Aces High: The Heroic Saga of the Two Top-Scoring American Aces of World War II Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)Are you looking to buy Aces High: The Heroic Saga of the Two Top-Scoring American Aces of World War II? Here is the right place to find the great deals. we can offer discounts of up to 90% on Aces High: The Heroic Saga of the Two Top-Scoring American Aces of World War II. Check out the link below:

>> Click Here to See Compare Prices and Get the Best Offers

Aces High: The Heroic Saga of the Two Top-Scoring American Aces of World War II ReviewBill Yenne examines the life and times of America's two top guns in this 2009 volume from Berkley Publishing. Dick Bong and Tom McGuire scored, respectively, 40 and 38 kills while flying Lockheed P-38s with the 5th Air Force in the Southwest Pacific Theatre. Both superb fighter pilots, they compiled a combat record that will remain unbroken for all time.
Readers with a general knowledge of the 1941-45 PTO air war will enjoy Yenne's book. He engagingly interweaves the Dick Bong and Tom McGuire stories against the backdrop of the Pacific air war. Both Bong and McGuire died before the end of the war, becoming yesterday's heroes almost overnight. Thankfully, in recent years, they have been given the recognition they deserve.
However, for dedicated air war buffs, Yenne's book offers little that is new. He basically rehashes information from my book ACES OF ACES, THE DICK BONG STORY; Charles Martin's excellent Tom McGuire book LAST GREAT ACE; Marge Bong's MEMORIES; General Kenney's books; and the DEAR MOM: SO WE HAVE A WAR collection of letters, reminiscences, citations and orders compiled by Carl Bong, Dick's younger brother.
It appears Yenne didn't interview the few remaining 49er and 475th vets who knew and flew with Bong and/or McGuire. Given the importance of the subject and the dwindling number of such men, I thought Yenne missed a golden opportunity. Bong and McGuire were both interesting, complex individuals and I would have enjoyed the insights their squadron-mates might have provided.
For a number of reasons, I also thought Yenne's whole handling of the Bong-McGuire ace race was forced and artificial. Until the summer of '44 Tom McGuire was just one of a number of 5th AF P-38 jocks in contention for top gun status. Others like Tom Lynch, Porky Craig, Danny Roberts, George Welch, Jay Robbins and Neel Kearby had more kills than McGuire. Yet many of those pilots aren't barely mentioned in ACES HIGH. However, from Chapter 11 (January 1943) on, Yenne starts out each chapter with Bong and McGuire's respective scores! In truth the ace race didn't come down to "Bong vs. McGuire" till April '44 and only lasted until December 1944.
In many respects the ace race was a media-fed competition that Kenney, who was a sharp operator, exploited for the good of the 5th AF. Yet, as I pointed out in ACE OF ACES, Bong was much less concerned with HOW MANY KILLS he had than he was in STAYING IN COMBAT. Bong LOVED combat flying. He expressed this time and again to family members. And he certainly had mixed feelings about the notoriety that came with the top gun title. On the other hand Tom McGuire, as one 475th vet confided, made no bones about the fact that he wanted to become America's top ace, be promoted to colonel and win the MoH. McGuire saw 'topgun' status as a (military) career-enhancing opportunity; Bong's postwar plans lay in civilian aviation.
In any case, depending on how much you've read on Dick Bong and Tom McGuire, you may really enjoy ACES HIGH or you may have a vague feeling of deja vu. Recommended.Aces High: The Heroic Saga of the Two Top-Scoring American Aces of World War II Overview

Want to learn more information about Aces High: The Heroic Saga of the Two Top-Scoring American Aces of World War II?

>> Click Here to See All Customer Reviews & Ratings Now