“Down in Flames” by Ray Parker – Book Review

Non-fiction is my favorite book genre, because truth is usually more outrageous than fiction. This is certainly the case with “Down in Flames”, a captivating memoir by Ray Parker. This page-turner recounts Parker’s extraordinary experiences as a navigator flying B-24 bomber missions over Nazi Germany during WWII. An 18-year-old copy boy at the Los Angeles Examiner when the war broke, Parker was eager to enlist in the military and help with the war effort. And his story is remarkable: Serving in the Eighth Air Force with none other than actor Jimmy Stewart as his commanding officer, Parker embarked on a harrowing journey, facing death at every turn. When his plane was shot down behind enemy lines, Parker became a prisoner of war and ended up at Stalag Luft 1, a prison camp on the Baltic Coast near Poland. Parker then began writing for an underground newspaper at the called POW-WOW (An anagram for “Prisoners of War Waiting on Winning”) – this paper was the only source of accurate news for nearly 9,000 prisoners, and was a covert group effort. British Warrant Officer R.R. Drummond listened to BBC news on a makeshift radio created from contraband parts, then transcribed the news onto toilet paper and smuggled it to Parker inside a hollowed-out wristwatch; Parker then typed up the newspaper, which was secretly distributed through extreme methods (One man smuggled the paper between his teeth and cheek!). The paper kept morale up in the POW camp and provided the prisoners with accurate information about what was really going on. When the war ended, Parker finally returned home after 14 months imprisonment. He went on to have a successful civilian career writing material for Art Linkletter, Dick Van Dyke, Hanna–Barbera Productions, and many more.

A page from POW-WOW, the underground newspaper that Parker wrote and published.

I had a hard time putting this book down – Parker’s writing style is very engaging, drawing the reader in and seamlessly painting a detailed picture of these amazing events. He writes with extraordinary compassion and perspective about the unthinkable realities of war. This isn’t just a book for military enthusiasts; anyone who enjoys a compelling story will find this to be a fascinating read. I’m glad that Parker made the decision to share his incredible memoir with us – it’s historically important as well as fascinating.

Down in Flames is available on Amazon for $11.66; you can also read excerpts on the book’s official website. AME, Inc. provided me with a copy of this book for review.