Luck of the Draw: Reflections on the Air War in Europe

by Frank Murphy

Beginning on August 17, 1942, American heavy bomber crews of the Eighth Air Force, with ever-increasing strength and frequency, took off for combat in the hostile skies over occupied Europe. The final price was staggering — 4,300 B-17s and B-24s failed to return; nearly 21,000 men taken prisoner or interned in a neutral country and a further 17,650 made the ultimate sacrifice.

Luck of the Draw is more than a war story. You stroll with Frank Murphy, a former navigator with the 100th Bombardment Group, through the sights and sounds of inter-war Atlanta and mingle with Emory University students on December 7, 1941, when the world changed for so many Americans. After training in the United States, you join Frank at his home away from home, England, a land most Americans then only knew from reading antiquated textbooks and Charles Dickens. You fly with Frank on combat missions, cheating death more than once and witnessing death far too often. You travel with him to Stalag Luft III, witness the Great Escape, and share the joy of liberation at the sight of a white star on a battle weary Sherman tank.

Frank Murphy has made it easier for us, who were not there, to appreciate the sacrifice and unflinching sense of duty shared by these boys of yesterday. We have a wonderful, lasting gift to read and reread, the power and honesty of Frank Murphy's prose and absorb the thoughtfulness of his insights. After finishing Luck of the Draw, you will join us in being thankful that Frank Murphy elected to fly one more mission for The Mighty Eighth.

Genres: History, Nonfiction, World War II, War, Biography, Military Fiction, Memoir

344 pages, Hardcover

First published April 23, 2001

About the author

Librarian Note: There is more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name.

See also: Frank Murphy and Frank Murphy, among others.

Reviews

[Sue · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read a lot of World War II fiction and found this memoir by Frank Murphy to be very interesting. I learned a lot of what really happened in the skies over Europe from this real member of the Greatest Generation.

After the Japanese bombed Pearl Harbor, many young American boys joined the military. Frank Murphy was in college at the time but he signed up to be part of the new Army Air Corp. After extensive training, he became a navigator on a B-17 Flying Fortress in the 100th Bombardment Group. He was one of the few survivors from the 100th Bombardment Group and after numerous bombing runs, his B-17 Flying Fortress was shot down over Germany and he spent months in a German POW camp. His bravery earned him the Air Medal, the Purple Heart, and the Prisoner of War Medal. The incredible stories of Murphy and his Eighth Air Force’s 100th Bomb Group will be featured in the upcoming Steven Spielberg and Tom Hanks TV series, Masters of the Air.

Frank's story of his time during the war was very interesting. My personal problem with the book is that there was too much information about some subjects - the history of aerial warfare, the names of the planes and the pilots of every plane in the 100th bomb group and various other lists. This information would be very exciting for someone who was had a real interest in it, but I found myself skimming through the lists to get back to Frank's personal story. Overall, this was definitely a good read for me - I learned a lot about what actually went on during the bombing raids and it was a real treasure to learn about the life of one of the brave young boys who went to war to help save the world. They definitely were the Greatest Generation .

[Star Gater · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for accepting my request to audibly read and review Luck of the Draw.

Narrated by: Elizabeth Murphy; Jonas Moore
Published: 02/28/23

Not for everyone. It is not a novel. This is nonfiction history and reads like an academic textbook. I had the audiobook. The narration could not help me, with respect to the war, from being bored. There were more times than not, where I felt like a telephone book and/or index was being read to me.

In my opinion, good narration is another dimension to the writing. The narration is another character where I get lost. Unlike here, I was in a lecture hall forcing myself to be attentive. I believe, I may have done better with a Chris Lutkin or Simon Vance -- they are both older and engaging.

As for the history, it feels documented, researched and well-written from a textbook standard.

This just wasn't for me. I would gift this to a smart person, and particularly one whose interest may be outside WW II. I would rate this 2.5 stars. I rounded up because I might have gotten more from this without the audio.

[Book.ishJulie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love memoirs, and I love learning about WWII. What do you get when you combine these two loves? Frank Murphy's history book, Luck Of The Draw: My Story Of The Air War In Europe.

I am shocked and amazed at the amount of research that went into writing this book; although I know others shared information with Murphy, this help wouldn’t have made it any easier to get the published memoir I read, out of Murphy’s words in his leather-bound notebook. Murphy shares his beginnings in the military, and how he went from being a navigator in the 100th 8th Air Force's Bomb Group to a prisoner of war when his B-17 aircraft was taken down. This book brought me another side to WWII than I have previously read, and I know Murphy's courageous war efforts, along with those efforts from others, will forever remain in my mind.

Reading and listening to the letters Murphy sent home to his Mum had me on the verge of tears countless times. How could mothers have sent their young sons off to war the way they did? The thought easily breaks my heart in such a guttural way. Day after day these men, (boys really), fought with all they had; Murphy said it was the love and camaraderie for his crew-mates that kept him moving forward, putting himself in harm’s way daily – something so unimaginable, but was simply what was done.

I learned an incredible amount while reading this history book, but the following information specifically stands out to me: Aircrafts were named by their American bomber crews (names like Bastard’s Bungalow and Mugwump and Aw-R-Go). A milk-run is a mission without event. Flak (from the German word Fliegerabwehrkannonen) is antiaircraft fire from the enemy shot at aircraft. When a book can combine history and facts, share heart and soul, all while teaching me something? I think that’s a book that lessons should focus around in schools.

At first the younger age of the audiobook narrator bothered me, as I was wanting an older voice speaking for Murphy - but in the end I think the choice was perfect. There were a few times I suspected or noted the hint of an accent, but this too ended up working for me. I would recommend the audiobook, except if you're wanting the footnotes, the many appendixes and bibliography - as none of this additional information is shared in the audio version.

Luck Of The Draw: My Story Of The Air War In Europe is for anyone that has loved historical fiction like The Nightingale and The Diamond Eye and has wanted to learn more, for anyone generally wanting to learn more about WWII, for anyone interested in aircraft and/or for anyone looking to dip their toe into the history book genre.

(The heroic stories from Murphy and his 8th Air Force’s 100th Bomb Group will be portrayed in forthcoming "Masters Of The Air," an Apple TV series from Steven Spielberg and Tom Hanks. Murphy's book was first published in 2001, but I read the re-released 2023 version.)

I know I will be buying this book for my non-fiction shelf, will be referencing it when needed, and will teach Adalynn from it when she’s older.

Thank you NetGalley, St. Martin's Press and Macmillan Audio for the complimentary copies to read, listen to and review.

[Zibby Owens · Rating 5 out of 5]

Luck of the Draw is My Story of the Air War in Europe by Frank Murphy is an unbelievable story that takes place on August 17, 1942. When American bomber crews took off for combat in the hostile skies over occupied Europe, few returned. We lost 4,300 B-17s and B-24s, nearly 21,000 men became POVs, and over 17,000 died for their country. This is Frank's story as a survivor of the 100th Bombardment Group. The author provides so much information, emotion, and source material.

This book is an incredible look into one man's unbelievably inspiring journey, how he survived falling from an airplane, landing in a German family's backyard, and staying in a prisoner-of-war time. Frank also talks about how he got there and the leadup to it, how it was so different from what the air force is now, and the level of training they went through then. The way the author tells the story with a slight removal and analysis yet shares precisely what it was like being there was amazing. This historical, sacred account helps us look back and relive a piece of history w might have otherwise missed.

"In the pursuit of authenticity of accurate history and undeniable courage, no words matter more than 'I was there.' Read Luck of the Draw and the life of Frank Murphy and ponder this: how did those boys do such things? -Tom Hanks"

[Glen · Rating 4 out of 5]

I won this book in a goodreads drawing.

A WWII pilot describes his time during the war, flying with the 100 Bombardment Group, which saw a lot of action over Europe. Very informative. I'm glad he wrote about it so the history of that unit is not lost.

[Danny Jarvis · Rating 3 out of 5]

A personal, detailed story from someone with arguably the most hazardous duty of WWII, a B-17 crewman. This is one of the books which contributed to the miniseries, “Masters of the Air”.

Along with his accounts of the training, flying, and life as a POW in the war, it provides one of the best descriptions of air formations I’ve read. It explains the breakdown of bombers, their positioning and reasoning for it, as well as the tactics enemy fighters used to exploit vulnerabilities and their best measures to counter them. Additionally, its inclusion of information in the ships, crews, and their fates is as complete as any other out there.

Standing out for me, he (the navigator) provides a superb description of the leadership exhibited by aircrews of WWII. “The bomber pilot was a full-time, hands-on, working member of a mutually reliant team of young men operating a complex machine… It was not through leading or commanding but rather through the display of courage, competence , and levelheadedness in a crisis that the pilot gave the crew morale and infused it with a sense of duty and confidence in their performance.”

For better or worse, this reads more like a veteran simply recalling events with no attempt to tell it as an arced story. From the earliest chapters on, he consistently mentions things like listing off crew members and in their very introduction includes “he would die on our last mission” and other “but more on that later” kind of comments giving away things to come. There is also a steady stream of completely irrelevant tidbits or expounded family history which seem like simple comments which popped into his mind, but are totally deviated from the events. In this sense alone, the book had me wishing it were consulted/edited by an experienced author. This aspect holds it back from a better rating, but it does not discredit it in the least from being counted amongst the great stories of the WWII air war over Europe.

[Debbie · Rating 5 out of 5]

There is something about the Second World War that draws people to it. Often at the exasperation of historians of other eras, it catches the interest and the imagination. The history shelves of bookshops are filled with volumes discussing the war, television shows and films still turn to it at every available opportunity, festivals worldwide are dedicated to it. Perhaps one reason is that, unlike the trials and tribulations of other periods, it remains just within living memory. The men and women who fought and experienced the war are not long dead: there are still survivors doing the book tour and festival circuits, and the vast majority of the reading public have memories of parents or grandparents who were actually there. The more we read about the Second World War, the more we come to understand the enormity of what they went through. Our parents and grandparents become the heroes.

Never more so is this the case than with a memoir, well written, full of drama, despair, and occasional delight, but also with a disarming honesty and humility. And Frank Murphy's 'Luck of the Draw' ticks every box. Murphy volunteered to join the United States Army Air Forces just after the attack on Pearl Harbour, becoming the navigator on Crew No. 31 of the 'Bloody Hundredth', part of the 'Mighty' Eighth Air Force that ran the gauntlet of the daytime bombing campaign over Europe. Unsurprisingly given that the chance of completing the required 25 missions was statistically zero, he was shot down and spent the last 18 months of the war as a prisoner in the famed Stalag Luft III. Even by the standards of the day, it is a remarkable story.

It is little wonder, then, that the book - originally published in 2001 - has run to a new edition, timed to coincide with the new Spielberg/Hanks mini-series 'Masters of the Air'. It is a great resource on which to draw. But as well as the facts, which can be found in countless books, 'Luck of the Draw' - as with many memoirs - provides that human aspect. Murphy speaks of his own feelings, his fear, his anguish, his exhilaration, his hope, his desperation, with his own voice. As much as is possible for non-combatants, we experience with him the adrenalin of a raid, the hellishness of flak, the awfulness of forced marches and days locked in stinking, filthy boxcars. It feels visceral, and it feels real. His Southern drawl is almost audible, his style of writing makes the reader feel he is present, in the room, having a conversation. It is the sort of conversation I wish I could have had with my own, RAF navigator, grandfather.

But unlike many memoirs, which can fudge the details either through the haze of distant memory or for more nefarious reasons, Murphy's book is good history. In writing it, he contacted and became friends with a number of historians and specialists, asking them to fact-check and provide objective opinion. He spent weeks pouring over dry lists of names, places, and missions to ensure he was as factually accurate as possible. He took the time to do proper research. Much of this can be found in the voluminous appendices - almost as long as the book itself - and also in footnotes and asides throughout. As well as a work of recollection, it is also, therefore, a work of scholarship.

This adds to, rather than detracts from, 'Luck of the Draw'. Nothing can get across the sheer weight of the lives lost better than the lists of aircraft names, crew members, and what happened to them that are dotted within the text, for example. And placing each battle in its context enforces the reality. There is the willingness to engage with difficult conversations, whether on the alleged incompetence of the Bloody Hundredth or on the effectiveness, and morality, of the strategic bombing campaign. It is one of the most honest, disinterested memoirs I have had the pleasure to read. It is a tribute not just to Murphy himself, but to all of the brave men who, in Murphy's words, had 'to cope with mental and physical stresses [that] no one should ever be asked to endure.' 'Luck of the Draw' provides that enduring voice that will haunt readers for generations after the last few survivors have gone. And although Frank Murphy himself passed in 2007, his spirit - and those of his comrades - lives on through it.

[Keila (speedreadstagram) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Do you like audio books?

I’ve really been listening to more audio books lately. I’ve found they’re nice to listen to early in the morning before my family wakes up – or on the days I have to go into the office and commute.

This book is the true story of an American hero, Frank Murphy, who flew during WWII and became a prisoner of war. Frank was a heavy bomber and flew in the Eighth Air Force over hostile skies over Europe. When his plane went down, he was among 21,000 men who were taken prisoner or interned, of those 21,000, 17,650 made the ultimate sacrifice.

I really appreciated the foreword of this one written by his granddaughter and his daughter. It really helped add to the realness of the story.

This book had so many things going for it that I just absolutely enjoyed! The narrator, WWII, biography, POW, pilot, just so many things. This book was so personal and real. I really enjoyed listening to the story of Franks life, and I learned quite a few things about the war, and airplanes in general. I really enjoyed learning more about the planes and the history of them. Frank was so lucky to have survived the war and to have led such an amazing life, and leave a great legacy.

The narrator on this one was perfect! He just nailed the vibe of the book on the head.

Make sure to grab your copy February 28th.

Thank you to the publisher, MacMillan Audio, St Martins Griffin, @StMartinsPress, @MacMillanAudio, Netgalley, @netgalley, and the author, for this e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

[Coriolana Weatherby · Rating 5 out of 5]

A wonderfully written personal account of the air war between 1943 and 1945. Murphy takes us along with him in the B17 him and his crew flew in. We experience the pressure, the flak, the anxiety and the brotherhood, without ever losing sight of the bigger picture. From the cloudy skies over Europe to the snowy and muddy fields of the Stalag, Luck of the Draw draws you in, and holds you there. I am not lying when I say I shed more than a few tears. What a brave group of men. Blue skies and tail winds!

[Karen Hackett · Rating 5 out of 5]

An excellent book!. True perspective and experiences flying in the 2nd World War. My father was a tail gunner in a B-24 Liberator and was a POW. He spoke of some of the same experiences and feelings. Really enjoyed reading this!

[Mike (HistoryBuff) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Review to follow.

[Charles A · Rating 3 out of 5]

Listened to audiobook narrated by Jonas Moore who played Frank Murphy in Masters of the Air. See note on audiobook below.

This is not a great book at all and there are many many better options on the airwar in WW2. Some passages are really good, but overall this book suffers from a lack of editing and/or any effort to turn it into a structured narrative. There is an insane amount of unnecessary detail - the side dishes served at Easter dinner in 1932, the etymology of the author's grandfather's last name and all the alternative spellings; the furniture layout in Nissen huts; where the author was positioned in his high school marching band; the full text of many letters sent to his family in the states etc. etc. etc. The first two chapters are very skipable - a family history with many details that may interest the Murphy family but nobody else and really doesn't move the story.

It improves once the air training and actual bombing career starts - but is still flawed. Flying over the North Atlantic? Heres a few lines about the Titanic. Approaching Scandinavia - a good chance to work the Vikings into the story. Bombing Munster? Lets talk about Charlemagne. Its more than a trend - unnecessary details are a theme for this book - can't just tell us the name of each plane, have to work in the plane number as well. Comrades buried in a German cemetery for a few months before the allies advanced? - here are the gravesite numbers. Its sort of like an unironic Grandpa Simpson story about the air war in Europe. There are meaningful stories, well told, and the epilogue where the author went back and researched what happened to the B-17 he was shot down in is somehow clinical and moving at the same time. But I didn't care or need to know the name of the servant at the German family who captured him after he parachuted, or that she was 'frumpy'. She isn't even part of the story.

This manuscript reads like a memoir written for the author's veteran's group - which is exactly what it is. Just beware that it suffers for this, and really isn't the taut narrative that other books on the war can be. In audiobook terms, this means that they somehow squeezed a 7 hour book into 12 hours.

One note on the audiobook narrated by Jonas Moore - he reads it in character as Frank Murphy from Masters of the Air. This is one reason why I was drawn to this book! The only issue is that Moore is English and even though he employs a convincing Georgian accent - he still uses English pronunciations of certain words - Tallahassee; Maryland; hovering; margarine; comrade etc. etc. etc. It is somewhat jarring and takes away from the listening. A little care should have been taken by the audio crew to render a better reading - it just didn't happen here and its just plain weird to hear at times.

Thank God for Frank Murphy and those like him. We could use a few more Frank Murphys these days. But I feel that a little more editing and care with his writing could make his story more widely valuable to the reading public.

[Jeremy Booty · Rating 5 out of 5]

The history of the Eighth Air Force is a storied one. It has been recounted many times by historians and participants alike. Frank Murphy falls into the latter category. I was at first discouraged by a long discourse over the history of the tactics developed in the run of to WWII, various moves his family made while growing up and his grammar school education. I nearly gave up but I'm glad I didn't. All of this was, I think, Murphy's way of doing as good and as thorough a job as he could. Throughout the book we see this with a myriad of lists of who took part in various raids, their ranks etc. I quickly discovered I could skip these parts and lose nothing. By the end of the book I understood that all of these men meant a great deal to him and for him these additional details were not just important from a historical point of view but that to leave them out would have been disloyal to their memory.

Accuracy also is very important to Murphy. One important example is that of the raid on Munster on October 10, 1943. Many of those involved, as well as some historians, have stated that the aiming point for the raid was the center of the city and the civilian population. THis would have been a significant change in strategy since the US, at the time, had an explicit policy to bomb strategic targets and not civillian population Importantly, Murphy, a navigator, and his friend the bombardier Augie Casper were not told that at all and believed the aiming point was the rail yards. Decades later, the matter is still controverted. Murphy cared enough to hire a plane to retrace the route of the raid and talk with German eye witnesses. He found that all of the targets proposed as "the " aiming point were in fact lined up in a direct line and states from first hand experience that it was not unusual for different groups to be given different aiming points.

Murphy is meticulous in describing what transpired prior to and after raids and during his captivity. He makes an equal effort in describing what went on during them but in the end says simply that unless you have been in combat yourself there is no way to describe it. Irrespective of his opinion, he does a fine job describing the famous raid on Regensburg in August of 1943. Writing over 40 years later, he ably describes what it felt like in the immediate aftermath of a raid, even what the interior of the aircraft looked and smelled like.

There is no doubt this book could have used an editor. However, Murphy was an actor in and witness to some of histories greatest air battles and survived a different sort of ordeal as a POW. He, thankfully, was also a superb writer who had the ability to put us at the scene. Despite its flaws, this book deserves 5 stars.

[Mary Vogelsong · Rating 3 out of 5]

Frank Murphy was a World War II pilot, shot down over enemy territory. His story is quite similar to other accounts, with minor exceptions. Unlike the books that chronicle the brutality of life in a German POW camp, Murphy’s time of incarceration seems more like an episode of Hogan’s Heroes. He played in a band and took part in skits and plays. He received letters and packages from home and the Red Cross. Only toward the end of the war when the fleeing Germans marched their POWs through the snow did conditions become cruel, with those unable to keep up left to die in the snow.

Perhaps most interesting, Murphy was in the same POW camp that inspired the (based on fact) movie, The Great Escape (1963), starring a motorcycle-riding Steve McQueen. However, Murphy lived in a different sector of the camp and was not part of the prison break.

Murphy requested a transfer with two friends to that sector, but he had just joined the band and he didn't want to disappoint his bandmates. Murphy made the hard decision to decline the transfer.

Of the 76 who snuck out of the camp, only three made it to England. The Gestapo captured and executed 50 men on direct orders from Adolf Hitler. Twenty-three were recaptured and returned to prison.

The title of Murphy’s book, Luck of the Draw, underscores the idea that he could have been killed on any mission, but luck played out for him to return home to his family after the war.

Murphy’s story is short. Evidently, it was published previously and is being re-released with a forward by family members, a list of his crew members, pages and pages of acknowledgments, an introduction, an extensive prologue, a broad back-story leading to WWII, including the history of military aircraft. My husband and I listened on a trip in our car for over an hour and the actual story about Murphy still hadn’t started. When it did, it began with his ancestors and his formative years. After Murphy relates his story, seven appendices and a bibliography are added at the end. Most of the information that bookends the meat of this volume are tedious facts, more suitable for a reference book.

For lack of enjoyable content, I can only offer three stars for Luck of the Draw.

[Ben · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received an advance digital copy of “ Luck of the Draw” through Net Galley . Thanks for a chance to read a great true story.
The story of Frank Murphy’s war as a navigator in a B17 bomber is excellent. His memoirs make for poignant and riveting reading. I loved this and looked forward to reading it because had an uncle who was a member of a B-17 ground crew in England who told me his stories of reaping crippled aircraft.
After a brief opening chapter of his boyhood, the story moves quickly through his flight training, education in the arcane science of navigating through the skies in all kinds of weather and his arrival in England.From then on his story is one of his war, and his missions over Europe. There is not a boring moment.
There are moments of fear and terror as he sits in the nose of a B-17 while undergoing attack buy flak and the Luftwaffe as he watched planes nearby going down Murphy, in his early twenties as were most of his comrades,went out to the flight line with the clear knowledge that each mission might be their last. Then he was shot down over Germany, existing in a prison camp for nearly two years. The description of these times are of men livin boredom and despair, but also with the courage of being strong in face of everything.
This is a book for every WW2 and/ or history buff to read. It is one of the best personal memories that I have eve read.
Incidentally, many of the event described in this book are depicted in the excellent movie “Twelve O’Clock High” one of the best depiction of the men of the USAAF who flew the missions mentioned in “Luck of the Draw” .Another fine movie of this era is “ Command Decision” Both pictures clearly depict the strain on the pilots and aircrew who went on these missions and of the commanders who had to send them out into the maelstrom.
Note: This book was an advance digital copy and did not have the photographs of a print copy.

[Dachokie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I can see why this book was chosen as a source for the storyline of the upcoming Hanks/Spielberg mini-series focusing on the 8th AIr Force in World War II. Frank Murphy has written a superbly-detailed account of his experiences as a navigator of a B-17 … participating in 21 missions over enemy territory. Akin to the “Band of Brothers”-like storyline, we are given a full account of the training involved in producing the bomber crews, as well as the combat they experienced.

While I still feel the Stackpole book “Savage Sky” by George Webster is the most gripping tale of war on a B-17 over Europe from a combat perspective, Murphy’s account provides readers with a broader view, especially since he spent almost 2 years in a POW camp. Unlike most wartime memoirs, Murphy’s family plight during his time abroad is a steady undercurrent through the entire book and I can see it as being the main reason why this particular book was probably chosen as the source for the upcoming miniseries (hopefully, I’ll see if my guess is correct very soon).

One of the biggest attributes of this book, outside the author’s experiences is the painstaking amount of historical detail pertaining to missions, planes (down to serial numbers), aircrews, etc.. At times, these particulars tend to disrupt the reading flow as the small notes can occupy half of one page and part of another, but they always add critical clarity.

One thing that hits readers from the start is the fact that Frank Murphy is yet another shining example of that “Greatest Generation”. A 20 year college student, volunteering for service in the Air Corps, a navigator on board one of the most sophisticated machines of its time and facing war for over 2 consecutive years … one of the millions who willingly put their young lives at stake for a higher calling.

[Laura · Rating 3 out of 5]

Frank Murphy served in the Eighth Air Force as a B-17 navigator during the Second World War. In October 1943, during “Black Week”—when the Mighty Eighth lost many aircrews during attacks on Germany—Murphy’s plane was shot down and he was taken prisoner. German soldiers took him to Stalag Luft III where he stayed until January 1945, when he was forced to march to a different prisoner of war camp. He remained at Stalag Luft VII-A until the camp was freed by American troops near the end of the war.

Murphy’s descriptions of his time with his crew aboard Bastard’s Bungalow (their B-17), their experiences in battle, being shot down, and his time as a prisoner of war were well-crafted. I learned a lot from these portions of the book, but I wish the rest of the book followed this same formula.

I really wanted to give this book more than three stars. Unfortunately, I just couldn’t. This is a reprint of the memoir Murphy published in 2001. Instead of reprinting the book exactly the way it was in 2001 (simply adding a new foreword), this book would have benefited from some editing. It would have made it a better read and could have made some of Murphy’s meanderings more concise. For example, Murphy begins his memoir with a history of airpower—an entire chapter that could have been edited down to a few pages (most of it was completely unnecessary information for the reader). I don’t think we would have lost Murphy’s voice if some of his original writing was carefully edited; in fact, it would have made for a stronger finished product.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley for review.

[Cheryl Sokoloff · Rating 5 out of 5]

In 1942, it was determined that the only way the Allies could defeat Axis powers would be, by dominating the battle, in the air. With that in mind, the US Air Force sent to Britain their B17 heavy bombers and their crew, including pilots, navigators, gunmen and their supporting engineers and staff ( ie: the Mighty Eighth of the US Air Force,;the largest of the deployed combat army air forces, in numbers of personnel, aircraft and equipment).

In June 1943 (ish), Frank Murphy began his deployment to Britain in the US Air Force, with the Mighty Eighth, in the 100th Bomb Group. He expected to return home before Christmas 🎄 of that year, after (hopefully) completing 25 missions. Instead, Murphy was captured and was a POW at Stalag Luft III internment camp in Germany until Liberation Day. This is Frank Murphy’s memoir, Luck of the Draw My Story of the Air War in Europe. For his contribution to the war, Murphy received a Purple Heart, Air Medal, and the POW Medal. He died in 2007 at age 85.

This edition of Murphy’s memoir, is a RE release, with new forwards, by his daughter Elizabeth Murphy and granddaughter Chloe Melas (of CNN). It was Chloe Melas who felt the need to (RE) share her grandfather’s story, just before the upcoming Apple TV+ series based on Donald L. Miller’s book, Masters of the Air: America’s Bomber Boys Who Fought the Air War Against Nazi Germany, produced by Spielberg (with Tom Hanks and Gary Goetzman). Her grandfather is a character in the series.

I am thankful to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for a copy of this audiobook in return for my honest review. 5⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

[Mike Kennedy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Frank Murphy’s memoir covers his life through his time as a navigator on a B-17 Flying Fortress in the 100th Bombardment Group. The 100th was in the thick of the Allies bombing of Germany and took heavy casualties. Mr. Murphy recounts his complete war experience from basic training to flying over the deadly European Skies. He tells of his harrowing mission where his plane was shot down and his life in a German POW camp. This book is a new edition with a new forward from Mr. Murphy’s granddaughter.

Mr. Murphy does an excellent job retelling his war years. There are all sorts of stories from the funny things that happened to the terrifying mission he flew over Europe. He has a way of making you feel like you there while the events take place. Mr. Murphy does a good job of not overdramatizing the events for the sake of the story, but to really dig deep and give you a good sense of what was happening. He recounts his thoughts, including his fears, and how he and the rest of the man reacted to the events during the World War II.

I listened to the audio version of this book, and felt that it was very easy to listen. The narrator had good pacing and enunciation.

Overall this is an excellent memoir from one of the brave servicemen who served during World War II. I have read a number off memoirs from World War II servicemen, and this one is definitely in the top half. It provides great insight into the war. Thank you to @netgalley @macmillanaudio for a free ARC for an honest review of this book

[Poptart19 (the name’s ren) · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 stars

A well researched & touching memoir by a US Army Air Force veteran of WWII. This reissued edition contains additional photographs & appendices.

[What I liked:]

•I was excited to read this book since my grandfather was a mechanic in the USAAF in WWII, was stationed at a base in Florida, and helped navigate a plane to St. Louis when he came home for leave, but other than that I don’t know much about his time in the military. It was great to hear the details of Frank’s training as a plane navigator in Florida and out west, what the conditions and culture were like on base, etc. I recommended this book to my mother for the same reasons.

•Early aviation is fascinating to me just because of all the difficulties pilots and crews used to face that we take for granted now, like computer navigation tools, pressurized oxygen and temperature controlled cabins, etc. It was very interesting to learn about how Frank did his job as a navigator using the same tools that Renaissance seafarers used, about flying formations & how bombing strategy changed over the course of the war, and what it was like to be in the plane during a bombing mission. Knowing the details of what he and other service people sacrificed was very moving.

•When I started reading this book, I had no idea that Frank spent time as a POW in Stalag Luft III! The Great Escape is one of my favorite movies so I’ve read other accounts about that camp and their escape efforts, but it was a nice surprise to get to hear Frank’s narrative of his time there.

•Some years after the war, Frank tracked down the German farm family that witnessed him plane being shot down and gave him first aid immediately after. With their help & other research, he was able to reconstruct a time line of the crash after he had parachuted out of the plane, and what likely happened to his crew members that tragically did not survive. This was also a very touching part of the story.


[What I didn’t like as much:]

•The first few chapters of the memoir are about Frank’s family, his childhood and school years, etc., so the parts about aviation and the war don’t start right away. I enjoyed these chapters and don’t think they detract from the book at all, but if another reader wants to cut to the chase it’s possible to skip the background chapters.

CW: POW human rights abuses, combat deaths

[I received an ARC ebook copy from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review. Thank you for the book!]

[Natalie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Luck of the Draw
By Frank Murphy

Mr. Murphy was the navigator for the 100th Bomb Group which flew missions from Britain over Western Europe and Germany during World War II until his plane was shot down and he became a prisoner of war in Germany. This is his story in his own words.

Like many men of the "Greatest Generation", Frank and his compatriots didn't consider themselves heroes. They were just regular guys "doing the right thing". This memoir chronicles Frank's journey from his enlistment through training and his assignment to Great Britain to bombing raids and ultimately the deprivations of a prison camp. And like those same men, Frank did not talk about his war – the successful raids, but also the horrendous toll of planes and crews lost in this brutal war.

Many years later Frank – one of the lucky ones who came home – decided to write this memoir to remember the experiences, and the men who were not so lucky. This recounting is dramatic in its matter-of-fact presentation. The story is amazing and horrifying. For me, there is one line that sums it all up: Frank describes two of this crew killed in action as "…two young American airmen [who] gave their nation their most precious possession – all their tomorrows."

Thanks to Frank's daughter and granddaughter for the re-release of this book. We must never forget.

[JoAnn · Rating 4 out of 5]

This memoir combines aviation/military history, family history and a compelling story of life as a World War II prisoner of war. This updated version of Frank Murphy’s earlier memoir contains loving forewords by Murphy’s daughter and granddaughter and information about an upcoming Apple TV show about the unit in which Murphy served.
As was the case with many men and women of his generation, Georgia-born attorney Frank Murphy returned from serving as an Army air navigator in World War II and went on with his life: college, marriage, career, and family filled his days. No looking back.
However, as readers will learn in “Luck of the Draw,” there was much to look back upon. Murphy wanted to be a pilot but ended up serving as a navigator. He was part of a crew flying bombing missions over Germany until his plane was shot down and Murphy was taken prisoner. He spent the rest of the war in POW camps.
As the daughter of a World War II vet, most interesting to me was Murphy’s time after his capture. I admit to skimming over some of the military history sections that were a large part of the beginning of Murphy’s story. The story of what life was like as a prisoner is compelling history worth remembering. Thank you to Murphy and his generation for what they did for us.

Thank you to NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review Murphy’s story.

[Chad Manske · Rating 5 out of 5]

Frank Murphy was one of the lucky ones. In this just-released war memoirs from one of the original navigators of Bloody 100th Bomb Group, he would live to an old age. Old enough for his daughter and granddaughter, the latter a CNN correspondent, to construct the letters, writings and memories of Frank Murphy into what will be a jewel among bomber diaries. Already a NYT bestseller, Luck of the Draw, as it’s title suggests, tells not only of the context surrounding much of the air war over Europe, but of those men who would sacrifice their lives—some 17,000+ dead and another 21,000+ taken as prisoner—it was literally luck that would keep the living fighting on. Over 4,000 B-17s and B-24s would perish over Europe with their crew members sorted into one of the categories above—including Frank Murphy. Frank was part of Original Crew #31, who would fly 20 successful bomber missions until #21 on October 10, 1943 over Munster, Germany was their last. Some survived and some didn’t. Murphy parachuted down but was injured. He would more or less spend the balance of the war in a German POW camp. Murphy’s tale is both personal, yet broad. Told with fairly exacting detail, as well as the emotions of a young man trying to find his way. Those who enjoy WWII bomber history will be in for a treat!

[Kristi · Rating 4 out of 5]

“Be careful of claims of experience. Experience is the name people give to their mistakes.”

“One was just in the wrong place at the wrong time or he was not. A bullet had your name on it or it didn’t. It was the luck of the draw. It was as simple as that.”

Beginning on August 17, 1942, American heavy bomber crews of the Eighth Air Force took off for combat in the hostile skies over occupied Europe. The final price was staggering. 4,300 B-17s and B-24s failed to return; nearly 21,000 men were taken prisoner or interned in a neutral country, and a further 17,650 made the ultimate sacrifice.

This is more than a war story. It’s the incredible, inspiring story of Frank Murphy, one of the few survivors from the 100th Bombardment Group, who cheated death for months in a German POW camp after being shot out of his B-17 Flying Fortress.

I would like to start with a sincere and heartfelt THANK YOU, Frank, for your service. How do you even review a book such as this? The things that this man saw and experienced are next level. If you ever want to know what it was like during WWII, read this book. If you love first hand accounts of war, read this. If you just want to hear how strong humans can be when they need to be and what it truly means to be a badass, read this. I am in awe, sir.

Thank you to @stmartinspress @chloemelas and @tlcbooktours for the #gifted copy.

[Christy Martin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Frank Murphy is a hero by anyone's standards. This rerelease of his book is outstanding. Written by Murphy it documents his time with the 8th Air Force's "Bloody One Hundreth". The account starts with his growing up years in Atlanta and ends with his release from German captivity at Stalag VIIA in April 1944. It briefly recounts his career in the years after and lets the reader see how the WWII years affected his life after. This new edition contains comments from his children and grandchildren who seek to preserve the legacy of Frank Murphy and others who brought Hitler's deadly regime to its knees in WWII. Murphy's legacy is also preserved in film thanks to this book and his careful documentation of what happened to his fellow fliers. "Masters of the Air" a new film by Speilburg and Hanks will feature Murphy and others in the miniseries due to air in the spring of 2023. For fans and readers of books by and about the Greatest Generation you will love this book. If you aren't a fan of that genre you should be. Frank Murphy and the stories of that era are legendary and deserve to be told and the men and women remembered for their amazing contributions. Thanks to #NetGalley#LuckoftheDraw for the opportunity to read and review this book. and learn about Frank Murphy.

[Dan Dundon · Rating 5 out of 5]

Because of the passage of time, it’s easy to forget the sacrifices made by aviators flying B-17s during World War II. Frank Murphy’s book “Luck of the Draw” reminds us again of the tremendous odds these air crews faced as they flew to bomb targets in France and Germany. What’s equally difficult to comprehend is the enormous losses in crews and planes during this time especially in 1943.
It's difficult to image the courage that was required for these men to fly the lumbering B-17s without fighter escorts directly into conflicts with the much nimbler German Luftwaffe planes which destroyed countless “Flying Fortresses”.
Murphy’s book does an excellent job of illustrating the tension on each mission and the stress on air crews who faced death day after day. After he is shot down, the book explores Murphy’s time as a POW in Germany. In many ways, most of his experience as a POW appears to be less stressful than the day-to-day missions over Germany.
The ultimate success of the aerial bombing campaign is largely the result of the courage of these air crews. Thank you, Mr. Murphy, for reminding me.

[Cheryl · Rating 4 out of 5]

Frank Murphy, a boy from Georgia, was always interested in flying. He began working on his pilot's license before WWII broke out. He ended up in the Air Force where, much to his dismay, he learned he didn't qualify to be a pilot because of his poor vision. He excelled at math though and so was tapped to be a navigator on a bomber crew. Murphy was stationed in England where the Eighth Air Force bomber crews flew repeated missions to Europe.

Nearing the end of his rotation, Frank's B-17 was shot down and he spent the rest of the war in a German POW camp. He was grateful though because not all of his crew survived that mission. Murphy ended up being separated from the rest of his surviving crew members in the camp.

The story of what he and the other POWs survived is a powerful tale of courage and the will to survive. The audiobook is read by Jonas Moore who will star in the upcoming TV series about Captain Murphy, Master of the Air. Not to be missed by anyone interested in the heroism of those who served.

[Vaul · Rating 5 out of 5]

Luck of the Draw by Frank Murphy is an incredible book that takes you into the heart of World War II through the eyes of the author, who served in the 100th Bombardment Group. Murphy's storytelling is so engaging that you feel like you're right there with him.

This memoir is filled with action and emotion. Murphy's vivid descriptions make you feel the tension and fear of each mission, and his personal stories make the book relatable and heartfelt. You get a real sense of the sacrifices made by the brave men and women who fought during that time.

While the book is fascinating, it can be a bit challenging for readers who aren't familiar with planes and aviation terms. Sometimes you might need to take a pause and look up unfamiliar words. But don't let that discourage you, because Murphy's storytelling skills and the power of his journey make up for it.

Overall, Luck of the Draw is an amazing memoir that gives you a deeper understanding of WWII and the incredible people who lived through it. I highly recommend it, especially if you're a fan of history and personal stories.

[Divjot · Rating 5 out of 5]

Recently I have been very interested in reading memoirs from WWII and after watching Masters of the Air, I was very curious about the bombers that went down. This book perfectly satisfied this curiosity and I was pleasantly surprised to see that the audiobook is narrated by Jonas Moore, who also plays Capt. Frank D. Murphy in the show.
I enjoyed the tactical explaining, but I kept coming back to the personal parts and experiences. One of the many surprises was how young these men actually were, barely even men, but still they gave their everything to fight in planes, which many hadn't even seen before.

Alongside the personal parts, I found it interesting to learn about the informal lingo that the soldiers used in place of official terms, "milk run", "goons", "ferrets", "kriegies"....

Overall an amazing read, definitely recommend to those looking to learn more in depth about the lives of the bomber boys!

[Casey · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is an autobiography by Frank Murphy who was a pilot during World War II who flew bombing raids over Germany. The books covers his training as a pilot and then his shipment over to England and what took place there. He is shot down and is put in the Stalag that was featured in the movie the Great Escape. Unfortunately, or fortunately depending on your view of what happened to the majority of the escapees, he was in a different part of the camp when it occurred. The book was good when it focused on his life, but unfortunately this reissue is bogged down with a number of tedious appendixes and listing of aircraft trying to make the book appear more robust.

I received a free ARC of this book courtesy of Net Galley and the publisher with the understanding that I would post a review on Net Galley, Goodreads, Amazon, Facebook and my nonfiction book review blog.