a5c7b9f00b Shot from the Sky tells the real life saga of B-17 pilot Roy Allen. Shot down over occupied France. Befriended by the French Resistance, betrayed to the Nazis, Roy becomes one of one-hundred and sixty-eight Allied airmen who are imprisoned at Buchenwald Concentration Camp. In the heart of the Nazi Empire. In the most deadly place on Earth. The only thing that can keep them alive is each other. I first watched this on the History Channel 06 June. This story was executed much like other programs such as Shootout where they had actors play in some of the parts and filled in the rest with authors or historians describing the events from hindsight. I was impressed both by the story itself, and the promise it has to become an actual movie. <br/><br/>Throughout the show you see the best and worst humanity has to offer as this American WWII pilot is shot down, rescued by the French resistance, betrayed, captured, and treated without regard for the Geneva convention. I want to keep my description vague as to encourage others to see this amazing story. 8/10 Roy Allen's story is well told in this documentary. For those interested in finding out more and also putting it in the context of other airmen who were with Roy in Buchenwald you might check out the book published by Art Kinniss and Stan Booker (two other survivors) titled "168 Jump Into Hell." Art is still alive (December 2008) as is Joe Moser who also survived and whose story is now being written as "Joe Moser: Buchenwald Flyboy."<br/><br/>Roy was one of the few who got left behind when the main group was rescued from Buchenwald on October 20, 1944 because he was still in the hospital. He was very fortunate considering what happened to many in that hospital. I agree with a previous commenter that while the story focuses on Buchenwald and the treatment there, the five day train ride in cattle cars and then the death march from Stalag Luft III in minus 28 degree weather was as torturous and dangerous as perhaps anything else. Another important detail is the August 24 raid of 129 B-17s on Buchenwald that these guys miraculously escaped from–an exceedingly close call.
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