Celebrating 25 years with a comprehensive history from World War II through the 21st Century. Biographical profiles of the members as well as a roster of all association members.

A classic and poignant treatment of Japan's struggle between recognition of the kamikaze's futility and the country's pride in having made the attempt to stem the tide of the American advance in 1944-1945, this account, given by two former Kamikaze pilots, testifies to Japanese perspective of the last days of World War II. This book stands out among English-language translations of Japanese accounts of the Pacific war, and was translated by a former American officer who fought against the Japanese in the Pacific.

In the mid-1950s a small group of overworked, underpaid scientists and engineers on a remote base in the Mojave Desert developed a weapon no one had asked for but everyone in the weapons industry desired. This is the story of how that unorthodox team, led by visionary Bill McLean, overcame U.S. Navy bureaucracy and other more heavily funded projects to develop the world's best air-to-air missile. Author Ron Westrum examines that special time and place--when the old American work ethic and "can do" spirit were a vital part of U.S. weapons development--to discover how this dedicated team was able to create a simple and inexpensive missile. Today, many decades after its invention, the Sidewinder missile is still considered one of the best that America has to offer. In a time of billion-dollar weapons development contracts, astronomical cost overruns, and defense acquisitions scandals, this revealing, highly readable tale about one of the most successful weapons in history should be of interest to anyone concerned with national security.

Without the support of airlift, the modern American military machine would be brought to a standstill. Since World War II--beginning with the Cold War and continuing up to the present day--the U.S. armed forces have come increasingly to rely upon airlift for mobility. The power to move and thereafter support a military operation--anywhere in the world, at any time--has become a foundational element of American defense policy. This work provides the reader with a comprehensive historical survey--including technical specifications, drawings, and photographs--of each type of fixed-wing aircraft used by U.S. military forces over a nearly 90-year period to carry out the airlift mission.

An illustrated study of the little-known history of the failed Allied bombing campaign designed to shatter German defenses on D-Day. D-Day is one of the most written-about events in military history. One aspect of the invasion, however, continues to be ignored: the massive pre-assault bombardment by the Allied Expeditionary Air Force (AEAF), reinforced by RAF Bomber Command and the US Eighth Air Force on June 6 which sought to neutralize the German defenses along the Atlantic Wall. Unfortunately, this failed series of attacks resulted in death or injury to hundreds of soldiers, and killed many French civilians. Despite an initial successful attack performed by the Allied forces, the most crucial phase of the operation, which was the assault from the Eighth Air Force against the defenses along the Calvados coast, was disastrous. The bombers missed almost all of their targets, inflicting little damage to the German defenses, which resulted in a high number of casualties among the Allied infantry. The primary cause of this failure was that planners at Eighth Air Force Headquarters had changed aircraft drop times at the last moment, to prevent casualties amongst the landing forces, without notifying either Eisenhower or Doolittle. This book examines this generally overlooked event in detail, answering several fundamental questions: What was the AEAF supposed to accomplish along the Atlantic Wall on D-Day and why did it not achieve its bombardment objectives? Offering a new perspective on a little-known air campaign, it is packed with illustrations, maps and diagrams exploring in detail the features and ramifications of this mission.

This is the first and only comprehensive history of all military decorations and medals that may be awarded to men and women serving in the U.S. Army and U.S. Air Force. The background and design of each medal is examined, as well as award criteria governing each decoration. The book first looks at the Army and Air Force Medals of Honor before continuing with lesser awards, including the Distinguished Service Cross, Distinguished Service Medal, Air Force Cross, Silver Star, Legion of Merit Bronze Star Medal and Purple Heart. The histories of more common medals like the Air Medal, Meritorious Service Medal, Army and Air Force Commendation Medals and Army and Air Force Achievement Medals are also included. Photographs of each medal (obverse and reverse) accompany the text, along with selected photographs of recipients and the citations for their awards.

In the aftermath of World War II, the Continental Air Command was redesignated as the Strategic Air Command (SAC) as part of a plan to organize the Army Air Forces around three new organizations based on strategic, tactical and air defense missions.

Nearly everything about the SAC was secretive--its capabilities, strengths, order of battle and unit identities. Its aircraft were rarely photographed and those images that were captured revealed little information.

This book comprehensively documents SAC tactical aircraft markings from the organization's inception in 1946 to the end of the tail-marking era in April 1953, a period when the marking schemes included large tail markings, vivid squadron identification markings and attractive, colorful unit insignia. The SAC's history is described along with the evolution of its aircraft markings policy and basic definitions of markings terminology. There are individual unit sections on SAC's bombardment, strategic reconnaissance and fighter groups and wings. The text is heavily illustrated and features many never before seen photographs of SAC aircraft in full war paint.

EJ Johnson's story of nine young men who overcame unbelievable odds with the 8th Air Force 490th Bomb Group flying missions over Germany during the 1944-1945 era of World War II - and lived to tell about it. After qualifying as a navigator in the Army Air Corps during World War II, E.J. Johnson went on to serve with the 490th Bomb Group of the Mighty Eighth Air Force. His crew led by Pilot Roy Hann, flew some of the most harrowing campaigns of the war including many to Berlin, the heart of the German war machine. Hann's Crew is more than a memoir, however, it is a moving tribute to the men, the missions and legacy of the unit whose courageous exploits proved vital in the conclusion of the war in Europe.

This new book examines the development of Soviet thinking on the operational employment of their Air Force from 1918 to 1945, using Soviet theoretical writings and contemporary analyses of combat actions.

The B-26 Marauder was a formidable weapon in the campaign to defeat Hitler's armies, and, in the words of his first copilot, ""Louis Rehr ""was the best there was"" flying it. This memoir, which benefits from forty years of research on the combat history of the B-26, contributions from comrades, and an extensive collection of rare photographs, describes Rehr's experiences, including five night-bombing missions he volunteered to fly in 1944 and accounts of attacks by Me-262 jets in late April of 1945. Rehr, a squadron commander with the 323rd Bombardment Group, earned 12 air medals, five battle stars, two Distinguished Flying Crosses, and the Croix de Guerre with Silver Star.

Author William E. Oliver chronicles the lives and exploits of seven citizens who answered the call to military duty. None of the seven could have suspected that the combat record compiled in Korea when added to that compiled in WWII would isolate them as the only seven of many thousand aviators who would qualify for inclusion in the annals of history as The Inner Seven.

Called one of the most inspiring stories to come out of World War II when first published in 1959, this epic account of Arleigh Burke's legendary Destroyer Squadron 23 is much more than a story of ships and their tactical deployment. It is a story of men in action, some four thousand of them, and how they lived and fought as a magnificent combat team. Ken Jones not only records their heroic deeds but helps explain what prompted those deeds, including the leadership qualities that fired the men into action. In doing so he brings to life the outfit's fighting spirit - that mysterious combination of qualities inspired by great leaders that wins battles - and the man who led them. Commodore Arleigh Burke was the right man at the right place at the right time; his leadership fused the squadron into a superb combat organization. This book offers a vivid account of the fighting in the South Pacific during one of the most crucial periods of the war. In authentic, minute-by-minute detail drawn from once-secret documents, Jones describes the battles of Tassafaronga, Savo Island, Empress Augusta Bay, and Cape St. George. But the focus throughout is on the men as they meet the test of battle with a common bravery as staunch as any in the Navy's annals. No squadron in any navy is said to have won more battle honours in less time than the Fighting Twenty-third.

During the 1960s - in the midst of its retreat from empire - the British government had to grapple with complex political and military problems in order to find a strategic defence policy that was both credible and affordable. Addressing what was perhaps the most contentious issue within those debates, this book charts the arguments that raged between supporters of a land based air power strategy, and those who favoured aircraft carriers. Drawing upon a wealth of previously classified documents, the book reveals how the Admiralty and Air Ministry became interlocked in a bitter political struggle over which of their military strategies could best meet Britain's future foreign policy challenges. Whilst the broad story of this inter-service rivalry is well known - the Air Force's proposal for a series of island based airfields, and the Navy championing of a small number of expensive but mobile aircraft carriers - the complexity and previous lack of archival sources means that it has, until now, only ever been partially researched and understood. Former studies have largely focused on the cancellation of the CVA-01 carrier programme, and offered little depth as regards the Royal Air Force perspectives. Given that this was a two-Service rivalry, which greatly influenced many aspects of British foreign and defence policy decisions of the period, this book presents an important and balanced overview of the complex issues involved. Through this historical study of the British debate about maritime air power and strategic alternatives in the 1960s, the detailed arguments used for and against both alternatives demonstrate clear relevance to both historical and contemporary conceptual debates on carrier forces and land-based air power. Both from military strategy and inter-service relationship perspectives, contemporary Britain and many other nations with maritime forces may learn much from this historical case.

Compared to armies and navies, which have existed as professional fighting services for centuries, the technology that makes air forces possible is much newer. As a result, these services have had to quickly develop methods of preparing aviators to operate in conditions ranging from peace or routine security to full-scale war. The first book to address the history and scope of air power professionalization through learning programs, Educating Air Forces offers valuable new insight into strategy and tactics worldwide. Here, a group of international experts examine the philosophies, policies, and practices of air service educational efforts in the United States, France, Italy, Germany, Australia, Canada, and the UK. First, the contributors discuss the founding, successes, and failures of European air force learning programs between the Great War and World War II. Chapters in section two explore how the tense political climate during the Cold War influenced the creation, curriculum, and results of various programs. The final section addresses the post--Cold War era, specifically examining how educational programs are adapting to soldiers' needs and the demands of modern warfare. Featuring contributions from eminent scholars in the field, this volume surveys the learning approaches globally employed by air forces in the past century and evaluates their effectiveness. Educating Air Forces reveals how experiential learning and formal education are not only inextricably intertwined, but also necessary to cope with advances in modern warfare.

Thanks to the PBY's daring pilots and their effective tactics, the slow outdated Catalina patrol bombers became the scourge of Japanese shipping in the South Pacific during World War II. Painted black and hunting at night, the Black Cats, as they were called, are credited with sinking or disabling hundreds of thousands of tons of cargo vessels, troop transports, and warships. Curiously their exploits were known to few outside the naval aviation community until the publication of this book in 1981. This testimonial to their magnificent performance is told by an experienced flying boat pilot, who has pieced together the fascinating story from reminiscences of the men who flew the long, arduous missions and from official navy records. It is an inspiring tale of fearless men in machines ill-designed for combat who wreaked havoc on a dangerous and merciless adversary. Illustrated with more than sixty photographs and detailed line drawings, it is a book to be savoured by those who like their adventure stories to ring true.

This historical text is the personal diary of Colonel Samuel R. Harris, detailing his life as a Commander of one of the first B-29 Heavy Bombardment Groups to reach the Marianas Islands in 1944. Focused intensely on his life in the Group and his relationship with the 73rd Bomb Wing's operations, the first section of the book is an intimate portrait of war. In order to provide a contextual portrait of the B-29 war against Japan, the second half of the text details all aspects of how the 73rd Bomb Wing was engaged in the war against Japan. Together, they provide a well-rounded portrait of America--and one American--at war.]

This comprehensive examination of Soviet air power analyzes the three branches of the USSR Military Air Forces-Frontal Aviation, Long-Range Aviation, and Military Air Transport-and Naval Aviation and the National Air Defense, emphasizing World War II and postwar developments.

A gripping history of the brave men and women who aided downed Americans to safety. A valued source of information on the European underground resistance groups of WWII. Rare photographs, maps, and war documents complete this legacy.

More than 2000 women in the United States, Great Britain, Germany and the Soviet Union flew military airplanes in organized units during World War II, yet their stories are largely unknown. These pilots ferried aircraft, flew targets for ground artillery practice, tested airplanes and equipment, and many of them flew in combat. The women pilots proved that they could manage bombers and fighters as well as their male counterparts, and several later remarked that "the airplanes didn't care who flew them." Topics covered include the training of female pilots, how female flight units were developed and structured, the hazards of conflict, and how these women reintegrated into civilian life following the war.

The revolutionary X-15 remains the fastest manned aircraft ever to fly. Built in the two decades following World War II, it was the most successful of the high-speed X-planes. The only recently broken 'sound barrier' was smashed completely by the X-15, which could hit Mach 6.7 and soar to altitudes above 350,000ft, beyond the edge of space. Several pilots qualified as astronauts by flying above 50 miles altitude in the X-15, including Neil Armstrong, the first man on the Moon. The three X-15s made 199 flights, testing new technologies and techniques which greatly eased America's entry into manned space travel, and made the Apollo missions and Space Shuttle viable propositions. With historical photographs and stunning digital artwork, this is the story of arguably the greatest of the X-Planes.

This book explores the development of tactical air power in Britain between 1940 and 1943 through a study of the Royal Air Force's Army Co-operation Command. It charts the work done by the Command during its existence, and highlights the arguments between the RAF and Army on this contentious issue in Britain. Much is known about the RAF both in the years preceding and during the Second World War, particularly the exploits of Fighter, Bomber and Coastal Commands, yet the existence of the RAF's Army Co-operation Command is little-known. Through extensive archival research, Matthew Powell maps the creation and work of the RAF's Army Co-operation Command through an analysis of tactical air power developments during the First World War and inter-war periods, highlighting the debates and arguments that took place between the Air Ministry and the War Office.

Under the leadership of a dedicated pilot, the B-26 Marauder was a formidable weapon in the campaign to defeat Hitler's armies, and, in the words of his first copilot, 'Lou was the best there was. He created a spirit among the crew that made us really want to fly the mission and be disappointed if we had to abort'. This memoir begins with Captain Rehr's arrival in pre-invasion England in May 1944 and ends with the completion of Major Rehr's aircraft disarmament duties in postwar Germany in July 1945. Rehr, a squadron commander with the 323rd Bombardment Group, earned 12 air medals, five battle stars, two Distinguished Flying Crosses, and the Croix de Guerre with Silver Star. He describes his experiences, including five night-bombing missions he volunteered to fly in 1944 and accounts of attacks by Me-262 jets in late April of 1945. The narrative also recollects two summers in 1936 and 1938, when, as a teenager touring Germany, he observed the influence of Nazism. This memoir is the result of forty years of research on the combat history of the B-26, contributions from comrades, an extensive collection of rare photographs, artifacts including newspaper articles and letters, and all military records and documents relating to Rehr's part in World War II. One appendix describes where readers can find images and restorations of the B-26. A second gives brief follow-ups on the men described in the narrative, often with their remembrances of the events outlined. This entry refers to the Large Print edition. For the standard edition please see ISBN 978-0-7864-1664-6.

BOMBER CREW tells the vivid stories of the young men sent on perilous raids during World War II through the voices of those who survived. Long after the Battle of Britain, the aircrews of RAF Bomber Command risked their lives night after night during the Second World War. Over 55,000 of the airmen never returned from these missions; a further 10,000 became prisoners of war. And yet Bomber Command has been mired in controversy and its veterans - all volunteers - have never been awarded a campaign medal. Their crucial contribution to the outcome of the war has all too often been overlooked. BOMBER CREW exposes the bravery of these men using gripping first-person testimony from the surviving pilots and crew. For them this was a time of incredible hardship and adrenaline, courage and friendship, and their stories bear witness to the strength of the human spirit in times of incredible danger. Never before has their story been so vividly told. This is also a revealing look at the history of Bomber Command itself, from the early days through to eventual victory in 1945. accounts of heroism, tragedy and triumph, this is the ultimate account of these brave men and their contribution to the Allied victory.