Into Hostile Skies: Missing Air Crews of the 459th Bomb Group is a compilation of stories and experiences of the men who were lost over the skies of Germany, Austria, Italy, Romania and the other Balkan states, while on bombing missions against the Axis powers during World War II. Through flak filled skies, the men and bombers of the 459th Bomb Group were never deterred by enemy action from dropping their bombs onto targets of Hitler's war machine, in hopes of bringing the war to a successful end. Despite completing many missions over enemy territory, there were tragic consequences for many aircrews involved. In this book you'll read about the courageous acts of the men who endured freezing temperatures at high altitudes, flak barrages and enemy fighter attacks, not knowing whether or not they would survive to return to base. These airmen saw many of their buddies shot down or plummet to the ground with damaged parachutes. If their own plane was hit, what went through their minds as they frantically tried to escape the centrifugal forces keeping them pinned within the fuselage of their stricken aircraft? These are the stories, told in their own words, of the crews who were shot down and perished, or were taken prisoner to spend the remainder of the war in German POW camps, or those who evaded capture with the help of the brave partisans, who risked their lives to save U.S. airmen. This is very poignant reading about the airmen who fought, survived and paid the ultimate sacrifice for the freedom of the world.