Raid!: The Untold Story of Patton's Secret Mission

by Richard Baron

The orders came from Patton Take a strike force behind enemy lines--with no air or ground support--and liberate a POW camp at Hammelburg, where Patton's son-in-law was held. Captain Abe Baum and an armored task force answered the call, crashing through an enemy-held town, plunging into German territory, and fighting their way to Hammelburg. With the German army closing in around them, the raiders kept going, until they had liberated 1,500 prisoners of war.

Baum's Raiders had just achieved an impossible objective. Now they had to get back out.... RAID!
Written by the men who were there, Raid! is the gripping real-life story of a controversial mission in the heart of World War II. From the belly of a Sherman Tank pelted with enemy fire to the POWs waiting behind barbed wire, this is a thrilling, you-are-there chronicle of human courage--in the face of impossible odds.

Genres: World War II, Nonfiction, History

272 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published August 6, 1981

Reviews

[Fredrick Danysh · Rating 3 out of 5]

Toward the end of World War II, General George S. Patton athories a raid by a small armored force to liberate POWs held by the Germans while he heads off in a different direction. One of the POWs is his son-in-law. This is the story of the men of that strike force, select POWs, and the results. An interesting read of an historically obscure event.

[Ron · Rating 4 out of 5]

This 1981 volume on Patton’s ill-fated Hammelburg raid is co-authored by two of the principals involved in the incident—task force commander Abe Baum himself, and Hammelburg POW Richard Baron. This account is more detailed and thorough than Whiting’s 1970 book and feels more authentic, if less dramatic. Much more detail on Baum's final battle on the hill. This book is probably the least critical of Patton but most revealing in that so many more individuals knew what he was up to before the raid happened—Patton’s guilt is more implied than stated outright. (Whiting was not shy about criticizing Patton.) Some good post-raid followup details on Patton’s death. There is no index or bibliography, but there is a useful ‘Where are they now?’ section at the back.

[Jeremy Hunter · Rating 4 out of 5]

Raid is a great account of a secret mission to rescue General Patton's son-in-law from a German POW camp. The authors used a novelistic approach to the narrative that made this an entertaining read. This footnote in World War II is a must read for history buff.

[Donald Bullard · Rating 4 out of 5]

History

One of those stories that never gets old. A do or die rescue mission. The war in Europe was nearly over. The dice were loaded the good guys lost. I got bogged down in the beginning. It is a pity. The second half of the book just rips along.I finished it in a day.

[Iain · Rating 1 out of 5]

In a word, awful. It reads like a 1930's boys tale of adventure. Patton checks a Colonel's hemorrhoids, GI's are killing German Field Marshals, and the presence of Jewish officers in the American army is explained.

It could just be poorly written fiction for there's no footnotes, and the few facts we can check are at the very least misleading. For example, the book tells us that Patton got across the Rhein before the British, by boat on March 22nd ... So? Hodges's 1st Army had crossed the river over bridge at Remagen two weeks before.

At any rate, I found it so painful to read that I pitched it after 50 pages. Which is too bad. The raid on Hammelburg deserves an engaging, yet historically sound treatment.

[Justin Torres · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book has a good mix of action with sadness since some raids do not plan out as Senior Officer, George Patton orders a raid on the enemy lines, behind the enemy lines. The book goes on to show the struggle the platoon goes through to get behind enemy lines. The battles along the way, the gun fights, the knowledge of not having any support. The platoon has no help, just the men in their group. It is a really great book.

[Katie Harder-schauer · Rating 2 out of 5]

While I realize there were a lot of big players involved in this event, which accounts for all the jumping around, it was hard to keep everyone straight, and I never felt very connected with any one character as we weren't with any of them for any length of time before moving onto someone else. But it's quite possible that War books just aren't really my thing.

[Nike Chillemi · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fascinating look into how Word War II was fought on the ground in Europe. An inside look at US Army internal politics and the foibles the Army is all too well known for.

. I read this as part of my research while writing my debut novel BURNING HEARTS.

[Johnny · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good book about an important, doomed-to-failure prisoner of war raid that would become one of General George S. Patton's only failures of his military career. The plan was ambitious but ultimately too ambitious and ... well I can't ruin it for you. I'd recommend it to the military buffs only!

[Ron · Rating 3 out of 5]

First person accounts of the doomed raid to release POW's near the end of WWII instigated by General Patton.