Deadly Sky: The American Combat Airman in World War II [Paperback]

John McManus (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: February 28, 2002

In this book, WWII airmen of all ranks candidly speak on all aspects of their experiences--the missions and the planes they flew; their enemies; the places they saw and people they met; their morale, fears, and leadership; and the aerial brotherhood that sustained them.

Product Details

• Paperback: 464 pages
• Publisher: Presidio Press (February 28, 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0891417796
• ISBN-13: 978-0891417798
• Product Dimensions: 8.4 x 5.8 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,605,810 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Moving Account, July 22, 2001

By 

thomas a kamla (Clarks Summit, PA United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Deadly Sky: The American Combat Airman in World War II (Hardcover)

A thorough examination, backed by eyewitness testimony, of virtually every aspect of life, both on the ground and in the air, experienced by combat airmen during World War II. One walks away from this book in awe at what these men went through psychologically as they prepared for and returned from their often daily bombing missions. One unfortunate omission of the book is its non-treatment of the light bombers that flew for the Ninth Air Force, specifically the A-20 Havoc and the A-26 Invader. McManus focuses exclusively on the "heavies," but if any bombers were truly exposed to the destructive power of enemy flak, then it was these attack aircraft that strafed and bombed from low altitudes. My uncle flew in both and he and his buddies also have compelling stories to tell.

9 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Deadly Sky, April 15, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: Deadly Sky: The American Combat Airman in World War II (Hardcover)

The author presented the flow of information in a unique fashion. Individual stories of American combat airmen appeared throughout the book rather than in specific chapters dedicated to a particular airman. For example, an airman's views would show up in a chapter on crew training, then again in a chapter on air base activities or flying missions. Addressed were many aspects about combat personnel that one doesn't normally think of, such as the living conditions of enlisted men and officers, their drinking and sexual activities and how tours of duty were handled in different theaters. Included were items such as superstitious beliefs, prayer and even humorous events. The book states that many Germans fought for the Fatherland and the Japanese fought until the death. The Americans, on the other hand, did not fight for patriotism or the allied cause, although this was important. Their highest priority was survival.

I felt the book was a little weak on addressing equipment in the early phases of the war. It is my understanding that our airmen were thrust at the enemy in very inferior fighting vehicles. I was hoping to learn more from the crews' point of view on this subject.

It wasn't exactly what I expected, but it was a good read and certainly did cover a lot of territory. This book did bring back memories of American civilian and military feelings against Germany and Japan that I recall as a teenager

4 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An excellent review of military efforts in the air., June 4, 2000

By 

Midwest Book Review (Oregon, WI USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Deadly Sky: The American Combat Airman in World War II (Hardcover)

Deadly Sky surveys the American combat airman in World War II, considering their battles and the special dangers of manned air flights of the times. From flying missions to leadership changes and notable individuals, this provides an excellent review of military efforts in the air.