Mission: Jimmy Stewart and the Fight for Europe

by Robert Matzen, Leonard Maltin (Foreword by)

Overview

It’s a Wonderful Life was the first motion picture Jimmy Stewart made after returning home from World War 2, where he had participated in 20 often-brutal combat missions over Germany and France. When he left Hollywood in March 1941, Jimmy Stewart was America’s boy next door movie star and a recent Academy Award winner. He left all that behind to join the United States Army Air Corps and fulfill his family mission to serve his country—only to face obstacle after obstacle from both Hollywood and Washington. Finally he made his way to the European Theater, where several near-death experiences and the loss of men under his command took away his youthful good looks. The war finally won, he returned home with millions of other veterans to face an uncertain future, suffering what we now know as PTSD. That is the man who embarked on It’s a Wonderful Life.
 
For the next half century, Stewart refused to discuss his combat experiences and took the story of his service to the grave. Mission presents the first in-depth look at Stewart’s life as a Squadron Commander in the skies over Germany, from takeoff to landing and every key moment in between.
 
Author Robert Matzen sifted through thousands of Air Force combat reports and the Stewart personnel files; interviewed surviving aviators who flew with Stewart; visited the James Stewart Papers at Brigham Young University; flew in the cockpits of the B-17 Flying Fortress and B-24 Liberator; and walked the earth of air bases in England used by Stewart in his combat missions of 1943-45. What emerges in Mission is the story of a Jimmy Stewart you never knew until now, a story more fantastic than any he brought to the screen.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780996274050
Publisher:	GoodKnight Books
Publication date:	10/24/2016
Edition description:	1st Edition
Pages:	400
Sales rank:	376,547
Product dimensions:	6.00(w) x 9.10(h) x 1.50(d)

About the Author

Robert Matzen is an American author who specializes in Hollywood history. He spent 10 years with NASA and his avid interest in aviation-related topics resulted in the bestsellers Mission: Jimmy Stewart and the Fight for Europe and Fireball: Carole Lombard and the Mystery of Flight 3. He lives in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Leonard Maltin is a film critic and historian who can be regularly seen on ReelzChannel and Turner Classic Movies. He is the author of the long-running Leonard Maltin's Movie Guide and its companion, Leonard Maltin's Classic Movie Guide. He lives in Los Angeles, California.

Table of Contents

Foreword ix

Prologue: Unreality 1

1 High-Strung 6

2 Soaring 24

3 Factory Work 27

4 Silver Birds 34

5 Reliable Girls 36

6 A Storybook Life 43

7 Mr. Smith Goes Hollywood 45

8 Seeing History 62

9 Restless Spirit 64

10 The Eagle 71

11 Alias James Smith 73

12 Overachiever 88

13 Static Personnel 90

14 A Game of Chess 97

15 Destination: Meat Grinder 99

16 Boy Scout 116

17 Daft 119

18 Shakedown 121

19 Pushed by Angels 134

20 Mission Today 137

21 A Late Breakfast 156

22 Topaz Blue 160

23 Bailout 170

24 Roman Candle 176

25 January on the Rhine 185

26 The Dungeon of Eppstein 197

27 Iceman 199

28 Baptism 205

29 Boys Will Be Boys 211

30 Mother Nature's a Bitch 218

31 Fat Dogs 222

32 Argument, Part One 224

33 Argument, Part Two 234

34 Bloodbath 239

35 Physics Lesson 251

36 The Big B 255

37 No-Nonsense Men 260

38 The Sumatran 269

39 Invasionitis 272

40 They Are Coming! 281

41 Germany Burning 284

42 The Great Aviation 290

43 Grounded 293

44 Marching to Death 297

45 Aged in East Anglia 300

46 Gold Light 311

Epilogue: Reaching Beyond 318

Acknowledgments 329

Chapter Notes 335

Glossary 357

Selected Bibliography 359

Index 363

Editorial Reviews

08/29/2016
Even before Hollywood legend Jimmy Stewart went off to war, he was a fighter, working hard to prove his passion for military aviation to the U.S. government. In this meticulously researched book, film historian Matzen (Fireball: Carole Lombard and the Mystery of Flight 3) provides the rich, detailed backstory of Stewart’s time as a WWII bomber pilot. He delves deep into Stewart’s restless spirit, chronicling his family’s legacy of war service, his rise to movie stardom, the many women in his life, and his struggles to fly and serve his country. Matzen paints a revealing picture of a man who defied bureaucratic and health obstacles to become a U.S. Army Air Force squadron commander. He depicts the excitement and horror of life in a bomber crew as Stewart commanded a series of missions over Germany, interspersing his story with those of other WWII survivors, such as radio operator Clem Leone and Gertrud Siepmann, who was a young child in Germany during Hitler’s rise to power. He also shows that, although considered a war hero, Stewart had difficulty getting reestablished as an actor until Frank Capra cast him in It’s a Wonderful Life. Military and movie buffs alike will revel in this vivid portrayal of a man who successfully straddled two worlds. (Oct.)

Publishers Weekly

"Even before Hollywood legend Jimmy Stewart went off to war, he was a fighter, working hard to prove his passion for military aviation to the U.S. government. In this meticulously researched book, film historian Matzen (Fireball: Carole Lombard and the Mystery of Flight 3) provides the rich, detailed backstory of Stewart’s time as a WWII bomber pilot. He delves deep into Stewart’s restless spirit, chronicling his family’s legacy of war service, his rise to movie stardom, the many women in his life, and his struggles to fly and serve his country. Matzen paints a revealing picture of a man who defied bureaucratic and health obstacles to become a U.S. Army Air Force squadron commander. He depicts the excitement and horror of life in a bomber crew as Stewart commanded a series of missions over Germany, interspersing his story with those of other WWII survivors, such as radio operator Clem Leone and Gertrud Siepmann, who was a young child in Germany during Hitler’s rise to power. He also shows that, although considered a war hero, Stewart had difficulty getting reestablished as an actor until Frank Capra cast him in It’s a Wonderful Life. Military and movie buffs alike will revel in this vivid portrayal of a man who successfully straddled two worlds.”  —Publishers Weekly




 


“Unlike many Hollywood stars, James Stewart (1908–97) didn't make morale-boosting combat films during World War II; he was busy flying combat missions over Europe. Like many veterans, he preferred not to talk about his experiences when the conflict was over. One of the first major studies of the actor's risky missions over Nazi Germany, this title chronicles Stewart's improbable rise from small-town life in Indiana, PA, to his college years at Princeton, where he acquired his love for acting and befriended Henry Fonda, Joshua Logan, and Margaret Sullavan. His shy persona attracted the likes of actresses Marlene Dietrich, Olivia de Havilland, Norma Shearer, and Loretta Young. The bulk of this book covers Stewart's stay in England, his relationships with fellow crew members, who dealt daily with fear, loneliness, mud, and bitter cold. Stewart returned from Europe a changed man, reflected in his edgy, sometimes angry antihero roles in 1950s westerns and Alfred Hitchcock films. Author Matzen relies on extensive research and the cooperation of surviving crew members; however, as in his Fireball: Carole Lombard and the Mystery of Flight 3, small details and comments about the subject's thoughts must be taken on faith. VERDICT: Overall, an illuminating, recommended look at a hidden chapter in Stewart's life."  —Library Journal


“Exhaustively researched, exceptionally well written, Mission: Jimmy Stewart and the Fight for Europe is as informed and informative as it is thoroughly 'reader friendly' in organization and presentation. While certain to be an enduringly popular addition to community and academic library American Biography collections and a 'must' for all Jimmy Stewart fans, it should be noted for personal reading lists that Mission: Jimmy Stewart and the Fight for Europe is also available in a Kindle format."  —Midwest Book Review


"Great gift for anybody like me who just loves Jimmy Stewart and loves a good story of history that you've never heard before."—Glenn Beck


"This week's must-read books...A revealing look at the wartime service of one of America's most beloved actors."  —New York Post


“As Jimmy Stewart’s children, we have always known that our father’s service during the war was the most significant event of his life, although he rarely spoke of it. This book gives us the best glimpse we will ever have of what that experience was like for him and the men he flew with. Thank you, Robert Matzen.” —Kelly Stewart, daughter of Jimmy Stewart

From the Publisher

08/01/2016
Unlike many Hollywood stars, James Stewart (1908–97) didn't make morale-boosting combat films during World War II; he was busy flying combat missions over Europe. Like many veterans, he preferred not to talk about his experiences when the conflict was over. One of the first major studies of the actor's risky missions over Nazi Germany, this title chronicles Stewart's improbable rise from small-town life in Indiana, PA, to his college years at Princeton, where he acquired his love for acting and befriended Henry Fonda, Joshua Logan, and Margaret Sullavan. His shy persona attracted the likes of actresses Marlene Dietrich, Olivia de Havilland, Norma Shearer, and Loretta Young. The bulk of this book covers Stewart's stay in England, his relationships with fellow crew members, who dealt daily with fear, loneliness, mud, and bitter cold. Stewart returned from Europe a changed man, reflected in his edgy, sometimes angry antihero roles in 1950s westerns and Alfred Hitchcock films. Author Matzen relies on extensive research and the cooperation of surviving crew members; however, as in his Fireball: Carole Lombard and the Mystery of Flight 3, small details and comments about the subject's thoughts must be taken on faith. VERDICT Overall, an illuminating, recommended look at a hidden chapter in Stewart's life.—Stephen Rees, formerly with Levittown Lib., PA

Library Journal

Meticulously researched, articulately written, and beautifully narrated, Robert Matzen’s work takes a fascinating look at film star Jimmy Stewart’s life, with a focus on the performer’s participation in the air battles of WWII. Narrator Peter Berkrot has a tall order in the massively detailed text, but he exceeds expectations. Berkrot’s performance is replete with occasional understated and accurate vocal characterizations, making his authoritative reading honest and absorbing. Stewart, who always loved planes and flying, was unwavering in his dedication to fighting for his country—and winning. After becoming a pilot in the Army Air Corps, he rose from private to colonel and then at the end of the fighting successfully rebuilt his film career with director Frank Capra and the iconic film IT’S A WONDERFUL LIFE. W.A.G. © AudioFile 2017, Portland, Maine

JUNE 2017 - AudioFile