Daring Young Men

The Heroism and Triumph of the Berlin Airlift - June 1948-May 1949

By: Richard Reeves

Narrated by: Johnny Heller

The Second World War had been over for three years when pilots, navigators, and air-traffic controllers all over America were recalled to active duty to rescue Berlin. They were there within days and weeks, flying tired planes filled with food, coal, medicine, and mail. Many had bombed the place to rubble in 1944 and 1945. Now they and the British airmen were bringing it survival.

Drawing on hundreds of interviews in the United States, Germany, and Great Britain, best-selling author Richard Reeves tells the stories of these civilian airmen, the successors to Stephen Ambrose's Civilian Soldiers, ordinary boys called to extraordinary tasks.

Soviet dictator Joseph Stalin had ordered Berlin blockaded, betting that the Americans, the British, and the French would abandon the city. Many of President Truman's advisers wanted to retreat; others wanted to risk war with the USSR. Truman ordered the Berlin Airlift, neither retreat nor confrontation. It ended only when West Germany was established by the three powers and NATO was born. The Soviets did the backing down. Led by Generals Lucius Clay and Curtis LeMay, the first battle in the Cold War was won. The young men came home again, some of them trying to remember where they had left their cars.

©2010 Reeves-O'Neill, Inc. (P)2010 Tantor

No better example of America opposing despotism

I loved this book! The Berlin Airlift was a topic of which I had a very limited knowledge of prior to listening to this book. The author presents a very informative and interesting recap of the political environment that led to the Soviet blockade and of the various responses presented to President Truman by his administration. I am left with the clear picture of a US president who was committed to fighting for freedom vs communism in Europe, and who was unequivocal in his public and private support of that goal.

It also clearly shows how the apparently impossible was achieved by the combination of strong presidential and military leadership and a collection of citizen solders/airmen, career military officers and enlisted personnel. They undertook life threatening missions and pushed themselves to their physical and emotional limits solely to defend the freedom of Germans (many of the very same people who, only three years earlier, dragged their fellow pilots out of downed aircraft and killed them).

In the process, aviation procedures and tactics made gigantic leaps as the leaders of the airlift attempted to solve one logistical problem after another.

What a tribute to America's "Greatest Generation"!"

If You Are Lacking Courage: Read This Book.

What was one of the most memorable moments of Daring Young Men?

For me, history doesn't provide a better example of courage, vision, and bravery than the story of Berlin Airlift. This book tells that story so completely and with such rich details that I find myself constantly feeling joy for the souls of all those involved. Characters in this story soar to heights normally not seen in man's history. For the past 5 years I've made it a point to begin my summer holiday by listening to this book first--before all the 'new reads' I've carefully chosen through the year. This story carries me through the remainder of the my year as the relatively small challenges, obstacles, and puzzling circumstances are thrown across my life's path...I find myself saying silently: "I can do this. I can make it through this. If people, just having survived the horrors of WWII, had to turn around and immediatley face the Berlin Blockade and then stand firm and carry out the successful Berlin Airlift--I can face this, no problem. I can get through it." It's worked every time and having just finished listening to it again for the 5th consecutive summer, I can say I plan to continue this annual rite in the years to come.

Great listen! Well worth your money!

Mr Reeves has done an excellent job chronically this event. What touched me was the way he described the sacrifices these brave guys did for the German people. Very ironic that America's most innocent young men can to the rescue of these former enemies and treated them with love and respect. The book was very inspirational especially the Candy Bomber and his lasting impact on the German\American relations.

Find another Narrator

I enjoy Reeves work however Heller is impossible to enjoy. He lacks understandable diction and slurs his words.

Narration unlistenable

The subject of this book is fascinating, and it appears to be well written. However, the narration is extremely bad, in fact, unlistenable.