Jersey Magazine with Jim Monaghan

Jersey Magazine with Jim Monaghan

Jersey Magazine with Jim Monaghan

Adam Makos is a New York Times bestselling author who has written a number of books about the Second World War including A Higher Call, one of the best-known books about WWII bombers in Europe.

Masters of the Air is a 2024 American war drama television miniseries currently streaming on Apple TV+.

Based on the 2007 book of the same name by Donald L. Miller, the series follows the actions of the 100th Bomb Group of the Eighth Air Force in during World War II. The series serves as a companion to Band of Brothers (2001) and The Pacific (2010).

A Higher Call

A Higher Call tells an incredible true story of a horrifically battle-damaged American B17 Flying Fortress limping its way back to its base in England with dead and wounded on board when the crew encounters a German fighter.

Convinced that the fighter is coming in for a final finishing blow, the American crew is stunned when it realized that the German pilot has no intention of shooting the bomber down, choosing instead to give it an escort over the English Channel.

While not the source material for the TV series, Makos’ book A Higher Call is one of the most well-known book about WWII bombers and he offers some sharp insight into the historical importance of a series like Masters of the Air.

With so many of us the children and grandchildren of World War II veterans, who are passing away on a daily basis, it’s vital that we keep their legacies and memories alive for future generations.

Interview Excerpts

Historical accuracy of Masters of the Air

I think it’s a pretty darn good representation. Rumors where they spent $200 million on this. They’ve been working on it for a decade. But really, it’s like a time capsule. That’s the way I look at it.
You’re getting to see the recreation of a bomber base in England. They built three B-17s that are used for ground scenes and taxiing. And sometimes they hoisted them up on cranes. They literally rebuilt three of these aircraft. They can’t fly, but they built them.

You get to see, you’re going to get to see a POW camp. You get to see London. You’re going to get to see officers clubs. You’re getting to see the lives of these guys. And so it’s a priceless show for that reason. And the aerial combat is pretty spot on.

No place to hide in a B17

They flew with the windows open. So when you’re going for your ride, as I did, and you did, we’re getting to like, we’re running around the bomber, looking out the waste window, going up to the nose with the glass and in the radio room. The wind is blowing in there, but you forget that there is less than a quarter of an inch of skin around that aircraft. It’s literally a tin can flying in the air.

And that’s what makes it so incredible and so tragic when you watch sometimes the old footage of these planes getting shot to pieces because you realize that these bullets are going right through that plane from one end to the other. There’s nowhere to hide up there. It was a scary, scary place to fly.

And I feel like the TV series is showing people that. And it’s showing me what Charlie Brown was talking about all those years ago when he told me his story.

Aerial combat seemingly in slow motion

There was a scene in episode five of Masters of the Air where a German fighter pulls up next to a B-17. And all of a sudden it’s in slow motion, and the American and German pilots make eye contact
with each other. And that’s all I could think of was your book A Higher Call when I saw that scene.

It gave me a chill, Jim. And it also it’s that reminds you of the humanity. It reminds you that that guy and that other cockpit might be as scared as I am. And that’s why this story of Franz and Charlie is so special.

And not because I wrote it.  It’s because they lived it. It was real.

And we get to follow all their battles leading to that moment where their eyes meet. And then we get to follow what Franz did after that.  How do you go back and how do you fly till the end of the war? You have to get back in the cockpit. You have to fight your enemy now and you know he’s a human. And you’ve spared him and you don’t want to be there.

It makes for a heck of a drama.

Learn more about author Adam Makos at www.adammakos.com.

  • Dr. Michael Garko Wants To Know What Color Is Your Pee

    Dr. Michael Garko is a medical researcher and credentialed nutritionist with a master’s degree in human nutrition from the University of Bridgeport.

    He joins us this morning to talk about the importance of checking your urine, and what exactly it’s trying to tell us.

    Your pee is like a health status update, alerting you to potential issues like kidney disease, bladder cancer, or diabetes. If your pee isn’t its normal pale to clear yellow or starts smelling funky, that could be your body’s way of saying, “Hey, check this out” From the ‘drank-too-much-water’ clear pee to the ‘need-more-H2O’ dark pee, or even weird colors and smells, paying attention can help you catch health problems before they get real.

    Connect with Dr. Garko

    For more information on Dr. Garko, go to straussnaturals.com/ask-dr-garko

  • Rock N Ruff

    Hi Animal Lovers,

    We finish our “Trifecta Of Cuteness” third video with our friends from Gingerbread House Animal Rescue and Sanctuary Gingerbread Dogs Dot Org   

    This great group reached out to Rock N’ Ruff a while back to gain some attention to the beautiful, small dogs, many seniors, and many Pekinese in their care. I have known many people who have adopted from Gingerbread House and they have a wonderful reputation for rescue, caring, and vetting the dogs they take in, Lynn their founder brought a carriage full of pups to her visit and we decided to break them into groups! So cute and so. much fun.

    This week we highlight “Bodie and Spaulding”….. Both of these pups require a bit of patience and lots of love.

    Bodie

    Bodie is small, a purebred Pekinese, super gorgeous, and best in a child-free home (as he was purchased and brought into a home with small children and did not have a great experience) He is chill, learning to trust and doing GREAT in his foster home. He is decompressing and learning to be a dog.

    Spaulding

    Spaulding Spaulding has a similar history, is pure Pekinese, and needs an adult-only home. He is energetic and fun…..a bigger guy (not fat, it’s the type of Pekinese he is!) he knows basic commands, is housebroken, and would make a great companion in an adult home.

    More From Gingerbread House Rescue

    Fill out an application to adopt a great pup from Gingerbread House Animal Rescue, click here

    And don’t forget to check out all of our pups that need homes (Franklin is one of my faves ) Franklin

    And check out all of our dogs on the Rock N’ Ruff page WDHA’s Rock N’ Ruff

    And all pet-related news on the TC Rock N’ Ruff Roundtable page  TC’s Rock N’ Ruff Roundtable

    Including the search for local missing Boston Terrier “Meep” and how you can help – Find Meep

    As always, “Opt To Adopt”

  • Coach Sheets' Ride In

    Jeremy Sheetinger is the head baseball coach at Georgia Gwinnett College where he led the Grizz Gang to the 2021 NAIA National Championship.

    These quick hits may, on the surface, be geared toward his fellow baseball coaches, but his motivational message can easily be applied to the classroom, workplace, and your personal relationships.

    This week, Coach Sheets discusses the importance of showing grace in our lives.

  • Local Look

    Looking for something fun to do in the area? Chris Swendeman has you covered with this week’s Local Look.

    There are always so many fun events happening in our local communities.  Check out what’s in store for this week in New Jersey.

    • Grab your green and head down to Belmar today to celebrate the 51st year of the famous Belmar Lake Como St. Patrick’s Day Parade.  The parade will start at 22nd Avenue, runs along Main Street, and ends over at River Road. The fun begins at 12:30.
    • You can also head to Rutherford for their annual Patrick’s Day Parade today from 1 to 2 p.m. for fun for the entire family. The fun kicks off at Woodland Avenue, heading north through downtown and ends at Ames Avenue.
    • And next Saturday, March 9th, Woofies of Morristown celebrates their grand opening of their pet pampering franchise at a ribbon-cutting ceremony and festivities from 1 to 3:30 PM.  Visit woofies.com/morristown for more info.

     

    And that’s your Local Look for this week on The Jersey Magazine.  If you’d like your event to be featured on The Local Look, you can email us at [email protected].  See you next week on 105.5 WDHA.

Get The WDHA Setlist Newsletter Delivered To Your Inbox

The latest Rock news, intel on local events and concerts, plus exclusive contests, games, and more delivered right to your inbox.

*
By clicking "Subscribe" I agree to the website's terms of Service and Privacy Policy. I understand I can unsubscribe at any time.