The Naval Air War NATHAN MILLER The Naval Air War 1939-1945 The Nautical & Aviation Publishing Company ofAmerica All photographs are official U.S. Navy or furnished by Popperfoto, London, U.K., unless otherwise indicated. Copyright © 1980 by Nathan Miller. All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any manner without written permission from the publisher, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews. Library of Congress Catalog Card Number 79-90171 ISBN 0-933852-11-8 Printed in the United States of America. To Jan and Marcy Books by Nathan Miller The Naval Air War: 1939-1945 The Roosevelt Chronicles The U.S. Navy: An Illustrated History The Founding Finaglers: A History of Corruption in America Sea of Glory: The Continental Navy Fightsfor Independence, 1775-1783 Contents Preface ix 1. Day of Fury 3 2. A Band of Brothers 15 3. Wings Over the Med 27 4. Death in the Atlantic 43 5. Red Sun Rising 57 6. Coral Sea and Midway 69 7. Guadalcanal 99 8. Victory in the Atlantic 121 9. "Get the Carriers!" 153 10. To the Heart of Japan 177 Action Report 209 Notes 211 Bibliography 213 Photos 215 Index 217 vii