short-lived political run.
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Definition.....Leader.....General Curtis Le May
- By Nj-Mike on 01-04-15
By: Warren Kozak
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Shot Down
- The True Story of Pilot Howard Snyder and the Crew of the B-17 Susan Ruth
- By: Steve Snyder
- Narrated by: Richard Rieman
- Length: 8 hrs and 41 mins
- Unabridged
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For the first time, the full and complete story of the B-17 Flying Fortress Susan Ruth is shared in unbelievable detail. Author Steve Snyder's story of his father, Lieutenant Howard Snyder, and the Susan Ruth crew, provides in-depth details about many aspects of World War II few understand or know about.
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One word: Horrible!
- By Anonymous User on 02-12-23
By: Steve Snyder
What listeners say about Terror of the Autumn Skies
Average customer ratingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
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- Amazon Customer
- 04-13-16
Really good insight
Really great history of Luke... enjoyed it alot.i highly recommend this book to any one.
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- Amazon Customer
- 04-20-23
Remarkable
A Fascinating and balanced account. Well worth the read. Truth is often stranger than fiction!
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- Amazon Customer
- 12-30-22
Loved it
Great story filled with history. Felt like I was there in the action A great job of narrating
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- R. Mikesell
- 02-22-17
Very good but not totally outstanding
Well researched and well presented. I liked the book and it was worth the cost, but I cannot say it was over the top like some of the books I have listened to.
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1 person found this helpful
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- Will
- 07-28-22
Just another Tragic story of Ww1
Over all i enjoyed the book, learned about a brave young man who died heroically, but it was one small tragedy in a time full of tragedy. A life never got to be completely fulfilled. Now main complaints are the way the narrator said some fo the names annoyed me. Then when every lime about a pilot dying was something about them flying off into the sunset
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- K. Nelson
- 11-25-19
Terror of the Autumn skies
Very well researched, I like all the facts the back ground of Luke's strengths and weaknesses and his single mindedness to finish what he started to do.
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1 person found this helpful
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- Delzona
- 05-28-22
Great story of an amazing pilot!
As an native of Arizona I was aware of Luke and his deeds from WW1. This book really fleshed out the man and gave proper attention to his life and exploits.
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- Uncle Dale
- 06-10-21
History
Lone Wolves usually get themselves or their friends killed. Are they brave or foolish. The people that disobey orders get to be infamous at others expense. You can decide.
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- Subway
- 09-28-22
Fine research held back by unpolished writing
Highly sympathetic bio, written in an unpolished style that adds to the overarching “aw shucks” feel of the book. Many imaginary conversations are inserted, giving the feel of a work of fiction. However, the author pulls from numerous sources to provide background info on his subject. Access to German war records lends humanity to the enemy.
The author analyzes and compares multiple versions of Luke’s life as presented in various sources written over many years, discrediting those that have been embellished into fiction. Despite his thorough sourcing efforts, the author’s writing includes errors of terminology, grammar, and usage. In short, fine research is held back by unpolished writing. And he stretches the metaphor of dead pilots “flying west” much farther than needed.
Reader frequently has trouble with pronunciation — for example, in WWI Germans were referred to as “bosch,” the French word for cows, which is pronounced “bahsh,” not “boosh.” Additionally, he has the annoying habit of assuming contrived accents for every quotation cited. Finally, it’s very slow reading — suggest speed 1.4 or higher.
Many thanks to Audible for making this volume available free of charge.
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- P K Hill
- 08-06-22
Fascinating story of an American flyer in WWI
I had heard of Frank Luke Jr. but I had no idea what a colorful life this brave young man lived. The author rigorously researched and eloquently told Luke’s short life.
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