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Glenn Miller Declassified
On December 15, 1944, Maj. Alton Glenn Miller, commanding officer of the Army Air Force Band (Special), boarded a plane in England bound for France with Lt. Col. Norman Francis Baessell. Somewhere over the English Channel the plane vanished. No trace of the aircraft or its occupants has ever been found. To this day Miller, Baessell, and the pilot, John Robert Stuart Morgan, are classified as missing in action.
Weaving together cultural and military history, Glenn Miller Declassified tells the story of the musical legend Miller and his military career as commanding officer of the Army Air Force Band during World War II. Miller’s disappearance resulted in numerous conspiracy theories, especially since much of the information surrounding his military service had been classified, restricted, or, in some cases, lost. Dennis M. Spragg has gained unprecedented access to the Miller family archives as well as military and government documents to lay such theories to rest and to demonstrate the lasting legacy and importance of Miller’s life, career, and service to his country.
Weaving together cultural and military history, Glenn Miller Declassified tells the story of the musical legend Miller and his military career as commanding officer of the Army Air Force Band during World War II. Miller’s disappearance resulted in numerous conspiracy theories, especially since much of the information surrounding his military service had been classified, restricted, or, in some cases, lost. Dennis M. Spragg has gained unprecedented access to the Miller family archives as well as military and government documents to lay such theories to rest and to demonstrate the lasting legacy and importance of Miller’s life, career, and service to his country.
408 pages, Paperback
Published March 1, 2020
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Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews
January 9, 2024
Well, I would have liked to give this book a higher rating for several reasons, not the least of which is that the author is a fantastic source of information on the big bands of the 1930s and 1940s in his "day job" with the University of Colorado's American Music Research Center and specifically the "Glenn Miller Collections" (formerly "Glenn Miller Archive").
Information on Glenn Miller and his orchestras is, as you would expect, a major part of the "Collections," but there's also a treasure trove of information on Tommy Dorsey and Artie Shaw. I was looking for information on Shaw a few years ago when I ran across the American Music Research Center "Glenn Miller Archive." Since then I have been a regular listener to Mr. Spragg's "Star-Spangled Radio Hour" weekly podcasts. They are a wonderful insight into big-band music and include music and radio shows from many different bands.
https://www.dennismspragg.com/star-sp...
Now about this book. Unfortunately, Mr. Spragg is handicapped by (1) an apparent compulsion to give us ALL POSSIBLE information about Miller's Army Air Forces activities and (2) the inherent curse of military acronyms. The book does contain a list of "abbreviations" (the acronyms) but many are very similar and there are just TOO MANY TOO OFTEN.
At times the narrative is extremely difficult to follow, and that's coming from a reader who knows quite a bit about the subject matter. Someone with very little knowledge of the period and the players would probably just give up!
But, fear not -- Mr. Spragg does present us with details that a truly interested reader will appreciate. If one picks through the hazards there's much to learn.
And I'd say the most important "big picture" takeaway is that operating a war is vastly more complicated than just fighting the battles. The complications of getting people and equipment from one place to another, then feeding, housing, and mobilizing them, are vividly demonstrated by this book.
(For an easier-to-read account of Glenn Miller's career, see George Simon's book Glenn Miller & His Orchestras. It's older and includes minor "friend-of-Miller" bias, but quite good.)
1/9/24: Just finished Edward F. Polic's 1,314-page history of the Glenn Miller AAF band, which really is almost a primary source. It's very rare and, frankly, a reference tome . . . just stick with Spragg's and Simon's books and you'll have everything you need to know.
Information on Glenn Miller and his orchestras is, as you would expect, a major part of the "Collections," but there's also a treasure trove of information on Tommy Dorsey and Artie Shaw. I was looking for information on Shaw a few years ago when I ran across the American Music Research Center "Glenn Miller Archive." Since then I have been a regular listener to Mr. Spragg's "Star-Spangled Radio Hour" weekly podcasts. They are a wonderful insight into big-band music and include music and radio shows from many different bands.
https://www.dennismspragg.com/star-sp...
Now about this book. Unfortunately, Mr. Spragg is handicapped by (1) an apparent compulsion to give us ALL POSSIBLE information about Miller's Army Air Forces activities and (2) the inherent curse of military acronyms. The book does contain a list of "abbreviations" (the acronyms) but many are very similar and there are just TOO MANY TOO OFTEN.
At times the narrative is extremely difficult to follow, and that's coming from a reader who knows quite a bit about the subject matter. Someone with very little knowledge of the period and the players would probably just give up!
But, fear not -- Mr. Spragg does present us with details that a truly interested reader will appreciate. If one picks through the hazards there's much to learn.
And I'd say the most important "big picture" takeaway is that operating a war is vastly more complicated than just fighting the battles. The complications of getting people and equipment from one place to another, then feeding, housing, and mobilizing them, are vividly demonstrated by this book.
(For an easier-to-read account of Glenn Miller's career, see George Simon's book Glenn Miller & His Orchestras. It's older and includes minor "friend-of-Miller" bias, but quite good.)
1/9/24: Just finished Edward F. Polic's 1,314-page history of the Glenn Miller AAF band, which really is almost a primary source. It's very rare and, frankly, a reference tome . . . just stick with Spragg's and Simon's books and you'll have everything you need to know.
October 19, 2017
When I first saw this book, I was somewhat excited to read the story of Glenn Miller. As a great fan of Big Bands, and Glenn's own 'swing' music, it was a chance to read more about the mystery surrounding his death.
When he was lost over the English Channel, no trace was ever found of the plane carrying him or the three occupants. I believed by the title - Glenn Miller Declassified - I would learn something new. Alas, such was not the case.
The book, while quite a nice size, is full of technical information only interesting to those who actually care about technical information. I, for one, couldn't care less about 'white form number 5' or anything similar. There was far too much of this and far too little of any information that is already known.
There is no mystery to be explained. It is, indeed, hard to explain everything included, but we are given quite a bit of information on his associates and their routines and very little on Mr. Miller himself and his life at home, and not a lot about the band, aside from their military duties.
While quite a lot of research has been done, I feel that this is a book more aimed toward those interested in the military of World War II. As for those who might be interested in Glenn Miller, unfortunately there isn't anything new to discover.
When he was lost over the English Channel, no trace was ever found of the plane carrying him or the three occupants. I believed by the title - Glenn Miller Declassified - I would learn something new. Alas, such was not the case.
The book, while quite a nice size, is full of technical information only interesting to those who actually care about technical information. I, for one, couldn't care less about 'white form number 5' or anything similar. There was far too much of this and far too little of any information that is already known.
There is no mystery to be explained. It is, indeed, hard to explain everything included, but we are given quite a bit of information on his associates and their routines and very little on Mr. Miller himself and his life at home, and not a lot about the band, aside from their military duties.
While quite a lot of research has been done, I feel that this is a book more aimed toward those interested in the military of World War II. As for those who might be interested in Glenn Miller, unfortunately there isn't anything new to discover.
December 27, 2017
I can’t fault this book for its extensive and meticulous research but I fear I wasn’t the intended readership. I think you really have to be a Glenn Miller nerd to be able to plough through the detail, especially the technical detail, not to feel somewhat overwhelmed and, quite frankly, bored at times. I’ve just watched an excellent PBS documentary about the same subject and I enjoyed that so much more. Not such preoccupation with engines and planes and forms and protocol. So while I can appreciate that this is an important and authoritative investigation into the disappearance of Glenn Miller I can really only recommend it to the die-hard fan.
June 23, 2018
A decent book that gives a unique insight to Glenn Miller's wartime service and the events leading up to and after his disappearance over the English Channel. The book isn't so much a biography of Miller's life as it is the biography of the Glenn Miller's Army Air Force Band. The author gives some background of Glenn before the war, his struggles to find his way in the music business, his success as a bandleader and then is subsequent decision to join the service during World War II in order to use his talents to bolster the morale of the troops even though he was beyond the age of the draft. If you are interested in the creation of the American Expeditionary Forces Program and the struggle for airtime with the BBC, this is a great book. If you are looking at reading about Glenn Miller's life, maybe half the book or less actually concentrates on that. The author does a thorough job of digging through all the paperwork and interviews to recreate the final hours of Glenn Miller's life and the probable cause of the aircraft's disappearance. All in all, it is a good read.
August 5, 2023
Full of extraneous information, acronyms and secondary characters that add absolutely nothing to the story, and I think take away from it. I am a huge Glenn Miller fan and have been for decades, but this book for all its length taught me almost nothing new about his story. That being said, Spragg is clearly an outstanding historian — just not a great historical writer.
October 13, 2020
The title does not lie...it does read like a mission report, which makes it at times difficult to read.
August 3, 2025
Some of this was very interesting and some of it was too detailed. It seemed that a lot of those details were above a casual reader, like myself, and geared towards in depth analysis.
January 26, 2025
This is an outstanding account of noted bandleader Glenn
Miller’s wartime service as leader of the Army Air Forces Band (Special). Miller was too old for military service, but was determined to serve anyway, bringing his talents to bear in a powerful way to raise morale of Allied forces overseas. Some may find the level of detail about the organizational struggles to create and administer the band overwhelming, but they are a necessary part of the story. And Spragg does a convincing job of explaining the circumstances that led to Miller’s tragic disappearance while on an ill-advised flight across the English Channel in bad weather in December 1944.
Miller’s wartime service as leader of the Army Air Forces Band (Special). Miller was too old for military service, but was determined to serve anyway, bringing his talents to bear in a powerful way to raise morale of Allied forces overseas. Some may find the level of detail about the organizational struggles to create and administer the band overwhelming, but they are a necessary part of the story. And Spragg does a convincing job of explaining the circumstances that led to Miller’s tragic disappearance while on an ill-advised flight across the English Channel in bad weather in December 1944.
December 24, 2022
Uber detailed but tedious as a result. This book was OK. I listened to the audio version. The reader was not very good, mispronouncing a number of proper nouns.
January 12, 2026
Glenn Miller Declassified is a book I had been meaning to read for a long time. As a dedicated fan of Glenn Miller’s music, I was eager to dive into a deeper look at his wartime service and the mystery that has long surrounded him and his untimely death. Going in, I expected a biography centered squarely on Miller himself, his music, and his role during the war. What I found was something quite different.
The book opens with a long list of military acronyms, which at first felt a bit excessive. Very quickly, though, it became clear that this section was not optional background material. It turned out to be essential just to follow what came next. The author clearly assumes a reader who is willing to immerse themselves fully in military structure and terminology.
As the book unfolds, the focus shifts heavily toward the bureaucracy behind military radio broadcasting in the European Theater of Operations. By my estimate, roughly three quarters of the book is devoted to the administrative, technical, and organizational effort required to create and manage radio programming for soldiers overseas. The research is thorough and presented with confidence, but it often feels more like a reference work than a narrative biography.
Unfortunately, Glenn Miller himself often feels secondary within his own story. The key facts of his life, service, and disappearance are present, but they are scattered like small nuggets amid a much larger examination of systems, procedures, and chain-of-command detail. This is now the second nonfiction biography I’ve read where the author’s enthusiasm for research seems to overpower the book’s stated focus.
In the end, Glenn Miller Declassified may appeal strongly to readers with a deep interest in wartime communications and military broadcasting history. For readers primarily interested in Glenn Miller the man and musician, it may feel heavier and less satisfying than expected. I came away informed, but not in the way I had hoped, and with the sense that Miller’s story deserved a more centered and balanced treatment.
The book opens with a long list of military acronyms, which at first felt a bit excessive. Very quickly, though, it became clear that this section was not optional background material. It turned out to be essential just to follow what came next. The author clearly assumes a reader who is willing to immerse themselves fully in military structure and terminology.
As the book unfolds, the focus shifts heavily toward the bureaucracy behind military radio broadcasting in the European Theater of Operations. By my estimate, roughly three quarters of the book is devoted to the administrative, technical, and organizational effort required to create and manage radio programming for soldiers overseas. The research is thorough and presented with confidence, but it often feels more like a reference work than a narrative biography.
Unfortunately, Glenn Miller himself often feels secondary within his own story. The key facts of his life, service, and disappearance are present, but they are scattered like small nuggets amid a much larger examination of systems, procedures, and chain-of-command detail. This is now the second nonfiction biography I’ve read where the author’s enthusiasm for research seems to overpower the book’s stated focus.
In the end, Glenn Miller Declassified may appeal strongly to readers with a deep interest in wartime communications and military broadcasting history. For readers primarily interested in Glenn Miller the man and musician, it may feel heavier and less satisfying than expected. I came away informed, but not in the way I had hoped, and with the sense that Miller’s story deserved a more centered and balanced treatment.
August 8, 2017
I was thrilled to be able to review this outstanding biography of Glenn Miller, world-famous musician and bandleader. Starting from humble roots but having a love for music and song writing from an early age, Glenn Miller started his career in a number of bands he joined and created. After the beginning of World War II, Glenn received a special commission as Captain in the U. S Army. He began setting up appearances of many AAF (Army Air Force) bands and became the director soon after. He proposed the Organization of the AAFTTC Music Program in 1943 that called for a network of singers, musicians and bands to form national and military-wide for the entertainment of our armed forces. He was an outstanding musician who made a huge sacrifice of his career for the good of the country and to entertain the armed forces.
Though I was not alive during the Glenn Miller years, I am the daughter of a proud veteran of World War II who served in the Burma, South Pacific front. My mother began her teaching career at a Naval base in Southeast Texas, teaching children/dependents of servicemen. My mother told me stories of the dances at the USO, the favorite recreation of those serving and working on the base. Of course, my mother's favorite band was the Glenn Miller band. Oh how I remember all the music and jitterbug dancing that my parents and their friends loved to do! So smooth and sweet! I grew up on "Chattanooga Choo-Choo" but my favorite song by Glenn Miller was "In The Mood"! Now my mother is almost 94 but we still "swing" to the music! I definitely recommend this interesting biography of a man who loved his country and treated everyone to some of the most fun, snappy, music ever!
Glenn Miller Declassified by Dennis M. Spragg will be available September 1, 2017 from Potomac Books, an imprint of the University of Nebraska Press. An egalley of this book was made available by the publisher in exchange for a honest review.
Though I was not alive during the Glenn Miller years, I am the daughter of a proud veteran of World War II who served in the Burma, South Pacific front. My mother began her teaching career at a Naval base in Southeast Texas, teaching children/dependents of servicemen. My mother told me stories of the dances at the USO, the favorite recreation of those serving and working on the base. Of course, my mother's favorite band was the Glenn Miller band. Oh how I remember all the music and jitterbug dancing that my parents and their friends loved to do! So smooth and sweet! I grew up on "Chattanooga Choo-Choo" but my favorite song by Glenn Miller was "In The Mood"! Now my mother is almost 94 but we still "swing" to the music! I definitely recommend this interesting biography of a man who loved his country and treated everyone to some of the most fun, snappy, music ever!
Glenn Miller Declassified by Dennis M. Spragg will be available September 1, 2017 from Potomac Books, an imprint of the University of Nebraska Press. An egalley of this book was made available by the publisher in exchange for a honest review.
March 31, 2025
Glenn Miller Declassified offers a fascinating, in-depth look at the life and mysterious disappearance of the legendary bandleader. Blending history and music, Spragg’s meticulous research unveils new insights into Miller’s military service and the lasting impact of his legacy. This compelling book not only debunks conspiracy theories but also honors Miller's significant contributions during WWII, making it a must-read for history and music lovers alike.
August 23, 2025
This book includes a balanced array of photographs of him alongside our troops. It is thoroughly researched without being overwhelming and contains numerous footnotes. I recommend this book to anyone with an interest in history, the armed forces, World War II, Big Band music, orchestras, behind-the-scenes military accounts, military orders, patriotism, real men who stand firm in their duty, volunteerism, war bonds, or radio broadcasting.
May 19, 2021
Loads of information. Great read
Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews