The beginning, 1912-1918 -- Between wars, 1919-1941 -- World War II : on the defensive -- Cactus in the Pacific : Guadalcanal -- Island hopping -- Carrying the war to Japan -- Post-war activities -- Another war in Asia : Korea -- Korean stalemate -- Post-Korean developments -- Vietnam : the early stages -- The communist waiting game pays off -- Post-Vietnam future -- Fighting terrorism in the 1980s -- Taking the measure of Saddam -- Desert Storm -- New challenges for all -- Fighting in the new world of terrorism -- Persian Gulf War II : Taking Saddam, again! -- Contuining the war that was finished -- Dealing with the present, planning for the future -- Appendix A : First 100 Marine Corps aviators -- Appendix B : Directors, Deputy Chiefs of Staff, and Deputy Commandants for Marine Corp aviation.