This book is about the fights in the skies over Europe during WWII. Not just the bombing runs that everyone has heard or read about but here are stories told by men who were in them. I know people say we forget about the Pacific but really we read about their dog fights quite a bit, but not so much about the ones in Europe. Since my father fought in Europe during WWII these stories by these men which we are slowly losing we need to hold on to and I feel honored to have read this book and wish my father would have told me of his fighting before he passed. A very good book which I was glad that I read now more than once.

Books like this one add so much to histories that could have been entirely lost were it not for conscientious recorders. I am pleased to have had the opportunity to read this book. Some of the interviews done in this book I have not seen anywhere else, and even for the more well-known popular figures like Doolittle, there were things that were new to me.

Reading this book is like looking through a window into the past. Hearing the men tell their story and recount the harrowing experiences they lived through was amazing. This would be a great book for anyone wanting to get a closer look at what combat in WWII was really like. I think students of history could definitely benefit from reading this.

Thank you to the author, the publisher and NetGalley for the complimentary copy of this book. All opinions are my own.

This book was not really what I was expecting. It is very conversational and not a narrative, which is the type of history books I normally read. That doesn't mean I disliked it--it's just different. Each chapter is basically an overview and life story of each man, and it's truly in their own words. Because of this conversational tone, and the demographic of the profiled men, there are some underlying moments of American exceptionalism and some crass comments (i.e., criticizing people for not volunteering for Vietnam and calling Jane Fonda a "bitch").

This is an interesting primary source of aerial fighting in WWII, and one that I didn't know much detail about. However, I still don't know much about it. I think a reader would get more out of this if they had a background or general understanding of planes/fighter jets. The colloquial nature of the book also resulted in not much actual detail or facts of the fights. It moreso follows the lives of the men and their commentary on everything. It was interesting to see what aspects and details had stood out to them over the years though--some very sad, some pretty funny.

Overall, I'd recommend this if you're interested in first-hand, casually-told stories of the lives of fighter pilots, and aren't just looking for a factually-detailed account of WWII aerial battles.

To start my review off I want to repeat the words in the title. They go “Deadly Dogfights, Blistering Bombing Raids, and Other War Stories from the Greatest American Air Heroes of World War II, in Their Own Words” and that to me was honestly the most accurate description. The book is just filled to the brim with stories about the war and you almost feel like you are reading a fictional novel but then it hits you. Every word is true and is being told by the person who experienced these intense life and death moments in a war that was literally hell on earth. Realizing this just hit me in the gut each time it occurred it to my mind that this was real and made reading this book even more heart-wrenching.

Each account from up in the skies is compelling and sucks you into what really happened with true emotions of the time. These stories should forever be cherished as they slip away from the world. WWII wasn’t so long ago and the impact it had on the world is something that can never be forgotten at all cost. War like this should never occur again.

My favorite of this book being made up of eyewitness accounts is the fact that you get different perspectives with each person and readers are immersed into that time. It is important to know facts but beyond that, it is also vital to understand what motivated events. The why beyond each individual action helps teach and gives understanding to how such travesties occurred and why there was a WWII. This is so important.

All in all, I give this book a 4.5 out 5 stars and would whole-heartedly recommend it readers who love history. It was emotional, factual, captivating, and a fairly fast read. It definitely helped me put some more puzzle pieces in my mind about what WWII was like and how pilots risking their lives felt. As a reader and history lover, I cannot ask for more!

This is a great read for anyone interested in personal stories of pilots from WWII. It focused on both the battles and the personal histories of each pilot. While I was less interested in the personal histories, I did enjoy the personal accounts of their encounters during the war.

A really compelling look at five veterans who sat down in the 1970s to discuss their lives starting from childhood and leading to them becoming soldiers in war.

The interviews are fantastic. The readers will feel as though they are in front of the veterans, which gives you the feel of getting a first-hand account of what they went through.

As a veteran myself, I thank them for their service and contribution to this book. I highly recommend it, particularly if you enjoy first-person accounts of a crucial time in history.

Five WWII Fighter Pilots Tell Their Story

WWII is now a long time ago and many of the major actors are no longer with us. The desire to get some of the stories before the men died led the author in the seventies to interview five WWII pilots who were famous for their exploits

The pilots include Jimmy Doolittle who led the raid on Tokyo that showed the island was vulnerable, Ed Haydon who dueled famous German fighter pilots, Robin Olds a West Pointer who became celebrated in the European theater, Robert Johnson famous for his 27 kills, and my favorite, Curtis LeMay who was responsible for the air tactics pummeling of Germany.

This is a must read book if you’re interested in aviation during WWII. The history is told in other places but the interviews being immediacy to the historical actions. I particularly liked that the author followed the men’s careers beyond WWII. I enjoyed Curtis LeMay’s reactions to senior officials including President Johnson and Secretary of War, McNamara during the Vietnam War.

I received this book from Penguin Random House for this review.

This read puts a real face and story behind the air battles of WWII. It's an first-seat view into history. As time goes by we are losing these glimpses into the hearts and minds of the soldiers and airmen (and women) who placed their lives on the line. Than you for this compelling look into one aspect of the war. Thank you Colin Heaton and Anne-Marie Lewis for your research and writing, Penguin Group Dutton/Dutton Caliber and NetGalley for sharing this look into history.

These are exquisite eyewitness accounts from birds' eyes, both literally and figuratively, spoken by five aviators in World War II, deeply personal accounts that are granular in their detail, yet also provide deep emotional texture. Some of the voices reminded me of Catch-22 by Joseph Heller. A terrific dive into a history otherwise at the risk of being forgotten!

A great read. I found the stories and personal accounts of each individual compelling and exciting. The author does a great job in providing the life of some of the more memorable figures in the aerial war in WW2. A must read book!

Thank you to #NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.