The 8th Air Force in World War II was arguably the greatest strategic air formation in history. Between 1942 and 1945, the bombers of the “Mighty 8th” unleashed a crescendo of destruction upon the industrial, military, and transportation infrastructure of the Third Reich, while the U.S. fighters took on their counterparts in twisting dogfights. The cost of the 8th’s daylight bombing campaign was high—life expectancy for bomber aircrew dropped to around six missions in 1943. Yet the heroism and persistence of the “Mighty 8th” ultimately made a critical contribution to the Allied victory in the West. brings together an astonishing collection of first-hand accounts from those who flew and fought in the 8th Air Force. Together these accounts form a unique history of the 8th in action, giving an onboard insight into war five miles above the earth. From B-17 bombardiers making the final bomb run through near-impenetrable flak, to P-51 Mustang pilots strafing enemy locomotives, the narratives cover every aspect of the operational and human drama. Strikingly illustrated with more than 600 archive and memorabilia photos, the book is an absorbing tribute to all those who served in the Mighty 8th.