Ten Men, a "Flying Boxcar," and a War

About the Book

" the simple fact is that ten men, boy's really, came together out of nowhere did what was asked of them, and returned to their nowhere". These are the no-nonsense words of Crew 313's navigator, Mike Ozckus, that hint at the camaraderie, skill, danger, and sacrifice required for missions over Nazi-occupied Europe in the B-24 heavy bomber, known not-so-affectionately as the "Flying Boxcar".

Nose gunner, Emmett (Mac) MacKenzie weaves the memories of his crewmembers with historical accounts about air combat during the Second World War. Every daunting mission demanded heroism, yet Ozckus modestly wrote that their actions wouldn't warrant even a "footnote in history". Crew 313 is the story of ordinary Americans who answered their county's call to do the extraordinary. Mackenzie brings their history alive in this testament to courage.

About the Author

Having survived scores of dangerous missions during the Second World War, Emmett (Mac) MacKenzie returned home and then served another year during the Korean War with the Air Sea Rescue Service at Selfridge Air Force Base in Mount Clements, Michigan. After obtaining a bachelor?s degree in education and a master?s in mathematics and science, he married Pauline Johansen, his wife since 1955, raised a family of three girls, and taught high school math for 32 years. He then joined the Sperry Univac Computer Corporation and taught module software to air traffic controllers. MacKenzie finally retired in 1989 and lives in the Twin Cities in Minnesota.