Spies, Supplies and Moonlit Skies, Vol. II

About the Book

Spies, Supplies and Moonlit Skies, Volume II: The French Connection, April-June 1944: Code Name Neptune During the critical period of World War II leading up to D-Day the United States Army Air Forces activated the first Air Special Operations Group for clandestine activity against the Nazi enemy in Occupied Europe. While the daylight Bombardment and Fighter Groups of the Army Air Forces cleared the skies of Nazi planes in a brutal war of attrition before the invasion, the 801st Bombardment Group, on night operations from their secret base near Harrington in the United Kingdom dropped supplies and agents to the Resistance forces of Europe in preparation for D-Day on the beaches of Normandy on 6 June 1944. This is their story.

A brief comment from a well-known author of 8th Air Force History, received on 17/02/2005 via email:

Dear Thomas Ensminger,

Yesterday I was surprised and delighted to receive the copy of your Volume II. What an amazingly comprehensive work this is, and it obviously took a great effort and much time to produce. It certainly is THE reference for Carpetbagger activities and finds a welcome place on my library shelves. Congratulations to you and your team for this superb contribution to the history of the Second World War and the sterling work of the Carpetbaggers.

Sincere thanks,

Roger A. Freeman
8th Air Force Historian

About the Author

Thomas L. Ensminger is the winner of the 2001 OSS Alexander MacDonald Intelligence Research Award for his book - Spies, Supplies and Moonlit Skies, Volume I. A lifetime Civil Servant, he began his Department of Defense career with the Army two days after graduation from High School in 1965. After Active Duty, he worked first for the Army at Tooele Army Depot on a temporary appointment and next at Hill Air Force Base, Utah, for 18 years, transferring his military duties to the Air Force Reserves while there. He transferred to Wright-Patterson's Air Force Logistics Command HQ in 1984 as a specialist in Main Frame Computer Installations. After his work at the five Air Logistics Centers installing the first component of AFMCs Stock Control and Distribution System, he headed up the only civilian-developed documentation effort of the AFMC modernization program, saving the Air Force an estimated $13 million dollars in program costs. Completing 36.5 years of Federal Service on his 55th birthday, he retired to devote his efforts full-time to historical recovery for the 801st/492nd BG and the USAF Academy. Using his well-developed analysis skills, Tom has produced a volume of unique value to the remaining survivors of the group and to present and future students of the art of clandestine warfare and Resistance. His late father, Leo Ensminger (1924-77), was a Carpetbagger who was badly wounded on his 18th mission in August of 1944.