LAWRENCE, Kan. - s4story -- The University Press of Kansas announces the publication of Salt on My Tail: A World War II Aviator's Memoir of Brotherhood, Battle, and Barbed Wire by Fred Freiberger, edited by Lisa Freiberger and Luke Truxal. A gripping firsthand account of one young American airman's journey through the deadly skies of Nazi Germany and into the notorious prisoner-of-war camps of the Third Reich.

Fresh out of navigation school, Lieutenant Fred Freiberger arrived in England expecting to gain experience before entering combat. Instead, he was thrust into the relentless Allied bombing campaign, flying with the legendary Eighth Air Force at a time when every mission risked ending in catastrophe. Salt on My Tail places readers inside the aircraft, capturing the anxiety before takeoff, the mounting tension of approaching enemy targets, and the split-second decisions on which lives depended. Beyond the dangers of aerial combat, Freiberger reveals the daily routines of an English airfield and the deep bonds forged among men who faced the possibility of death together.

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Freiberger's war took a dramatic turn during the Schweinfurt-Regensburg Raid of August 17, 1943, when German forces shot down his B-17 and captured its crew. His story then moves from the perilous skies to the hardships of captivity at Stalag Luft III, the infamous German prisoner-of-war camp later immortalized by The Great Escape. Imprisoned for nearly two years, Freiberger endured a different kind of struggle, one defined by uncertainty, deprivation, and the determination to survive.

More than a record of wartime events, Freiberger's story preserves the lived experiences of a generation whose sacrifices helped shape the modern world. For readers of World War II history, military aviation, and personal narratives of courage under extraordinary circumstances, Salt on My Tail offers an unforgettable portrait of a young airman tested by war and determined to endure.

Key Features & News Angles:

• Inside the Eighth Air Force: Recreates the dangers of B-17 missions over Nazi Germany.
• A Young Airman's Coming of Age: Follows Freiberger from navigation school to the front lines, revealing how combat tested his courage, skill, and resolve.
• A Pivotal World War II Raid: Places Freiberger's capture during the August 17, 1943, Schweinfurt-Regensburg Raid within the broader history of the Allied bombing campaign.
• Captivity at Stalag Luft III: Chronicles nearly two years in the notorious prisoner-of-war camp made famous by The Great Escape.

Learn more about the book here: https://kansaspress.ku.edu/9780700644087/

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