Stranded in the Sky: The Untold Story of Pan Am Luxury Airliners Trapped on the Day of Infamy

When Japanese forces attacked Oceania and southeast Asia on December 7, 1941, four large Pan American Airways flying boats were operating on scheduled routes throughout the Pacific. Retired attorney Jett (Taking Mr. Exxon) relates the stories of some of the flights’ crews and passengers. The latter enjoyed luxurious interiors, lavish meals, private berths and steward service as the “clippers” cruised between stopovers at bases constructed at Pearl Harbor, Midway, Wake, Guam, and Hong Kong, all Japanese targets. The airline activated an emergency plan, supporting staff as they tried to depart the new war zone. Some contractors and passengers were captured and imprisoned at concentration camps. Most personnel, however, got home after flight diversions and many anxious moments. One crew navigated a Boeing flying boat, making 18 stops, from Auckland, New Zealand, all the way to New York. That odyssey became the first round-the-world flight of a commercial aircraft. These details are riveting, but there are numerous scenes and chapters that may make readers lose interest, as they foreshadow what many already know. Illustrated with black-and-white photos, which is a plus.