Brotherhood of the Flying Coffin

This is the first major history of the American glider pilots, the forgotten heroes of World War II, by New York Times bestselling author Scott McGaugh. A story of no guns, no engines and no second chances.

They were all volunteers, for a specialised duty that one senior officer projected could have a 75 percent casualty rate. None faltered. In every major European invasion of the war they led the way. They landed their gliders ahead of the troops who stormed Omaha Beach, and sometimes miles ahead of the invasion force bound for the far side of the Rhine River in Germany itself. From there, they had to hold their positions. They delivered medical teams, supplies and gasoline to troops surrounded in the Battle of the Bulge, alongside Patton’s more famous supply truck convoy. These all-volunteer glider pilots played a pivotal role in liberating the West from tyranny, yet the story of these anonymous heroes is virtually unknown. 

Based on their after-action reports, oral histories and letters home, Brotherhood of the Flying Coffin reveals every terrifying minute of their missions.

• Osprey Publishing
• ISBN 978-1-4728-5294-6
• £25 * Hardback
• Released: 2 March 2023

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