The Cactus Air Force

If you have any interest in the Battle for Guadalcanal, then this book is a mandatory read. The success of the American air war played a significant part in the final victory there. This book covers the topic very well - read it.

This is an easy read and one of the best South Pacific WWII books. It covers the critical air force role in stopping the Japanese and also depicts ground conditions on Guadalcanal. I used it as a reference in a twenty hour course "The South Pacific - The Movie and the War". There is an excellent Youtube video that relates to the book called: Dogfights: Guadalcanal : Jefferson DeBlanc, Wildcat stud!

I read this originally over 20 yrs ago, and it is by far the best and most accurate account of the Guadalcanal cmpn from the air standpoint. It also has a good history of the ground and naval aspects of this epic siege since the air aspect was directly involved. There are no boring parts of this account, and it has details that I've not known before regarding the Navy, Marine, and Army Air Corps flyers who endured unbearable conditions and constant combat. This includes being under artillery and rifle fire while launching and landing from Henderson field and massive naval bombardments at night. For 87 days the airmen known as the Cactus air force fought like Spartans and won. By Carl Gould

Although the stunning Midway victory levelled the odds in the Pacific, it was the epic battle for Guadalcanal that tilted the scale irrevocably in favour of the Americans. Cactus Air Force may be the title of the book, but the author certainly does not limit his scope to the small but vital band of airmen. His immaculately researched account encompasses practically the entire air campaign, including detailed looks at the battles of Eastern Solomons and Santa Cruz. Right from the first page the reader is plunged headlong into the frenetic 90-day clash of military heavyweights concentrated in a tiny area.While the information contained within this relatively slim volume is potentially overwhelming, with his authoritative grasp and style Miller is able to present his vast depository of facts and people in a way the reader can easily absorb. Not for a moment did I find any of the details gratuitous.An excellent companion to this book is The Story Of Wake Island, a seemingly forgotten first-person account by the late Brigadier General James P.S. Devereux. Narrative differences aside, the two books tell what is essentially a continuing story. I heartily recommend both.

I read this book several years ago and was impressed with the historical facts pertaining to the Quadalcanal fight. The men that took place in the defense of that island were true Heros.