DESTINED FOR GLORY
Dive Bombing, Midway, and the Evolution of Carrier Airpower
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DESTINED FOR GLORY
Full Description:
On 4 June 1942, three squadrons of U.S. Navy Dauntless dive bombers destroyed Japan’s carrier force at Midway and changed the course of the Pacific war. As Wildenberg demonstrates in this book, the key ingredient to the Navy’s success was the planning and training devoted to the tactic of dive bombing. Examining how political, economic, technical, and operational factors influenced the development of carrier airpower between 1925 and 1942, he shows why dive bombing became the Navy’s weapon of choice. He also pays tribute to the select group of naval aviators who drove the evolution of carrier tactics. Although many books have been written about the Battle of Midway, this is the first to focus on how the Navy came to develop the one aerial weapon that proved to be the decisive instrument of victory.
Thomas Wildenberg is a historian specializing in the development of naval aviation and logistics at sea and is the author of several books on naval history including Ship Killer co-authored with Normal Polmar.
PRAISE FOR DESTINED FOR GLORY
“At Midway, a handful of Dauntless dive bomber crews changed the course of World War II in the Pacific and the thrust of naval power forever. Destined for Glory tells the story of how a few tenacious visionaries forged the capability that made this possible. It’s never been told better.”
— Capt. Robert L. Rasmussen, USN (Ret.), Director, National Museum of Aviation
“Thomas Wildenberg does a superb job of filling in the blanks on the development of tactics and advances in technology that led to the success of the carrier strike forces in World War II.”
— Capt. E. T. Woolridge, USN (Ret.), author of Night Fighter over Korea
“This book deals with an extremely important subject little covered in the existing literature. It presents a sound, comprehensive analysis of the development of U.S. carrier aviation.”
— John B. Lundstrom, author of The First Team and the Guadalcanal Campaign
