I would like to commend Carl Molesworth on his outstanding new book about Flying Tiger ace Bill Reed. Reed resigned his commission in the U.S. Army Air Forces to serve in Claire Chennault’s famed American Volunteer Group—the original Flying Tigers—in 1941 and ‘42 and later returned to China as a squadron commander in the Chinese-American Composite Wing. Molesworth has been writing about the World War II air war in China for over thirty years now and his deep familiarity with the subject is apparent from the very first page. He is a careful researcher who conscientiously presents the full scope of information available, especially when dealing with historical controversies. Readers familiar with Molesworth’s other books will find Flying Tiger Ace a much more intimate view of the war, immersing the reader in Reed’s heartfelt and detailed letters to his mother, intermittent journal entries, and combat reports. In most unit histories, characters like Reed come across as two-dimensional patriotic cutouts. Now, Molesworth paints the man in his full complexity, including his struggles as a man, a son, and a leader. I highly recommend the book to anyone interested in the Flying Tigers, World War II, or aviation history.  

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