| The B-26 Marauder was a formidable weapon in the campaign to defeat Hitler's armies, and, in the words of his first copilot, "Louis Rehr "was the best there was" flying it. This memoir, which benefits from forty years of research on the combat history of the B-26, contributions from comrades, and an extensive collection of rare photographs, describes Rehr's experiences, including five night-bombing missions he volunteered to fly in 1944 and accounts of attacks by Me-262 jets in late April of 1945. Rehr, a squadron commander with the 323rd Bombardment Group, earned 12 air medals, five battle stars, two Distinguished Flying Crosses, and the Croix de Guerre with Silver Star. LARGE PRINT edition. |
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 An Excellent Memoir from World War II |
| Review Date: June 2, 2010 |
| Reviewer: Margaret B. Harlan, Oklahoma City, OK USA |
| This book is a genuine memoir from an outstanding pilot and Squadron Commander. It is a fascinating read, and has many pictures contributed by my late husband, Lt. Col. Ross E Harlan. This made it intensely interesting for me. |
Excellent War Memoir
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| Review Date: December 7, 2006 |
| Reviewer: John P. Rooney, Massachusetts |
"Marauder" By Lois S. Rehr, with Carleton R. Rehr. Subtitled: "Memoir Of A B-26 Pilot In Europe In World War II." McFarland & Company, Jefferson, N. C. 2004.
The mains portion of this book deals with the author's adventures as a pilot flying the Martin B-26 Marauder, a twin engine bomber, in World War II. The book jumps right into the action, beginning with the D-Day, June 6 1994 invasion of Festung Europa. The author then traces the action from newly liberated France to the attacks on the heart of Germany. Chapter 11, "The Last Of The Jet Boys", is one of the more extensive accounts of the USAAF struggles with the German ME-262 jet fighter that I have read. Almost all, if not all, of the American aircraft were outclassed by the ME-262 jet. I found the author's stories about flying sorties to be gripping, but there are better flying accounts, as in "Wreaking Havoc: A Year In An A-20" by Joseph W. Rutter. The A-20 was also a twin engine bomber.
The last chapter, "Disarmament Duty" is interesting in its own right. The author describes the low-key but ever present hostility of the conquered Germans. When the Americans requisitioned their house for living quarters, some German ladies stuffed up the toilets with towels. Louis S. Rehr, the author, had visited Nazi Germany in the late 1930s. He had photographed various monuments, such as the "Feldherrnhalle" in Munich (1938). On page 181, the photo shows the author in the same spot in 1945. He also took a picture of the famous (infamous) Munich Hofbrauhaus being occupied by the American 157th Infantry Regiment. This chapter, alone, is worth reading the book for.
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Great Read!
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| Review Date: February 2, 2004 |
| Reviewer: reads lots of kids' books, NJ |
| "Marauder: Memoir of a B-26 Pilot in Europe in World War II" by Lou Rehr (with Carleton Rehr) is a terrific read for anyone who enjoys aviation, or military history. It chronicle's Rehr's war experience from a Midwestern military academy, to pre-war pilot training, joining a B-26 squadron in the European theater during days after D-Day to the close of the war as that squadron's commander. If you enjoyed Stephen Ambrose's "Band of Brothers", "Marauder" is a great companion piece, taking the reader through the final year of World War II from the perspective of a bomber crew. There is no bravado, no embellishment, just the true-adventure of another quiet hero of our "greatest generation". Mr. Rehr is able the frame the war with the unique insight of a young man who had visited pre-war Europe in 1938. Immediately after VE day, he witnessed some of the horrors of the Third Reich as well as the historic aircraft of the Luftwaffe. At 218 pages, this fast-paced book, and would make a wonderful way to spend a rainy afternoon. |
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