About this item
From the acclaimed author of Hit the Target and Big Week, an in-depth account of the legendary World War II combat group, the Flying Tigers.In 1940, Pearl Harbor had not yet happened, and America was not yet at war with Japan. But China had been trying to stave off Japanese aggression for three years - and was desperate for aircraft and trained combat pilots.General Chiang Kai-shek sent military aviation advisor Claire Chennault to Washington, where President Roosevelt was sympathetic, but knew he could not intervene overtly. Instead, he quietly helped Chennault put together a group of American volunteer pilots.This was how the 1st American Volunteer Group - more commonly known as the Flying Tigers - was born.With the trademark smiling shark jaws on their P-40 fighters, these Army, Navy and Marine pilots became a sensation as they fought for the Chinese.
About the Author
Bill Yenne is the author of more than three dozen books on historical topics, as well as several novels. He has contributed to encyclopedias of both world wars, and has been featured in several documentaries which have aired on the History Channel, the National Geographic Channel, the Smithsonian Channel and ARD German Television. The "Wall Street Journal" notes that Yenne writes "with a cinematic vividness."General Wesley Clark, US Army (Ret) , former Supreme Allied Commander in Europe, called Yenne's recent biography of Alexander the Great, the "best yet." Of his biography of Julius Caesar, Philip Delves Broughton wrote in the "Wall Street Journal" that "Yenne is excellent at describing Caesar in battle, mingling tactics and strategy with the smells and sounds of war." The New Yorker wrote of Sitting Bull, Yenne's biography of the great Lakota leader, that it "excels as a study in leadership." This book was named to the number 14 spot in Amazon's "100 Best Books of the Year" when it was released.Meanwhile, Yenne's dual biography of Dick Bong and Tommy McGuire, Aces High: The Heroic Story of the Two Top-Scoring American Aces of World War II was described by pilot and best-selling author Dan Roam as "the greatest flying story of all time." Yenne has also written extensively about the history of beer and brewing. His "Guinness: The 250 Year Quest for the Perfect Pint," was listed among the top business books of the year by "Condé Nast Portfolio Magazine," while the same publication rated the book as its top pick for "Cocktail Conversation." Yenne's novels have included the "Bladen Cole" Westerns; an alternate history about General George Patton entitled "A Damned Fine War;" and the "Raptor Force" trilogy, an action-adventure series.Bill Yenne lives in San Francisco, California, and on the web at www.BillYenne.com
