To Command the Sky

Stephen L. McFarland is Professor of History and former Dean of the Graduate School, Auburn University. Among his works are A Concise History of the U.S. Air Force, Battles Not Fought: The Creation of an Independent Air Force, Conquering the Night: Army Air Forces Night Fighters at War and America's Pursuit of Precision Bombing, 1910-1945.Wesley Newton is Professor Emeritus of History at Auburn University and co-editor, with Robert R. Rea, of Wings of Gold: An Account of Naval Aviation Training in World War II.

A thoroughly documented, exuberantly written, objective, scholarly record of the costly but essential fight for domination of the skies over western Europe during World War II. Authors McFarland and Newton are historians thoroughly familiar with the documents... and they mined these valuable collections to write this superior book. They also understand the fundamentals of modern air combat operations. This book does a better job than any other I have examined of exploring the personalities who were charged with the responsibility for making the strategic bombing doctrine effective. McFarland and Newton also master the technical details of the tactics used to defeat the Lufwaffe.... To Command the Sky is an indispensable addition to the bookshelf of any serious student of World War II or military aviation. - Alan L. Gropman, The Journal of American History