MWSA Review
A heartfelt account of a young doctor’s service during WWII

S. Carlisle May’s recounting of Dr. Lamb Myhr’s service is a warm and genuine story of one good-hearted man trying to do his best to ease suffering during a war.  It is filled with personal tales painted on the backdrop of the European air war which eventually ground the German offensive to a halt.

The author does a good job of balancing personal stories with important unit and historical events so that the reader can see the “big picture” while at the same time being able to focus on Dr. Myhr’s smaller piece of it.  These personal stories are supported with pictures and other evidence which lends credibility to the story.
Oftentimes, a biography is written about someone who has done something extraordinary. In this case, this story illustrated the wonderfully ordinary service of an ordinary man, called to nothing more than his job.  It sheds light on the medical picture across the European theater, what challenges the medical personnel faced, how they dealt with wounds, what made them laugh, what made them cry.  It is well done, personal, informative, and memorable.

Fans of military biography or medical biography will definitely take something from this worthwhile book.
MWSA Reviewer: Rob Ballister  
 

Author's Synopsis
In the brutal and deadly conflict that swept the world in the 1940s, the newly formed United States Army Air Forces played a crucial role. The inherently dangerous missions relied on pilots in peak mental and physical condition. Dr. Lamb Myhr spent the Second World War as a flight surgeon working tirelessly to “keep them flying.” From Africa to Normandy and beyond, Myhr cared for injured and sick pilots, delivered civilian babies, and tended to the survivors of the Nazi concentration camps.

Written by Myhr’s great-niece and drawn from his personal letters and recollections, this portrait is a window into the lives of the everyday participants in World War II. His personal photos are included and feature the historic meeting between Gens. Mark Clark, George Patton, and Dwight D. Eisenhower before the invasion of Italy, as well as Hitler’s Eagle’s Nest after it was captured. Insightful detail about the many different injuries and diseases Myhr faced in his service provide a perspective on the diverse challenges brought by each stage of the conflict.