"The sky seemed filled with diving planes and the black bursts of exploding antiaircraft shells"

This quote paints a vivid picture of the turmoil and destruction of war. The sky is filled with airplanes, likely from both sides of the conflict, as they dive and soar in an attempt to acquire the upper hand. The antiaircraft shells, fired from the ground, burst in the sky in an effort to remove the enemy planes. The black smoke from the surges is a stark suggestion of the violence and damage of war. The quote records the strength of the fight and the guts of those who fight in it. Dorie Miller, a World War II hero, experienced this firsthand and his words bring to life the fear and guts of war.