Aphrodite: Desperate Mission

The riveting story of one of World War II’s most intense and desperate missions. Mission Aphrodite was a real-life, aerial Guns of Navarone scheme that called for volunteers to guide B-17 drone planes packed with explosives into Nazi V-2 rocket bases. The secret mission was carried out with reckless courage that ultimately cost many brave men’s lives, including President John F. Kennedy’s elder brother, Joseph Kennedy, Jr.

This is the story of the most incredible mission of World War II, born in desperation and carried out with foolhardy courage and at the cost of brave men's lives: Mission Aphrodite! A real-life, aerial Guns of Navarone scheme that called for volunteers to guide B-17 drone planes packed with explosives into the Nazi V-2 rocket bases. The mission that cost Joe Kennedy, Jr., his life.

The award-winning author of thirty-three books, Jack Olsen’s books have been published in fifteen countries and eleven languages. Olsen's journalism earned the National Headliners Award, Chicago Newspaper Guild's Page One Award, commendations from Columbia and Indiana Universities, the Washington State Governor's Award, the Scripps-Howard Award, and other honors. He was listed in Who's Who in America since 1968 and in Who's Who in the World since 1987. The Philadelphia Inquirer described him as "an American treasure. “Olsen was described as "the dean of true crime authors" by the Washington Post and the New York Daily News and "the master of true crime" by the Detroit Free Press and Newsday. Publishers Weekly called him "the best true crime writer around." His studies of crime are required reading in university criminology courses and have been cited in the New York Times Notable Books of the Year. In a page-one review, the Times described his work as "a genuine contribution to criminology and journalism alike.” Olsen is a two-time winner in the Best Fact Crime category of the Mystery Writers of America Edgar Award.