Capturing the hearts of a beleaguered nation, the fighter pilots of World War II engaged in a kind of battle that became the stuff of legend. They cut through the sky in their P-38s to go one-on-one against the enemy—and those who survived the deadly showdowns with enough courage and skill earned the right to be called aces. But two men in particular rose to become something more. They became icons of aerial combat, in a heroic rivalry that inspired a weary nation to fight on.   Richard “Dick” Bong was the bashful, pink-faced farm boy from the Midwest. Thomas “Tommy” McGuire was the wise-cracking, fast-talking kid from New Jersey. What they shared was an unparalleled gallantry under fire which won them both the Medal of Honor—and remains the subject of hushed and reverent conversation wherever aerial warfare is admired.   What they had between them was a closely watched rivalry to see who would emerge as the top-scoring American ace of the war. What they left behind is a legacy of pride we will never forget, and a record of aerial victories that has yet to be surpassed anywhere in the world. Bill Yenne  is the author of more than three dozen nonfiction books, especially on aviation and military history, including Hit the Target , When Tigers Ruled the Sky ,  Big Week , and  Aces High . He lives and works in San Francisco, California. Table of Contents Title Page Copyright Page Dedication Acknowledgements   PART I - BOYS CHAPTER 1 - The Roaring Twenties and the Lone Eagle CHAPTER 2 - Changes and Challenges CHAPTER 3 - A World Goes to War CHAPTER 4 - Americans Prepare CHAPTER 5 - Young Men and War CHAPTER 6 - The Daring Young Lieutenants and Their Flying Machines CHAPTER 7 - Their Warhorse, Their Fork-Tailed Devil CHAPTER 8 - Ups and Downs   PART II - WARRIORS CHAPTER 9 - Into the Band of Brothers CHAPTER 10 - Into the Cauldron CHAPTER 11 - January 1943: The End of the Beginning CHAPTER 12 - February 1943: The Calm Before the Storm CHAPTER 13 - March 1943: A Rising Star CHAPTER 14 - April 1943: Deaths in the Families CHAPTER 15 - May 1943: Passing in the Night CHAPTER 16 - June 1943: Into the Interior CHAPTER 17 - July 1943: Four in One Day CHAPTER 18 - August 1943: Black Days CHAPTER 19 - September 1943: Air Supremacy CHAPTER 20 - October 1943: Down in Flames CHAPTER 21 - November 1943: The Pied Piper of Poplar CHAPTER 22 - December 1943: Vals for Christmas CHAPTER 23 - January 1944: The Next Great Ace? CHAPTER 24 - February 1944: The Flying Circus CHAPTER 25 - March 1944: And Then There Were Two CHAPTER 26 - April 1944: Cases for the Ace of Aces CHAPTER 27 - May 1944: Modesty Equal to Merit CHAPTER 28 - June 1944: “And the Angels Sing” CHAPTER 29 - June 1944: A Stranger Comes to Hollandia CHAPTER 30 - July 1944: The Lone Eagle on His Wing CHAPTER 31 - August 1944: Just Doing His Job CHAPTER 32 - September 1944: Very Little and Very Safe CHAPTER 33 - October 1944: Shooting Gallery Skies CHAPTER 34 - November 1944: The Race for Glory CHAPTER 35 - December 1944: Medals of Honor CHAPTER 36 - January 1945: Never to Be Forgotten CHAPTER 37 - February 1945: The Roses Were Victory Red CHAPTER 38 - Spring 1945: The Lure of Jet Planes CHAPTER 39 - Summer 1945: Home Sweet Home CHAPTER 40 - August 1945: By His Example to Inspire   PART III - REMEMBRANCE CHAPTER 41 - Aces High CHAPTER 42 - Those Who Remember Them   EPILOGUE BIBLIOGRAPHY WIDELY USED ACRONYMS APPENDIX 1 - Cumulative Scores APPENDIX 2 - Official Texts of Medal of Honor Citations INDEX ABOUT THE AUTHOR Most Berkley Caliber Books are available at special quantity discounts for bulk purchases for sales promotions, premiums, fund-raising, or educational use. Special books, or book excerpts, can also be created to fit specific needs.   For details, write: Special Markets, The Berkley Publishing Group, 375 Hudson Street, New York, New York 10014. Also by the Author Nonfiction   Aces: TRUE STORIES OF VICTORY & VALOR In THE SKIES OF WORLD WAR II secret WEAPONS OF THE COLD WAR secret WEAPONS OF WORLD WAR II       Fiction   A DAMNED FINE WAR RAPTOR FORCE RAPTOR FORCE: HOLY FIRE RAPTOR FORCE: CORKSCREW INTO THE FIRE THE BERKLEY PUBLISHING GROUP Published by the Penguin Group Penguin Group (USA) Inc. 375 Hudson Street, New York, New York 10014, USA Penguin Group (Canada), 90 Eglinton Avenue East, Suite 700, Toronto, Ontario M4P 2Y3, Canada (a division of Pearson Penguin Canada Inc.) Penguin Books Ltd., 80 Strand, London WC2R 0RL, England Penguin Group Ireland, 25 St. Stephen’s Green, Dublin 2, Ireland (a division of Penguin Books Ltd.) Penguin Group (Australia), 250 Camberwell Road, Camberwell, Victoria 3124, Australia (a division of Pearson Australia Group Pty. Ltd.) Penguin Books India Pvt. Ltd., 11 Community Centre, Panchsheel Park, New Delhi—110 017, India Penguin Group (NZ), 67 Apollo Drive, Rosedale, North Shore 0632, New Zealand (a division of Pearson New Zealand Ltd.) Penguin Books (South Africa) (Pty.) Ltd., 24 Stur