Joe Klaas

Joe Klaas is the author of nine books, including  Maybe I'm Dead - a World War II novel, Amelia Earhart Lives; a trip through intrigue to find America's first lady of mystery,  The 12 Steps to Happiness, and (anonymously) Staying Clean.

In World War II Klaas flew Spitfires as an American volunteer in the Royal Air Force. After Pearl Harbor he transferred to the USAAF and fought in the North African invasion of Morocco, and the Algerian and Tunisian campaigns, where he was shot down and captured by Arabs who sold him to the Nazis for $20.  

He spent 25 months in German prison camps, escaped to be recaptured, worked for the X-Committee which planned The Great Escape from Stalag Luft III, and survived a 40-below-zero death march across Poland in which 2,700 out of 10,000 Allied prisoners of war froze to death.

He remained in the USAFReserve 28 years and retired a lieutenant colonel as Chief of Information for the 6th Air Force Reserve Region (13 western states) with 25 decorations.

His novel, Maybe I'm Dead, based on how he survived the Stalag Luft III death march, and Amelia Earhart Lives are Authors Guild Backinprint.com editions.

He earned a BA in public relations from the University of Washington, was elected to Sigma Delta Chi journalism fraternity, and received his MA in creative writing.

In a 30-year media career, he was a news reporter, Associated Press stringer correspondent in Alaska, worked for one newspaper, two film companies, fifteen broadcasting companies, and retired from the American Broadcasting Company.