Discover the Extraordinary Story of Pilot Howard Snyder 
and the Crew of the B-17 Susan Ruth

Author Steve Snyder’s father, Howard Snyder, was a B-17 pilot stationed in England during World War II. On February 8, 1944, his plane, the B-17 Susan Ruth, was Shot Down over the French/Belgium border after a mission to bomb Frankfurt, Germany. 

The book tells the true story of events leading up to and after that harrowing day. Of the ten man crew, some died, some ended up in prison camps, and some evaded capture. What makes this book unique is the varied, detailed, and amazing story of what happened to each crew member, in particular Howard Snyder who evaded capture and was missing in action for seven months.

Read the letters and documents that were exchanged before and after the Susan Ruth was shot down. View the photos and follow Steve on his journey to uncovering these extraordinary WW II events that must never be forgotten.


STEVE SNYDER:  AUTHOR, HISTORIAN, SON

I was born in Pasadena, California and first attended the University of California at Santa Barbara, I then transferred to UCLA where I earned a B.A. degree in Economics. 

Retiring from VSP in 2009 after 36 years in national sales and sales management, I began my quest to know everything possible about the World War II experiences of my father, pilot Howard Snyder, and his crew of the B-17 Susan Ruth which was named after my oldest sister. Gradually, it became my passion and resulted in this book. I belong to numerous World War II associations and am on the Board of Directors of the 306th Bomb Group Association.
Click on any image to enlarge.
Click any image to enlarge.
HOW IT HAPPENED

​Growing up, I knew the basics about my father’s World War II experience.  He was a B-17 pilot whose plane, the Susan Ruth, was named after my oldest sister who was one year old at the time. His plane was shot down over Belgium, and he was missing in action for seven months.  Through the help of the Belgian Underground, he was able to evade being captured by the Germans.  That was about it.

But then, both my parents died in 2007, five months apart.  After they died, I started going through their war keepsakes that included a plethora of pictures, letters, crew member firsthand accounts, and historical publications written by Dr. Delahaye; all of which I scanned into my computer. Of particular interest were all the letters my Dad wrote to my mother while he was stationed in England that she had kept. I had never read them until then, and it was absolutely mesmerizing “listening” to my father “talk” about his personal experiences.

After 36 years of working in sales for Vision Service Plan (VSP), I retired in August 2009, and my retirement gave me the opportunity to begin deeper research into the history of the Susan Ruth crew. The first thing I did was try to locate relatives of the crew.

Through a variety of sources (Ancestry.com, Obituaries, Facebook, etc.), I was able to find numerous relatives of all the crew members except one. Although it took a lot of searching and a lot of hours, I was gratified whenever I found a relative. I assumed the role of unofficial Susan Ruth historian and began emailing all sorts of information to them; many of whom did not have much knowledge about the Susan Ruth and its crew.  Locating these relatives further ignited my enthusiasm for research, and as a result, I became a member of The Mighty Eighth Air Force Museum in Savannah, Georgia, The World War II Museum in New Orleans, Louisiana, the Air Forces Escape & Evasion Society (AFEES), The Eighth Air Force Historical Society, and the 306th Bomb Group Association.

B-17 Susan Ruth Memorial

In 2011, the 306th Bomb Group held its annual reunion in San Diego, California, and being that I was retired and it was only 1 ½ hours from my home, I decided to go along with my oldest son, Doug. Later that year, Doug and I attended the AFEES Reunion in San Antonio, Texas, and in 2012 we attended the 306th Bomb Group Reunion in Savannah, Georgia.

Attending the reunions, I was inspired by the stories told by Eighth Air Force veterans and those told by relatives of vets who were no longer living. Listening to them, I thought what my dad and his crew had experienced was even more compelling. With all the reference material I had collected after my retirement, I decided to begin writing the story about my dad and his crew and publish a book.​
Publishers Weekly

​Great Introduction to U.S. Air War
A great introduction to the history of the U.S. air war in Europe, humanized by the experience of a single bomber crew. -- BookLife


Foreword Clarion Review
Snyder’s masterful book puts the reader inside the cockpit, shoulder to shoulder with the pilot and crew. Accessible and relevant both to historians and readers with a casual interest in WWII history, Shot Down a must-read for anyone with an interest in this gripping period of American history. – Claire Foster


BlueInk Starred Review
Highly recommended for historians and WWII aviation buffs, it’s a thoroughly satisfying and worthwhile read. Extensively researched, packed with photographs, and neatly interwoven with background remarks, this highly engaging book offers a comprehensive, yet personalized portrait of a war. 


War History Online
A masterful work. Enjoyable for those interested in the Eight Air Force and/or the B-17 Flying Fortress, but it is also broad enough to appeal to general history readers. Insightful, engrossing, and succeeds on every level. Bravo. – Nate Sullivan


World War II Today
A magnificent job. Readily accessible to anyone not familiar with the bomber war in Europe, but also much to interest those whose real passion is wartime aviation. -- Martin Cherrett


Compelling Story!
A wonderful read and compelling story of our B-17 aircrews that flew, fought, and died over Europe to save a continent from tyranny and oppression. Gives a great sense of the heroes that made up the “Greatest Generation.” — General Duncan J. McNabb, USAF, retired 33rd Vice Chief of Staff of the Air Force


All Young Anericans Should Read It!​
Snyder has reached a level of scholarship few amateur historians achieve. A story that all young Americans should read. — Vernon L. Williams, Ph.D., Director East Anglia Air War Archives


Great Example of Young Men!
A great example of young men from the greatest generation fighting to defend the cause their country asked them to. — Chris M. Kuester, Lt Col, USAF Commander, 424th Air Base Squadron Chievres, Belgium


Belgiuns Still Remember the Heroes
We organize an annual ceremony at a memorial in memory of the B17 Susan Ruth crew members honoring the memory of those who crashed in Belgium on February 8, 1944. The local population still remembers the heroes who crossed the ocean to come and help people who were totally unknown to them, to free them and to restore their honor and happiness. They gave their lives, and we will be eternally grateful to them for their sacrifice. We will always remember these men as heroes of our freedom. Thank you. We will never forget you. — Christel Delahaye, President Association du Devoir de Mémoire de Momignies ‒ Belgique
13 Book Awards!