Hostile Skies: A Combat History of the American Air Service in World War I

by James J. Hudson

Book Overview

From April to November 1918, the American Air Service grew from a poorly equipped, unorganized branch of the US Expeditionary Forces to a fighting unit equal to its opponent in every way. This text details the actual battle experiences of the men and boys who made up the service squadrons.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0815604653
• ISBN13: 9780815604655
• Release Date: November 1996
• Publisher: Syracuse University Press
• Length: 354 Pages
• Weight: 1.15 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.0" x 6.1" x 9.0"

Customer Reviews

A talented writer

I had the pleasure of being one of Hudson's students, especially when I was able to discuss the pilot on the dust jacket, Capt. Field E. Kindley, of Gravette, Arkansas, one of the first Americans flying in a US unit to shoot down a German. Hudson took great pains to insure the accuraccy of this book, and continued to seek out information about the men and units he wrote about in this book. It is THE BOOK on the fledgling American Air Service, and having been a WWII fighter pilot, Hudson wrote from a pilot's point of view, and was able to discuss the salient points and the bad points of the experiences that these men had and how it shaped the future of our air force. I strongly recommend it to any serious military student.

Hostile Skies a must for any WWI aviation historian

I bought this book on a whim. I'm glad I did. One of the best books I've read on WWI Aviation. Hudson's scholarship is solid. As a former AAF fighter pilot, he ties in his expertise to make Hostile Skies readable and enjoyable. It does not degenerate into an aces' scorecard of kills and losses, but rather includes various units of the Army Air Service--The Balloon Corps, Observation and Bombardment squadrons, and of course Pursuit. Hudson's use of personal interviews and first-hand accounts makes his work an excellent reference for WWI Aviation historians.