As told by ace navigator Ralph Nutter, this is the story of two of our country's leading airmen during World War II: Haywood "Possum" Hansell and Curtis "the Eagle" LeMay. 24 photos. 2 maps.

THE FIREBOMBING OF TOKYO. Strategic Air Command. John F. Kennedy. Dr. Strangelove. George Wallace. All of these have one man in common—General Curtis LeMay, who remains as unknowable and controversial as he was in life. Until now. Warren Kozak traces the trajectory of America’s most infamous general, from his troubled background and heroic service in Europe to his firebombing of Tokyo, guardianship of the U.S. nuclear arsenal in the Cold War, frustrated career in government, and short-lived political run. Curtis LeMay’s life spanned an epoch in American military history, from the small U.S. Army Air Corps of the interwar years to the nuclear age. LeMay: The Life and Wars of General Curtis LeMay tells the whole story of the innovative pilot and navigator; the courageous general who led his bomber formations from the front, flying the lead bomber; the brilliant strategist; the unflagging patriot; and the founder of modern strategic bombing, who was famous and notorious in turns. LeMay: The Life and Wars of General Curtis LeMay gives an unprecedented glimpse into the might and mind of one of the founding fathers of air power, whose influence, and controversy, continues to this day.

Always at War is the story of Strategic Air Command (SAC) during the early decades of the Cold War. More than a simple history, it describes how an organization dominated by experienced World War II airmen developed a unique culture that thrives to this day. Strategic Air Command was created because of the Air Force’s internal beliefs, but the organization evolved as it responded to the external environment created by the Cold War. In the aftermath of World War II and the creation of an independent air service, the Air Force formed SAC because of a belief in the military potential of strategic bombing centralized under one commander. As the Cold War intensified, so did SAC’s mission. In order to prepare SAC’s “warriors” to daily fight an enemy they did not see, as well as to handle the world’s most dangerous arsenal, the command, led by General Curtis LeMay, emphasized security, personal responsibility, and competition among the command. Its resources, political influence, and manning grew as did its “culture” until reaching its peak during the Cuban Missile Crisis. SAC became synonymous with the Cold War and its culture forever changed the Air Force as well as those who served.

"Since World War I (WWI), the United States Army Air Forces (USAAF) looked at strategic bombing as a means to make the Air Forces a separate service. Prior to WWII, General William Billy Mitchell came to believe that future wars would require striking deep in enemy territory to attack industrial targets through strategic bombing. This belief in strategic bombing carried into WWII as USAAF leaders initially considered only this tactic of attacking the enemy. Some USAAF leaders thought this was the only way to fight and others were determined to do what it took to achieve the desired results. This paper will discuss how General Curtis Eagle LeMay's leadership style and willingness to adjust tactics to incorporate area bombing in addition to precision bombing led to better results than achieved by General Haywood Possum Hansell's strategic bombing. First, there will be a discussion of General Hansell and his commitment to strategic bombing, and in particular High Altitude Daylight Precision Bombing (HADPB) against Germany and Japan. Next, will be a discussion of General LeMay's viewpoint on strategic bombing and leadership during his experience in fighting the Germans and Japanese. In combat, there are often key decisions that commanders are required to make, and the decision to stick with precision bombing when results were showing its ineffectiveness inevitably cost lives, equipment and money."--AU research portal.

Opie's a possum that loves learning-especially when it involves an adventure! While snooping through the night, Opie comes across a house with a family inside. Intrigued by all of their commotion, he listens closely to find out what is going on. When he sees luggage and hears about space camp, he knows that he simply must join them. Follow Opie as his curiosity takes him aboard the Apollo 11 space mission with Neil Armstrong, Buzz Aldrin, and Michael Collins. Join Opie on this adventure into space, and learn all about our exciting solar system, the history of space travel, and many other fascinating facts about space!

"Riveting.…This book is required reading for anyone with even a passing interest in World War II and the Pacific Theater." —Bob Carden, Boston Globe Seven minutes past midnight on March 10, 1945, nearly 300 American B-29s thundered into the skies over Tokyo. Their payloads of incendiaries ignited a firestorm that reached up to 2,800 degrees, liquefying asphalt and vaporizing thousands; sixteen square miles of the city were flattened and more than 100,000 men, women, and children were killed. Black Snow is the story of this devastating operation, orchestrated by Major General Curtis LeMay, who famously remarked: “If we lose the war, we’ll be tried as war criminals.” James M. Scott reconstructs in granular detail that horrific night, and describes the development of the B-29, the capture of the Marianas for use as airfields, and the change in strategy from high-altitude daylight “precision” bombing to low-altitude nighttime incendiary bombing. Most importantly, the raid represented a significant moral shift for America, marking the first time commanders deliberately targeted civilians which helped pave the way for the atomic bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki five months later. Drawing on first-person interviews with American pilots and bombardiers and Japanese survivors, air force archives, and oral histories never before published in English, Scott delivers a harrowing and gripping account, and his most important and compelling work to date.

'I have not yet begun to fight!' were the immortal words shouted by John Paul Jones in his epic battle against the British warship the Serapis. Join the boy and a curious little possum named Opie as they sail with John Paul Jones on the Bonhomme Richard and lead America's Continental Navy into battle against Great Britain during the Revolutionary War. Relive all of the honor, glory, and victory on the high seas with Opie inA Possum's I Have Not Yet Begun to Fight: John Paul Jones and the Bonhomme Richard.