Imagine the terror of falling behind enemy lines. Maida Purdy captures this fear and the extraordinary resilience required to face it, with remarkable power in A Sky Never Forgotten. In this deeply moving memoir, she brings to life the firsthand story of her father, Lieutenant Robert Purdy, a U.S. Army Air Corps B-24 bomber pilot who flew 17 perilous missions over Europe during World War II.

Drawing from her father’s own vivid reflections, wartime letters penned from a POW camp and official military documents, Giráldez weaves a narrative that is both historically rich and emotionally gripping. The result is a memoir that not only preserves a veteran’s legacy but also immerses readers in the human intensity of a world at war.

The book takes us from the frozen skies above Europe, where every mission tested the limits of endurance, to the brutal confines of Stalag Luft I, where Purdy spent months as a prisoner of war. Through these pages, readers feel the crushing uncertainty of captivity, the struggle to maintain hope and the quiet acts of courage that enabled Purdy and his fellow prisoners to survive.

What sets this memoir apart is the author’s unmistakable personal connection. Maida writes not only as a historian safeguarding the past, but as a daughter honoring her father’s sacrifice. Her storytelling adds warmth, depth and an emotional dimension that makes Purdy’s experiences resonate long after the final page.

A Sky Never Forgotten stands as a powerful tribute to the resilience, bravery and enduring humanity of the Greatest Generation. It honors not only Robert Purdy’s story but the stories of all who served and all who have fought for freedom. This book is an essential read for anyone who values history, heroism and the personal voices that keep the past alive.

A Sky Never Forgotten has been accepted into the Library of Congress Special Acquisitions Collection, a prestigious archive reserved for works of historical significance!