This book is based upon a Ph. D. dissertation written by an Air Force officer who studied at the University of Denver. Currently an Associate Professor of History at the Air Force Academy, Major Osur's account relates how the leadership in the War Department and the U.S. Army Air Forces (USAAF) tried to deal with the problem of race and the prejudices which were reflected in the bulk of American society. It tells a story of black racial protests and riots which such attitudes and discrimination provoked. The author describes many of the discriminatory actions taken against black airmen, whose goal was equality of treatment and opportunities as American citizens. He also describes the role of black pilots as they fought in the Mediterranean theater of operations against the Axis powers. In his final chapters, he examines the continuing racial frictions within the Army Air Forces which led to black servicemen protests and riots in 1945 at several installations.

As Nazi German planes darkened the skies of the European Theater during WWII, the United States rallied to the challenge. Brave pilots fought and died under often intense and dangerous conditions, racing to end the war which was creating such devastation and loss of lives. Keeping these men flying were the flight surgeons. The doctors who treated the minds and bodies of the crews. Stress, injury, infectious disease, and difficult living conditions took their tolls, as the flight surgeons fought to keep the army air force in fighting form. Dr. Lamb Myhr was one such flight surgeon. As he served in North Africa, England and the mainland of Europe, Dr. Myhr treated horrific injuries, unfamiliar illnesses, and venereal disease, as well as supervising the health and safety of the entire base. As pilots and crew struggled with fatigue, disease, and devastating losses, Dr. Myhr healed, counseled, and taught them, often with limited resources. He worked long hours in unsafe conditions, making split-second decisions to save lives. His war experiences offer a rare glimpse into the daily life of a flight surgeon on the frontlines through Dr. Myhr's records, correspondence, personal pictures and memories, exploring firsthand the perils and pressures of one of these unsung heroes.