The Greek playwright Aeschylus wrote: “In war truth is the first casualty.” It took 11 years for the truth to come out when the USAAF’s analysis of the raid was finally declassified in 1954. Outdated intelligence, poor leadership in the air, and simple bad luck during a mission that depended on precision timing for success turned it into a fiasco. The men had suffered and died for nothing, for oil was being pumped and refined again at Ploesti in a matter of days, and the war was not shortened by so much as a single day.
“Through the Gates of Hell” is a novel that tells the hidden and tragic story of the Ploesti mission through the eyes of the inexperienced crew flying the Avenging Angel. Because of heavy losses during bombing missions over Europe, Bill Jankuscz and the rest of the crew have had their training cycle cut short in order to rush them into the carnage. But their commander, Lt. Martin Angel, vows “that every man in this crew will do his job to the best of his ability, and, if necessary, the job of a fallen comrade. If we die, it won’t be because someone in this crew fucked up.”
