The All-American Crew - by Russell Low (Paperback)

About the Book

"An inspiring true story of teamwork, camaraderie, and Americans at war. On January 23, 1943, a B-24 Liberator bomber and its crew of ten men disappeared without a trace in New Guinea. Their families never knew what happened to them. Now, 80 years later, their long-forgotten letters and dusty photographs finally tell their story in The All-American Crew. Stanley Low did not want to be a hero and would not have welcomed the description. A Chinese American kid from Salem, Oregon, who wasn't yet old enough to vote or drink beer, Stan joined the army because there was a war on and it was his duty. As Stan trains to become a bomber nose gunner and heads into combat, he experiences loneliness, racism, his first beer, his first romance, and the horrors of war. Stan also forms a tight bond with his crewmates, who come from every American ethnicity and walk of life, including Irish American pilot Scott Regan and Jewish American bombardier Jerome Lesser. The ten men of Stan's bomber crew-rich and poor, from old American families and recent immigrants-form an all-American crew whose dedication to the country and their team elevates them above their individual differences. As the war heats up, Stan, his crewmates, and many other hastily trained bomber crews fly off dirt runways in the South Pacific tropics, thousands of miles from the nearest allied base, fighting the relentless forces of the Japanese Empire. The loss of life mounts at an alarming rate as many crews fail to return from missions. Those who survive quickly learn to fight. Now battle-hardened veterans, Stan and his crew fly toward their final rendezvous with destiny, willing to sacrifice everything for their country and each other. Celebrating American diversity and ideals of honor, bravery, and freedom, The All-American Crew is a magnificent true story of men at war"--

Book Synopsis

An inspiring true story of teamwork, camaraderie, and Americans at war.

On January 23, 1943, a B-24 Liberator bomber and its crew of ten men disappeared without a trace in New Guinea. Their families never knew what happened to them. Now, 80 years later, their long-forgotten letters and dusty photographs finally tell their story in The All-American Crew.

Stanley Low did not want to be a hero and would not have welcomed the description. A Chinese American kid from Salem, Oregon, who wasn't yet old enough to vote or drink beer, Stan joined the army because there was a war on and it was his duty. As Stan trains to become a bomber nose gunner and heads into combat, he experiences loneliness, racism, his first beer, his first romance, and the horrors of war.

Stan also builds tight bonds with his crewmates, who come from every American ethnicity and walk of life, including Irish American pilot Scott Regan and Jewish American bombardier Jerome Lesser. The ten men of Stan's bomber crew--rich and poor, from old American families and recent immigrants--form an all-American crew whose dedication to the country and their team elevates them above their individual differences.

As the war heats up, Stan, his crewmates, and many other hastily trained bomber crews fly off dirt runways in the South Pacific tropics, thousands of miles from the nearest allied base, fighting the relentless forces of the Japanese Empire. The loss of life mounts at an alarming rate as many crews fail to return from missions. Those who survive quickly learn to fight. Now battle-hardened veterans, Stan and his crew fly toward their final rendezvous with destiny, willing to sacrifice everything for their country and each other.

Celebrating American diversity and ideals of honor, bravery, and freedom, The All-American Crew is a magnificent true story of men at war.

Review Quotes

"The All-American Crew is a remarkable, well-researched invitation into fascinating lives of WWII heroes. Russell Low blends historical events with intriguing family history to spin a fresh story that will appeal to history buffs as well as readers who simply enjoy good literature."-- "Zohreh Ghahremani, author of Sky of Red Poppies"

"The All-American Crew is not just a great read. It is an experience. Russell Low's talent as a writer and storyteller, his description of aerial gunners allows the reader to feel the hard G pull-outs, the recoil of the machine guns, smell the burned powder, and feel the hot cartridge cases falling on his feet. It brought back memories and the feelings and smells of catapulting off the ship heading for Saipan, the distinctive odor when we were over land, and the powerful nostalgia."-- "Andy Winnegar, former ARM2/C Composite Squadron VC-4 USS White Plains CVE 66 and recipient of the Distinguished Flying Cross and seven Air Medals for his service over Saipan in World War II"

"Like a sculpture, Russ Low in his book, The All-American Crew, brilliantly connects the reader to a past that is raw, powerfully impressive and unforgettable. No doubt Russ Low is an exceptional storyteller, in this well researched book, some of the characters who served the nation in WWII story will remain etched in memory and heart. This story belongs to the movie theaters!"-- "Tererai Trent, the author of The Awakened Woman, author, speaker, scholar, humanitarian"

"Russell Low's The All-American Crew is remarkable from many perspectives. Low is a talented storyteller who has woven engaging family tales into a greater American story of ten men from different lives and backgrounds who went to war and bonded into a tight crew, symbolic of an America that is uniquely able to forge strength from diversity."-- "Ted Gong, Executive Director and Founder, 1882 Foundation"

"Russell N. Low captures the essence of diversity that defines what it means to be an American. He skillfully brings the crew together and brings to life the effects of the war on their families before, during, and after the war."-- "Bob Tupa, 90th Bomb Group Association"

"Russell N. Low's The All-American Crew is an achievement in intimate storytelling. The narrative brings the reader along as a diverse group of Americans form a fighting unit. We sense the great range of emotion only conflict can evoke, from triumph to tragedy. The All-American Crew is deeply personal, yet epic as its World War II context. It is family history, not only of young men who fought together as a bomber crew--it is a family history of America."-- "Phil Scearce, author of Finish Forty and Home: The Untold World War II Story of B-24s in the Pacific"

"So awesomely real, from conveying family conversations and interactions to describing flying and gunnery training situations to aerial combat engagements. This is a book for young and old and a book for families. The incidents and stories within the book are well documented and substantiated with real postcards, letters, and photos of the time. What stands out for us today is the full blending, integration, assimilation of the crew, whether on the town, in training, or in combat--truly an all-American crew. And it's heartwarming to learn in the epilogue about the postwar life of these all-American heroes."-- "William S. Chen, Major General, US Army, retired"

"Author and historian Russell Low has done more than write a moving, personally-connected book about the unsung 'All-American Crew' of World War II bomber pilots. He has rediscovered and reinvigorated our great national narrative that all Americans are truly American. Lost to most histories, these Chinese American heroes are given full breadth and credit in this seminal book. Read Russell Low's marvelous The All-American Crew for the history, but stay for the lesson and the reaffirmation of our national ideals."-- "David Eugene Perry, author of the award-winning historical novel Upon This Rock"

"The story of The All-American Crew reminds us of the best that America can be--diverse yet united, sharing in sacrifice, and striving together for a greater good in a very bad time."--Jim Noles, author of Mighty by Sacrifice

"A straight-ahead story of young men coming together from all walks of life and bonding into a band of brothers. Whether they are learning how to fire a .50 caliber machine gun on a Texas air force base or sweltering between missions while sipping warm Aussie beer in a New Guinea jungle, these guys grow vivid and alive in a reader's imagination. You will not be able to put it down."-- "Glenn Vanstrum, author of The Saltwater Wilderness and Northern Liberties"