I find it a bit astonishing that a book like this can be written today, but what do I know of the US public?
What is strange though, is that only pilots in the Far East should qualify.
The central thesis in the book seems to be the bet made by Rickenbacker (a sort of take off point) and surely he cannot have made that bet and at the same time only make Army pilots in the Far East "his competitors"?
And why only five men? If there was a "race" surely every pilot in USA competed (if they wanted to) including the Navy, as George already have pointed out.
I amused myself to quickly check the date when the mentioned pilots passed the magic line (ie when they made their 27th accepted claim) and found the following (thanks Frank Olynyk)
Bong: 12 April 1944
McGuire: 12 Nov 1944
Macdonald: 15 Feb 1945
The other two never qualified at all
Checking other pilots who should also have been in the "race"
Robert Johnson: 8 May 1944
Francis Gabreski: 27 June 1944
David McCampbell (US Navy): 24 Oct1944
Since I will not personally buy a book like this, the only thing which actually interests me is if Bong ever got that bottle? Many Europeans don't like bourbon, but even though I can enjoy a single malt, no nose in the air for me, I can equally enjoy a US sour mash.... any day....
Cheers
Stig