Clear the Deck!: Aircraft Carrier Accidents of World War II

Original wartime photos of what it was like on the decks of carriers in the Pacific. If you have a relative who was on a carrier during WW2, you must put this book in their hands.

I'm a pretty big WW2 history buff, and have read and own well over 500 books on the subject. This book is not an in-depth study of airplane accidents and how they came to be, or of the procedures and doctrine that were later adopted to avoid them. But what it is, is a SPECTACULAR photo-essay of various crashes, most (if not all) of which I have never seen published before. The pictures alone speak for this book, and it is one of my favorite "coffee-table" type books to pick up and thumb through, whenever I want something light (but still fascinating) to read. Given that so much is regurgitated in so many of the WW2 history books, this book is a refreshing departure from the rest. I have to say that dollar-for-dollar, it is hands-down, one of the best purchases that I ever made. Buy it, you won't regret it.

NAVAL AVIATION IS DANGEROUS AT BEST BUT THIS BOOK MAKES YOU TRULY APPRECIATE THE SACRIFICES MADE BY THOSE WHO DEFEND OUR NATION.GRIPPING ARCHIVAL PHOTOS GRAPHICALLY ILLUSTRATE THE HAZARDS OF CARRIER WARFARE.THIS BOOK IS A MUST HAVE FOR ANYONE INTERESTED IN THE HISTORY OF WORLD WAR 2 AND CARRIER AVIATION.

This is my favorite picture book. It is jam packed with photos and informative captions that explain what happened. Even though the book is mostly photos, there is still plenty of interesting reading available.

On a good day, the deck of an aircraft carrier is a dangerous place. On a bad day. it is the most dangerous place on earth. Author Cory Graff puts together a photo-history of aircraft carrier accidents during WWII that portrays in vivid fashion just how dangerous carrier aviation is. The book starts with a good synopsis of the beginning of the US Navy carrier aviation. The author then uses the war as a backdrop for his book, tying specific aircraft to each phase of the war, and recounting the situation in the Pacific as the book progresses. Graff's exhaustive research into Navy archives produced a range of carrier mishap photos spanning the gamut of comical to tragic. In addition, wherever possible, he also added a human element by detailing the fate of the pilot. The best part of this book is most certainly the pictures and accompanying captions. While the history of the Pacific War can be read in numerous sources, a photo collection of this many aircraft mishap pictures is much harder to come by, and Graff should be commended for his efforts to bring them together. A most enjoyable book for aviation and especially military aviation enthusiasts.