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Stranded in the sky : the untold story of Pan Am luxury airliners trapped on the day of infamy / Philip Jett.

By: Material type: TextTextPublisher: Nashville, Tennessee : Turner Publishing Company, [2023]Copyright date: ©2023Description: xxiv, 384 pages : illustrations, maps ; 23 cmContent type:
  • text
Media type:
  • unmediated
Carrier type:
  • volume
ISBN:
  • 9781684429363
  • 1684429366
  • 9781684429370
  • 1684429374
Other title:
  • Untold story of Pan Am luxury airliners trapped on the day of infamy
Subject(s):
Contents:
Preflight briefing -- Prologue -- Destination Honolulu -- Trouble brewing -- Eat, read, and doze -- Paradise of the Pacific -- New York -- Pan Am's head office -- A regular fella -- Danger in the vacant sea -- On to Midway -- Yamamoto's plan -- Three other clippers in the Pacific -- Next hop -- Wake Island -- Final preparations for X day -- Boat day -- Wake Island -- Preparation for island invasions -- The Pacific and Anzac Clippers -- Load the torpedoes -- Gridiron -- Sea serpents -- Friendly fireworks in Hong Kong -- Taking off to Guam -- Climb Mount Niitaka -- A late warning -- The calm -- Tora! Tora! Tora! -- The storm -- Roosevelt receives word -- Plan A -- The Pacific and Anzac Clippers -- No thought of surrender -- Seeking another victory -- Scuttlebutt -- Behind the squall -- Every man for himself -- The Pacific and Anzac Clippers -- Escape from Hong Kong -- A will-o'-the-wisp -- Marital law -- Homeward bound -- Christmas in Washington -- Anzac and Pacific Clippers reach home -- The exchange -- Revenge -- New York -- Epilogue.
Summary: "A fresh look at the December 7, 1941, events surrounding the bombing of Pearl Harbor. Jett focuses on the fates of four Pan Am Flying Clippers, each filled with influential passengers. The aircrafts' refueling stops included Midway Atoll, Wake Island, Guam, and Manila-all of which were targeted and attacked within hours of Japan's infamous early-morning attack of Pearl Harbor. Stranded in the sky, these civilian airlines-like any US plane in the region at the time-were unexpectedly at risk of being shot down by Japanese military. The Pearl Harbor bombing removed any possibility these four airlines had for US military assistance, and the attack of the refueling stations made it impossible for these airlines to fill up their depleting gas tanks. Consequently, the Pan Am crews and passengers must figure out how to survive during these volatile times in the Pacific Ocean, where neither land, air, nor sea can promise safety from the same Imperial Japanese military forces that devastated Pearl Harbor and brought our nation into the Second World War. The writing is good, and the narrative backbone is strong and gives this historical account a novel-like feel"-- Provided by publisher.
Holdings
Item type Home library Collection Shelving location Call number Materials specified Status Date due Barcode Item holds
Adult Book Adult Book Main Library NonFiction New 940.5426 J58 Available 33111011211253
Total holds: 0

Enhanced descriptions from Syndetics:

From the author of Taking Mr. Exxon and The Death of an Heir comes the untold story of four luxury airliners trapped in the Pacific Ocean on and after the Day of Infamy. In the first week of December 1941, four Pan American Airways System (Pan Am) flying clippers--the largest and most lavish transpacific airliners in the world--took off from the North American West Coast, loaded with wealthy and affluent passengers on their way to exotic destinations.On December 7, 1941, the Imperial Japanese Navy Air Service executed a surprise coordinated attack against the US naval base at Pearl Harbor. Within hours, Midway Atoll, Wake Island, Guam, and Manila--all of which were refueling stops for these Pan Am flying clippers--were targeted and bombed by the same Japanese forces that had devastated Pearl Harbor.Stranded within the vast boundaries of the Pacific Ocean, these civilian airlines were unexpectedly at risk of being captured or shot down by Japanese military. The assault on Pearl Harbor removed any possibility for US military assistance, and the attack of the refueling stations made it impossible for these airlines to refuel their depleting gas tanks. Alone and unreachable, Pan Am crews and their frightened passengers were left with no choice but to make their own way across the volatile Pacific Ocean, where neither land, air, nor sea could promise safety, and do their best to survive--if they could.

Includes bibliographical references and index.

"A fresh look at the December 7, 1941, events surrounding the bombing of Pearl Harbor. Jett focuses on the fates of four Pan Am Flying Clippers, each filled with influential passengers. The aircrafts' refueling stops included Midway Atoll, Wake Island, Guam, and Manila-all of which were targeted and attacked within hours of Japan's infamous early-morning attack of Pearl Harbor. Stranded in the sky, these civilian airlines-like any US plane in the region at the time-were unexpectedly at risk of being shot down by Japanese military. The Pearl Harbor bombing removed any possibility these four airlines had for US military assistance, and the attack of the refueling stations made it impossible for these airlines to fill up their depleting gas tanks. Consequently, the Pan Am crews and passengers must figure out how to survive during these volatile times in the Pacific Ocean, where neither land, air, nor sea can promise safety from the same Imperial Japanese military forces that devastated Pearl Harbor and brought our nation into the Second World War. The writing is good, and the narrative backbone is strong and gives this historical account a novel-like feel"-- Provided by publisher.

Preflight briefing -- Prologue -- Destination Honolulu -- Trouble brewing -- Eat, read, and doze -- Paradise of the Pacific -- New York -- Pan Am's head office -- A regular fella -- Danger in the vacant sea -- On to Midway -- Yamamoto's plan -- Three other clippers in the Pacific -- Next hop -- Wake Island -- Final preparations for X day -- Boat day -- Wake Island -- Preparation for island invasions -- The Pacific and Anzac Clippers -- Load the torpedoes -- Gridiron -- Sea serpents -- Friendly fireworks in Hong Kong -- Taking off to Guam -- Climb Mount Niitaka -- A late warning -- The calm -- Tora! Tora! Tora! -- The storm -- Roosevelt receives word -- Plan A -- The Pacific and Anzac Clippers -- No thought of surrender -- Seeking another victory -- Scuttlebutt -- Behind the squall -- Every man for himself -- The Pacific and Anzac Clippers -- Escape from Hong Kong -- A will-o'-the-wisp -- Marital law -- Homeward bound -- Christmas in Washington -- Anzac and Pacific Clippers reach home -- The exchange -- Revenge -- New York -- Epilogue.

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