Midnight Flyboys: The American Bomber Crews and Allied Secret Agents Who Aided the French Resistance in World War II

Discover the remarkable true story of a top-secret World War II mission that helped prepare the way for D-Day. In Midnight Flyboys, author Bruce Henderson brings to life the courageous American airmen and Allied secret agents who risked everything to support the French Resistance in Nazi-occupied France.

In 1943, the Office of Strategic Services (OSS), the forerunner of the CIA, launched a daring operation to strengthen the French Resistance. Known as Operation Carpetbagger, the mission recruited experienced American bomber crews who volunteered for one of the war's most dangerous assignments. Operating from a secret airfield near London, these airmen flew B-24 Liberators across the English Channel under cover of darkness, descending to extremely low altitudes to deliver vital supplies to resistance fighters waiting in remote French fields.

Their cargo included weapons, ammunition, medicine, and other essential equipment needed to fight the Nazi occupation. On some missions, the crews also parachuted Allied secret agents into enemy territory, where they worked alongside French resistance leaders to gather intelligence, organize sabotage, and prepare for the liberation of France.

For more than fifty years, the story of the Carpetbaggers remained classified. Their extraordinary contributions were eventually recognized with a Presidential Unit Citation, while members of the wartime OSS also received the Congressional Gold Medal. Their legacy stands as a testament to the courage, ingenuity, and determination of those who fought the war through covert operations.

Drawing on extensive research and interviews, Henderson reveals the human stories behind these secret missions, honoring the American flyers, undercover agents, and French resistance members whose bravery helped shape the Allied victory.

Midnight Flyboys is a compelling account of patriotism, sacrifice, and the extraordinary risks taken by the men and women who fought behind enemy lines during World War II.

Key Features

• Author: Bruce Henderson

• Format: Hardcover

• Length: 336 pages

• Subject: World War II, Operation Carpetbagger, the OSS, and the French Resistance

• Historical Focus: The secret air missions and covert operations that supported resistance fighters in Nazi-occupied France ahead of D-Day