Due to a sudden, unexpected passing in the family a few years ago and another more recently and my subsequent (mental) health issues stemming from that, I was unable to download this book in time to review it before it was archived as I did not visit this site for several years after the bereavements. This meant I didn't read or venture onto netgalley for years as not only did it remind me of that person as they shared my passion for reading, but I also struggled to maintain interest in anything due to overwhelming depression. I was therefore unable to download this title in time and so I couldn't give a review as it wasn't successfully acquired before it was archived. The second issue that has happened with some of my other books is that I had them downloaded to one particular device and said device is now defunct, so I have no access to those books anymore, sadly.

This means I can't leave an accurate reflection of my feelings towards the book as I am unable to read it now and so I am leaving a message of explanation instead. I am now back to reading and reviewing full time as once considerable time had passed I have found that books have been helping me significantly in terms of my mindset and mental health - this was after having no interest in anything for quite a number of years after the passings. Anything requested and approved will be read and a review written and posted to Amazon (where I am a Hall of Famer & Top Reviewer), Goodreads (where I have several thousand friends and the same amount who follow my reviews) and Waterstones (or Barnes & Noble if the publisher is American based). Thank you for the opportunity and apologies for the inconvenience.

Author and Historian Bill Yenne https://www.billyenne.com published the book “MacArthur’s Air Force: American Airpower over the Pacific and the Far East, 1941–51” in 2019. Mr. Yenne has published more than three dozen books, including both fiction and non-fiction.

The book begins with a brief history of Douglas MacArthur. The book chronicles the actions of the US Army Air Force that were under his control. He had Air Force units under his command from the beginning of WWII through the occupation of Japan and the Korean War. Most of the book focuses on the 5th Air Force and its efforts against the Japanese.

I enjoyed the 11 hours I spent reading this 445-page WWII history. This is the second book by Yenne that I have read. About a year ago I read his Aces: True Stories of Victory and Valor in the Skies of World War II. It was another enjoyable book. This book gives a bit of a different look at the Pacific war. It is full of details but a very readable history. It shows a more positive side of MacArthur than most of the books I have read. I like the chosen cover art. I rate this book as a 4.3 (rounded down to a 4) out of 5.

Related:

Book Review: “Race of Aces: WWII’s Elite Airmen and the Epic Battle to Become the Master of the Sky”
You can access more of my book reviews on my Blog ( https://johnpurvis.wordpress.com/blog/).

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Though Mr. Wenne's book is obviously well researched, it seemed to overwhelm me at times. Perhaps if it had only covered the second world war years, I might have found it more informative. He writes in a fairly conversational style, so overall I found MacArthur's Air Force to be a good piece of reference, and a nice addition to a military history bookshelf.
I received my copy through NetGalley under no obligation.

MacArthur’s Air Force: American Airpower over the Pacific and the Far East, 1941–51 is a fascinating read. I give it four stars.

Many members of RSL Clubs in Australia might be astonished by General Macarthur's and General Kenny's opinion of the Australians in the Air Force. They considered them pretty useless, apparently. Luckily, they improved!

However, this book is mostly about the members of the American Air Force in the Pacific War. Although I found the battle for New Guinea the most interesting part of the book by far, because I am Australian, the account is well-researched and detailed. However, it is very technical and a reader who knows about all the different types of airplanes will find it more rewarding. Also, I found all the different divisions of the forces a bit confusing.

The book begins slowly, but becomes more interesting.