Autographed Copy

Badger Aces is the exciting, true-life story of the over 40 Wisconsin pilots who shot down five enemy aircraft either in World War I, WW II, the Korean War or the Vietnam War, therein becoming air aces. Included in the ranks of those Wisconsin aces are Richard Bong, America's all-time, top-scoring ace, 'teenage ace' Chris Hanseman, one of the very youngest U.S. aces of all time and three Badger 'aces-in-a-day' who each scored five victories in just one day. Bong, Hanseman and the other aces came from the length and breadth of Wisconsin, their hometowns ranging from Poplar to Milwaukee. Whether at the controls of a Sopwith Camel, Republic P-47 Thunderbolt or North American F-86 Sabre, these men carved out a fighting legacy second to none. Using personal reminiscences, blow-by-blow combat reports and other historical records, author Mike O'Connor has created a compelling narrative of skilled pilots engaged in deadly air combats in the hopes of achieving 'five-down-and-glory.' The 300-page text is illustrated with hundreds of photographs, many of them rare, depicting the different aces, their aircraft, enemy aircraft and gun-camera scenes. This oversize softbound history will stand as a lasting memorial to those brave Wisconsin knights of the sky.