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It's March 1944, and the world remains engulfed in war. The United States is locked in a fierce battle to establish air superiority over Europe. Over the past year and a half, the Eighth Air Force has conducted bombing missions primarily targeting coastal cities. However, the focus is now shifting deeper into Nazi-occupied Europe.
The death toll among the Eighth Air Force continues to rise, with most bomber crews failing to complete even half of their 25-mission tour. Flak fields have become denser and more accurate, posing a grave threat to any plane that dares to fly through them. Nazi fighter pilots, growing in skill, relentlessly pursue American bombers, despite the defensive measures onboard.
Unknown to the American bomber crews, a significant change has occurred in their mission objectives. Under the leadership of Jimmy Doolittle, the Eighth Air Force now employs a risky strategy. Bombers are used as bait to lure Nazi fighters into combat, allowing escort fighters to pick them off one by one. This shift means the lives of bomber crews are no longer considered sacrosanct but rather as expendable casualties in the pursuit of victory.
By this time next year, the death toll of the Eighth Air Force will reach a staggering 26,000, surpassing the losses of Marines throughout the entirety of World War II. This podcast chronicles the experiences of one such bomber crew during the early months of 1944.
Lieutenant Bakas, a 24-year-old pilot from Youngstown, Ohio, leads a B-17G named "Load of Bull" and commands a 10-man crew with a singular goal: survival. With daunting odds stacked against them, Lieutenant Miller, a 23-year-old co-pilot, must navigate the challenges of leadership, perseverance, and duty.
Tasked with motivating a crew comprised mostly of young men fresh out of high school, Bakas and Miller grapple with the weight of their responsibilities. As they confront the harsh realities of their suicidal missions and the uncertain impact on the war effort, they must find the strength to inspire their men to keep fighting.
Starting in July 2021, SNAFU, a historical fiction podcast, will begin to tell the story of a group of men, as their families never knew them.
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