Roar of the Tiger

To qualify as an air ace one must shoot down five or more enemy planes. The author of this workmanlike memoir has the rare distinction of being an ace in two operational theaters of the Second World War. Not long before the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, Howard resigned his Navy commission in order to join the Flying Tigers in China, who would fly combat missions against the Japanese. Later he served as a squadron leader in the Army Air Corps and group commander in the Ninth Air Force in Europe. In addition to becoming a double ace, Howard was the only fighter pilot in the European theater to win the Medal of Honor. Here he describes many of his ``kills,'' including his heroic exploit in 1943 when he single-handedly defended an American bomber group against some 30 German fighters. The memoir is a straightforward account that emphasizes the ``true adventure'' aspect of Howard's wartime service but doesn't have much to say about the man himself. Photos. (June)