A Few Great Captains: The Men and Events That Shaped the Development of U.S. Air Power

The rickety frame-and-fabric machines of the early 1900s hardly inspired confidence in the potential of military aviation; but between the Wright brothers’ demonstration of a “military” aircraft in 1908 and the German invasion of Poland in 1939 a handful of determined visionaries struggled to convince a skeptical, jealous Army, and Congress, that future warfare would depend heavily on air forces. Their dedication eventually produced the most powerful striking force in the world. Full of personal detail, this superb account of the evolution of the U.S. air power is also the story of four bold men – H.H. “Hap” Arnold, Frank M. Andrews, Carl Spaatz and Ira C. Eaker – and the many others who shared their dream.