Hit the Target: Eight Men who Led The Eighth Air Force to Victory over the Luftwaffe

by Bill Yenne

Selected for the Chief of Staff of the Air Force Reading List

From Bill Yenne, author of the military histories Big Week and Aces High , comes the stirring true story of the Eighth Air Force in World War II.

Less than a month after the attack on Pearl Harbor, the U.S. Army formed its first air force designated to operate overseas, the Eighth. Within four months, they had set up base in England. Three months later, they were bombing German targets in occupied Europe.

The Eighth was the first bomber command on either side to commit to strategic daylight bombing. It was a major change in tactics—and the men of the Eighth paid the price in both lives and blood. But it was that very sacrifice that led the Allies to victory.

Hit the Target introduces readers to those who made the Eighth Air Force the formidable juggernaut it soon became. Men of all ranks, from General Tooey Spaatz, the hard-driving founding commander, to Colonel Jimmy Doolittle, the hero who led the first air raid on Japan, to Maynard “Snuffy” Smith, the irascible first airman in Europe to be awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor, and Robert “Rosie” Rosenthal, who survived his time with the “Bloody Hundredth,” which lost airmen at a horrifying rate, and who went on to serve as a prosecutor at the Nuremberg Trials.

The story of the Mighty Eighth is told through these men, whose careers paralleled the early history of aviation  and who helped  to revolutionize airborne warfare and win World War II.

INCLUDES PHOTOS

Genres: History, World War II, Aviation, Nonfiction, War, Biography

384 pages, Hardcover

First published July 7, 2015

About the author

Bill Yenne is the author of several novels and over three dozen books on historical topics. He has also been a contributor to encyclopedias of both world wars.

The New Yorker wrote of Sitting Bull, his biography of the great Lakota leader, that it "excels as a study in leadership." This book was named to the number 14 spot among Amazon's 100 Best Books of the Year.

Library Journal observed that "enthusiastic World War II readers will be drawn to" his dual biography, Aces High: The Heroic Story of the Two Top Scoring American Aces of World War II.

Recently, his book Convair Deltas was named as Book of the Month by Air Classics, while his book Tommy Gun was named Pick of the Month by Shooting Illustrated.

His book Guinness: The 250 Year Quest for the Perfect Pint was listed among the top business books of the year by Cond Nast Portfolio Magazine, which rated Yenne's tome as its TOP pick for "Cocktail Conversation."

Yenne's Rising Sons: The Japanese American GIs Who Fought for the United States in World War II, was praised by Walter Boyne, former Director of the National Air & Space Museum, who called it "a fast moving... page turner," and the "best book yet written on the saga."

The Wall Street Journal wrote, when reviewing his Indian Wars: The Campaign for the American West, that Yenne writes with "cinematic vividness," and says of his work that it "has the rare quality of being both an excellent reference work and a pleasure to read."

The author lives in San Francisco, California, and on the web at www.BillYenne.com

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Reviews

[David Rickards · Rating 3 out of 5]

For the first time ever, I finished the CSAF reading list before the next year's list came out. This last one is a nice overview of WWII, following eight individuals who played pivotal roles in the 8th AF.

[Chad Manske · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another slice of the pie in the history of the 8th Air Force, particularly aimed at WWII. What I liked most, and am biased, is as a former commander of he 100th Air Refueling Wing whose heritage is the 100th Bomb Group, are the specific stories about Bob Rosenthal and the adventures of the Bloody Hundredth. Yet, beyond that are fairly deep character stories of the instrumental players in the 8th helping lead the Allied cause to victory!

[William Troy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm not sure I know what to make of this book. I enjoyed the stories about the eight individuals whom the author, Bill Yenne chose to represent the varied backgrounds of the 350,000 members of the Eight Air Force. Those eight are: Carl "Tooey" Spaatz, Ira Eaker, Jimmy Doolittle, Curtis LeMay, Maynard "Snuffy" Smith, Hubert "Hub" Zemke, Robert "Rosie" Rosenthal and Robert Morgan. Four are senior leaders of the Eighth. One is a Medal of Honor recipient. One was a Fighter leader who became a POW. One was a lawyer who went on to be a Bomber pilot and mid-level leader. The last was the famous pilot of the Memphis Belle. This book tells us about their lives and experiences during the war. The stories are interesting but I'm not sure how representative they really are of those who served in the Eight Air Force. One of my college classmates father was a bomber pilot in the Eight. He really isn't represented in this grouping and then there are the ground crews and support and the medical personnel who are overshadowed. Only Snuffy Smith is an enlisted man in this grouping. His lifestyle prior to the war isn't reflective of the majority of enlisted men in the Eight. It is an interesting read as I have said but it really doesn't add much to understanding those who fought in WWII.

[William DuFour · Rating 5 out of 5]

An excellent book on the seven air force and its leaders and one lone enlisted man who was quite a character! Kept keep spellbound from beginning to end!

[Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a great book to read before visiting the Air Force museum. It will give meaning to the Memphis Bell and the Flying fortresses and their importance during WW2.

[Ron · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fantastic read! Very enjoyable and informative. Highly recommended.

[Marc Gingras · Rating 4 out of 5]

excellent book about war aviation!

[Mark Green · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fascinating look at the famous 8th Air Force. Read a few books on this recently and now have a better feel on their contribution

[Jim Morris · Rating 5 out of 5]

While I was initially excited that of the eight people covered in this book, one was Enlisted, I was disappointed after I finished reading the chapter on him. Of all the great people who have served in the Enlisted ranks, there are certainly better ones the author could have selected. As for the other seven, the stories of their awesome contributions to society are worth reading about.

[John · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good read.

[Daniel Laflin · Rating 4 out of 5]

good book on 8th airforce in WW II

[Leo Mccarthy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent!