During 1943 and 1944, the 5th Air Force near decimated its Japanese opponent three times, eventually opening the way for the advance - ahead of schedule - of MacArthur"s Allied forces through New Guinea to the Philippines and the Dutch East Indies. This book describes these crucial operations in unprecedented breadth and detail, exploring the varying degrees of understanding of the requirements of air power exhibited by both Japanese and US commanders. Air-combat missions come vividly and dramatically to life through first-hand accounts that cement the book"s authoritativeness.