When the U.S. was propelled into war on December 7, 1941, Europe had been torn by war for over two years. In America, the small professional armed forces that began the war were quickly replaced by draftees--civilians thrown "into the breach" after barely three months of training. These rare and amazing images show how these fresh-faced conscripts became battle-hardened warriors.

Of all the assignments a serviceman might find himself undertaking in WWII, flying seemed to offer the greatest promise of glory. What was not initially apparent was that flying would become the most dangerous job of the war. A flyer had less chance of survival than any other serviceman in any other branch of the military. Peter Coyote narrates this compelling look at the air war through the eyes of those who lived it, with rare color footage and interviews with Army Air Corps and RAF veterans.