During the twenties and thirties aviators had become lionized by American's people starting with First World War combat veterans like Eddie Rickenbacker and continuing with figures like Charles Lindbergh. Many a young man looked skyward with envy as he watched a barnstormer flinging his plane through the air. Naturally, romantic notions of service in the Army Air Corps, and its Navy and Marine Corps counterparts, made aerial service appealing to a large portion of the draft-age population.

The truth, as it often does, belied the romantic notions of the young combat airmen. Manned flight was still in its infancy and was plenty dangerous even if no one was shooting at you. Add enemy fighters and flak and you had a truly deadly brew. The Army Air Forces alone suffered over 120,000 casualties, of whom more than 40,000 died.

Using the same approach as in Deadly Brotherhood, his previous book on combat soldiers and marines, author McManus examines the dangerous world of the American combat airmen in World War II. In this dramatic and exciting narrative he covers all services and all theaters of operations.