A vivid account, filled with personal testimonies, about the Fighter Command VIII of the Eighth Air Force of the United States, from its establishment in 1942 to its victory in the skies over Nazi Germany. On August 7, 1942, two significant events occurred on opposite sides of the planet. In the South Pacific, the United States launched a counteroffensive with the landing of the First Marine Division at Guadalcanal. In England, 12 B-17 bombers of the Eighth Air Force bombed the Rouen–Sotteville railway stations in France. Although the mission was small, the air battle that began that day would ultimately cost the United States more men killed and wounded by the end of the war in Europe than the Marines would lose in the Pacific War.

“Clean Sweep” is the story of the creation, development, and operation of the Fighter Command of the Eighth Air Force and the battle for the establishment of air superiority during the day over the Luftwaffe, so that the invasion of Europe would be successful. Thomas McKelvey Cleaver has a lifelong interest in the history of the fighter force that defeated the Luftwaffe over Germany. He has collected numerous personal testimonies from participants over the past 50 years, meeting pilots such as the legendary “Hub” Zemke, Don Blakeslee, and Chuck Yeager, as well as interviewing top Luftwaffe pilots like Adolf Galland, Gunther Rall, and Walter “Count Punski” Krupinski. This story is told through testimonies gathered from both sides.

Pages: 464, Year of Publication: 0506, Dimensions: 15.2x15.2cm