FIGHTING FIFTEEN

The inspiring, action-packed tale of VF-15, an aviation unit of the United States Navy that would ultimately destroy more enemy planes than any other Pacific War squadron.

When Fighter Squadron 15 was established in 1943, most of its men were completely new to aerial combat. Only one pilot was a bona fide ace. And the group was assigned to a carrier commanded by Miles Browning, a man known for his harsh mannerisms, snarling orders, and disrespectful temperament. It was a shaky start for Air Group 15, with a string of deadly training crashes and an uncertain future. Cut loose from Browning's carrier, VF-15 retreated to train in Hawaii, becoming as close knit as family. When the squadron formally entered World War II with a series of pulse-pounding strikes on Marcus Island, they were ready. Nicknamed "Satan's Playmates," during six critical months of combat, the squadron destroyed a record-setting 660 enemy planes across air and ground. Twenty-six of the mensome barely out of their teenage yearswould eventually become aces, ascending to an elite group of pilots and stamping their names in the history books. FIGHTING FIFTEEN places readers in the heart of the action, waiting with bated breath as pilots attempt to narrowly escape the clutches of the Japanese. With dizzying stakes, McCampbell and his men would at last help bring an end to the Pacific War. Stephen L. Moore, a sixth-generation Texan, expert military historian, and the author of multiple books on World War II and Texas history.