The Secret Rescue: An Untold Story Of American Nurses And Medics Behind Nazi Lines ~ Cate Lineberry

When new technologies are developed, unforeseen or unexpected uses for them tend to arise. This is probably more true in areas of war and conflict than at any other time. We've seen how military technologies eventually end up in our homes and for our hobbies: microwave ovens; radios and gps, just to name a few. What can also happen is the creation of a cargo plane that can double as medical transport. World War II (WWII) saw this new feature, as well as the consequences of "hot-bedding" an air-force.



In 1944, the Medical Air Evacuation Transport Squadron (MAETS) was created within what is now the U.S. Airforce, to transport wounded military personnel (not just those fighting for the Allies) from the front lines. Medics were hired to help with the loading and unloading of patients while the nurses provided ambulatory services. This book is about 29 members of the 807th and one of the 802nd, who landed in Nazi occupied Albania after their plane succumbed to mechanical problems during a storm while flying over the Adriactic Sea.

Lineberry tells the story of how the combined efforts of the British Special Operations Executive (S.O.E.) and the American Office of Strategic Services (O.S.S.) along with Albanian resistance fighters worked together in rescuing the medical personnel. Although one member had published her memoirs, including this harrowing event, the events had been deemed classified until recently, for the safety of both the military and secret services personnel as well as the Albanians who volunteered or were voluntold to help the thirty stranded Americans. That this tale remained relatively secret, despite the number of people involved is probably the most amazing part of the story.

Despite the scattered official sources and the too few members of the crash still alive after all these years, the author is able to provide a comprehensive version of the events. That she was also able to access photographs of most of those involved is even more astounding. Giving not only a voice to these medical professionals, but allowing the reader to put a face to those who must have been increasingly frustrated at the never ending delays in getting back to safety.

Because Lineberry was limited by the number of personal accounts she could access to tell this story, it occasionally has the feel of an escapees travelogue, rather than a saga of despair and triumph. This is by no means a fault in the writing or the presentation, it is just the reality of what the author had to work with and as a result, there were moments when I was emotionally affected and empathising with the situation, then suddenly plunged into a bit of a dry account.

I do feel that anyone interested in medicos and/at war, or Albania's unique political situation at the time would do well to add this to their collection.

Review originally appeared on the now defunct Paternoster Row Legacy blog.