When lifelong artist and World War II (WWII) B-17 pilot Ben Smotherman was shot down over Holland in July 1943, he was soon captured and interrogated by the Luftwaffe at Dulag Luft. Upon being transferred to Luftwaffe camp Stalag Luft III, he found himself a prisoner of war (POW), held captive with countless other men who ached for a connection to home and freedom. During his time in captivity, Ben kept his Wartime Log to chronicle his daily life—with the unique inclusion of beautiful watercolor paintings and pencil drawings. In addition, he applied his talents to create PENNY , an engaging and well-loved comic strip following a female war correspondent of the same name. This comic strip not only entertained and enthralled his audience with each new issue—it gave them hope. Ben Smotherman’s experiences and artistic renderings are masterfully captured in Jan Davis’s Air Born: Artistic Musings of a WWII Pilot and POW . In this companion piece to Air Born: Two Generations in Flight , readers will get an inside look at what it felt like to be a POW during WWII. Although Ben couldn’t freely describe what he and his fellow POWs endured while in captivity due to censoring, this book paints a comprehensive picture with his Wartime Log paired with Jan’s contextual explanations. Further, it depicts each of the ninety-seven PENNY comic strips that Ben developed and illustrated himself. Without a doubt, this second Air Born volume is a don’t-miss read for anyone interested in the history of WWII. “Outstanding! Jan Davis, a propulsive writer, enhances her father’s gripping account of his service as a World War II bomber pilot with a keen-eyed comparison of her later experience as a Space Shuttle astronaut. The emotional heart of the book is her father’s close-in description of his two-year fight for sanity and survival as a prisoner of war. His account of the Long Winter March of 1945—with 35,000 other starving POWs—from captivity in Poland to liberation in Western Germany compellingly recreates the inner history of that end-of-the war travail and near calamity.” — Donald L. Miller , Author of Prize-Winning Bestsellers Masters of the Air , Vicksburg , and Eight Others “This book is a rare treasure! Through his humorous drawings and poignant diaries, Lt. Ben Smotherman documented his life as a B-17 pilot and POW during the course of WWII. This book, compiled by his daughter, NASA astronaut Jan Davis, ensures that this personal artistic collection will be available to future generations! It documents the journey of one man but truly represents the experiences of many who served during a world war. Air Born: Artistic Musings of a WWII Pilot and POW is a must-read for anyone interested in our nation’s military history and for anyone who values the demonstration of character during the worst of times.” — Susan Helms , Lieutenant General (Retired), US Air Force, Veteran NASA Astronaut “There are so many reasons to applaud Dr. Jan Davis for undertaking this second book on her father’s experiences as a World War II aviator. This iteration of Air Born focuses on Ben Smotherman’s artwork and recollections while a prisoner of war. That alone offers fresh insight into the realities of internment in Stalag Luft—the daily regimen as well as the monotony, boredom, and unceasing uncertainty of one’s future. However, the book’s greatest value is the triumph of the human spirit, which Ben Smotherman conveys powerfully in words and drawings. Air Born: Artistic Musings of a WWII Pilot and POW is a must-read for anyone with an interest in World War II history and humanity.” — Scott W. Loehr , President and CEO, National Museum of the Mighty Eighth Air Force “ Air Born: Artistic Musings of a WWII Pilot and POW gave me new and unique insights into this significant historical time. This firsthand account of what pilots and crewmembers experienced during combat and captivity helped me understand the psychology of these men. While held in prison and deprived of freedom, Ben Smotherman documented his final flight and created artwork that shows the human side of what our POWs endured, what they missed, what made them happy, and what helped them survive. The endurance, patience, and hopes of these POWs are portrayed from a very human perspective. Ben’s creative artwork also gave me special insights into the thoughts and feelings of the people of the WWII generation. I highly recommend this book for students of WWII as well as the casual reader, as it truly brings the human side of history alive.” — Eileen M. Collins , Colonel (Retired), US Air Force, Space Shuttle Pilot and Commander, co-author of Through the Glass Ceiling to the Stars: The Story of the First American Woman to Command a Space Mission “Jan Davis's remarkable book Air Born: Artistic Musings of a WWII Pilot and POW evokes a similar sense of connection and reverence as I had when I discovered an old rocket fin marked with the name of the company where m