Air Force Spoken Here: General IRA Eaker and the Command of the Air

By one of Baker's wartime aides, ""in cooperation with the Air Force Historical Foundation,'' this anecdote-rich biography offers new material on the development of American air power and its application during World War II. Baker, an air pioneer, went on to lead the first bombing operations against western Europe, directed the great expansion of the Eighth Air Force in 1943, and commanded the Allied Air Forces in the Mediterranean theater. His postwar career included stints with Hughes Aircraft and McDonnell-Douglas and he gained a reputation as one of the foremost civilian spokesmen for the responsible use of air power. Baker's sterling leadership during the war is at the core of the narrative, along with a running account of his often strained relations with Air Corps chief ``Hap'' Arnold, who was not only a mentor but a father figure to Baker. Parton is founder of the American Heritage publishing company. Photos. (November 3