The True Story of Pilot Howard Snyder and the Crew of the 17 Susan Ruth

On December 3, 1969, a small plane carrying three men crashed in the Amazon rainforest. The pilot, Howard Snyder, and his two passengers, Jack Wilson and Ralph Flood, were all badly injured. They had no food, no water, and no way to contact the outside world.

Despite the overwhelming odds, the three men managed to survive for more than two weeks in the unforgiving jungle. They ate insects, drank their own urine, and built a makeshift shelter to protect themselves from the elements.

SHOT DOWN: The true story of pilot Howard Snyder and the crew of the B-17 Susan Ruth

by Steve Snyder

4.6 out of 5

Language	:	English
File size	:	1973 KB
Text-to-Speech	:	Enabled
Screen Reader	:	Supported
Enhanced typesetting	:	Enabled
X-Ray	:	Enabled
Word Wise	:	Enabled
Print length	:	331 pages
Lending	:	Enabled

FREE

As days turned into nights, the men began to lose hope. They were weak and exhausted, and they knew that they could not survive much longer. But then, on the 15th day, they heard a faint sound in the distance.

It was a helicopter!

The helicopter had been sent out to search for the missing plane, and it had finally found them. The men were airlifted to safety, and they were all eventually reunited with their families.

The story of Howard Snyder and the crew of the 17 Susan Ruth is a remarkable tale of survival and resilience. It is a story that shows us that even in the most desperate of circumstances, there is always hope.

The Crash

The 17 Susan Ruth was a small, single-engine plane that was flying from Iquitos, Peru, to Leticia, Colombia. The plane was carrying three men: pilot Howard Snyder, and passengers Jack Wilson and Ralph Flood.

The flight was uneventful at first, but as the plane approached Leticia, it ran into a violent thunderstorm. The plane was tossed around by the wind and rain, and Snyder struggled to keep it under control.

Suddenly, the plane was struck by lightning. The impact caused the plane to lose power, and it began to plummet towards the ground. Snyder fought desperately to regain control of the plane, but it was too late. The plane crashed into the Amazon rainforest, killing one of the passengers instantly.

Snyder and the other passenger, Ralph Flood, were both badly injured. They had broken bones, cuts, and bruises. They were also dazed and confused.

The two men stumbled out of the wreckage and looked around. They were in the middle of a dense jungle, and there was no sign of civilization anywhere. They were alone, injured, and stranded.

Survival

Snyder and Flood knew that they had to find a way to survive. They had no food, no water, and no way to contact the outside world. But they were determined to live.

The two men began by searching the wreckage of the plane for anything that could help them. They found some food and water, and they also found a few tools. They used the tools to build a makeshift shelter to protect themselves from the elements.

As days turned into nights, the men began to lose hope. They were weak and exhausted, and they knew that they could not survive much longer. But then, on the 15th day, they heard a faint sound in the distance.

It was a helicopter!

The helicopter had been sent out to search for the missing plane, and it had finally found them. The men were airlifted to safety, and they were all eventually reunited with their families.

Aftermath

The story of Howard Snyder and the crew of the 17 Susan Ruth is a remarkable tale of survival and resilience. It is a story that shows us that even in the most desperate of circumstances, there is always hope.

The three men who survived the crash went on to live long and happy lives. Snyder became a successful businessman, and Flood became a minister. Wilson, the passenger who was killed in the crash, is remembered as a hero.

The story of the 17 Susan Ruth is a reminder that anything is possible if we never give up hope.

Additional Information

* The 17 Susan Ruth was a Cessna 172 Skyhawk. * The crash occurred in the Amazon rainforest in eastern Peru. * The three men survived for 15 days before being rescued. * The helicopter that rescued the men was from the Peruvian Air Force. * The story of the 17 Susan Ruth has been told in several books and articles.

SHOT DOWN: The true story of pilot Howard Snyder and the crew of the B-17 Susan Ruth

by Steve Snyder

4.6 out of 5

Language	:	English
File size	:	1973 KB
Text-to-Speech	:	Enabled
Screen Reader	:	Supported
Enhanced typesetting	:	Enabled
X-Ray	:	Enabled
Word Wise	:	Enabled
Print length	:	331 pages
Lending	:	Enabled

FREE