This book is about the U.S. 8th Army Air Corps, and an attempt to put the B-17 in it's proper place in history, and in the esteem of our country. The B-17 Bomber comprised two thirds of the United States bomber force, and the men of the 8th who flew them suffered catastrophic losses in terms of percentages.

The aircrews managed to complete only 27% of their assigned missions before being either killed, wounded, taken prisoner, or suffering some kind of breakdown.