Author Harder, an active-duty US Air Force officer from 1966 to 1970, served in the Strategic Air Command and flew 145 combat missions during the Vietnam War as a B-52 navigator-bombardier. Here, he details the B- 52 air war in Vietnam from the perspective of the navigator-bombardier. The book begins with the disastrous 1972 Hanoi Christmas bombing, then offers background on the development of bombing techniques and the evolution of bomber aircraft of the era. It then returns to 1972's 11-day Christmas mission over Hanoi and Haiphong for an insider's view of that defining battle. The book concludes with a discussion of the B-52 and its capabilities in the 21st century. B&w historical photos and illustrations are included. Annotation ©2009 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)