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.
- Update frequency
- every 20 days
- Average duration
- 51 minutes
- Episodes
- 51
- Years Active
- 2021 - 2025
S1, E8: We're Not The Rookies Anymore
With new crews arriving at Thurlow, the men start to enjoy no longer being recognized as “the rookies”. Willy becomes a celebrity among the base and Tommy comes to terms with his possible fate.
Pleas…
S1, E7: Dead End
The flight back to base is long and agonizing. The men all process what had occurred in the hours before. Skimpy is given a big responsibility which ends up nearly breaking him.
Please feel free to r…
S1, E6: Armageddon
The men discover what true war is like as they fight their way through Nazi fortified Germany.
Please feel free to reach out with any questions, comments, or constructive criticism by privately messa…
S1, E5: The New World
The Boss and his Crew all try to adapt to the new, cold and harsh world which will soon become a battlefield.
Please feel free to reach out with any questions, comments, or constructive criticism by…
S1, E4: The Road to Hell
With the Target now known, The Boss and his crew physically and mentally prepare themselves for their first and possibly, their last mission.
Please feel free to reach out with any questions, comment…
S1, E3: Lockdown
The morning after the "last night on earth" get-together the men all find out that the base is under a lockdown and nobody can leave, which only confirms that a big mission is on the horizon.
Please …
S1, E2: Last Night On Earth
Anxiousness and boredom begin to wage war on The Boss and his crew. With rumors of a large upcoming mission spreading throughout the base, the men decide to have a possible ‘one last night on earth”.
…
S1, E1: The Pilot And His Nine Black Sheep
The Boss and the rest of his awkward crew try to navigate the dark reality of a war they have not yet experienced and understand.
Please feel free to reach out with any questions, comments, or constr…
BONUS Mini-Episode S1: "Captain Blu"
Captain Gabriel Blu from Hartford, Connecticut is a war-weary B-17 pilot with the 300th Bombardment Group. His plane "The All American" has just returned from a tough mission to Frankfurt, Germany. …
BONUS Mini-Episode S1: "Blackbird"
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 Chapli…
SNAFU Season 1 Trailer
Hello Everyone,
My name is S. Aaron, and I am the sole creator and proprietor of Canto34 Studios. I am so excited to finally get this story out to the world, after sitting on it, writing it, and rewr…