BONUS Mini-Episode S1: "Blackbird" Artwork

SNAFU

It's March 1944, and the world remains engulfed in war. The United States is locked in a fierce battle to establish air superiority over Europe. Over the past year and a half, the Eighth Air Force has conducted bombing missions primarily targeting coastal cities. However, the focus is now shifting deeper into Nazi-occupied Europe.

The death toll among the Eighth Air Force continues to rise, with most bomber crews failing to complete even half of their 25-mission tour. Flak fields have become denser and more accurate, posing a grave threat to any plane that dares to fly through them. Nazi fighter pilots, growing in skill, relentlessly pursue American bombers, despite the defensive measures onboard.

Unknown to the American bomber crews, a significant change has occurred in their mission objectives. Under the leadership of Jimmy Doolittle, the Eighth Air Force now employs a risky strategy. Bombers are used as bait to lure Nazi fighters into combat, allowing escort fighters to pick them off one by one. This shift means the lives of bomber crews are no longer considered sacrosanct but rather as expendable casualties in the pursuit of victory.

By this time next year, the death toll of the Eighth Air Force will reach a staggering 26,000, surpassing the losses of Marines throughout the entirety of World War II. This podcast chronicles the experiences of one such bomber crew during the early months of 1944.

Lieutenant Bakas, a 24-year-old pilot from Youngstown, Ohio, leads a B-17G named "Load of Bull" and commands a 10-man crew with a singular goal: survival. With daunting odds stacked against them, Lieutenant Miller, a 23-year-old co-pilot, must navigate the challenges of leadership, perseverance, and duty.

Tasked with motivating a crew comprised mostly of young men fresh out of high school, Bakas and Miller grapple with the weight of their responsibilities. As they confront the harsh realities of their suicidal missions and the uncertain impact on the war effort, they must find the strength to inspire their men to keep fighting.
Starting in July 2021, SNAFU, a historical fiction podcast, will begin to tell the story of a group of men, as their families never knew them.

All Episodes

SNAFU

BONUS Mini-Episode S1: "Blackbird"

February 26, 2021 • Canto34 Studios • Season 1 • Episode 0

0:00 | 24:13

Chaplin Shwartz has been the 300th Bombardment Group's Base Chaplin for the last two months. He went from being a Pastor of a small Presbyterian Church in Dallas, Texas to being the Protestant Chaplin of a Bomber Base in East Anglia, England. This bonus episode gives you a taste of the kind of work he comes face-to-face with, in order to do his part for the war effort.

This Mini-Episode also gives you, the listener, a taste of what you can expect from this Podcast. This episode also includes bonus content such as a character dossier file with further information and backstory as well as a Q&A Episode that will be released the Tuesday after the episodes released. These will be posted on our social medial platforms listed below.

Please feel free to reach out with any questions, comments, or constructive criticism by privately messaging me through one of the various SNAFU Social Media Pages. Also, check out our website for more information by clicking here!

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/snafupod

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/snafupod

If you'd like to donate to the Podcast and help support us, please visit https://www.patreon.com/snafupod and you'll get bonus content every week.

Send us Fan Mail

Support the show

If you'd like to donate to the Podcast and help support us, please visit https://www.patreon.com/snafupod and you'll get bonus content every week.