Black Thursday by Martin Caidin

In this book, the eminent historian Martin Caidin concentrates on one of the most brutal air battles in history-Schweinfurt. At a time when the B-17's flew with little or no fighter escort, and the German Luftwaffe had not yet been all but chased from the sky, the 8th Air Force launched a raid on the ball-bearing plants at Schweinfurt, Germany. The result is a story that is at once tragic and heroic. This is a well-researched book, full of first-person accounts of the battle. It reads like a good thriller and leaves the reader with a new respect and appreciation for the brave men on both sides who fought their war five miles above the earth not so many years ago. Highly recommended reading for anyone interested in the air war.