Analyzes the link between civilized warfare and the American self-image. During World War I, air combat came to epitomize American ingenuity, technological superiority, adventure, leadership, and team-work. Linda R. Robertson presents the compelling story of the creation of the first American air force and how the American imagination was shaped by the depiction of the flying ace - the gentleman warrior who offered not only a symbol of warfare in stark contrast to the muddy, brutal world of the trenches, but also a distraction to the American public.