In the winter of 1972, President Nixon ordered Operation Linebacker II, a massive aerial bombing campaign designed to end the war. The primary targets were located in Hanoi and Haiphong, North Vietnam, which were the most heavily defended cities in the history of aerial warfare. Yankee Air Pirates tells the story of this campaign through the eyes of Spike, Bulldog, D-Kid, and the many other crewdogs (as B-52 crew members referred to themselves) who flew the massive Stratofortress on these dangerous missions. Who were these crewdogs? In the air, they were serious professionals. They were wise beyond thheir years, educated by experiences that most will never know. On the ground, they were rowdy, undisciplined, hard-drinking misfits. They were heroes at a time when many at home refused to recognize their heroism, and they were patriots when "patriotism" was a bad word in America. Most importantly, they were eager to do everything they could, including risking their lives, to end the war and free the prisoners so everyone could go home to their families and friends--Back cover.