For the first time, the full and complete story of the B-17 Flying Fortress Susan Ruth is shared in unbelievable detail. Shot Down was created from the vast number of letters and journals of Howard Snyder; diaries of men and women on the ground who resc
ued, sheltered and hid the crew; and interviews conducted by historians. Centered around the 306th Bomb Group in Thurleigh, England, it is informative, insightful and captivating. For most, 70 years is a long time ago. World War II fades in importance as each year goes by. Shot Down moves history out of the footnotes into reality, keeping the stories of real people alive as they experience being shot down. You are there, almost holding your breath as Lt. Snyder gets his crew out of his B-17 when bailing out over Nazi occupied Europe.
Steve Snyder’s book, Shot Down is about pilot Howard Snyder and his crew of the B-17 Susan Ruth, in particular about the dramatic experiences of each crew member after their plane was knocked out of the sky by German fighters over the French/Belgium border on February 8, 1944. Some men died. Some were captured and became prisoners of war. Some evaded the Germans for awhile but were betrayed, captured, and shot. Some men evaded capture and were missing in action for seven months. The stories are all different and are all remarkable. Through personal letters, oral and written accounts, military records, and interviews – all from people who took part of the events that happened 70 years ago, the stories of the crewmen comes alive. Further enhancing the story are more than 200 time period photographs of the people and places described in the book.
Born in Pasadena, California, Steve Snyder was raised in the neighboring community of San Marino and graduated from UCLA. He served six years in the California Army National Guard during the Vietnam war. In 1972, he moved to Seal Beach, California where he lives today. He worked in sales and sales management for Vision Plan Services for 36 years, retiring in 2009. He is a member of numerous World War II organizations and is President of the 306th Bomb Group Historical Association. SHOT DOWN has won 17 national book awards.