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When the Airlines Went to War
The Dramatic, untold Story of America’s Civilian Air Warriors
In the East, Japan had invaded China. In the West, Europe was being overrun by Hitler’s war machine. And in the U.S., America’s commercial airlines were stepping into a vital role that would make the difference between victory and defeat…
From Robert J. Serling, one of America’s most honored aviation authors, comes a dramatic chronicle of the glory days of the propellor plane, when the young, ambitious domestic airlines—led by shrewd, independent-minded businessmen—met up with military olive drab. It is the story of airline pioneers and pilots, mechanics and engineers, who overnight learned the art of night and transoceanic flying, moving cargo that included troops, ammunition and medicine, and were kept running by ingenious mechanics who borrowed from visiting planes.
A must-read book for aviation fans and World War II history buffs, When the Airlines Went to War takes you inside the hulls of the transport planes, through harrowing, secret missions from Newfoundland to India and Guadalcanal, and into the top-level meetings between the airline owners and Roosevelt’s White House that led to the development of the ATC (Air Transport Command) and the NATS (Naval Air Transport Service). A story of courageous pilots and remarkable flying feats, this is also a history of how a fledgling industry developed into a crucial military operation, and how it came out of the war not only victorious, but ready to change the shape and pace of air travel forever.
Robert J. Serling has written about flying in fiction (The President’s Plane Is Missing, Air Force One Is Haunted) and nonfiction; this is his seventh book on aviation. He and his wife live in Tucson, Arizona.
In the East, Japan had invaded China. In the West, Europe was being overrun by Hitler’s war machine. And in the U.S., America’s commercial airlines were stepping into a vital role that would make the difference between victory and defeat…
From Robert J. Serling, one of America’s most honored aviation authors, comes a dramatic chronicle of the glory days of the propellor plane, when the young, ambitious domestic airlines—led by shrewd, independent-minded businessmen—met up with military olive drab. It is the story of airline pioneers and pilots, mechanics and engineers, who overnight learned the art of night and transoceanic flying, moving cargo that included troops, ammunition and medicine, and were kept running by ingenious mechanics who borrowed from visiting planes.
A must-read book for aviation fans and World War II history buffs, When the Airlines Went to War takes you inside the hulls of the transport planes, through harrowing, secret missions from Newfoundland to India and Guadalcanal, and into the top-level meetings between the airline owners and Roosevelt’s White House that led to the development of the ATC (Air Transport Command) and the NATS (Naval Air Transport Service). A story of courageous pilots and remarkable flying feats, this is also a history of how a fledgling industry developed into a crucial military operation, and how it came out of the war not only victorious, but ready to change the shape and pace of air travel forever.
Robert J. Serling has written about flying in fiction (The President’s Plane Is Missing, Air Force One Is Haunted) and nonfiction; this is his seventh book on aviation. He and his wife live in Tucson, Arizona.
387 pages, Kindle Edition
Published May 30, 2019
140 people are currently reading
81 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
November 9, 2020
Aviation history at it's best!
Have read several of Serling's aviation books and all have been well written and informative. Those were on aviation topics that I had some basic background knowledge of. This one was all new and was a great revelation of how our commercial airlines have supported our country during times of war. The dedication and time given by flight and ground crews Of our airlines has been phenomenal. It makes me proud to see how we Americans have stepped up to help this country ween needed.
Have read several of Serling's aviation books and all have been well written and informative. Those were on aviation topics that I had some basic background knowledge of. This one was all new and was a great revelation of how our commercial airlines have supported our country during times of war. The dedication and time given by flight and ground crews Of our airlines has been phenomenal. It makes me proud to see how we Americans have stepped up to help this country ween needed.
January 21, 2020
This is a sleeper - a book that despite its unprepossessing title contains a lot of fascinating stories about a period of history when the US had to marshal all its resources to combat a relentless and committed enemy which initially had the advantage of surprise. I enjoyed it and I'm happy to recommend it to anyone who likes aeroplanes as much as I do.
November 2, 2023
Firstly, the good points:
Some of the stories covered in this book are riveting; tales of pioneering, of dangerous work and of being marooned due to mishaps. The coverage is comprehensive - perhaps too full, in places - and the development of civilian flying in combat zones is interesting.
Secondly, the not so good:
Some of even the interesting tales are told in a flat, factual way and some of the less-interesting, technical aspects are covered to the nth degree. The coverage if which airline did what and who was the head thereof covers several sections, and feels unstructured and repetitive. I was irritated by the omission of hyphens in words such as postwar, nonfiction, antitank, buildups and interisland (he managed to spell it correctly in the name of the airline, but spelled it incorrectly on the sane line :-( ) really irritated me.
Much of the coverage was fascinating, but by the end, it felt like a real slog and way more than its 269 pages.
Some of the stories covered in this book are riveting; tales of pioneering, of dangerous work and of being marooned due to mishaps. The coverage is comprehensive - perhaps too full, in places - and the development of civilian flying in combat zones is interesting.
Secondly, the not so good:
Some of even the interesting tales are told in a flat, factual way and some of the less-interesting, technical aspects are covered to the nth degree. The coverage if which airline did what and who was the head thereof covers several sections, and feels unstructured and repetitive. I was irritated by the omission of hyphens in words such as postwar, nonfiction, antitank, buildups and interisland (he managed to spell it correctly in the name of the airline, but spelled it incorrectly on the sane line :-( ) really irritated me.
Much of the coverage was fascinating, but by the end, it felt like a real slog and way more than its 269 pages.
July 18, 2021
Comprehensive history of airline contribution to the military
Gives a good understanding of how the military and civil aviation work together. It runs from personal stories to statistics as well as airline histories; soot rambles. There are detailed errors. Ashhension island is a British possession. The Azores are Portuguese this error was made twicw
Gives a good understanding of how the military and civil aviation work together. It runs from personal stories to statistics as well as airline histories; soot rambles. There are detailed errors. Ashhension island is a British possession. The Azores are Portuguese this error was made twicw
September 14, 2021
Lost on the radar, now saluted for service
American Airlines large and small have done patriotic service when called upon in war time, yet little is said about it. This book changes that.
For those like me, who like airplanes this is a very interesting and illuminating book. It fills in a forgotten part of our country’s military history.
American Airlines large and small have done patriotic service when called upon in war time, yet little is said about it. This book changes that.
For those like me, who like airplanes this is a very interesting and illuminating book. It fills in a forgotten part of our country’s military history.
October 1, 2022
Excellent!
Amazing history, reads like a novel.
The times, the people, the planes…all brought to life in such a way that I could not put it down. I recognised some of the names as my Dad flew with some of them at UAL and spoke of them with such respect. I am so glad to have read their stories.
Amazing history, reads like a novel.
The times, the people, the planes…all brought to life in such a way that I could not put it down. I recognised some of the names as my Dad flew with some of them at UAL and spoke of them with such respect. I am so glad to have read their stories.
October 19, 2020
An Outstanding History
The author covered the essential facts on how the airline industry was crucial in winning WW 2. All former MATS people should read.
The author covered the essential facts on how the airline industry was crucial in winning WW 2. All former MATS people should read.
March 26, 2021
An excellent overview of airline operations in wartime, mainly in WW2 but also in Korea, Vietnam, and the Persian Gulf. Lots of detail, no errors to speak of. Enjoyable and educational.
November 30, 2025
Must read!!!
I worked for American Airlines from , 1969 until 1983 when I left to start an information systems consulting business
I am still the President of that company. I have always given my success to what I learned while I worked for American Airlines. This is a must read book for anyone once employed in aviation.
I worked for American Airlines from , 1969 until 1983 when I left to start an information systems consulting business
I am still the President of that company. I have always given my success to what I learned while I worked for American Airlines. This is a must read book for anyone once employed in aviation.
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews