The Last Mission

The story of a 15-16 yr old jewish american boy who assumes his brother's identity to train and fly as a gunner in a bomber against germany during the end of WWII. By the time he has flown several missions the young man has a different view of the realities of war from the air. By the time the concentration camps are freed he has a changed view of revenge and offers his last piece of bread to a german adolescent who is wild with hunger in the street. By the time the news breaks about the bombings of hiroshima and nagasaki he's matured beyond his years compared to his peers who stayed at home and in school. The story closes as in a classroom back home he tries to explain his feelings about war and peace to an audience of young people show more who've never experienced war or been the victim of bombings themselves. The narrative voice's young character is not always believeable but the circumstances of the story and the way they are presented outshine any complaints I could make about character development. The narrator's visit to his best mates' parents' home after the war is very well portrayed as are the grieving parents of a young Sgt. who did not come home. show less

One of my favorite genres, WWII. This book tells the story of a very young teenage Jewish boy with his sights set to see Hitler and the Nazi's annihilated from the earth and the extremes he went through to get into the fight! Well written and very good descriptions of the action and what the men were faced with day in and day out.

Gripping tale of war time air missions in WW II told through the eyes of a airman who was too young to be there but was there none the less.

From the Publisher
In 1944, as World War II is raging across Europe, fifteen-year-old Jack Raab dreams of being a hero. Leaving New York City, his family, and his boyhood behind, Jack uses a false I.D. and lies his way into the U.S. Air Force.
From their base in England, he and his crew fly twenty-four treacherous bombing missions over occupied Europe. The war is almost over and Hitler near defeat when they fly their last mission -- a mission destined for disaster. Shot down far behind enemy lines, Jack is taken prisoner and sent to a German POW camp, where his experiences are more terrifying than anything he'd ever imagined.

Mazer's writing style is sparse but evocative. Jack is a likeable protagonist, and the details about life in a show more bomber squadron are very well done. show less

there was a boy named Jack and he lied about his age to get in the army. So he went to the army and went through traning. So he was waiting for his turn to learn how to fly a B17 Bomber when his turn came he had fun and learned how to fly the plane. Before it was his time to go to the war he called this girl that he ment in Miami so then he talked to her for a while. The before he went to the war he had his forlong and he went to new york he saw this house that had a yellow ribbon outside theat meant they had someone in the armyand that they were renting out a room so he knoccked on the door and a lady awnsered the door. and let him stay there. He was nervous to go see dotty the girl hat he met at the beach in Miami.
J.C.

A very interseting book. Does use lanuage