The Forgotten 500 by Gregory A. Freeman Summary
Overview of The Forgotten 500
The untold WWII rescue of 500 Allied airmen stranded in Nazi territory, executed by Serbian guerrillas who were later betrayed by the Allies. James Bradley called it "an amazing but unknown adventure story" that reveals heroism's cost amid wartime's political treachery.
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When American Boys Fell from Yugoslav Skies
The summer of 1944 brought terror from above to the mountains of northern Yugoslavia-but not in the way you'd expect. Young American airmen tumbled from burning B-24 bombers, their planes torn apart by German flak during raids on Romanian oil fields. Clare Musgrove found himself trapped in his ball turret, frantically hand-cranking the mechanism while watching the ground rush closer. When his parachute failed to deploy, he clawed at the silk with bare hands in free fall, finally catching air just moments before impact. He landed in a foreign land where military intelligence had warned him the locals would torture and kill any Allied personnel on sight. What happened next defied everything he'd been told-and would remain classified for two decades. Over 500 Allied airmen found themselves protected by Serbian villagers and guerrilla fighters who risked genocide to shelter them. The rescue operation that followed was so extraordinary that when Tom Hanks learned about it, he declared it "too incredible even for Hollywood."
The Warmth of Supposed Enemies and Life in Pranjane
The Spy Who Wouldn't Give Up and the Birth of Operation Halyard
The Man Time Forgot and the Politics of Betrayal
Six Hundred Yards of Hope
The Night the Sky Opened
When Heroes Are Forgotten and the Truth Arrives Too Late
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From Columbia University alumni built in San Francisco
"Instead of endless scrolling, I just hit play on BeFreed. It saves me so much time."
"I never knew where to start with nonfiction—BeFreed’s book lists turned into podcasts gave me a clear path."
"Perfect balance between learning and entertainment. Finished ‘Thinking, Fast and Slow’ on my commute this week."
"Crazy how much I learned while walking the dog. BeFreed = small habits → big gains."
"Reading used to feel like a chore. Now it’s just part of my lifestyle."
"Feels effortless compared to reading. I’ve finished 6 books this month already."
"BeFreed turned my guilty doomscrolling into something that feels productive and inspiring."
"BeFreed turned my commute into learning time. 20-min podcasts are perfect for finishing books I never had time for."
"BeFreed replaced my podcast queue. Imagine Spotify for books — that’s it. 🙌"
"It is great for me to learn something from the book without reading it."
"The themed book list podcasts help me connect ideas across authors—like a guided audio journey."
"Makes me feel smarter every time before going to work"
"Instead of endless scrolling, I just hit play on BeFreed. It saves me so much time."
"I never knew where to start with nonfiction—BeFreed’s book lists turned into podcasts gave me a clear path."
"Perfect balance between learning and entertainment. Finished ‘Thinking, Fast and Slow’ on my commute this week."
"Crazy how much I learned while walking the dog. BeFreed = small habits → big gains."
"Reading used to feel like a chore. Now it’s just part of my lifestyle."
"Feels effortless compared to reading. I’ve finished 6 books this month already."
"BeFreed turned my guilty doomscrolling into something that feels productive and inspiring."
"BeFreed turned my commute into learning time. 20-min podcasts are perfect for finishing books I never had time for."
"BeFreed replaced my podcast queue. Imagine Spotify for books — that’s it. 🙌"
"It is great for me to learn something from the book without reading it."
"The themed book list podcasts help me connect ideas across authors—like a guided audio journey."
"Makes me feel smarter every time before going to work"
"Instead of endless scrolling, I just hit play on BeFreed. It saves me so much time."
"I never knew where to start with nonfiction—BeFreed’s book lists turned into podcasts gave me a clear path."
"Perfect balance between learning and entertainment. Finished ‘Thinking, Fast and Slow’ on my commute this week."
"Crazy how much I learned while walking the dog. BeFreed = small habits → big gains."
"Reading used to feel like a chore. Now it’s just part of my lifestyle."
"Feels effortless compared to reading. I’ve finished 6 books this month already."
"BeFreed turned my guilty doomscrolling into something that feels productive and inspiring."
"BeFreed turned my commute into learning time. 20-min podcasts are perfect for finishing books I never had time for."
"BeFreed replaced my podcast queue. Imagine Spotify for books — that’s it. 🙌"
"It is great for me to learn something from the book without reading it."
"The themed book list podcasts help me connect ideas across authors—like a guided audio journey."
"Makes me feel smarter every time before going to work"
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